One of the many benefits of online gambling is its endless potential to diversify. This is why nowadays, in the era when professional video gaming is matching and even surpassing the popularity of traditional sports, eSports events are becoming increasingly more available for betting.
The sheer number of tournaments and competitions organized for the top games on the eSports scene collectively generate tens of thousands of matches available for betting every year. In other words, you can’t run out of options to bet on eSports.
| Site | Other avaliable eSports | Bonus | License |
|---|---|---|---|
| GG.BET | CS: GO, Dota 2, League of Legends, King of Glory, Overwatck, Rocket League, Valorant, etc. | $200 welcome bonus | Government of Curacao |
| Betway eSports | CS: GO, Lol, Dota 2, Overwatch, Rainbow 6, World of Tanks, VALORANT, etc. | €30 free bet; | UK Gambling Commission, Malta Gaming Authority (MGA) |
| BUFF.bet | CS: GO, Dota 2, LoL, Valorant, Call of Duty, Rocket League, Overwatch, etc. | 100% match up to $200 | Government of Curacao |
| 888sport | CS: GO, LoL, Call of Duty, Dota 2, etc. | Bet £10 Get £30 in free bets | UK Gambling Commission |
| LOOT.BET | CS: GO, Dota 2, LoL, King of Glory, Rocket League, Overwatch, Call of Duty, etc. | €100 welcome bonus + 100 free spins; | Govt. of Curacao |
First-person shooters and tactical strategies make up most of the eSports betting markets. Consequently, StarCraft and StarCraft 2, unarguably one of the top eSports at the moment, constitute a sizable portion of betting markets for real-time strategy games.
I reckon you’re only here to see our list of best StarCraft 2 betting sites and perhaps see if there’s any free bet or bonus involved. However, even if you are familiarized with every aspect of StarCraft gambling, as well as with the game itself, we strongly encourage you to read on. This article will provide interesting and valuable information not only about the best SC2 and StarCraft eSports betting websites but also about the game and its tournaments. We also offer bonus betting tips for new so you can avoid squandering your money as much as possible.
StarCraft – the basics
StarCraft remains one of the top games released by Blizzard Entertainment, despite first coming out way back in 1998.
StarCraft is a real-time strategy (RTS) game and one of the most popular and profitable titles developed by Blizzard Entertainment. StarCraft has developed into a multimedia franchise with numerous installments and expansion sets and is arguably the most successful real-time strategy game released by any video game developer.
In the years since its release, StarCraft has sold tens of millions of copies worldwide and enjoys one of the biggest audiences in the world of real-time strategy (RTS) games.
Original StarCraft and StarCraft II
If you are here to learn more about StarCraft betting sites, it is necessary to make a distinction between StarCraft – the original game- and StarCraft II.
The original StarCraft game has several installments, including StarCraft, StarCraft: Insurrection, StarCraft: Brood War, and StarCraft: Retribution.
Meanwhile, StarCraft 2 was released in 2010 and injected new life into the old classic. StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty was the first in the series, followed by StarCraft II: Heart of the Swarm, and StarCraft II: Legacy of the Void.
In 2027, Blizzard Entertainment released StarCraft remastered – a visual and technical overhaul of the original game. Every sequel of the game has been met with positive reviews from both amateur and pro players. Our review will focus more on betting on the original StarCraft rather than on StarCraft 2. However, we will also look at some aspects of StarCraft II eSports betting and highlight some similarities between the two.
StarCraft Gameplay
Both StarCraft and StarCraft II have a similar gameplay style, though both games also have their distinct qualities. Unlike some real-time strategy eSports, such as Dota 2 and League of Legends, StarCraft and StarCraft II players focus on base, unit building and gathering resources.
In both the first StarCraft and SC2, players can choose different game modes and play against an AI or other players online. One of the reasons why StarCraft 2 and its sequels were so well received in the eSports gaming community is because they brought the original races from the early game with and enhanced them with improved graphics and fighting capabilities.
Essentially, it all boils down to which player has the bigger base and stronger army.
The Best SC2 Betting Sites
StarCraft and SC2 betting go hand and the great majority of eSports betting sites that offer betting for one game also cover markets for the other.
While StarCraft Remastered helped keep the eSports competitions for the classic game afloat (and thriving), the options to bet on StarCraft 2 remain much more versatile. The StarCraft II World Championship Series was the top tournament for professional StarCraft gamers, but the league ceased operating in 2019.
We thought it would be convenient if we listed a few of the top StarCraft II eSports betting sites.
- Rivalry – up to $350 in rewards and 100% match of up to $100 bonus
- 1xBet – offers favorable betting odds and a €100 welcome bonus
- Luckbox – offers a live streaming option for top SC2 events, on top of a bonus of 100% matched funds for your first deposit of up to €/$100
StarCraft eSports Events
StarCraft eSports video gaming has been immensely popular around the world and includes multiple major international tournaments.
StarCraft II deserves a lot of credit for making the StarCraft franchise into a mega-successful eSports game. However, after Blizzard released StarCraft: Remastered in 2017, it not only revived an old classic but also cemented and even further expanded StarCraft’s presence on the eSports scene.
Even today, StarCraft continues to be one of the top eSports in the world.
While having established a global player base, StarCraft and SC2 have been particularly popular in South Korea. Professional players and sponsors there made StarCraft into extremely competitive eSports even in the early 2000s. The South Korean Ongamenet league, as well as the MBCgame league, were not only among the first professional StarCraft multiplayer competitions but also among the firsts eSports tournaments ever.
Concerning StarCraft II, there is at least one major tournament organized for each of the game’s expansion sets. That means Wings of Liberty and its two sequels each have their separate top league and tournaments, on top of smaller competitions played regionally.
How did Betting on StarCraft eSports Start
Seeing that unmistakable StarCraft logo on a betting site creates a unique thrill knowing you can finally put all those years of StarCraft gaming to some good use. And with the release of StarCraft Remastered, a whole new frontier was created for betting on StarCraft eSports!
Nearly 20 years after the last sequel of the original game was released, global StarCraft eSports events finally became available for betting thanks to the success of the StarCraft reboot. Betting on StarCraft (not StarCraft 2) would likely not have been possible had the remastered version not been released.
The game debuted at a South Korea convention in early 2017 and was followed by thousands of supporters in person, and hundreds of thousands watched it online. Some of the best StarCraft gamers in the world took part in exhibition matches during the convention.
Online eSports betting sites have covered StarCraft professional matches almost from the moment the game debuted as an eSports. Betting sites today offer high betting odds for almost any StarCraft match played in a major tournament.
Thanks to both the new releases and the ever-competitive and innovative StarCraft 2 and its sequels, the eSports betting future of this immensely popular Blizzard game still remains bright.
Types of StarCraft Bets
One of the great things about both StarCraft and StarCraft 2 remaining such popular eSports, even in 2021, is that it allows for an abundance of betting markets on eSports gambling sites.
Every StarCraft II betting site today has several basic bet types for the average StarCraft match.
- Match winner – the most basic of bets, punters predict which player will win a given StarCraft match
- Outright winner – here you place a future bet on the team/player to win the entire tournament, instead of an individual match
- Map winner – players bet which player will win a specific map during a series
- Team will not win any Map – the opposite of a map winner, you bet on the weaker team to not win any map
- Correct score – a trickier bet where you predict the correct Score of a StarCraft match, for instance whether a player will win 3-0, 3-1, and so on.
Tips for Being a Better StarCraft Punter
Betting on StarCraft sounds simple, but there are few things you ought to keep in mind before you start betting.
First off, you must know how the gameplay works. You cannot bet on sports games without first knowing the rules of the game. The best way to learn the rules of StarCraft is by either playing the game or watching a video of any StarCraft match featuring two professional players. Personally, I would recommend seeing such clip of the StarCraft 2 World Championship Global Finals.
Read as much information about pro players and teams involved in the StarCraft events as you can. Every StarCraft team consists of an unspecified number of professional gamers who play for their team in major or minor competitions. Note that some pro gamers play only one StarCraft title, and usually specialize in learning only one race. For instance, the noted South Korean pro Kim Taek-yong, while formerly competing in StarCraft 2 tournaments, now only plays StarCraft: Brood War and is an expert at playing the ‘Protoss’ race.
If you want to go more in-depth, we recommend scanning through Liquipedia, a.k.a. the eSports Wiki. Liquipedia offers detailed information and statistics about every StarCraft and SC2 player and might serve as a valuable source in improving your StarCraft betting skills.
Bet small! If you are still learning the ins and outs of betting on StarCraft, we advise you to start by making small bets. Losing small amounts of money is much more bearable and yet helps you learn from mistakes and get better with every next wager.
Again, Liquipedia remains the ultimate source for information about anything eSports-related. As such, the site has tons of valuable information about the performance and make-up of every StarCraft eSports team, as well as detailed statistics about past matches, upcoming tournaments, and much more.
How We Select the Top StarCraft Gambling Websites
Before we include any gambling site on our lists we make sure the company meets several of our criteria.
A license comes first and foremost. A gambling license ensures that all bets you place, every online deposit you make, and each piece of information you enter is kept safe and will not be abused. All information you enter on each of our top StarCraft sites is confidential and will not be shared with third parties without your consent.
Bets on StarCraft matches are flowing in from every corner of the globe, and this is partly made possible because of the betting sites’ ability to operate multiple payment options., Not all payment methods are available in every country that allows online eSports betting. Therefore, we made sure that each StarCraft gambling site we recommend had a decent choice of options to deposit your money. Some sites accept only real money deposits, while some may also be compatible to use with cryptocurrency.
Helpful customer service and support is also a quality we believe every eSports gambling site should possess. The betting sites on our list all have customer-friendly support teams and can be easily reached via multiple communication systems, including live chat, social media, email, or phone.
Recap
To sum up, StarCraft, and particularly its younger brother, StarCraft II, are two games that are currently dominating the world of strategy eSports.
Both games collectively draw tens of millions of spectators and thousands of pro players to their annual eSports tournaments every year.
The magnitude of StarCraft’s fame has placed it front and center on virtually every online e-sportsbook.
Even if you’ve never bet on StarCraft II you can still score a win if you have the right knowledge of those involved. Remember, StarCraft is still a game of chance and the odds are the best indicators of the chances of a certain outcome happening. When you master the basics of how StarCraft is played, you will find your gambling skills widely improved, and your chances of winning significantly increased.
The Best StarCraft eSports Betting Sites
Here is a list some of several of the best StarCraft II and StarCraft betting sites:
- GG.BET – $200 welcome bonus for new customers; T&Cs apply; please gamble responsibly; +18
- Betway eSports – welcome bonus: €30 free bet; T&Cs apply; gamble responsibly; +18
- BUFF.bet – 100% match up to $200 deposit bonus for new customers; T&Cs apply; +18 100% Match Deposit
- 888sport – Bet £10 Get £30 in free bets; new customers only; T&Cs apply; +18
- LOOT.BET – €100 welcome bonus + 100 free spins; bonus is for new customers only; T&Cs apply; +18, gamble responsibly
FAQ
What are eSports Gambling Sites?
Regular online betting companies that provide betting on eSports like StarCraft, Dota 2, CS: GO, Overwatch, or other eSports games are referred to as eSports gambling or eSports betting sites. However, with the continual rise of eSports, many online bookies became specifically and solely focused on eSports gambling, so the term may better apply to those operators.
Can I Bet on StarCraft in the U.K.?
Yes. The U.K., while having some of the harshest sports and casino gambling laws, is still one of the most welcoming countries for eSports betting. StarCraft, as one of the top eSports, is often found as a betting choice at most online eSports bookies.
What are the Best eSports Gambling Games?
StarCraft is only one of the several most popular eSports games on the market. The others include similar real-time strategy (RTS) games like Dota 2, League of Legends, and Heroes of the Storm, and first-person shooter games such as CS: GO and Overwatch.
How Often do StarCraft 2 Tournaments Take Place?
StarCraft and StarCraft II tournaments are among the most prolific of all eSports and occur almost every month. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, however, the number of competitions this past year has been sharply curtailed.
Are There Upcoming StarCraft 2 Tournaments?
The summer of 2021 will be about with dozens of regional and international StarCraft tournaments lasting anywhere from two days to an entire month. The next major tournaments are the DH SC2 Masters 2021 Summer in China, Asia, Oceania, and Latin America. For more information about upcoming tournaments, visit Liquipedia.