How Esports Prediction Markets Are Evolving

Esports fans have been able to bet on the outcomes of games and tournaments using online sportsbooks in recent years, but the emergence of prediction markets has diversified how this can be done. By looking at the evolution of this approach, we can see how the industry is changing and offering more options.

The Main Games Available

It’s no surprise to see that the liquidity in esports prediction markets is concentrated around the most popular competitive gaming titles. These are the games played in huge tournaments that attract global attention. It’s also important to note that the bigger the game, the easier it becomes to find a large volume of data about the leading teams that play it.

Among these titles, we find the likes of Dota 2, with a variety of events taking place throughout the year. The Dota Pro Circuit includes regional qualifiers, major tournaments, and The International, which is the annual world championship and is to be held in Shanghai this year.

Counter-Strike 2 is also popular on prediction market platforms, thanks to the dynamic gameplay where the momentum can shift instantly. Other games like League of Legends and Valorant attract attention too, thanks to their high-profile matches and huge global audiences. With League of Legends Classic among the titles in development, we can expect to see more games arriving on the competitive circuit in the future.

The Different Types of Predictions

Traditional esports betting has typically restricted players to basic bet types such as moneyline and points spread. However, prediction markets open up new opportunities, with each contract based on binary outcomes and a price that reflects the current probability of the chosen outcome occurring.

The predictions range from simple match and tournament winners to in-game milestones such as the winner of the next map or the number of kills in a particular round. Prediction markets can be based on any verifiable real-world event, which means that everyone who takes part can work out exactly which outcome they want to predict and find the price for it.

How to Get Started

Esports prediction markets have sprung up across the planet in recent years, with the US leading the way. This list of prediction markets compared shows that there are several popular sites such as Polymarket, Kalshi and Novig. These platforms typically offer a welcome bonus for new users making their first deposit after signing up.

Once this is done, the next step is to look for a prediction market that bettors want to take part in. Once they find the exact option, they’ll see the current probability for the ‘yes’ and ‘no’ outcomes. This means that the price will be listed as somewhere between zero and $1. If they correctly predict the outcome, the payment will be made at $1 for each contract they hold. Bettors can buy and sell contracts right up until the moment that the outcome is known.

For esports fans, the arrival of prediction markets has opened up a new way of using their knowledge of the games and teams. With new esports tournaments appearing in different countries and regions, this is an industry that we can expect to see grow further in the near future.