Exploring Esports Betting in Lithuania and the Genre’s Most Popular Games

Esports is one of the exciting verticals in the expansive world of online gambling. With virtual sportsbooks and online casinos offering a wide range of immersive and entertaining games, the option to bet on high-stakes video gaming competitions was a natural evolution.

There are even groups like Entain who, through their Unikrn platform, aim to offer bettors the chance to place wagers on gaming competitions and their own gameplay.

 Lithuania Welcomes Esports with Open Arms

One of the fastest-growing esports regions in the world is Lithuania. While it may only be the 23rd largest country in Europe, the Republic boasts several competitive teams and a wealth of skilled ranked players across various games.

EsportsEarnings reported the incredible success of Lithuanian players in esports, saying:

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“There have been 357 Lithuanian esports players that have been awarded a total of $1,434,011.15 USD in prize money across 1,124 tournaments. The highest awarding game was Counter-Strike: Global Offensive with $606,515.03 USD won, making up 42.30% of all earnings by Lithuanian players.”

Statista.com, one of the world’s most reputable data and statistics providers, compiled an eye-catching report on the growth of esports in the Baltic country. Using data from 2019 to the present, they reported that the lockdown saw interest and participation in esports grow to more than 400,000 users, representing nearly one-third of the country’s population.

The most active age range is 18 to 34 years old, which explains why locals spend more than €12.9 million annually on gaming and esports events. The country even has its own esports convention and competitive scene, led by esports event coordinator and gaming agency, GameOn.

Top 15 Esports Video Games in Lithuania

With the various gameplay modes offered by competitive gaming titles, there is something for everyone to enjoy. The most popular gaming genres include sports games, first-person shooters (FPS), and MOBAs (multiplayer online battle arenas).

The top fifteen esports games include:

1. CS:GO: This team-based FPS is the leading esport in Lithuania, with more than seven teams competing globally. A full match consists of two halves, where players are on defence for 15-16 rounds and then switch to being on the offensive for 15-16 rounds. Winning a round awards points, and the team with the most points at the end of the second half claims victory.
2. NBA2K E-Basketball: The official NBA-licensed e-basketball video game is another popular esports vertical in the region, allowing individual players to square off with their favourite teams to dominate the court and claim victory.
3. DOTA 2: This MOBA sees two five-person teams using complementary heroes to create an aligned unit capable of destroying the other's power source, known as an Ancient. The game's name is derived from this objective: Defence of the Ancients.
4. FIFA: Based on the globally recognised game of soccer. This game sees two players face off as they each control a team of eleven players. The player with the most points at the end of 90 minutes wins.
5. League of Legends: Each competition consists of two five-person teams, where each player protects a lane. These lanes lead to the enemy base called its Nexus. Destroying the base wins the round.
6. E-Tennis: Following the same format as its grass or clay court counterparts, e-tennis esports sees individual players or duos competing in round-robin tournaments. With the finals consisted of two teams facing off for the championship.
7. Street Fighter: The classic arcade fighter has been a staple of friendly couch battles and online esports tournaments for years. Top-tier players go head-to-head in round-robin tournaments to be declared the king of the fighters.
8. King of Glory: This title is another 5 versus 5 team-based MOBA where players select heroes with key specialities to destroy the opposing team's base.
9. Rainbow Six Siege: Siege is an exciting 5v5 FPS shooter where one team looks to hold a hostage while the other breaks in and escorts them out. To win the round, defenders must fight off incursion for three minutes.
10. StarCraft 2: This sci-fi base-building game sees two opposing forces begin from nothing, build up their forces, and then battle. The player who wipes the enemy bases is declared the winner.
11. Valorant: Rounds are contested by two teams of five players. Each player controls a single operator with unique powers in this superhero-adjacent FPS. The first team to win 13 rounds wins the match.
12. E-Ice-Hockey: Teams of up to five player skate onto the cyber-ice to compete in round-robin tournaments. Each win is worth three points but only comes into play should the finals end in a draw, as prelim games all run into overtime to determine a winner.
13. Call of Duty: This high-action FPS consists of two teams of either four or five players competing on various maps. To win the match, teams must capture all points, run the clock, or wipe out the opposing player's 30 lives.
14. Rocket League: This crazy esport combines the high-octane excitement of motorsports with the ball skills of soccer. Players rocket around a netted arena using their cars as boots to score goooooaaaaals!
15. Super Smash Bros: This colourful fighting game consists of teams of three players going head to head in 1v1 competitions. Each winner knocks the opposing player out of contention in a round-robin format tournament.

As with sports betting, the allure of esports is the act of wagering on teams, and individuals testing their mettle against their peers in a winner take all scenario.

 Mobile Esports Betting Achieves New Heights

With the advancements in mobile technology, touch screens, and high-speed mobile and Wi-Fi connections, mobile gaming is one of the fastest-growing industries in Lithuania. This made it the perfect environment for an explosion in mobile esports development and betting.

Statista and Business of Apps report that a mobile first-person shooter, PUBG, grossed over $2 billion in in-game transactions. Mobile gaming tournaments in the same genre saw more than 50 teams participate in claiming their share of up to $4 million in prize money.

The most mindblowing statistic is that 3.9 million viewers watched these mobile players battle it out for this prize money, live!

 Try Your Hand at Esports Betting Today

If you love video games and want to try your hand at esports betting, finding a gaming site you can trust is vital. Our team of esports experts reviewed dozens of sites and ultimately settled on Uniclub casino and Esports betting as an excellent option for new punters.

Their easy-to-navigate offers a wide range of casino games and betting options, including some of the best esports games the market has to offer. Uniclub offers excellent odds on FIFA, NBA2K, CS:GO, DOTA2, Valorant and many more engaging titles.

For more on the available esports games, special features and available promotions, please take the time to read our Uniclub esports review.

For quick signup, please visit the Uniclub Esports Betting registration page here.