Following up on the popular game CS:GO, the new and improved CS2 was released to the public in the autumn of 2023. Essentially, the game entails two teams - the Terrorists and the Counter-Terrorists - taking on each other in various game modes. The betting experience is thus very similar to other Esports games, with winner, map and more markets available.
Punters will be able to find markets for CS2 games both pre and in-play, but the depth will vary depending on the prominence of the league in question. Some betting sites even offer markets for player kills and player headshots, which we will discuss further in our review of the best CS2 bookies. In short, though, it is very easy to get the hang of CS2 betting.
💻 Operator | | | | | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
🎮 CS2 Coverage | 11 leagues | 18 leagues | 20 leagues | 12 leagues | 8 leagues |
🔢 CS2 Market Depth | Up to 110 markets per game | Up to 65 markets pre-game | Up to 100 markets pre-game | Up to 25 markets pre-game | Up to 15 markets pre-game |
🏦 CS2 Betting Margins | 6.76% | 7.3% | 8% | 9.5% | 8.6% |
📺 CS2 Live Streaming | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ | ❌ |
👉 Visit Site | Bet on CS2 | Bet on CS2 | Bet on CS2 | Bet on CS2 | Bet on CS2 |
Esports betting has become increasingly popular in the UK, as the new generation is now of legal age to bet, and CS2 - formerly known as CSGO - is one of the biggest games on this front. This was to be expected given the popularity of the game, but it has also increased the difficulty of identifying the right bookmaker for your needs.
There are no longer just a few betting sites offering Esports markets, so where should you begin when picking your new Esports betting home? Below, our experts have put together a top 5 of CS2 betting sites, focusing on the factors that truly matter for the game. These were also highlighted in the table above, but now we will delve deeper.
Unibet has always been a very strong bookmaker on all fronts and the Esports section has certainly been taken care of on the site. Counter-Strike more so than any other game, given that this is the first time Unibet has been named No.1 by us for an individual Esports game.
Punters who sign up on the site will find that there are 11 different leagues of CS2 action, which some might deem to be too few. On the other hand, when it comes to the big CS2 games, Unibet is by far the best with up to 110 markets per game. There are even markets for player kills and player headshots, which is great.
We also made sure to test the betting margins for CS2 markets and Unibet's average came in at 6.76%. This is the lowest score on the list and thus another reason to sign up on the site. Live streaming of the action is also offered, using an embedded player from Twitch (which is standard with Esports).
Overall, Unibet is a fantastic option for betting on CS2, above all for the market depth which is something that most punters will value highly.
Pros
bet365 tends to be the best betting site for Esports games, as showcased by our top five list for League of Legends and Valorant. It is thus no surprise to see the bookie high up on the CS2 list as well, though there are a few reasons why we have opted for Unibet as the No.1 in this case.
Those who sign up at bet365 will find around 18 leagues, which is more than Unibet, but the market depth is not as impressive with up to 63 pre-game markets. Even though this is still a very high figure, it was a bit disappointing as bet365 tends to offer the most. On the other hand, boosted odds are regularly offered, which is nice.
Streaming of the CS2 action is also offered on the site, which makes for a good all-round experience, and the betting margins average came in at 7.3%. This is not as good as Unibet, but it is still a decent score and punters will thus not have to worry about excessive fees when placing CS2 bets on bet365.
Pros
We have previously named Betway as the best betting site for Esports, but then we looked at the site as an overall package. For CS2 specifically, Betway still has room for improvement, although one could argue that the bookie should be in second place here. Ultimately, though, this comes down to personal preference.
Betway offers around 20 different CS2 leagues, while punters will find that there can be as many as 100 markets per game. This is indeed a very good start for the bookie and as mentioned, some might prefer this to bet365. When looking at the betting margins and streaming situation, though, it makes it a bit more tricky.
While Betway states that streaming is offered for Esports games, we could not find this option for a few different CS2 during our testing. Furthermore, the margins came in at an average of 8%, which is not terrible but indeed higher than the top two sites on this list. The promising start, therefore, is a bit spoiled by this.
Pros
Cons
Midnite might not be one of the biggest bookmakers, certainly considered among the new betting sites in the UK, but the site actually has a decent offering when it comes to Esports in particular. For example, it was named the second-best site for Valorant betting in our test.
Those who sign up on the site will find that there are around 12 different CS2 leagues to bet on, while there tend to be at most 25 markets per game. This is certainly on the lower end compared to the other sites on this list, so this is something that Midnite has to improve in the future.
Furthermore, we found that the betting margins were quite high for the CS2 markets, with an average of 9.5%. This is by far the highest score on this list and it goes without saying that Midnite shoots itself in the foot here. On the other hand, streaming is offered of the action which is a plus.
Pros
Cons
BetVictor remains a solid bookmaker for placing sports bets, or finding good football odds for that matter, but it could do with improving its Esports offering. Punters who sign up on the site will find that there are a decent amount of CS2 Leagues, but the market depth is simply too poor to compete with the rest.
We found that pre-game, there are usually up to 15 markets to bet on which is far from great. It could be that this figure improves a lot for the prominent games, but we still would have liked to see a higher number even for the smaller games. As for the betting margins, the average is okay but nothing more at 8.6%.
Live streaming of CS2 games is not offered either, which is not surprising but still a let-down. BetVictor has some work to do and this is not only the case for CS2, but also other Esports such as League of Legends and Valorant.
Pros
Cons
When deciding the best betting sites for CS2 in the UK, we made sure to focus on the factors that truly matter to CS2 betting. We hope that this became clear when reading our motivation for each site above, but these factors are worth highlighting yet again. From the market depth to betting margins, we made our verdict as objective as possible.
Below, we will touch on the key factors a bit more, explaining we placed such great weight on these in our verdict of the Valorant betting sites. If you are interested, you can also read about how we rate online betting sites.
In our opinion, this is the most important thing when it comes to betting on CS2. Since there are a lot of betting sites with impressive depth for the game these days, what is the point of signing up on a site with poor depth? The more betting options, the better for the punter is generally our stance.
Our No.1 on the list, namely Unibet, even offers player kills and player headshots for some CS2 events. This is perhaps not something that most punters will bet on but it is always good to have the option. Therefore, when deciding the order of the best CS2 bookies, we focused on the coverage and depth a lot.
Most punters in the UK tend to overlook betting margins and this can make a big difference in the long run. If you are unfamiliar, this is essentially the fee that the betting site charges for letting you place the bet. The process of checking the betting margins is very tedious, though, so we have done the work for you.
Unibet came out on top here as well, with an average of 6.76%. This is actually a very good score for Esports, as the margins tend to be a little bit higher than other sports. Of course, the betting margins will not be a main decider for all punters but at least we have given you the option to compare the sites on this front.
For a sport like football, live streaming on betting sites is obviously a huge perk and one that punters prioritise a lot. It is not the same for Esports and CS2, though, as the events are generally streamed on Twitch anyway. Having said that, the option of watching the action and placing bets at the same time is an added convenience.
For those who are new to betting on CS2, it can be hard to know where to start. Below, we explain some of the most popular markets:
Outright winner: Naturally, for some of the top CS2 tournaments and events, the outright market is one of the most popular. Here, punters simply need to accurately predict which team will be crowned the champions at the end of the event.
Match odds: For each match in some of the main CS2 events, it is also possible to bet on which team will be the winner. The match odds markets work in exactly the same way as they do for other sports such as football, though there is no draw option here.
Handicap odds: As with some of the top sports to bet on in the UK, many CS2 betting sites also have handicap odds available to browse as well. The handicap is a great option when one team is strongly expected to win.
Total maps: Another option when betting on CS2 is to predict the total number of maps that will be needed in order to find the winner of the contest. This is displayed as an over/under figure that works in the same kind of way as over/under goals markets in a sport like football.
Map winner: It is also possible to bet on the winner of each map at CS2 betting sites as well. This can be a good way for people to find value.
Correct score: As with sports like Snooker, CS2 betting sites often offer correct score markets too. As the name suggests, users must guess the final score of the game.
Betting on CS2 involves deciding which events and tournaments to bet on. The number of events it is possible to bet on is growing all the time, but the main options are:
Intel Extreme Masters: Claiming to be the longest-running global pro gaming tour in the world, the Intel Extreme Masters features various esports but CS2 is one of the most popular. IEM events take place throughout the year but the season finale is held in the Polish city of Katowice.
ESL Pro League: Established in 2015, the ESL Pro League is based in four regions: Europe, the Americas, Asia, and Oceania. Composed of 24 teams each season, ESL contests are known for being particularly unpredictable but this makes them very exciting to bet on as well.
BLAST Premier: Describing itself as the most explosive, engaging and entertaining esports event in the world, BLAST Premier is definitely one of the most exciting tournaments. At BLAST Premier events, the season is split into spring and fall events with the action taking place both in Europe and in North America.
Champion of Champions Tour: This new global CS2 circuit is jointly organised by multiple tournament operators including the likes of FACEIT, Eden Esports, Relog Media, Black Molly Entertainment and Fantasyexpo, so there are a lot of organisations trying to make this work.
Isak is an experienced content writer with a background in sports journalism. Having focused mainly on football in the past, he certainly knows a thing or two about the betting industry. At BettingLounge, Isak makes sure that all of the content is up to date, specialising in reviews of UK betting sites.