What is esports?

esports at BONUS.DIRECT

esports is a competition between two or more people in computers and video games. The competitions are usually held in multiplayer mode of a computer game and the rules are set by the software and external regulations. Professional players or also called e-athletes, need several years of hard and persistent training - high mental and physical performance is also required. The prize money at international championships can even reach eight figures.

Popularity and broadcasting events

Due to the increasing popularity of esports events, classic TV channels like Prosieben MAXX or eSPORTS1 have also started broadcasting it. Millions of viewers follow the tournaments and leagues via online streaming services like Twitch or Mixer, who specialize in such broadcasts. Many bookmakers offer a live streaming for important events. The record for most viewers is held by Riot Games' League of Legends World Cup in 2019 with an incredible 3.98 million viewers. Bets and wagers on esports are also massively increasing worldwide.

Is esports betting legal in Austria?

Worldwide, there are more than 5 million registered players who participate in official esports tournaments, which means that esports and esports betting is becoming increasingly popular. In Austria, esports and esports betting is not classified as gambling, but individual federal states are allowed to restrict certain betting areas. Therefore, esports betting is legal in principle, but you should make sure that the bookmakers have an official license and adhere to the jurisdiction of the individual federal states. Freebets on esports and special bonus offers for this new betting option are often offered here.

Is esports betting legal in Germany?

After the new Interstate Treaty on Gambling came into force in July 2021, there is a clear definition of what a sporting event is, namely a competition between people according to defined rules. The Darmstadt Regional Council follows the list of the German Olympic Sports Confederation, and here esports is not recognized as a sport. Therefore, betting providers that are currently approved in Germany are not allowed to offer esports bets. If you still don’t want to give up on esports betting and events, make sure to keep a close eye on the esports betting market. If there is a change in the legal situation in Germany, it could be that betting on esports might be possible again.

esports Freebets at BONUS.DIRECT

If you want to bet and are looking for entertainment at the same time, you should take a closer look at esports betting. When entering the world of bookmakers and esports betting providers, you should search for freebets so that you can get to know different bookmakers. The range of esports bets with some bookmakers is already very extensive. To get started in the esports betting world, we recommend bet-at-home or Interwetten. At bet-at-home you can secure a 15 € free betting credit and even a 22 € free betting credit with Interwetten. At Neo.bet you can also get a 10 € free betting credit. With these offers, entering the sphere of esports betting should be a little easier. Some providers have special promo codes for esports, these can also be found at BONUS.DIRECT.

esport betting bonus at BONUS.DIRECT

The esports betting bonus is usually aimed at new customers who don’t have an account with a bookmaker yet, so it’s also called a first deposit bonus or new customer bonus. When it comes to bonus payment amounts, sometimes providers differ a lot, this is where it’s good to use a sports betting or esports betting provider comparison. So you won’t have to waste all your time combing through the internet and offers, we have made it our mission to look for the best offers for sports betting and esports betting for you. Create an account with BONUS.DIRECT and submit a bonus request, then we’ll search and find the best offers for you! The esport start bonus is already waiting for you.

The best betting provider for esports betting

The esports market has been steadily developing for about 15 years and has been breaking new records every year. Due to the high potential and development in the field of esports, many bookmakers are also aware of the growing demand and now esports betting is a fixed program for any good betting provider. It’s also very important to choose the right provider with a maximum betting bonus on esports betting. We’ve listed some bookmakers for you:

esport betting bonus at bet-at-home

bet-at-home is a bookmaker that has existed since 1999. Many fans especially in Germany have been impressed with their positive bet-at-home experiences. bet-at-home has a German sports betting license. The betting provider has around 5 million customers worldwide and offers sports betting, live betting and esports betting for customers from Austria. The field of esports is constantly being expanded, from classics such as League of Legends and Counter Strike - you can even bet on Warcraft 3 or Hearthstone. There are currently 20 games that you can bet on. In 2004, the Austrian bookmaker went a step further and decided to go public on the stock exchange. Interested parties can also purchase bet-at-home shares on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange. The bet-at-home bonus offers new customers an attractive welcome bonus up to €200 for sports, which can be used with football, tennis, basketball, ice hockey, and also eSports bets.

esport betting bonus at GG.Bet

Every esports fan who is looking for a great offer will love this provider. They are one of the best bookmakers for esports betting on over 10 core games such as Dota 2, Overwatch and Fortnite - with over 20 betting markets per event and the offer is continually expanding. The design, wide range of betting offers and free live streams make GG.Bet one of the best bookmakers in the field of esports. After logging in or registering with GG.Bet, you’ll be offered a new customer bonus or various reload bonuses, or at the moment a risk-free bet from GG.Bet. In addition to a generous GG.BET bonus, the operator frequently offers freebets. There are currently 70 € in freebets for new customers with the bonus code BONUSDIRECT. If you want a reload bonus, then submit a request in your BONUS.DIRECT account. We’ll do our best to negotiate this offer for you immediately.

esport betting bonus at Rabona

esports fans will also get their money's worth at Rabona. On average, you will find over 250 betting markets with currently 7 core games to bet on. You’ll find the most popular esports games such as Counter Strike, Dota 2 or League of Legends and the offers are continuously expanding. After registering with Rabona, you will find under promotions many Rabona bonus offers like reload bonuses or stakeback bonuses. This bookmaker accepts a variety of payment methods and our experience with Rabona and the Rabona welcome bonus has been quite positive. We recommend them without question, as we already reported in our review.

esport betting bonus with Stake

With our partner Stake, you can also rely on a diversity of esports bets with good odds and a great variety. In addition to tips on football, tennis or handball, you can also bet on the most popular games. The focus is on classics like League of Legends, Dota 2 or Counter Strike. At random times you can also find less well-known titles such as Overwatch, World of Warcraft or Hearthstone. On average, you can play and bet on 6 core games at Stake. This bookmaker often offers existing customers free bets or an attractive VIP reload bonus, but the Stake welcome bonus of 1.000 $ is also impressive and exklusive at BONUS.DIRECT.

esport betting bonus at NEO.bet

With NEO.bet, e-sports fans also get their money's worth. In addition to classics such as Counter Strike, League of Legends or Dota 2, you can also find Call of Duty and Valorant. At NEO.bet, the betting markets aren’t as extensive as with other providers, but there is a large selection of games and competitions. With the NEO.bet bonus, you can choose between two offers and without a NEO.bet promo code. Because of our many run-ins with NEO.bet in the sports betting arena, we can recommend this bookmaker without a shadow of a doubt. Read more about this in our detailed review .

esport betting bonus with Betwinner

Betwinner is a bookmaker that has many different games in their program and are more than impressive. In addition to Counter Strike and Dota 2, there are many other games that are very popular in the gaming community like Rainbox Six, Fifa or Overwatch. Along with esports betting, their betting program includes 40 to 50 different sports or betting areas, ranging from classics such as football, tennis, to darts or hurling bets. Betwinner also has reload bonuses for existing customers and offers an esports bonus calendar where a different bonus for an esports game is offered every day. This means you’ll get a daily esport betting bonus at Betwinner.

esport betting bonus at UNIKRN

Since 2014, UNIKRN has been a very special supporter, because of its large selection of esports bets for esports fans. In addition to classics such as Counter Strike or League of Legends, you can also find Warcraft 3 or Street Fighter V - games can even be followed for free via a live stream. Conventional sports betting is also offered from football to tennis. The welcome bonus at UNIKRN is also impressive. In August 2021, UNIKRN was acquired by Entain (bwin, Ladbrokes).

esport betting bonus with Pinnacle

Pinnacle is a very experienced bookmaker that was founded in 1998. It became known in particular for its large betting offer and good betting odds. Pinnacle was one of the first providers to include esports betting in their offer and is still one of the most diverse esports betting providers today. A game calendar is also offered, so you won’t miss out on any of your favorite events. You can even follow a game in the live center via stream. This bookmaker not only has a diverse range of esports betting, but also offers over 20 sports and live betting with top odds. Pinnacle doesn't offer an esports starting bonus, but high esports betting odds can certainly be seen as a betting bonus. Not only do new customers benefit from a high odds level with Pinnacle, but existing customers have an advantage too.

Most popular esports games:

Video games are becoming more and more popular. The video game industry already generates higher sales than the film and music industry. There are a large number of games on the market, but only a few are suitable for tournaments. Here we have a list of the most popular games for esports tournaments. Virtual online battles are about more than just fun, it's about skill and speed, you literally work up a sweat.

CS:GO

CS:GO stands for Counter Strike Global Offensive and belongs to the tactical shooters genre. A total of 30 rounds is played and two teams of 5 players each compete against each other. There are also many different maps and scenarios. The large number of weapons and grenades, all of which have different recoils and spreads, make the game very challenging and challenges experienced players. The most popular map is Dust2 and the most popular scenario is bomb defusal, where the team of terrorists tries to place and guard a bomb in a predetermined zone. The anti-terrorist’s goal is to eliminate the team of terrorists before they can place the bomb or defuse the bomb if it has already been placed.

League of Legends

The League of Legends game or LoL belongs to the multiplayer online battle arena genre called MOBA for short and is free to play. The teams consist of five players each with over 150 different selectable characters, with each champion having four different abilities and requiring different tactics. League of Legends is a real-time strategy game in which two groups compete against each other and try to take their opponents base. Tournaments usually play a five-on-five map and a round lasts on average between 30 and 45 minutes.

Dota 2

Dota 2 (Defense of the Ancients) is a game that was developed by Valve and belongs to the multiplayer online battle arena genre. It's similar to League of Legends with Dota 2 being a real-time strategy game. On a Dota map, two teams of five players compete against each other and try to take their opponent’s base. Dota 2 wins over fans with its appealing graphics. The style of playing is more focused on tactics and less on game mechanics. Players have the choice of over 110 different heroes and five different roles that make the entire game very diverse.

Fortnite

Fortnite belongs to the battle royale shooters genre and offers different game modes and stunning graphics. In order to survive in the ever-shrinking game world, players can compete by themselves, in pairs or in teams of four. 100 players compete against each other, and the last survivor wins the round. The game itself has a lot to offer, starting with the important gathering of raw materials and equipment and the construction of several structures that can be used as cover throughout the course of the game - which gives you a big tactical advantage. The more valuable the equipment you collect, the bigger the odds are of you being the last survivor in the end.

Hearthstone: Heroes of Warcraft

Hearthstone is a part of the online strategy trading card games genre from developer Blizzard Entertainment. The game is free and can be played in single player and multiplayer mode as well as compete against other players. The game principle is simple, you start with a hero and a fixed set of cards. After each game is played, new cards are unlocked that belong to either the basic set of cards or to the relevant hero. You can pick between ten hero classes, each of which has special cards. There are five game modes and over 1,100 cards to collect. New upgrades are constantly being released, so there is always something different.

Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Siege

The game Rainbow Six Siege belongs to the tactical first-person-shooter genre and was developed by Ubisoft Monteral. As a special unit, you fight against a terrorist group that pursues unknown goals and causes chaos through terrorist attacks. As a player, you take on the role of an operator of an anti-terror unit through the eyes of your on-screen character. In addition to a single player and co-op mode, there is also an impressive multiplayer mode in which you compete against other players. There are many different operators and a large number of different weapons and gadgets. Each of the operators has its own abilities, which results in a lot of tactical possibilities. A special feature from Rainbow Six Siege is the opportunity to destroy walls, ceilings, or floors. Due to the high degree of variation and assortment of tactical options, the game is becoming more and more popular.

FIFA

The FIFA series belongs to the football simulations genre and is developed and distributed by Electronic Arts. The FIFA series has become a fixture in esports and is one of the best-selling and most popular online games in the world. The first part of the series was developed in 1993 exclusively for the Sega Mega Drive. Only in 1993, did implementations for other systems such as the Game Boy or the Super Nintendo Entertainment System appear. Every year a new edition is published with the latest data from the world of football. There are a number of different leagues, with the best known being the World League eSport Bundesliga, Electronic Sports League or in Austria - the eBundesliga.

The most famous esports tournaments

Even though gaming is not an official sport yet, the hype is huge. esports events are on the rise as thousands of captivated viewers watch on their screens. Here is a brief summary of the biggest esports tournaments:

• The ESL or Electronic Sports League is an e-sports company based in Cologne, that offers tournaments and leagues in over 50 events. These include titles like Counter-Strike, Dota 2 or Overwatch.
• Since 2007, the world's best players have competed in the IEM or Intel Extreme Masters league. At the end of the tournament, the World Championship is held in Katowice, Poland. In 2018, over $1 million was at stake for Counter-Strike, Starcraft and League of Legends.
• The LCS or League of Legends Championship Series was started by the game developer Riot. While other tournaments play different games, the LCS only focuses on League of Legends. In the LCS, players from all around the world qualify and they have by far the biggest number of spectators in esports. In 2018, over $6 million in prize money was paid out.
• The International is the most distinguished esports event on the planet. In 2019, over $34 million was at stake for Dota 2 players, with the winning team getting over $15 million. The tournament is organized by game developer Valve and the event primarily takes place in North America.
• At the Fortnite World Cup, the battle for 40 million dollars in prize money starts in the ever-popular battle royale shooter Fortnite. The tournament is organized by the game developer Epic Games. The best players compete against each other in solo and duo mode and are eventually invited to the finals in New York City.