In the last decade, esports betting has gained immense popularity. Rule standardization and the hosting of major tournaments with million-dollar prize pools have transformed E-Sports into genuine competitive events.
Bets on the esports discipline League of Legends are accepted in almost all online bookmakers, including legal ones in Russia. In terms of betting popularity, the game ranks in the top five. Let’s examine why LoL bets are so in demand and clarify their main features.
What is League of Legends?
League of Legends (LoL, League of Legends) is a multiplayer game belonging to the MOBA genre. The developer company Riot Games drew inspiration from Dota2 when creating the gaming platform. This helped account for all the strengths and weaknesses of the previous hit.
The game, released in 2009, already had over 15 million players registered on official servers by 2011. Daily, more than one and a half million participants actively took part in it. The multiplayer online mode quickly transformed this entertainment into a competitive esports event. Naturally, bets on League of Legends soon gained equal popularity.
Game features affecting esports betting on LoL:
- competitive mode – team-based five-versus-five confrontation;
- the side that destroys the opponent’s base – the Nexus – wins;
- during the match, missions are completed and third-party units are destroyed to develop special abilities of one’s own characters;
- the map features numerous defensive structures that can also be destroyed – some bookmakers accept bets on the number of destructions;
- players select characters with specific skills immediately before the match – analyzing such choices helps make successful bets on League of Legends in Live.
The success of bet selection is also influenced by the format in which competitions are held. Some professional teams prefer to play online, while other teams achieve better results on LAN venues.
Another factor affecting the game’s popularity is its free-to-play nature. Anyone can register on any regional server and enter virtual battles. However, for rapid advancement and victories, one will still need to purchase special “cosmetic” sets to enhance their characters.
Major LoL Tournaments
Initially, Riot Games targeted the North American audience. The entertainment indeed first gained popularity in the USA and Canada. However, it quickly spread to Asia and then to Europe. Today, the number of players is comparable to, if not exceeding, the equivalent number in Dota 2.
In America, bets on LoL are definitely made by more people than on Dota. In the post-Soviet space, League of Legends has not yet surpassed the popularity of Dota2.
The largest LoL tournament is the World Championship, whose prize pool has long been measured in millions of dollars. Teams qualify for it based on regional principles. Throughout the summer, teams from “non-primary regions” battle for the right to advance to this October forum.
Such qualifying competitions are the second most popular tournament. Also, bets on LoL are accepted for all kinds of “invitational” format competitions, regional championships, sponsored tournaments, and so on.
Types of Bookmaker Bets on LoL
The betting line for the esports “League of Legends” is quite detailed and can compete with some traditional sports:
- W1-W2. Bets on who will win the match. Games are held in Best of 1, 3, 5, 7 formats. In other words, a draw outcome is excluded.
- Map Victory. Such bets are accepted both pre-match and in live.
- Map Handicap. If a format of up to two, three, or four victories is provided, then handicaps are possible in the form of +/- 1.5, 2.5, 3.5. Handicap bets are popular when teams of different levels meet.
- Map Total. A match can have a different number of rounds, so bets on Over and Under are accepted.
- First blood. Bets on which team will make the first kill on the map. The market is highly unpredictable, being essentially lottery-like.
- Exact Score. The choice of options depends on the competition format. If the game is in bo3, then possible results are 2:0, 2:1, 1:2, 0:2.
- Frags Bets. Frags are kills of neutral, secondary characters, creatures. On this indicator, bets are accepted on general and individual totals, handicaps, even/odd on the map. Again, a poorly predictable market.
- Totals of Destroyed Buildings, Inhibitors, Baron Captures. On LoL maps, various tasks and actions are available that contribute to character improvement or gaining tactical advantages. Any actions that can be quantitatively measured are suitable for placing wagering bets.
Pre-Match Analysis Factors
To profit from bets on LoL, consider the following points:
- team status in world and regional rankings;
- whether the club fields its main roster for the tournament;
- team motivation;
- head-to-head history between teams;
- online or LAN format of competitions;
- individual esports athletes’ character preferences.
Never forget about financial discipline. League of Legends matches often end unpredictably. Don’t bet amounts that are critical for you.
Pros and Cons of LoL Betting
League of Legends is entertainment more oriented toward the American audience. Domestic bookmakers don’t try very hard to adjust odds, relying on automatic quotes from providers. Therefore, if a bettor is well-versed in this esports discipline, finding value bets won’t be difficult. This is the main advantage.
The disadvantage, however, is that due to numerous unexpected results, pre-match analysis largely loses its relevance. In many ways, bets on LoL become a peculiar lottery.
