If you like betting with a bit of brainpower instead of pure luck, League of Legends is one of the best esports you can focus on. In this MOBA game, drafts, scaling, and team compositions play a huge role in which team actually wins.
That means if you understand how LoL odds work and what you can bet on, you can make more informed decisions rather than placing a bet on a team and just hoping it turns out well. In this guide, we’ll teach you everything you need to know about LoL esports odds and betting sites to play on.
Sites with the most competitive LoL odds
What are LoL Odds?
When you open LoL esports gambling sites, you’ll see a bunch of numbers. These are odds – the entire concept of LoL betting revolves around these numbers. They are placed next to each team or outcome, and they tell you two main things:
- How likely the bookmaker thinks something is to happen
- How much you’ll get paid if it does happen
Let’s use a quick example – GenG, a top team in the LCK, is taking on DRX, a middle-to-bottom team in the LCK. In this case, the odds would look something like this:
- GenG (favorite to win): 1.20
- DRX (underdog): 4.25
Here, GenG is the clear favorite to win the series. If you bet on them, your payout will be smaller, since there is less risk. However, if you bet on DRX and they somehow pull off the upset, you’ll get a much bigger payout since you took a high risk.
LoL Odds Formats Explained
Understanding what odds are is one thing, but another is knowing that different sportsbooks display odds in different formats. They all describe the same thing, but are just presented in different ways.
In LoL betting, you will mostly see these three odds formats:
Decimal Odds
Typically, you will see decimal odds most often, as it is the most popular for LoL and esports betting in general.
- Example: 2.43 odds
Decimal odds show you the total return, not just the profit.
- If you bet $100 on 2.43 odds, your total return is $100 x 2.43 = $243. ($143 profit + $100 stake returned).
Fractional Odds
If you live in the UK, you are more likely to see fractional odds. As its name suggests, odds are displayed in fractions.
- Example: 3/1 (“three to one”)
This means, for every 1 unit you bet, you win 3 units in profit.
- If you bet $100 on 3/1 odds, your total profit is $300, and you will receive your initial $100 returned to you. ($300 profit + $100 stake returned).
American Odds
From its name, you can jump to the conclusion that American odds are mostly seen on US-based websites. Odds will always have a + or – sign.
- Example: -150 (favorite) – you need to bet $150 to win $100 in profit.
- Example: +200 (underdog) – a $100 bet wins $200 for a total of $300 returned
For LoL betting, we generally recommend using decimal odds, as they are easier to understand. If your website displays odds in fractional or American format, there is usually an option to change it to decimal odds.
LoL Betting Markets Explained
We’ve covered step one, which is understanding LoL odds. The next step is understanding what you can actually bet on.
Remember that LoL is a very detailed game. Champion matchups, scaling, and objective control all matter, and you have multiple options to bet on. Here are the main types of LoL betting markets.
Match Winner
If you’re new to LoL betting, we recommend the match winner market – it’s the simplest market available. Just like in Dota 2 betting, you’re just betting on which team wins the overall match, whether it’s:
- Best of 1 (usually used in group stages)
- Best of 3 (most common format)
- Best of 5 (used in grand finals or playoffs)
With this market, you don’t need to worry about side selection, drafts, or anything like that – just who comes out on top at the end.
Map Winner
A snapshot of LoL odds and available betting lines at Shuffle
Map winner is a great betting option if you understand LoL and drafting. Here, you place bets on who wins a specific map inside the series, like:
- Game 1 winner
- Game 2 winner
- Game 3 winner
With this market, you can watch how the drafting phase plays out, then bet on the team you think came out with a better lineup.
Handicap Markets
In many cases, some matchups are even – one team is more skilled than the other. To even out these mismatches, you can add virtual advantages or disadvantages. In LoL betting, there are two types of handicaps: map and kill handicaps.
Map Handicap Example (Bo3):
- GenG -1.5 maps
- DRX +1.5 maps
If you bet on GenG -1.5, they must win the series 2-0 for your bet to cash. If you bet on DRX +1.5, you can still win even if they lose 2-1.
Kill Handicap Example (per map):
- GenG -7.5 kills
- DRX +7.5 kills
Here, if you choose GenG -7.5, they must have more than 8 kills by the end of the game. If you pick DRX +7.5, they can lose the game but still “win” the handicap as long as the kill gap is less than 8.
Totals (Over/Under)
Sometimes, you’re unsure of which team will win the game. Instead, you can bet on Totals, which focus on how the game looks, not who ends up winning. Some of the most common LoL markets include:
- Total kills in a game – Over/Under 26.5 kills
- Total maps in a series – Over/Under 2.5 maps
So, you’re just betting on whether the number goes over or under the set line. Keep in mind you may find a different esports betting bonus that will let you bet on this market.
Outrights
Outright bets are long-term picks on a tournament, rather than a single match. Some of the most popular outright markets include:
- Who will win the entire event
- Who will reach the grand final of the event
- Who will win their group
If you have a favorite team or a strong read on who’s in form, outrights are perfect. You don’t have to worry about them dropping a series, as we’re just looking at the end result here.
Live Betting Markets
Live betting lets you bet on LoL while the game is unfolding. If you’re familiar with the game, you’ll understand that early kills, first objectives, scaling, and gold leads matter a lot. So, you can analyze how the game is playing out and place a bet in the middle of it.
Best Sites for Competitive LoL Odds
If you’re interested in giving LoL betting a shot, here are some of the best websites to get started with. All of these platforms are regulated and tested. What’s more, they can also qualify as the best Dota 2 betting sites too because they pay equal attention to other leading esports.
GG.Bet
GG.Bet is one of the longest-standing esports bookmakers in the industry. The website opens markets for most LoL tournaments, with lots of betting options and strong live betting coverage.
Duelbits
If you prefer transacting with crypto, Duelbits might be for you. Duelbits is a crypto-friendly casino and sportsbook that provides you with plenty of LoL betting options and esports bonuses.
Stake
Stake is one of the most well-known crypto sportsbooks, especially known for their LoL tournament coverage. The website design is straightforward, making it perfect for beginners.
Bet365
Bet365 is a long-established global bookmaker with a strong esports section. The website has extensive LoL markets and a wide range of prop bets if you want to keep things spicy.
FAQs
⚡What influences the movement of LoL esports odds?
📊 Are there different types of LoL odds I can bet on?
🎮 Can I bet on live LoL odds during a match?
Simon Day
Simon has been writing about Gaming and Sports for over a decade, with his work featured in a variety of well-known gaming magazines. This year, he joined win.gg as an Editorial Specialist, where he continues to share his passion for the industry through insightful and well-crafted content pieces.
View full profile