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The Search for League of Legends Bookmakers
There are plenty of betting operators that offer odds on eSports and not all of them are created equal. Like it or not, some of them operate in the black or grey markets and take advantage of the consumer.
Firstly, you should understand the bookmaker that you are using when you take part in LoL betting. There are plenty of traditional sportsbooks that also offer odds on eSports events. If you want a more focused approach to eSports betting, you should look at betting operators that are eSports only or began with an eSports focus. This can help you to make the right decision when you place your bet on LoL.
Whether or not you choose an eSports-only bookmaker, there are a few simple rules that you should follow when you decide to pick out your bookmaker:
Ease of use:
If you are new to betting or just eSports betting, it's worth taking your time and finding the bookmaker with the best onboarding process for new users.
Welcome bonus:
Most betting sites offer you a welcome or sign-in bonus for creating an account on their website. We have provided info on the best welcome bonuses for new players and LOL promo codes here, so check that out too!
Fast pay-out options:
If you take your time and understood the odds, chances are that you will eventually win something. When you do, you'll want to get your money as quickly as possible.
Market variety:
While League of Legends is one of the most popular eSports titles for bookies to offer, it's a good idea to choose a sportsbook that offers more than the basics. Eventually you will want to branch out and if a site offers odds on lesser-known titles, all the better.
System compatibility:
If you want more flexibility, you should choose a site that has a mobile version of their website or, even better, a standalone app.
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How to bet on a League of Legends Betting Site - A Rundown
Betting on League of Legends can be a fun way to add some more excitement to the game, but it is important that you understand how to bet on it and what you are betting on.
The Types of Bet:
There are four major types of betting when it comes to League of Legends:
- Match Winner: This has to be the simplest bet to understand. All you need to do is bet on the winner of the match, sit back and root for your team.
- First Blood: You place bets on which team you believe will make the first kill of the game. This is a great one to place as it really draws you into the game and it usually resolves itself within the first 10 minutes of the match.
- Match Duration: Since the game is objective based, you can bet on the time it will take for the game to end and one team to complete the objectives. One game could last from 15 minutes to an hour, with the average game lasting around 35 minutes.
- First to take Baron: Another “first” bet. This option gives bettors the chance to bet on the team you believe will kill the first Baron of the match.
Check out all the latest eSports betting guides here.
What is League of Legends pre-match betting?
When you choose to bet before or during the game this is called pre-match betting (before the game) or live betting (during the game). When you bet can greatly impact the choices that you can make.
Pre-match betting requires a lot of information beyond simple LoL odds. Take your time. Understand the two teams facing each other, you will have a better chance at winning your bets.
Live betting options provide you with a whole host of information that you did not have before the match began. This is even more important for LoL betting. Don’t be hasty, make sure that you practice patience and bet only when you believe it's in the bag.
LOL Handicap Betting
If you are an experienced bettor and want to try your hand at some LOL handicap betting, many sportsbooks will offer handicaps on various League of Legends events. This helps to level the playing field in matches with a clear favorite. This means that you can safely bet on either team with relatively even odds.
To do this, the bookmaker or online betting site will give points to the underdog and take them from the favorite. This prevents a one-sided betting scenario and prevents the match from becoming stale.
Typically, League of Legends matches are held in a best of three format. The spread is set at +/-1.5. This means that the team that is favored at the beginning of the match will have 1.5 points subtracted from their score at the end of the match, while the underdog will have 1.5 point added to theirs.
The Basics You NEED to Know When You Bet on LoL
League of Legends is a MOBA, a multiplayer online battle arena game in which two teams of five face off against each other in an attempt to destroy one another’s Nexus. The Nexus is a structure that is placed deep inside enemy territory and each team will have to battle from one side of the map to the other to destroy it.
Each player taking part in a game of League of Legends will have to pick a champion. They are the player-controlled characters. There are over 140 champions that a player can choose from in League of Legends. These are the characters that a pro player will use in the game. The champion they pick will determine their play style as well as their effectiveness in the map or against other players.
They fall into 1 of 6 categories:
- Fighter: A champion with an average survivability rating and damage dealing abilities this is a popular choice for players who want to get into close combat skirmishes.
- Marksman: Ranged champions who tend to chip away at an opposing players health rather than deal a large amount of damage in one single attack.
- Mage: Champions with powerful magic abilities that can support other players on their team, but they are not well suited to defensive positions and often have a small health pool.
- Assassin: Focused on fast kills, a very skill based champion class. They are very fast and can often flank enemies for quick kills. Like the Mage, they do not have a large pool of health.
- Tank: Does what it says on the tin, these champions can take a huge amount of damage and still keep on going.
- Support: These champions bolster and heal the rest of their team. They are not well suited for combat but often support champions in the Fighter, Marksman or Tank categories.
How the Game Works
Teams begin on opposite corners of the map, the winning team at the end of the match will have destroyed the other team's Nexus. In order to do this, they must destroy the other team's players as well as AI controlled enemies, known as "minions", populating the map.
Each map in League of Legends is split into three lanes. These are walkways that lead to each team’s Nexus. They are designed to funnel players towards one another and towards enemy turrets dotting each lane. Turrets are large structures that will attack an enemy if they come too close. Each team will have their own strategy when it comes to which lanes they focus on and the tactics they use to push forward.
Furthermore, players earn gold and experience during the game that they can use to level up their initially weak champion by investing in better weapons and defences.
In a tournament setting, most League of Legends games are played by multiple teams in a best of three or best of five set up.
League of Legends as an ESport
Currently, League of Legends is one of the most popular eSports in the world and its life span of nearly 12 years can attest to that.
Many eSports, like Overwatch and Counter Strike: Global Offensive, operate a tournament structure for their major events. On the other hand, League of Legends (as the name implies), operates in a large league structure. This can mean some exciting opportunities to bet on LoL!
This structure consists of many different divisions and sub-divisions. The easiest way to make sense of them all is to break it down by geographical regions. Much like the NBA is split into different divisions and two different regions, League of Legends follows a similar principle.
Some of the most popular League of Legends eSports regions:
- LPL: The League of Legends Pro League (LPL) is the premier professional league for LoL ESports in China, consisting of 16 teams, including the 2018 World Champion, Invictus Gaming.
- LCS: The League of Legends Championship Series (LCS) houses 10 long-term partnership teams and is the preeminent eSports league in North America. The LCS is headquartered in Los Angeles, USA.
- LCK: Since 2012, the Korean LCK has established itself as one of the top League of Legends professional eSports regions across the world. A single season is divided into Spring (January-April) and Summer (June-September) splits, with a total of 10 teams competing for the title.
- LEC: Featuring 10 teams from across Europe, the League of European Championship (LEC) holds two international titles (2019 MSI, 2011 Worlds) and represents the highest level of LoL eSports talent in Europe.
Find out all about getting the best odds for the above tournaments on our League of Legends odds page.
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Regional Battles and Leagues with LoL
A team will compete against others from the same region with a promotion and relegation system available for each region. There are two different seasons, called "splits", played each year per league during spring and summer.
The top teams from each of the 12 regions will qualify for the biggest League of Legends eSports event of the year, the League of Legends World Championship. This event is typically held near the end of the year and it draws in millions of viewers from around the world.
Another event to look out for if you are interested in betting on League of Legends is the Mid-Season Interval. This is a showcase event that brings together some of the best League of Legends talent from around the world to play at the top of their game.
Currently, countries like South Korea and China field some of the best teams in sport but there are certainly contenders from North America and Europe. Latin America also has a rapidly expanding League of Legends professional scene and it would be foolish of you to count them out.
How To Stay Up To Date With the League of Legends eSports Scene
Firstly, if you don’t watch any games, how can you understand what you are betting on? For example, you wouldn’t waltz into a bookmaker and place a bet on a football game without at least checking out a few games. So let's not do the same on a League of Legends betting site.
The same can be said for any eSport. If all you have to go on is team names, you'll be out of luck and cash pretty quickly. You should be able to check the latest results, roster changes, match history, tournaments and, importantly in 2023, delays.
It’s as simple as checking out the game on Twitch. At any given moment there will be thousands of gamers streaming League of Legends. Make sure you check out the tournament schedules and watch some pro level games. The skill that goes into competitive eSports is crazy. If you're up to date on the changes in the scene you'll have a better chance with your betting. Check out websites like Lolesports.com or Liquipedia.net for up-to-date League of Legends competitive information.
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Final Thoughts
At Strafe, we provide you everything you need to know about betting on League. You can stay up to date on your favorite teams and players through real-time updates on our app, view the widest tournament coverage, and access deep statistics before, during, and after matches. With our guide you'll even be able to discover the ideal bookmakers to place your bets - from LoL betting sites with PayPal to those that specialise in live streaming.
Stick with us, our experts will provide you with everything you need to know about how to bet on LOL. We aren’t just focused on the wins and losses, we look at the statistics for players, champions, teams and maps. We even look at the lane coverage - so check out our League of Legends tips here.
