Bet on Valorant Champions 2026
Valorant Champions stands tall among esports tournaments, a favourite with fans and bettors alike. It rivals even the biggest FPS titles in popularity on the esports betting scene. This guide provides UK fans and punters with essential information about Valorant Champions: from the game itself to its betting appeal, and, crucially, how to place your bets. Looking for the best esports betting sites in the UK? We've got you covered. Find top-rated platforms, compare odds, and claim exclusive bonuses to enhance your Valorant Champions betting experience. Whether you're a seasoned bettor or new to the game, our expert reviews and tips will help you make informed decisions. Discover secure, licensed betting sites offering fast payouts and a wide range of betting markets on Valorant Champions. Bet smart, bet safe, and get in on the action!
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About Valorant in the UK
Valorant is a thrilling first-person shooter game available on PCs (Microsoft Windows). While its development began way back in 2014, it officially launched on June 2, 2020.
Developed and published by Riot Games, the same powerhouse behind League of Legends (LoL), Valorant has rapidly become a favourite among UK fans of tactical shooters. It's giving serious competition to titles like Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS: GO) and the Call of Duty (COD) franchise. Since its 2020 release, the game has been an instant hit, and its immense popularity continues to grow.
Valorant's Growing Player Base
Statistics reveal the impressive reach of Valorant. The game maintained approximately 12 million active players monthly in 2021, with numbers soaring even higher in 2022, reaching around 16 million monthly players – that's about 1.5 million players daily! These figures clearly demonstrate Valorant's revolutionary impact. Several key factors contribute to its widespread appeal.
Firstly, Riot Games' decision to use Unreal Engine 4 ensures a fluid gaming experience with top-notch graphics and sound, creating a truly immersive gameplay for players.
Secondly, Valorant is a free-to-play title, meaning UK gamers can jump into the intense action without spending a penny.
Finally, Riot Games continually enhances the game by introducing new content, including novel agents, maps, features, game modes, and other exciting elements.
Valorant Gameplay and Objectives
Set in a near-future world, Valorant is a tactical shooter where two teams of five players engage in strategic battles, demanding both individual skill and strong teamwork. The primary objective varies depending on the game mode. Valorant offers seven distinct game modes: Unrated, Competitive, Deathmatch, Spike Rush, Escalation, Replication, and Snowball Fight.
The Pinnacle of Valorant Esports: Valorant Champions
While numerous Valorant tournaments and competitions take place, Valorant Champions stands as the most significant and prestigious event. Organised and hosted by Riot Games, this tournament boasts a substantial prize pool of $1,000,000, distributed among the teams based on their final rankings. Unlike many online esports tournaments, Valorant Champions is held as an offline event.
To date, only one Valorant Champions event has been held: the 2021 edition, which took place from December 1st to 12th in Germany. This competition featured 16 top esports teams, including renowned organisations such as Gambit Esports, Sentinels, Team Envy, KRÜ Esports, Cloud9, Team Liquid, Acend, Team Secret, and Fnatic, among others.
Much like the popularity of the game itself, Valorant Champions garnered massive attention. The viewership for the 2021 event peaked during the grand finals, attracting an impressive 1,089,068 concurrent viewers. The tournament's average viewership stood at 469,083, with a staggering total of 46,048,311 hours watched.
Event Schedule
Qualification for Valorant Champions is determined by the performance of individual esports teams within their respective regional circuits and their accumulated circuit points. The tournament structure typically begins with group stages, followed by an intense playoff bracket leading to the finals.
It's expected that Valorant Champions will be an annual spectacle. The 2022 Valorant Champions event is currently underway, with qualifiers having already taken place in September 2022.
Why is Valorant Champions popular?
Betting on the best eSports tournaments has become popular today. As one of the biggest esports events, Valorant Champions is popular among punters. Several reasons explain why this game is among the most popular eSport tournaments that bettors wager on.
First is the fact that Valorant Champions is one of the most significant eSport leagues for Valorant. The tournament is the most competitive and attracts the largest prize pool in Valorant eSports. Considering the competitiveness, Valorant betting enthusiasts are always waiting for it.
The other reason Valorant Champions is popular is that there are plenty of matches to bet on, from the qualifiers to the finals. For example, the 2022 Valorant Champions started in January 2022 and will end in September.
There are also plenty of online betting sites with Valorant betting markets. While it's a relatively new game, many bookies avail Valorant Champions betting markets to cater to the large number of Valorant betting fans.
Valorant betting is also easy. As an FPS game, betting on it is similar to wagering on the likes of Call of Duty and Counter-Strike: Global Offensive.
Last, almost all the top teams participating in the major eSport tournaments have Valorant rosters. So, now that eSports betting enthusiasts have a passion for their favorite teams, they have a chance to bet on them on the world stage.
Valorant Champions' winning teams and biggest moments
As mentioned earlier, there has only been one Valorant Champions. That said, there is not much to cover in terms of winners. However, last year's event was action-packed. Here is a recap of some of the biggest moments in the tournament.
Group Stages
In the group stage, there were four groups, each with four teams from different regions. The group stage matches were in a best of three format. Here is how it went down.
- Group A - The first match pitted Acend against Vivo Keyd, while the second match of the group was a battle between Team Envy vs. X10 CRIT. Acend managed to beat Vivo Keyd 2-1 while Team Envy thrashed X10 CRIT 2-0.
- Group B - In the second group, Sentinels took on FURIA Esports, while KRÜ Esports and Team Liquid battled it out in the second match of the group. Team Liquid and Sentinels emerged as winners, beating their opponents 2-0, and 2-1, respectively.
- Group C - Gambit Esports was up against Team Secret while Team Vikings played against Crazy Racoon. Gambit Esports beat Team Secret 2-1. In the other match, Team Vikings shot down Crazy Racoon 2-0.
- Group D - Vision Strikers took on FULL SENSE in the last group while Fnatic was against Cloud9 Blue. Vision Strikers emerged victorious in the first match, beating FULL SENSE 2-0, while Fnatic struggled to put down Cloud9 Blue 2-1.
Quarter-Finals
The quarter-finals were action-packed, with the top teams battling it out for a place in the semi-finals.
- Quarter-final 1 - Acend was pitted against Team Secret, and to the surprise of many, Acend gunned down Team Secret winning the match 2-0.
- Quarter-final 2 - The second quarter-final was Team Liquid against Cloud9 Blue. Team Liquid eased past Cloud9 Blue, beating it 2-0.
- Quarter-final 3 - In the third quarter-final, Gambit Esports took on X10 CRIT, where the former managed to win the match 2-1.
- Quarter-final 4 - The last quarter-final was Fnatic against KRÜ Esports, and to the shock of many, Fnatic was eliminated after being hammered 2-1.
Semi-Finals
Like the quarters, the semis were best of three matches and were also action-packed.
- Semi-final 1 - Acend proved to be a powerhouse in the first semi-final beating Team Liquid 2-0. This was a shocker as everyone expected Team Liquid to carry the day.
- Semi-final 2 - In the second semi-final, Gambit Esports was firing on all cylinders. It brought down KRÜ Esports, winning the match 2-1.
2021 Valorant Champions Finals
After a series of matches, from the group stage to the finals, Acend and Gambit Esports were pitted in a best of five duels in the finals. After a gruesome battle, Acend managed to beat Gambit Esports by a score of 3-2.
Acend walked away with the $350,000 prize money, while Gambit Esports took home $150,000. The good thing is that all the participating teams got something to take home with them.
Betting on Valorant Champions
Online eSports betting sites are tapping into the potential of eSports betting, including Valorant betting. For those betting on Valorant Champions eSport tournaments, below are a few things to be aware of.
First is knowing which are the best teams to bet on. From last year's tournament, Acend, the current champions, is the best team to bet on. Other top teams to bet on include Gambit Esports, KRÜ Esports, Fnatic, Team Secret, Cloud9 Blue, and X10 CRIT.
Next is finding the best online eSport betting sites with Valorant betting markets. Here, make sure a renowned betting regulatory body licenses the site. The bookmaker should also have extras such as live streaming so players can follow the action right from the betting site.
Third, make sure to understand Valorant's gameplay and rules. It is also imperative that players understand the different betting markets available and what they mean. Still, on markets, punters must understand how Valorant odds work. Remember, like in traditional betting, the higher the odds, the lower the chances of the bet coming through, and vice versa.
Last, take advantage of eSports betting bonuses such as welcome bonuses, reload bonuses, and cashback, among other promotions.
