Best Esports Betting Sites in India 2026

BGMI and India's Esports Scene

BGMI (Battlegrounds Mobile India) is India's most-played competitive mobile game. PUBG Mobile was banned in India in September 2020 over data privacy concerns. Krafton relaunched the game as BGMI in July 2022 under a new licence with local data storage requirements. Millions of players returned immediately, and BGMI became the title that defines Indian esports betting.

Jonathan Gaming is the most recognised BGMI player in India. He won the Fans' Choice: Favourite Esports Player award at the Krafton India Awards 2025 and has competed in over 50 tournaments. His streaming audience is one of the largest in Indian gaming, and his following is the primary group that drives BGMI betting interest in the country. Team SouL, the organisation that won BGIS 2026, is the most successful competitive BGMI team in India.

VALORANT has a growing scene alongside BGMI. Global Esports placed third at VCT 2026 Pacific Stage 1, which is the strongest result any Indian team has achieved in VALORANT at regional level. India now has genuine representation in both the mobile and PC esports scenes at international level.

BGMI, VALORANT and the Indian Esports Calendar

• BGIS (Battlegrounds India Series): India's main BGMI tournament. The 2026 edition drew 577,685 peak concurrent viewers and a prize pool of ₹4 crore. Team SouL won the Grand Finals held in Chennai in March 2026 and took home ₹1 crore as first-place prize. BGIS is the single biggest esports betting event of the year for Indian players.
• VALORANT Champions Tour Pacific (VCT Pacific): The regional VALORANT competition covering Southeast and South Asia. Global Esports placed third in VCT 2026 Pacific Stage 1. Velocity Gaming reached VCT Ascension Pacific 2025. Indian teams now compete at this level consistently.
• PUBG Mobile Global Championship (PMGC): The year-end world championship for PUBG Mobile. Indian players follow PMGC closely given BGMI's direct connection to the PUBG Mobile competitive ecosystem.
• Free Fire MAX India Cup: Free Fire remains active in India with the 2026 Spring edition carrying a ₹10 million prize pool. Followed by players who came to mobile esports through Free Fire before BGMI launched.
• CS2 Majors: ESL India runs domestic CS2 competitions that feed into broader international events. Indian players track CS2 Majors for both betting and competitive interest.
• The International: Dota 2's annual world championship. India has a Dota 2 community that follows The International each year.

BGMI and VALORANT Betting Markets

BGMI betting centres on kill totals and match winner markets because team eliminations drive scoring directly. VALORANT produces more markets per match through its round-based format. Both titles share the same core bet types:

• Match winner: Pick which team wins the overall series or match. Available across BGMI, VALORANT and CS2.
• Kill totals: A bet on how many kills a team or player records in a match. Most active in BGMI and PUBG Mobile competitions where eliminations directly affect placement and scoring.
• Map winner: A bet on which team wins a single map within a series. Most relevant for VALORANT and CS2 matches.
• First blood: A bet on which team records the first kill. Settled within the opening minutes of a map.
• Round totals: Available in VALORANT and CS2. A bet on whether a map produces more or fewer rounds than a set line.
• Tournament outright: A bet on which team wins the entire competition before it starts. Available for BGIS, VCT Pacific, PMGC and CS2 Majors.

Getting Started with Esports Betting in India

• Check the legal position before depositing. Every sportsbook EightOdds recommends holds an international offshore licence. The Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Act 2025, in force from May 2026, explicitly prohibits betting on esports in India. No domestic esports betting licence is issued. State-level rules apply separately. Review your own situation before depositing.
• Register with your exact UPI name. Your sportsbook account name must match your Aadhaar, PAN card and UPI registered name exactly. A mismatch will delay withdrawals.
• Deposit via UPI. PhonePe, Google Pay and Paytm are accepted at most recommended sportsbooks. UPI deposits arrive instantly. Paytm availability varies by sportsbook, so confirm before registering if Paytm is your preferred app.
• Bet around active tournament windows. BGIS and VCT Pacific run on fixed schedules with published match dates. Markets open several days before each round begins, giving players time to check odds before they move.