Russia has got a blossoming esports betting industry, with wagering on professional video games very popular right across the country. The best Russian esports betting sites are generally located offshore, boast a high level of licensing and cater extensively to the ruble. Russians can bet on esports via their computers, smartphones (including via betting apps) and even via telephone in some cases. The best Russian esports betting sites have also go some outstanding bonus offers and promotions for new and existing customers.
The top RU betting sites for May, 2024 are:
Top Russian esports betting sites
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Russian esports news
Top Russian esports bettings sites May, 2024
There are many great Russian esports betting sites with most of these having extensive markets on games, such as League of Legends, Valorant, Call of Duty, Fortnite and Overwatch.
The best Russian esports betting sites generally have outright tournament winner markets on esports events, well in advance of the tournament, while you can also bet on things like tournament MVP, progressing through stages and even most kills or goals at an event.
Once an esports tournament draws closer head to head odds, maps betting, goal-scorer betting and many other markets become available. For instance in the lead-up to a major CS:GO event, there was an outright tournament winner market for months in advance, but as the tournament drew closer there were over 50 different markets at esports betting sites.
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The top RU esports betting sites can generally accessed via both desktop and computer, with betting apps the most common way people wager in Russia. Generally Russian esports betting sites will also have. responsive website, meaning you can also bet via mobile without downloading a betting app.
Russians will also be able to claim some great freebet offers, sign up bonuses and promotions at the top esports betting sites, with these a way for the operators to lure in new bettors.
Best Russian betting sites list
The top Russian esports betting sites for 2023 include:
- BetOnline (Betonline review)
- 1Xbet (1Xbet review)
- GG.bet (GG.bet review)
Best betting apps in Russia
Generally Russians have got Android smartphones and tablets, with the use of Apple products somewhat hindered by the laws in this country. The ban on Russian iOS betting apps happened in the wake of their war with Ukraine, with Apple withdrawing from the country. You can still purchase Apple products online from Russia, but the Apple App store is no longer accessible and it may be some time until it is up and running again.
The top Russian betting apps on Android can be directly downloaded from the betting sites you sign up at. For instance, 1xBet and GG.bet, which are both popular in Russia have got Android betting apps that can be downloaded, after you have created a new account at the company.
Downloading a Android betting app is straight-forward, although you might need to turn on non-market apps, which essentially allows you to download apps from sources that are not the Google Play store. As a general rule there is a lot more flexibility with Android smartphones because of this feature.
Two of the most popular Android smarpthones in Russia and Huawei and Samsung, which both use this system. In our experiences using these devices, they work perfectly for betting apps.
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Most popular esports games to bet on
While there are undoubtedly some esports games that are more popular than others, it is possible to wager on upwards of 40 different titles in 2024. These range from everything from sports games to first-person shooters and have varying levels of betting interest in them and as such, have varying levels of odds available surrounding major events.
Esports games Russians can bet on at the top esports betting sites include:
- Apex Legends
- Call of Duty (COD)
- Call of Duty World League
- Counter Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO)
- Dota 2
- FIFA eSports Leagues
- Fortnite: Battle Royale
- Forza
- H1Z1
- Halo
- Gears of War
- Hearthstone
- Heroes of the Storm
- League of Legends
- NBA 2K
- Overwatch
- PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds (PUBG)
- PUBG Mobile
- Halo
- Smite
- Honor of Kings
- StarCraft II (SC2 or SC II)
- Valorant
- World of Warcraft
- Rainbow Six Siege
- Rocket League
- World Of Tanks
- Mobile esports betting
Ruble deposit options at online betting sites
Russians have got plenty of different digital banking solutions they can use to fund their esports betting accounts, with these ranging from bank transfers to cards to web wallets. Generally Ruble payments to betting sites are instant and have low fees, meaning you can be wagering on your favourite esports games and events within minutes.
Even in Russia, the most popular way to fund betting sites is via bank cards, with popular worldwide cards like Visa, Mastercard and Maestro often used. Russian alternatives like Mir, which is operated by the Russian National Card Payment System are also very popular because of international sanctions put on this part of the world.
There are also some popular e-wallets that are frequently used in Russia, with these including Tsupis and QIWI, with these rated as a safe way to fund and also withdraw money from your esports betting accounts.
Mobile payments have also continued to grow at esports betting sites, with services like MegaFon, Beeline, Tele2 and MTS growing exceedingly popular. Cash payments and event self-service terminals are other ways we have seen accounts get funded in Russia.
Russian Ruble payment options at esports betting sites include
- Credit card
- Debit card
- Visa
- Mastercard
- MPN
- Maestro
- SberPay
- TSUPIS Wallet
- 10 money
- QIWI
- MegaFon
- Beeline
- Мегафон Lite
- MTS
- MTC Lilte
- Tele2
- Elecsnet terminals
- QIWI self-service terminals
Withdrawals at esports betting sites in Russia
Russians have got several strong options to withdraw their money from esports betting sites, with these including cashing out back to your card, including Visa and Mastercard. Others use web wallets and bank transfers, while some bookies have even began issuing cards that you can use at an ATM to withdraw your money.
Russians in esports
Russia has a very proud esports scene and boasts several of the best teams in many different games. This includes Team Spirit, which is a powerhouse in the Dota 2 scene and the highest-earning outfit in Russia.
Other prominent esports teams in Russia include Virtus.Pro, Gambit Esports, Moscow Five and Vega Squadron, with all of these teams prominent globally. Together they have earned millions of Rubles in the last few years.
Russian esports betting laws
Like all forms of betting in Russia, esports betting is banned in most cases although millions of people still partake in the past-time. The one caveat to these rules is four regions in Russia, where offline betting is legal and allowed.
Another loophole in esports betting being banned in Russia is that skins betting is rampant. Essentially because skins are not a real world currency they are not caught by the laws. This has been looked at in the past by lawmakers in Russia, but as of 2023, nothing had been done to curtail this practice.
Because there are no online betting sites that are legal inside Russia’s borders, there are many overseas esports betting sites that accept players from this part of the world. While the Russian government does block URLs, on an ever-growing list, generally sites don’t leave the market and they still allow their customers to access their services with a VPN or on mirrored URL that is not blocked.
In our experiences, Russian esports betting sites based overseas are safe to use and you won’t run afoul of the government, who are very unlikely to prosecute an end user, instead targeting the operators they can reach inside their borders.
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Skins betting in Russia
Skins betting in Russia is a controversial subject. Skins are virtual cosmetic items that can be obtained or purchased within certain video games. Skins betting involves using these virtual items as a form of currency for gambling on third-party websites.
In Russia, the legality of skins betting has been a matter of debate. In 2016, the Russian government declared that virtual currencies, including skins, had no legal status and could not be used as a legitimate means of payment. This created ambiguity regarding the legality of skins betting in the country.
In 2018, the Russian telecommunications regulator, Roskomnadzor, banned access to a number of skins betting websites. This was done under the grounds of protecting consumers from illegal gambling activities. The move was part of a larger crackdown on unlicensed online gambling operators in Russia.
Essentially, in Russia, proceed with caution when betting with skins on professional video games.
Upcoming esports events and leagues to bet on
| Event | eSport | Date | End Date | Prizemoney | Venue | Online/Offline |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PGL Arlington Major | Dota 2 | August 4 | $500,000 USD | Arlington, Texas | Offline | |
| Blast Premier Spring Groups | CSGO | 1/28/2023 | 2/6/2023 | $177,498 | - | Online |
| The International | Dota 2 | 10/8/2022 | 10/30/2022 | $1,600,000 | Singapore Indoor Stadium | Offline |
| Six Invitational | Rainbow 6 | 2/7/2023 | 2/19/2023 | $3,000,000 | Place Bell Arena | Offline |
| IEM Cologne Major | CSGO | July 5 | $500,000 | Lanxess-Arena, Cologne, Germany | Offline | |
| RLCS Winter Split Major | Rocket League | 4/6/2023 | 4/9/2023 | $310,000 | San Diego Convention Center, USA | Offline |
| OWL Midseason Madness | Overwatch | July 18, 2022 | $1 million | - | Online | |
| IEM Spring | CSGO | 4/17/2023 | 4/23/2023 | USD $250,000 | Jeunesse Arena, Rio de Janeiro | Offline |
| CDL Major 4 Playoffs | Call of Duty | July 21, 2022 | $500,000 | Esports Stadium, Arlington | Offline | |
| BLAST Premier Spring Showdown | CSGO | 3/29/2023 | 4/2/2023 | $135,000 | - | Online |
| Blast Premier Fall Showdown | CSGO | 10/21/2022 | $135,000 | - | Online | |
| BLAST.tv Paris Major | CSGO | 5/8/2023 | 5/21/2023 | $1,250,000 | Accor Arena, Paris | Offline |
| LOL Worlds 2022 | League of Legends | 9/29/2022 | 11/5/2022 | $2.25m | Multiple | Offline |
| Blast Major Copenhagen | Rainbow 6 | 4/24/2023 | 5/7/2023 | $750,000 | Forum Copenhagen | Offline |
| BLAST Premier: Falls Groups 2022 | CSGO | 8/19/2022 | 8/29/2022 | $177,498 | Royal Arena, Copenhagen | Offline |
| DreamHack DreamLeague | Dota 2 | 4/9/2023 | 4/23/2023 | $1000,000 | - | Online |
| IEM Major Rio 2022 | CSGO | 10/31/2022 | 11/13/2022 | $1,000,000 | Juenesse Arena, Rio de Janeiro | Offline |
| IEM Summer | CSGO | 5/29/2023 | 6/4/2023 | $250,000 | Kay Bailey Convention Center, Texas, USA | Offline |
| Six Berlin Major | Rainbow 6 | 8/15/2022 | 8/21/2022 | $500,000 | Theater am Potsdamer Platz, Berlin | Offline |
| ESL One Major Berlin | Dota 2 | 4/26/2023 | 5/7/2023 | $500,000 | Velorom, Berlin, Germany | Offline |
| Valorant Champions Tour 2022 | Valorant | 2/11/2022 | 9/19/2022 | $5m+ | Multiple | Both |
| BLAST Premier Spring Final | CSGO | 6/7/2023 | 6/19/2023 | $425,000 | Entertainment & Sports Arena, Washington DC, USA | Offline |
| BLAST Premier: Fall Finals | CSGO | 8/23/2022 | 8/27/2022 | $425,000 | Copenhagen | Offline |
| VCT Masters Tokyo | Valorant | 6/11/2023 | 6/26/2023 | $1,000,000 | TIPSTAR DOME/Makuhari Messe, Chiba, Tokyo | Offline |
| Twitch Rivals: Zero Build World Invitational | Fortnite | 10/7/2022 | 10/9/2022 | $200,000 | San Diego Convention Centre | Offline |
| Bali Major | Dota 2 | 6/29/2023 | 7/9/2023 | $500,000 | Ayana Estate, Bali | offline |
| BLAST Premier World Final | CSGO | 12/14/2022 | 9/18/2022 | $1,000,000 | Abu Dhabi, UAE | Offline |
| PUBG Global Series Phase 2 | PUBG | 8/10/2023 | 8/20/2023 | $2,000,000 | Riyadh | Offline |
| PUBG Global Championships | PUBG | 11/1/2022 | 10/20/2022 | $2m + | Dubai Exhibition Centre | Offline |
| Riyadh Masters | Dota 2 | 7/17/2023 | 7/30/2023 | $15,000,000 | Riyadh | Offline |
| Six Jönköping Major | Rainbow 6 | 11/21/2022 | 10/27/2022 | $500,000 | Elmia Congress Center, Jönköping | Offline |
| Gamers8 Fortnite | Fortnite | 7/6/2023 | 7/9/2023 | $2,000,000 | Riyadh, Saudi Arabia | Offline |
| RLCS Fall Split Major | Rocket League | 12/8/2022 | 12/12/2022 | $310,000 | Rotterdam Ahoy | Offline |
| FIFAe Nations Cup | FIFA | 7/11/2023 | 7/14/2023 | $500,000 | Riyadh, Saudi Arabia | Offline |
| Honor or Kings International Championship | Honor of Kings | 11/22/2022 | 12/30/2022 | $10,000,000 | Shenzhen, China | Both |
| CS:GO Gamer8 | CSGO | 8/14/2023 | 8/20/2023 | $1,000,0000 | Riyadh, Saudi Arabia | Offline |
| VCT Kickoff Tournament | Valorant | 2/14/2023 | 3/5/2023 | TBC | Sao Paolo, Brazil | Offline |
| PUBG Mobile World Invitational | PUBG Mobile | 7/14/2023 | 7/16/2023 | $3,000,000 | Riyadh, Saudi Arabia | - |
| IEM Katowice CS:GO | CSGO | 1/31/2023 | 2/12/2023 | $1,000,000 | Spodek Arena, Katowice | Offline |
| Valorant Champions: Los Angeles | Valorant | 8/6/2023 | 7/26/2023 | TBA | Kia Forum, Los Angeles | Offline |
| IEM Fall 2023 | CSGO | 10/16/2023 | 8/22/2023 | $250,000 | Aware Super Theatre, Sydney | Offline |
| Roobet Cup | Counter-Strike | 10/25/2023 | 11/2/2023 | $150,000 | - | Online |
| CS2 Asia Championships | CSGO | 11/8/2023 | 11/12/2023 | $500,000 | Perfect World Esports Center, Yuanshen Stadium, Shanghai, China | Offline |
| ESL One Kuala Lumpur | Dota 2 | 12/11/2023 | 12/17/2023 | $1,000,000 | Kuala Lumpur International Exhibition & Trade Center | Offline |
| ESL One Birmingham | Dota 2 | 4/22/2024 | 4/28/2024 | $1,000,000 | Resorts World Arena, Birmingham | Offline |
| Games of the Future | Dota 2 | 2/19/2024 | 2/25/2024 | $1,000,000 | Offline | |
| RLCS Major 1 | Rocket League | 3/28/2024 | 3/31/2024 | $255,000 | K.B Hallen Arena, Copenhagen | Offline |
| VCT Masters Madrids | Valorant | 3/14/2024 | 3/24/2024 | TBC | Madrid Arena, Madrid | Offline |
| HCS Arlington Major | halo | 3/15/2024 | 3/17/2024 | $250,000 | Arlington Convention Centre | Offline |
| R6 BLAST Manchester Major | Rainbow 6 | 5/16/2024 | 3/26/2024 | $750,000 | B.E.C Arena, Manchester | Offline |
| ALGS Split 1 Playoffs | Apex Legends | 5/2/2024 | 5/5/2024 | $1,000,000 | Galen Centre, LA | Offline |
| PGL Wallachia | Dota 2 | 5/10/2024 | 5/19/2024 | $1,000,000 | PGL Studios, Bucharest, Romania | Offline |
| VCT Masters Shanghai | Valorant | 5/23/2024 | 6/9/2024 | $500,000 | Valo Arena, Shanghai | Offline |
| PUBG Global Series Phase 3 | PUBG | 4/20/2024 | 4/26/2024 | $300,000 | Shanghai, China | Offline |
| OWCS Major 1 | Overwatch | 5/31/2024 | 6/2/2024 | TBC | Kay Bailey Convention Centre, Dallas | Offline |