The Best NBA 2K21 Betting Sites

What Is NBA eSports Betting?

NBA eSports are competitive video game contests between professional gamers using the NBA 2K series. As this is being written, NBA 2K21 is the current version of the game. The matches are usually played on the XBOX One or PlayStation 4, but the game is also available on the Nintendo Switch and PC.

The most common type of contest is the kind found in the official NBA 2K League. In these matches, teams of five professional gamers go up against each other, each controlling one of the five virtual players in the NBA 2K21 game. The video game itself looks as much like a real NBA basketball game as you will find today, complete with in-depth statistics and automated commentary by the virtual announcers (voiced by real NBA announcers like Kevin Harlan and Greg Anthony).

NBA eSports competitions involve just two professional gamers. Each player controls an entire team in NBA 2K21. NBA 2K21 eSports are not as popular as other, more established eSports like StarCraft or League of Legends, but this is mainly because NBA eSports have only been around for a couple years. Because the NBA 2K League was created by the NBA and Take-Two Interactive, the company that developed the NBA 2K franchise, NBA eSports should grow in popularity quickly.

Similarly, NBA 2K21 betting is not as prevalent as traditional sports wagering, but like all eSports, it is gaining traction. It is available at a number of well-established sports betting sites. We have combed through all of them and provided you our recommendations for the best NBA 2K21 betting sites right here.

NBA eSports Betting Competitions

NBA 2K21 betting revolves around the NBA 2K League. An eSports joint venture between game developer Take-Two Interactive and the National Basketball Association, the NBA 2K League’s inaugural season was in 2018. There are currently 23 teams in the league – up from 17 in its first season – all but one of which is owned by an actual NBA team.

The competitors in the NBA 2K League are professional gamers. The virtual players in the game are generic basketball player archetypes, rather than versions of real-life players like James Harden, in order to level the playing field. Each competitor controls one of the players on the screen: point guard, shooting guard, small forward, power forward, and center. This way, players rise or fall based on their own skill, rather than by what NBA player they happen to control.

For the 2020 NBA 2K League season, the in-season tournaments and six round-robin events have a total prize pool of $500,000. The playoffs have a total prize pool of $900,000, with the champions receiving nearly half of that.

All players who were on teams last year will be paid a base salary of $37,500 for the 2020 season. 2020 first round draft picks will make a $35,000 base salary, while second round picks will earn a $33,000 base salary. Contracts are six-month deals and players can earn money from endorsements.

There are other, smaller competitions not affiliated with the league that provide some NBA 2K21 betting opportunities, but the official NBA 2K League is where it is at for NBA eSports right now.

Is NBA eSports Betting Legal?

The short answer: it depends on where you live. Gambling laws vary country to country, state to state, and the sports betting landscape is ever-changing, especially in the U.S. NBA eSports betting is legal in many jurisdictions.

Some of the major markets for NBA 2K21 betting include the U.K., Spain, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, and Korea. Legal NBA eSports betting is expanding in the United States. We advise you to check the specific laws in your jurisdiction to see if NBA eSports betting is permitted.