Esports as the new frontier of betting: from CS2 to mobile games — where are the promising markets?

In recent years, esports has evolved from ‘entertainment for gamers’ into a full-fledged industry with millions of viewers, huge prize pools and professional leagues. It is logical that interest in betting has grown alongside the tournaments: many bettors are switching from football and tennis to CS2, Dota 2, Valorant and mobile disciplines.

Bookmakers and online platforms are adapting to this trend: projects such as 666 Gambit Casino are introducing separate sections for esports, expanded lines for top tournaments, live betting with broadcasts, and special promotions for gaming fans. All this is forming a new frontier in betting, where the rules and behaviour of the market differ from those of traditional sports.

Why esports has become a separate betting cluster

The main difference between esports is its digital nature. Everything that happens in a match is recorded in the form of data: kills, objects, economic indicators, damage map. This makes disciplines such as CS2 and Dota 2 ideal for analytics and micro-markets.

Key growth factors:

  • a young, active audience accustomed to both games and online services;
  • regular tournaments, leagues, and qualifiers — events take place all year round;
  • broadcast availability: Twitch, YouTube, local platforms.

For bettors, this means a constant stream of matches, a wide selection of markets, and the ability to combine viewing with live betting in a ‘second screen’ format.

Flagship disciplines: where a mature market has already developed

CS2: tactical shooter with deep analytics

CS2 has inherited all the essentials from CS:GO: an understandable format (best of 1/3), round economics, a map of professional teams and leagues. For betting, it is one of the most predictable and spectacular types of esports.

What experienced bettors look at:

  • team win rate on specific maps;
  • opening frag and clutch statistics;
  • the form of snipers and ‘anchor’ players;
  • the density of the calendar and the fatigue of the team.

Markets include not only the outcome of the map, but also the exact score, round totals, pistol rounds, forums and individual statistics.

Dota 2 and other MOBAs: a game about drafts and late game

In Dota 2, the outcome of a match heavily depends on the draft and the late game. Here, blindly betting on the favourite is a recipe for disappointment. Important factors include:

  • hero combinations and skill synergy;
  • peak strength in the mid-game and late game;
  • the form of core players and the role of the captain in the draft.

Promising markets are built around maps: who will take the first map, time totals, number of Roshans, frag advantages. The better a bettor understands the meta and patches, the stronger their position.

Valorant, League of Legends and regional leagues

LoL and Valorant are strengthening the frontier of esports:

  • League of Legends has powerful regional leagues (LCK, LPL, LEC, LCS);
  • Valorant has a rapidly growing scene with franchise teams and global tournaments.

Specialised markets are promising here: map outcomes, total kills, first objectives (dragons, barons, spike plants). Competition among bookmakers is growing, and with it, the depth of the betting line.

Mobile games: an underrated but promising segment

A separate area is betting on mobile esports: Mobile Legends, Wild Rift, PUBG Mobile and other projects. In some regions (Southeast Asia, Latin America, India), mobile disciplines are already comparable to PC games in terms of viewership.

Why it is promising:

  • low entry threshold for players — almost everyone has a smartphone;
  • huge fan base in emerging markets;
  • regular regional leagues and international finals.

For bettors, mobile games are still less ‘crowded’ with professional cappers than CS2 or Dota 2, which creates opportunities for those who are ready to understand local scenes and metas.

Live betting and analytics: the advantage of an attentive viewer

Live markets are particularly interesting in esports:

  • in CS2, the first rounds show who is better at entering the match and how the economy works;
  • in Dota 2, gold and experience graphs can be used to assess the real balance of power, not just the score;
  • in mobile games, instant comebacks create ‘skews’ in the odds.

An attentive viewer who understands the game and watches the broadcast often gets better context than someone who relies solely on the pre-match line. But this only works if you have discipline: without bankroll limits and a cool head, live preferences can easily turn into impulsive decisions.

Risks and responsibility: where the line is thin

Esports makes betting more dynamic, but along with that:

  • many matches = temptation to play constantly;
  • high variability of outcomes = frequent ‘unexpected’ results;
  • young audience = higher risk of playing on emotions.

Promising markets in esports are not only about odds growth and line depth, but also about responsibility. Those who:

  • choose 1–2 disciplines and study them in depth;
  • work with a bankroll and do not ‘catch up’ after every loss;
  • rely on analytics, not just their ‘favourite team’;

have a chance to turn esports from chaotic entertainment into a structured, albeit risky, betting format.

Esports has already become a full-fledged frontier of global betting: from CS2 and Dota 2 to mobile leagues and show formats. Promising markets are hidden where understanding of the game, analytics and discipline intersect — not just a love for a loud title or a bright highlight.