As of 2024, the LoL betting market has seen significant growth, reflecting its increasing popularity and the sophistication of betting options available. If you intend to bet with friends or your favorite streamer, these tips will certainly help you make informed decisions.

Betting on esports, especially in games like League of Legends, requires a strategic approach.  Differently from traditional sports, esports matches may differ a lot from each other for minimal change. Factors such as map selection in Counter-Strike (CS), team drafts in LoL, or even champion builds in DOTA 2 may significantly impact the game’s outcome.

To improve your betting success, consider these tips on predicting possible game outcomes for League of Legends.

Is pre-game betting good in LoL?

Unlike traditional sports, where pre-game conditions are relatively stable, League of Legends involves dynamic elements that can dramatically shift the game’s balance before it even starts. The draft phase, where teams select their champions, is crucial.

The synergy between chosen champions and their counters plays a pivotal role in determining possible outcomes. Although there are over 140 champions to explore, coaches and staff prefer choosing and banning champions that are strong in a specific patch due to itemization or ability buffs.

A research by KTO stated that most sports bettors prefer to place bets in the pre-game, which represents 93.50% of active bettors. For esports however, live bets are the most common in any betting site, with bets in Counter Strike leading the tendencies (56%), followed by League of Legends (24%). So take your time to evaluate draft and game conditions before jumping into your final decision. 

Are MOBAs predictable?

Multiplayer Online Battle Arenas (MOBAs) like LoL can be compared to chess, where timing and strategic positioning are decisive. In League, strategy is decided by waves, which means you can even tell if a player’s recall is bad for his team by the wave condition. Predictability in MOBAs arises from understanding these core mechanics and recognizing team strengths and weaknesses during the draft and early game phases.

While individual gameplay is a part, a thorough knowledge of the game reduces reliance and increases the chance of knowing the outcomes.

It may take you some time to notice some patterns, but if you’re willing to bet on LoL and similar MOBAs, understanding the patch they are playing in and the synergy between champions can help you make better decisions. Moreover, knowing about the league you are betting on and the players is also very important. Not all players feel comfortable with meta picks, which means some teams don’t have the same performance the entire year.

The LoL betting market is vast and continues to grow, with many streamers partnering with betting websites to place bets during live tournaments. In a 2021 survey on interest in gambling on eSports and fantasy sports, South Africa showed the highest enthusiasm, with 51% of respondents interested in betting on eSports and 39% in playing fantasy sports for money. India and Brazil followed, with about 30% of respondents in each country showing interest in these activities.

This is just a glimpse of how the game is growing. and bets are improving with it. A measurement of this success is that the 2023 League of Legends World Championship Final was the most-watched esports match, with 6.4 million peak viewers.