Esports has arrived! A lot has happened in the Esports sector in the past few years and most betting providers have reacted to the growing popularity of the virtual sport. With all well-known betting providers it is possible to bet on various games and events. In addition to classic bets, esports offer great scope for betting enthusiasts. In games like Counter Strike or League of Legends, there are many tricks and with the necessary “know-how”, Esports bets can be successfully placed.
Since LoL has developed into a spectator sport in the last few years, which now inspires millions, we would like to provide insights into the betting providers, as well as tips and tricks for Esports betting.
League of Legends – The Game
League of Legends, LoL for short, is based on a fun game mode of the game Warcaft 3, which was developed by Blizzard. Five players per team compete against each other. Each player controls one of many characters, each with unique abilities and characteristics. The object of the game is to earn gold by destroying computer-controlled units of the opponent or the opponent’s characters, ultimately destroying their main base. After this mode became very popular among players, several corporations adopted this concept and developed their own games based on this game principle. In 2009, RIOT Games released the game League of Legends, which is now one of the best-known and most popular Esports titles.
In LoL, five players also compete against each other. Before the game starts, the teams take turns choosing the characters they want to play the game with. There are now over 100 different characters, which makes the game very variable in terms of tactics and dynamics. With the characters, there are different classes, for example mages, archers, fighters, supporters or assassins, who take on different tasks in the team.
The map is divided into three paths on which so-called minions (units controlled by the PC) appear regularly. At the beginning of the game, the players spread out along these paths and meet their opponents. As the game progresses, there are large team battles for objects such as towers or epic monsters distributed on the map. The ultimate goal is to destroy the enemy base. Although the same map is always played, the game is always different due to the high variability of champions and requires a high level of knowledge and practice in addition to individual skill. By adding new characters as well as game changes to the already existing characters, as well as the map, the fun of the game is always maintained and is decisive for the longevity and popularity of the game.
League of Legends – Esports Scene
While mainly tournaments were held in the first two seasons, a real league system emerged from 2013 onwards. These leagues were divided into the regions of Europe, North America, China, Taiwan and South Korea. This marked the start of the large LoL esports scene. In the meantime, smaller regions also have their own leagues and their number increases from year to year. For example, in Europe there is the so-called EU LCS. In this league, ten teams compete for the European title. The league process is divided into a spring and a summer season. In addition to this league process, there are also international tournaments, such as the Intel Extreme Masters. The main events are organised by RIOT itself. These include the All-Stars Tournament, MSI and the popular World Championship. The best teams represent their region at the World Championship and the MSI in international competition.
League of Legends has established itself as a spectator sport and the number of enthusiasts has increased steadily in recent years. Esports are also omnipresent. The games of the European League (EU LCS) are played in Berlin and the final of the 2016 World Championship was broadcast live on Sport1. An incredible 43 million people worldwide watched the final of the last World Cup and even more viewers are expected for 2017. The prize pool of 6.7 million US dollars is also impressive. In the LoL esports scene, well-known organisations such as Fnatic, G2 Esports or TSM found their beginnings. The stronghold of the LoL esports scene is in the home of esports, South Korea. Internationally, Korean teams have dominated the esports scene for years and South Korea has won the last four world championship titles.