DOTA 2 vs. LoL: Which Esports Is More Popular?

eSports have been making waves on the internet for many years. The most common types are multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) and first-person shooter (FPS) games. With DOTA 2 and League of Legends (LoL) at the forefront of MOBA games, fans are always interested in knowing which of the team is more complex, fun to play, or most popular. In this article, we'll discuss the strength of each game and which of them is widely known worldwide.

LoL Vs. DOTA 2 Game Features

Game features are one of the main characteristics players consider before choosing a game. It also plays an important role in how popular the game becomes or how widely adopted it will be. 

To a layman, they are both the same; that's why there are controversial discussions on the internet about which of the two games has better gameplay. Hence, we'd discuss DOTA 2 and LoL game features to get a good idea of which has better gameplay.

Game Characters 

Characters on LoL are called Champions, while they are referred to as Heroes ok DOTA 2. There are 123 heroes on DOTA 2 and 159 champions on LoL. The major difference is the game style of the characters. Champions are limited to a specific class style during the game on LoL. However, you can change the class style of heroes on DOTA 2, allowing players to conform to their team's game style and role. So, DOTA 2 is more complex when it comes to choosing your character. 

Abilities

DOTA 2 allows each hero to have four abilities, each of which can be leveled 30 times. There are also four abilities for champions on LoL. But the two differ because LoL requires players to synergize inward, so players have individual strengths. DOTA 2 players synergize outwards so they have to work together if they want to win. This is why many fans prefer a DOTA betting site where they can bet on a team rather than on individuals.

Maps

The two MOBA games use similar maps spawned from the Warcraft III map. There are three lanes; top, mid and bottom. There are monsters and NPCs on LoL, but the DOTA 2 map consists of dragons and Baron Nasher. Each of them has a competitive environment for players to survive in, making it difficult to declare a winner here.

Multiplayer

LoL and DOTA 2 have multiplayer features. But they differ in how the teams relate. On LoL, players usually rely on individual skills, so there isn't much complexity. But on DOTA 2, the team relies on one another, so they have to play collectively for a successful game. Hence, the multiplayer feature on DOTA 2 is much more Impressive.

Is DOTA 2 More Popular Than LoL?

DOTA 2 and LoL have pretty similar MOBA game features, which is why many players can't seem to decide which is better. To fully understand which of them has more engaging gameplay, we can consider the characters, abilities, and maps. However, to decide which is more popular online, it's important to consider the number of players that are registered on the platforms.

Which Has More Players?

There is no official data to conclude the number of players on the DOTA 2 database, but based on the last update, the game already had millions of players. According to the data from Valve, DOTA 2 had 1.29 million concurrent players in March 2016. It also had an average of 523,684 concurrent players in November 2022. 

Meanwhile, LoL seems to have a rather elaborate portfolio. About 150-180 million users are registered on the game, and more than 117 players will be active monthly (about 10-11 million daily players) in 2022. The best LoL betting sites also have more activities because of the higher demands from players.

Which Has More Audience?

The eSports scene has seen considerable growth in terms of fans and growing audiences worldwide. But the major contributor to this is DOTA 2, which ranked 1 based on audience engagements. In 2021, Dota 2 took first place 1 with audience engagements (36.55%), while LoL came third with 30.18%.

So, although LoL figures greatly outweigh that of DOTA 2 at first, which indicates that LoL is more popular regarding the number of players. This is most likely due to the fact that LoL had a headstart ahead of DOTA 2 since it was released 2 years earlier. DOTA 2, however, has more popularity amongst viewers thanks to its popular tournaments and players.

DOTA 2 Tournaments vs. LoL Tournaments 

League of Legends (LoL) has a pretty impressive audience and a number of players in its databEo, but it's not quite as strong when it comes to tournaments and competitions. This is why lol betting isn't very popular among eSports fans. Players tend to bet on DOTA 2 more than LoL because the former has complex gameplay and is more interesting to watch.

According to statistics by eSportsEarnings, LoL tournaments aren't thriving as DOTA 2 is. For example, out of the 1716 DOTA 2 tournaments, there were about 4525 players worldwide, with a total prize of $310,549,833.83. This is a huge figure compared to the $98,322,828.89 total prize from 2755 tournaments that hosted 8608 LoL players. 

These figures suggest that DOTA 2 has had more participation from players in its tournaments. It also indicates that players tend to win higher prizes when they win a DOTA 2 competition than that of LoL. Hence, DOTA 2 clearly takes the lead in terms of how popular their tournaments are and how well-compensated players are.

Betting On DOTA 2 vs. LoL Bets: Which is more popular?

eSports betting has become increasingly popular in recent years, and what's the best place to place bets if not on DOTA 2 or LoL? Of course, betting on either has its perks and disadvantages. It's also general knowledge that if you want to make accurate predictions on DOTA 2 or LoL betting platforms, you must understand how both games work. But which of the games is more popular on betting sites?

Well, based on the tournaments' prizes and players' engagements, DOTA 2 betting is more popular. LoL bets are difficult to make because you have to consider individual players in your bet. But the teamwork in DOTA 2 makes it more Impressive to watch and bet on. Hence, DOTA 2 bets are more popular and often give more odds than LoL betting.

Conclusion 

It's a tough call between the two giants of eSports. However, based on the figures, LoL obviously has players and more activities on its database than its counterpart, DOTA 2. However, regarding the number of tournaments, audience engagements, and viewership, DOTA beats LoL hands down. So, the two seem pretty dominant in the eSports world, so it depends on what popularity means to you.