Esports are continuing to push through the perception that they are not worthy of being considered real sports and have become a big business in many countries. As they grow in popularity, the betting scene around esports leagues is evolving in much the same way as for other sporting leagues, but what esports do people in the USA bet on?
The rise in popularity of esports could easily be described as meteoric. What started as occasional tournaments of real-time strategy and fighting games has turned into a multi-billion-dollar industry in 2025. Part of this success can be attributed to younger generations who have less connection to traditional sports, reaching maturity and being interested in watching the best gamers compete. Similar to traditional sporting leagues, esports has attracted a healthy amount of betting activity.
In the United States, where many states are legalizing and regulating their sports betting industries, betting on esports is rising in popularity along similar lines to more traditional sports betting. While not all the New York state sports betting apps might offer esports betting, more and more are beginning to realize the popularity of esports and offer it as a betting option. Much like other sorts of sports, the popularity of games and esports varies according to region, so let's look at the most popular esports titles with strong betting communities in the USA.
League of Legends is a Dominant Global Force
While different regions definitely have their idiosyncrasies, the popularity of League of Legends (LoL) is not one of them. LoL is popular pretty much everywhere in the world, and it has been the most-watched esports in the USA from 2016 to 2023, with data from more recent years unconfirmed. With so much attention, it should be no surprise that the North American league, the League Championship Series (LCS), has a thriving betting scene surrounding it.
Some of the reasons that LoL lends itself so well to betting markets are that the structure of its tournaments mirrors those of more traditional sporting leagues. With well-established teams and names competing year after year in such a structured manner, there are plenty of options for bets across an entire season on regular showdowns between teams, as well as the eventual world championship games.
There are plenty of niche bets that can be made on LoL as well, things like first blood, total kill numbers and character bans frequently see betting activity. As a game with reasonable strategic play, a thriving tournament scene and excellent potential for skill expression, it's no wonder that LoL has become the most bet-on esport in the USA.
Counter-Strike 2 Brings Tactical Precision to Bettors
Counter-Strike is a series that has been providing gamers with thrills for two and a half decades, and the most recent iteration, Counter-Strike 2 (CS2), is providing them with the thrill of high-level esports gameplay. Some of the reasons that many trusted New Jersey sports betting sites with high payouts are looking to esports titles like CS2 as serious betting options is due to the tactical nature of its gameplay, which has similarities to many traditional sports favored by bettors in the area.
The first-person shooter has an incredible potential for skill-expression in gameplay, is well-balanced, has little to no elements of chance or luck associated with high-level play, and can be easily followed. There are a number of different tournaments that are held throughout the year, offering plenty of opportunities for players to make it big and for bettors to capture a slice of the action.
Similar to LoL and many other esports, CS2 offers a number of unique betting options on top of the standard match winners. Things like first blood, total number of rounds, and the number of bombs placed or defused are common betting options. CS2 is one of the few esports ecosystems that has a heavy emphasis on data and transparency, with player stats and odds regularly being updated. This makes it one of the most approachable esports for those unfamiliar with esports betting, or an entry-level esports betting option.
Dota 2 Offers Deep Strategy for Bettors
Dota 2 has an interesting place in the betting markets of the USA. The game is a massive online battle arena (MOBA), just like LoL is, but it isn't as popular as LoL in the States. However, it has a global appeal, especially throughout Europe, that lends it a certain prestige.
The betting markets for Dota 2 are similarly blessed as those for LoL, in that there is a wide range of tournaments that occur throughout the year, culminating in The International. While The International typically sees high levels of betting, the other tournaments have seen rising levels of viewer and bettor interest as well.
Dota 2 is an esports option for bettors that offers deep and rich strategic options. With teams and players having favorite strategies and known histories with different heroes, depending on the current patch and metagame, smart bettors can anticipate picks and bans in tournament roster drafts and use that analysis to place intelligent bets.
Valorant is a Strong Contender
Another title from Riot Games, the developer behind LoL, Valorant offers first-person shooter esports action, with a little spicy twist thrown in. Rather than relying solely on their gunplay skills, Valorant gives players unique hero abilities that can alter the battlefield in various powerful ways.
This blend of game styles has offered a fresh option for esports fans and bettors to latch onto, and has been fairly successful because of that. Valorant, similar to the other titles on this list, has a thriving and healthy tournament scene that provides games the whole year round, offering fans and bettors plenty to watch.
Valorant has a number of teams from the USA that are continually competing at a world championship level, which helps to draw domestic interest for both esports viewing and betting numbers.
Final Thoughts
It seems likely that, as more states legalize and regulate sports betting, and as esports become more accepted as a legitimate sporting alternative, betting on esports in the USA will rise.
While the games that are popular are likely to change, with sporting titles like Madden NFL 26 seeing some esports play, the appeal of watching the best play and placing bets while they do is unlikely to go away.