Esports might have been considered by some to be just a hobby until a few years ago, but it’s now a global entertainment powerhouse — blending competition, culture, and - you guessed it - betting. Esports betting it’s a full-blown iGaming vertical that behaves like sport, media and tech rolled into one neon-lit package.
And if you still don’t think esports betting is that big, check this out: the esports betting industry was valued at US$ 11.22 billion in 2024 [Globe News Wire], and is projected to grow to about US$ 20.39 billion by 2029, at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 12.6%. Just in Latin America, it reached US$ 130.7 million in 2024 [Cognitive Market Research], with projections suggesting 7.4% CAGR through 2029.
So, if you’re an iGaming operator, it’s time to level up your esports betting platform and tap into one of the fastest-growing markets out there.In this article, we’ll talk about five features that move the needle for esports: what they are, why they matter, and — critically — the numbers that prove it.
1. The Most Played Esports Games.
First things first. When it comes to esports betting, you need to offer the games people actually watch and wager on. In 2024–2025, the heavy-hitters for betting have been Counter-Strike (CS2/CS:GO) and League of Legends - CS2 held between 55–64% of esports betting handle in the last quarter of 2024 and LoL had 26% [esportsconnect].
Industry studies also show that these titles enjoyed massive year-on-year growth in betting volume. CS2, for instance, saw a 99% growth last year - the numbers for LoL and Dota 2 were 61% and 90%, respectively. But no game beat Valorant, which had an 175% increase in betting volume [iGaming Business].
And when you look across Latin America, these numbers line up with local preferences. Brazil, the region’s esports powerhouse, is dominated by Counter-Strike — it accounts for over 90% of the country’s esports activity [iGaming Brazil]. Dota 2 dominates Peru and, in Mexico, League of Legends leads the pack, alongside popular shooters like Valorant and Call of Duty [Yogonet]. Meanwhile, Argentina [All Correct Games] and Colombia [Statista] show similar patterns, as LoL and CS2 reign supreme.
As InPlaySoft is partners with Oddin.gg, our operators have access to all of these and much more - we have over 20 major esports titles to attract players, including Counter-Strike 2, League of Legends, DOTA 2, Valorant, MLBB, Rainbow Six, Call of Duty, King of Glory, Wild Rift and Arena of Valor. This way, your players will always have a game to watch and bet on, as we offer more than 70,000 esports matches every year.
2. In-Play Betting and Fast Odds Updates.
Esports and live betting are made for each other: matches are fast, momentum shifts are frequent, and micro-events (first blood, round outcomes, ultimate used/not used) create endless micro-markets. While pre-game bets are still important, in-play betting now accounts for 46% of Sports Betting Gross Gaming Revenue (GGR) [Yogonet].
This means that odds must be updated fast for players after in-game events happen. And when we say fast, we mean really fast - with InPlaySoft, as we are partners with Oddin.gg, we have an industry-leading speed of just 1-2 seconds between in-game events and updates to live odds. This way, you’ll never see bettors switching apps or taking advantage of stale odds.
3. Live Streaming.
Watching and betting are twin behaviors in esports. Twitch, for example, logged 20.9 billion hours of watched esports in 2024 - and that attention that can be monetized by operators who bring streams into the product experience [Twitch Tracker]. Co-streaming accounted for 45% of esports viewership in 2024, underlining the value of integrated and interactive streams [Stream Hatchet].
So, if you can stream matches inside your platform, you will increase engagement, session time and conversion to bets. And with InPlaySoft you will, of course, have access to live streaming.
4. Bet Builders.
Bet builders went from “nice to have” to “must-have”. Bettors love to combine micro-events (map winner + first blood + total kills) into a single, higher-payoff ticket — and operators love the margin.
Data from operators and industry analysts shows Bet Builder usage increased in 2024 by 485% compared to 2023 [Betby] highlighting a significant shift towards more personalized and flexible betting experiences.
Bet Builders are particularly attractive to operators due to their higher margins compared to traditional single-event bets. These multi-leg combinations offer increased profitability for operators [SBC] However, it's important for operators to balance the appeal of Bet Builders with responsible margin management to avoid potential pitfalls.
To mitigate risks associated with complex bet combinations, platforms like Oddin.gg have integrated comprehensive risk management tools into their Bet Builder offerings. These tools automatically assess and manage the complexities of each bet combination, helping operators maintain profitability while offering diverse betting options. And, as InPlaySoft is partners with Oddin.gg, you’ll have access to all these incredible tools.
5. Esports Widgets.
Today’s esports bettors aren’t just winging it — they expect rich, in-depth stats right where they place bets. Providers of esports widgets supply real-time, data-driven widgets that integrate stats and probabilities directly into the betting UI — and operators who use them report better engagement, retention and player lifetime values among esports bettors [Oddin.gg].
Widgets should show live, contextual stats next to relevant markets, micro-events probabilities and allow bettors to filter by favorite teams/players and to pin certain stat panels. With InPlaySoft, you will have access to the best esports widgets powered by Oddin.gg.
Esports Betting Can Boost Your Sportsbook and Casino.
Offering esports betting can also power your existing sports betting platform or online casino. According to Bayes Esports, 91% of esports bettors also place bets on sports and casinos [Grid]. That number means esports bettors are almost never exclusive, which makes them even more valuable, as operators have multiple verticals to monetize them through.
Furthermore, esports bettors tend to wager more per bet in some cases than traditional sports bettors. In Europe, for instance, the average esports wage was reported around €29, compared to €5 for football in some studies [Esports Insider]. Higher per-bet sizes in esports mean more revenue potential per user.
Trust and Integrity in Esports Betting.
Last, but definitely not least, trust is essential in the esports betting universe. That’s why InPlaySoft partnered with Oddin.gg - not only is it one of the biggest providers in the market, it’s also one of the most trusted. Oddin.gg is a member of both the Esports Integrity Commission and the International Betting Integrity Association. That means your platform and your players are safe, making the esports betting experience even more enjoyable.
InPlaySoft: Level-Up Your Esports Betting.
The esports arena never sleeps — and neither should your betting platform. Players expect real-time action, seamless experiences, and smart, data-powered tools that make every click count. With InPlaySoft, you’re not just keeping up with the game — you’re staying several steps ahead.
With us, you won’t just have the best games, betbuilders and widgets - you’ll have a platform that’s easily customizable - with our revolutionary CMS, you can change anything you want with just a few clicks -, stable - with haven’t had one single second of down time since we started operating in July 2021 -, and scalable - our automatic scalability system won’t let you lose one single player or dime.
So, if you’re ready to turn your esports offering into an absolute fan favorite, it’s time to team up with InPlaySoft. Learn more about our esport product here: https://inplaysoft.com/product/e-sports
