How to Bet on League of Legends
How to Bet on LoL - League of Legends Esports Betting Guide & Tips
Esports betting has steadily gained popularity, with spectators now packing out arenas for major Epsorts events. Giving fans the ability to bet on the outcome of matches and tournaments adds to the excitement of watching and has created big business for the industry.
League of Legends is one of the most popular games of its genre. Here’s everything you need to know about this thrilling sport and how to bet on LoL online at Stake Sportsbook .
What is League of Legends (LoL)?
League of Legends is a free-to-play MOBA from Riot Games and is considered one of the greatest video games of all time. MOBA stands for multiplayer online battle arena, which describes the setting where gameplay takes place. It’s free to play with in-game purchase options for character modifications.
Professional Esports has become an incredibly competitive scene, attracting players and fans across the world. This has led to a boom in online sportsbooks offering players LoL betting lines among other popular Esports.
Despite having several different play modes, the one used for professional tournaments and leagues is the 5v5 Summoner’s Rift. Teams are made of 5 individual players, each with a specific role to play – Support, Mid Lane, AD Carry, Top Lane, Jungle – working together to defeat the enemy.
History of LoL
League of Legends is a spin-off from Warcraft III – inspired by the custom Defence of the Ancients map in the game. LoL emerged from the development team’s desire to create a standalone MOBA game. It took four years for the game to materialise, spurring much interest from fans of the genre. It launched in 2009 to great anticipation and instant success.
“Champions” are characters players control in the game, each with their own unique skills and strengths. LoL players had a choice of 40 different champions when the game officially launched. Today, there are more than 160, with more being unveiled all the time.
League of Legends is one of the world’s biggest Esports. There are leagues of professional players worldwide that come together to compete annually in the League of Legends World Championship.
The championship began in 2011 with eight teams competing for a prize pool of $100,000 and attracting some 1.6 million viewers. Fast forward ten years and the 2021 championship saw 22 teams compete for a staggering $2,225,000 in front of an audience that reached an impressive peak viewership of over 73,000,000.
LoL Rules & Gameplay
Gameplay occurs in a multiplayer online battle arena, where teams battle it using their selected champions. Three different game modes include Summoner’s Rift, All Random All Mid, and Teamfight Tactics. Players can level up their champions by purchasing and acquiring special strength items and earning experience points (XP) by killing enemies.
Flagship game mode, and that most common in professional play, is Summoner’s Rift. Here, two teams of five players pit their selected champions, plus non-player minions, against one another in an attempt to destroy the enemy “Nexus” and emerge triumphant.
Biggest LoL Tournaments & Leagues to Bet On
Riot Games hosts international LoL competitions that you can bet on, including the World Championship, affectionally known as LoL Worlds , which is by far the biggest, and the Mid-Season Invitational – smaller but arguably more important.
Top regional leagues worldwide include the LCK in South Korea, Europe’s League of Legends European Championships, and the LCS , or League of Legends Championship Series, in North America.
In China, where Tencent Games runs the servers, TJ Sports manages the leagues. You have several betting options in China, including the League of Legends Pro League, NEST or National Electronic Sports Tournament, and the Demacia Cup during the off-season.
How Do You Bet on League of Legends?
Betting on League of Legends is like betting on any other Esport, which in turn is like betting on any physical sport.
First up, before you can start betting, you’ll need to set up an account with Stake Sportsbook. It’s super easy to fund your account with your chose local currency or cryptocurrency, storing your funds in our Stake Vault for an extra layer of security. Once processed, you can access your funds quickly without worrying about transaction fees or blockchain delays.
When you’re ready to start placing your LoL bets, visit the Esports section of our sportsbook and navigate to the League of Legends tab to see all the latest LoL events and betting markets.
Pick the outcomes you wish to bet on, add them to your bet slip, and select your bet amount. You can view all your open bets by clicking on the bet slip icon in the top right corner of the screen. Be sure to watch our sports promotions to get the most out of your online sports betting.
For more information on how to bet on LoL and other major sports, check out our Esports betting guide , our runthrough of the most popular Esports events , or our general guide to betting on sports online at Stake.com.
Types of LoL Bets & Esports Betting Markets
As with most Esports, you can choose from a selection of different LoL betting markets at Stake Sportsbook. We look at the most popular types of bet available on LoL betting sites:
Match Winner - Twoway
The most straightforward and popular type of sports betting is betting on which team you think will be victorious in a single match—also known as moneyline betting.
Map Handicap
Handicap betting is common in sports betting, and Esports is no different. It is essentially as though the online bookmakers are giving a virtual advantage or disadvantage to a team before the match, altering the odds for a winning outcome.
LoL matches are usually played as a best of three maps (Bo3). If you were to bet on the underdog to win with a +1.5 map handicap, then they’d only need to win one map in the game for you to win your bet.
Total Maps
Total maps betting is where you bet on the number of maps played to determine a winner. Essentially, betting on whether the match will consist of over or under 2.5 maps.
Win at Least One Map
Another popular way to bet on LoL is the number of maps won within a match. This can make betting on games heavily weighted in favour of one team more interesting as there are fewer teams that might not have the skill to win the whole match but occasionally will bag a win to create some interesting outcomes.
Live LoL Betting - How to Live Stream Esports & Place In-Play Bets
Part of the thrill of sports betting is following along with the action in real-time. That’s why at Stake.com, we stream as many live sporting events as possible, including some of the big League of Legends and other popular Esports events.
Navigate to the Live Events tab, select your desired League of Legends match , and enjoy a range of in-play betting to supplement your pre-match betting slip and spread betting choices at Stake, offering competitive odds and plenty of market options.
LoL Betting Strategies & Betting Tips to Win
If you’re looking for betting advice for League of Legends, we've got some handy tips for you:
Before getting amongst the betting action, start by brushing up on your game knowledge before getting started. Try out the game for yourself and take a look at the top professional teams in the league.
Treat LoL like any other sports league – you can learn a lot by researching previous games and specific team encounters, which will help you make better-informed wagering decisions for upcoming major tournaments.
Research the various tournaments and games available to bet on and pick the best to suit your needs. Some prefer sticking to the regional championships, others like international.
You should also compare the odds from one betting platform to the next to ensure you’re getting competitive prices and always consider the risk/reward before placing your bet.
LoL Betting Mistakes to Avoid
Along with betting tips, there are a few key common mistakes when it comes to betting on sports:
As mentioned, research is key to making better-informed betting decisions. You should get to know the sports rules, teams, tournaments, and how to place your bets before committing any of your funds. Unless you've done your research, avoid simply betting on your favourite team - you should always be equipped with the knowledge to make informed betting decisions. You should also know your Invictus Gaming from your Team Liquid before you get started.
Most importantly, never bet beyond your means – sports betting is supposed to be a fun experience, and you should feel safe. Do check our online resources for tips on safer gambling practices .
Look for a betting platform that you can trust. Responsible gambling and player protection are of paramount importance here at Stake.com. Our 2FA offers you peace of mind while depositing and storing your funds, and we provide resources to help players manage their gambling responsibly.
LoL Betting Odds & Payouts Explained
Stake.com also provides information to help you understand how you can bet on LoL, from outright betting to handicaps and bet builders .
You can choose how your betting odds are displayed on your bet slip. Whether you prefer fractional, decimal, or American-style odds, you can view the best of the LoL betting market in a format that suits you.
Deposit & Withdrawal Methods for LoL Betting
Easily deposit fiat or cryptocurrency units into your account to bet on LoL and other Esports by following the steps listed below:
Step 1 - Retrieve your deposit address, located in Wallet > Deposit.
Step 2 - Choose the method that suits your needs. Stake.com supports multiple currencies, including Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH), Dogecoin (Doge), Litecoin (LTC), and others. You can find more information about our local currency options on our community forum, as well as our local currency payment guide.
Step 3 - Use your deposit address as the 'send to' location for your wallet or exchange.
Step 4 (Optional) - If you wish to make a deposit via fiat currency, you can buy crypto for Stake via Moonpay.
Stake.com offers live support to players via our customer support staff for help with issues regarding Esports betting and depositing and withdrawing units .
Moonpay supports multiple payment options, including Visa, Mastercard, Apple Pay, Google Pay, and others, to buy cryptocurrency to bet on LoL and traditional sports betting online. For a full list of supported payment methods, please refer to the Moonpay documentation .
Why Should You Bet on LoL & Esports at Stake.com?
Stake.com is so much more than just a sportsbook. We have a fantastic range of slots and casino games available to play online, offer monthly bonuses for eligible players, and have an exclusive VIP club with fantastic member benefits .
If you love betting on LoL, be sure to check out our betting markets for other major Esports, including Dota 2 , CS:GO , Overwatch , AoV , and a whole lot more.