League of Legends betting: an overview
League of Legends betting (or simply LoL betting) means wagering on professional matches of Riot Games' MOBA. Two teams of five champions battle on Summoner's Rift, and the goal is to destroy the enemy Nexus. Regular league seasons often use BO1 or BO3, while playoffs and international events typically use BO5.
The main difference from Dota 2 is that LoL has a more rigid game structure, and objectives (dragons, Baron Nashor, towers) play a huge role in winning. That is why bookmakers offer lots of objective-based markets.
Objective markets: dragons, Baron, towers
| Market | What it means | What to analyse |
|---|---|---|
| First dragon | Which team takes the first elemental dragon | Bot-lane strength, jungler pathing |
| Total dragons | Total dragons taken in the game | Game length and dominance |
| First Baron | Who kills Baron Nashor first | Mid-game map control |
| First tower | Who destroys the first tower | Early lane advantage |
| Tower handicap | Difference in towers destroyed | The team's "snowball" style |
| Total kills | Total number of kills | League style and draft |
Objective markets follow a logic similar to Roshan and first blood in Dota 2 — compare with our Dota 2 betting guide.
Leagues and international tournaments
LoL esports is built on a system of regional leagues: Korea (LCK), China (LPL), Europe (LEC), the Americas and the Asia-Pacific region. The international MSI takes place mid-season, and the most prestigious championship — Worlds — is held at the end of the year. Exact dates and formats are announced every year, so check them on Liquipedia. The overall structure is explained on our esports tournaments page.
At international events teams from different leagues meet, and the odds there are often based on regional reputation. Sometimes a team's actual form within its league turns out to matter more than reputation.
How to analyse a LoL match
- Look at the team's recent results and playstyle over the last few weeks (stats sites such as Oracle's Elixir, Liquipedia and gol.gg).
- Compare first dragon and first tower rates — a good indicator of early-game strength.
- Check the average game duration and kills per minute.
- Follow patch changes: Riot releases updates roughly every two weeks, and some of them shift the meta significantly.
- Check whether there is a substitute in the lineup, especially in the jungle and mid positions.
Live betting and game-changing moments
A gold lead in LoL is more stable than in Dota 2, but a single fight around Baron or the Elder Dragon can still change the outcome. In live betting many players back the leading team at very low odds — which is often a poor-value choice. Take the stream delay into account before you make a decision.
Pros
- Rich objective statistics
- Regular leagues with schedules known in advance
- Wide betting lines for the major leagues
Cons
- Regular-season BO1s are hard to predict
- Frequent patches
- Little data on smaller leagues
The draft and game phases
Every LoL game starts with a draft: teams take turns banning and picking champions. Being able to read a draft helps a lot with objective markets. For example, a team that drafts a strong early-game composition will push for first dragon and first tower, while a "scaling" composition will try to drag the game out — which affects the duration and dragon totals.
| Phase | Approximate time | Markets usually settled |
|---|---|---|
| Early game | 0–14 minutes | First blood, first dragon, first tower |
| Mid game | 14–25 minutes | First Baron, dragon count |
| Late game | 25+ minutes | Winner, duration, total kills |
The timings are approximate and vary with the meta and the league's style. To learn how to read drafts, it is well worth spending a few weeks just watching games without betting.
Where to bet on LoL
Dragon, Baron and tower markets for LoL are available at large bookmakers such as Mostbet. Mostbet offers a first-deposit bonus of around 125% plus free spins — the exact terms are in the bookmaker's current rules; enter the promo code XBUNKER when you register. Beginners should start with our how to bet on esports guide, and bookmaker reviews are on our main site.
