The Rise of League of Legends in eSports

An Introduction to League of Legends

Casinoradar likes to introduce the League of Legends which is a team-based multiplayer game that depicts two teams of five champions against each other. The action takes place on a multiplayer online battle area (MOBA) where the objective is to destroy the enemy base. League of Legends was released in 2009 and is one of the most popular multiplayer games to date.

League of Legends was developed by Riot Games and has since moved to become one of the most popular eSports. It is free-to-play but has in-game purchases. The game is based on Dota and compromises of over 160 different champions.

The battle area is always a squared map that has enemy bases facing each other in opposite corners. The aim of the game is for the teams to defeat enemy champions and destroy the enemy base, known as the Nexus. Each champion has its own set of unique skills and abilities. On average, games tend to last between 30 to 45 minutes. However, sometimes they may finish far sooner or drag on for over an hour. It is also possible for teams to forfeit.

In League of Legends, there are three different routes on the map, known as the top lane, middle lane and bottom lane. Players must defend their routes and guide their allied minions towards the enemy base camp. The base camp is also known as the Nexus. The routes have defensive structures, known as turrets, on them. League of Legends is an experience-based game, where champions gain XP by defeating enemies and minions.

The first ever League of Legends World Championships were held in 2011. In 2016, League of Legends viewing went through the roof, when an eSports event outperformed the NBA, the World Series and the Stanley Cup. For the 2019 and 2020 League of Legends World Championship finals, Riot Games reported 45 million viewers tuning in to the event decider. To paint you a picture, the best League of Legends professional players are paid above $1 million to play in certain events.

How to Play League of Legends

Before a match of League of Legends is played, players must select their champion. The champions of each team have their own unique skillset and abilities. Collectively, the team should be well-balanced as each player should command a character that fits the balance of the team.

Once the teams have been determined, the players are taken to the MOBA map. There are three different lanes, known as the top lane, middle lane and bottom lane. Between each of the three lanes there is a grid known as the jungle. In the jungle, players can find creatures to defeat to boost their skills and XP.

On each of the lanes, there are defensive turrets that must be destroyed. Non-player characters (NPC), also known as minions, belong to either team. They do not go into the jungle but stick to the three lanes. The job of these NPC is to destroy opponent NPC and turrets. They are essential for winning a match of League of Legends. The NPC characters are controlled by AI and advance together from the Nexus. After a champion is defeated, they can respawn from the Nexus after waiting the respawning timeframe.

In a standard match of League of Legends, the five champions have to balance out the team. Typically, one champion follows the top lane, one champion works on the middle lane and two champions team-up for the bottom lane. One of the two champions is known as a support, aiding and assisting the other champion. The fifth fighter is known as ‘the jungler’. It is their task to defeat NPC creatures in the jungle and gain XP, before assisting their fellow champions on the three lanes. Once the enemy Nexus has been destroyed, the match is finished. It is also possible to finish a match by surrendering if three of the five teammates agree to forfeit.

League of Legends Types of Bets

As League of Legends is one of the most popular eSports, there are loads of different betting markets for players. League of Legends is arguably the most popular eSport game and it shows at different online bookmaker sites. Essentially, players can bet on a number of different markets, including outright winners of an event.

The most popular League of Legends events are the World Championships and the European Championship. League of Legends events are held in twelve regions globally, including Europe, China, South Korea and North America. There are many different eSport events and competitions.

Outright Bets

Before the start of the tournament, or during the event, it is possible to place outright bets on the team that will win. These outright bets are also known as longer bets as they will only pay out once the event champion is decided. The benefit of placing outright bets on League of Legends is that you have a live bet in play for as long as your team is still in the competition. If you prefer to have your win or loss results sooner, placing an outright bet may not be the best option for you.

Match Winner

Once a tournament is underway, you can bet on the outcome of a specific match. For instance, if Team Heretics are playing MAD Lions, you will either win or lose once one of the teams’ Nexus is destroyed. Betting on a match winner is the most popular form of LoL bets and the result is typically determined within an hour. If the team you pick wins the match, your bet is paid out.

Betting on Rounds

In many tournaments and events, fixtures are decided by a best-of-five series, especially during the knockout stages. Although match winners can win one or two games, betting on rounds is far more rewarding. If there is a series of matches, any player can bet on one of the teams to win an individual match. In this scenario, the odds are greater, but it is also more difficult to win. An example of this is betting on a team to win the second game of a five-match-series. It is similar to betting on sets in tennis.

Total Kills

If you are not entirely sure which team to back as a match winner, betting on total kills is a great alternative. There are a variety of total kill bets, including how many kills team A will record, how many kills team B have and the total number of kills by both teams collectively. The best thing about total kills is that you do not need to choose a winner between the two teams. All you need to hope for is that the total is either over or under, depending on what you have bet on.

If the fixture has more than one round, it is likely that you will have the option to bet the same for each round. Essentially, all you have to do is decide whether you think the game, or round, will be a high-scoring event or not. The total kills bet does not require you to predict the exact number of kills from a team or in the game. Instead, you will have to bet on either lower or higher. An example of this is an over/under bet on team A to have over 22.5 kills. If you bet on over and team A scores 23 kills, you win your bet. If you bet under, then you will need team A to have 22 kills or fewer during the match.

Handicap Kills

One way to increase your odds is by placing bet on handicap kills. The way in this these bets work is by choosing a team that you believe will have more or less kills than the other. However, with handicap kills, you can increase (or decrease) your odds by increasing the requirements for that total.

Put it this way, if you bet on team A to beat team B with a handicap of -7.5, you will be paid out if team A has 8 or more kills than team B. Similarly, if you bet on team B with a handicap of +4.5, then you will need team B to either beat team A in kills, or to fall within 4 kills behind team A’s record.

First Bets

Additionally, players can also bet on a variety of different outcomes, such as the first blood in a game. This is a bet on the team to draw the first kill in the game. In addition, players can also bet on the first team to destroy a defence turret and which team to destroy the first Dragon or Baron.

Live Betting

Live betting markets have revolutionized League of Legends betting. After a match has already started, you can still place bets on the result as the action unfolds. League of Legends live betting is one of the most popular markets for LoL fans.

Many More Bets

In addition, there are many more League of Legends types of bets. The bets include team and player props, such as the character to finish with the most points or kills. Furthermore, you can also bet on many odds/even bets, such as whether the final total kills will be odd, the team kills for a specific team will be even and so on. Players will find a variety of League of Legends markets including the likes of Asian handicap and more. Other bets include the first team to reach 10 kills first, the number of minutes a game will last and so on.

Finding the Right Bookmaker

League of Legends is perhaps one of the most popular eSports to bet on. However, finding an online casino can sometimes prove to be a little tricky. Not all online bookmakers have League of Legends in its betting catalogue. That is why it is best to do your research before signing up to an online casino.

You may also come across many bookmakers that have League of Legends betting markets. However, they may not offer all the bets that you are looking for. Finding a bookies that has a variety of betting markets is essential if you want to enjoy betting on League of Legends to the full extent. That way, you can bet many different outcomes from a single LoL match. Below, we have a list of online bookies that have League of Legends bets in their sportsbook.

League of Legends Bookmakers

The following bookies all offer League of Legends bets in their sportsbook portfolio. It is important to note that all of these bookies offer live betting markets for League of Legends matches and events.

William Hill

One of the most popular sportsbook sites for United Kingdom players is William Hill. The operator has both a casino and sportsbook product that offers a variety of different eSports to bet on. Included in that list is a variety of bets on League of Legends.

William Hill offers many different betting markets for League of Legends. That includes outright winners for tournaments, match winners for a specific game, winners of a series of matches and so on.

mr.play

Much like William Hill, mr.play is an online bookmaker that is available to players in the United Kingdom and other jurisdictions primarily in Europe. The operator has a casino and sportsbook product that includes a variety of betting markets for eSports including League of Legends.

When placing a League of Legends bet at mr.play, players can find a variety of markets. That includes bets outright winners, match results and home/away teams to win at least one map from a series of games. Other specified bets include the first team to reach 5 kills, 10 kills and on whether a match will be over or under a specified number of minutes.

888sport

888sport is another hot pick for League of Legends fans. It has a casino, sportsbook and poker site, all of which offer a number of games in their respective field.

The League of Legends betting markets at 888sport are just as impressive as at any other bookies. 888sport offers a number of different markets for League of Legends individual matches, series of games and events.

League of Legends Successful Strategies

To place any bet on League of Legends matches or events is not that difficult. However, you cannot always rely on the bookies’ favourite to win. To improve your chances of winning your League of Legends bets, you will have to some research before you place your bets.

One of the best ways to increase your chances of winning is by using information that is found online about a match or event. The data that you should be researching is for each specific team and player in the team. By knowing more about how a team is performing and which players are the top performers in the team, you will have an insight into the chances of the team winning.

Here are a few tips to improve your chances of winning your League of Legends bets:

Research LoL Team Form – have a look at the team’s form. If the team have won their previous five matches, they will be on a hot run. If they have lost their previous five matches, you may want to reconsider betting on them.
Analyse Head-to-Head Record– look at the recent history between the two teams. If there is a match that has a lot of recent history, it could help you decide the match winner for the upcoming game.
Review LoL Event History– whenever you are betting on an event, have a look at how well each team performs in tournaments by reviewing their event history.
Understand Team Map– have an idea of how well each team performs on different maps. There may be instances when a certain team is definitely the favourite but have a bad history of losing on a specific map.
Live Betting– take advantage of live betting markets that are offered as pre-match betting is very different to live betting. Once the match has started and played for several minutes, your initial thoughts may change based on how the action is unfolding.

To Conclude

League of Legends has come a long way in the online betting industry. The eSports game is now available at many bookies and is growing in popularity year-by-year.