Since the rise of competitive gaming began some twenty years ago, plenty of platforms have tried to capitalise on it. As long as there are people willing to compete against one another, there will be an esports ecosystem, but it doesn’t always have to focus on the biggest, brightest, and most valuable tournaments. That’s why we’ve assembled this guide to the best gaming tournament websites online today – ones that you can use to make money simply by playing games.

If you’re hungry to participate in online gaming tournaments, then you’ll need one of these platforms as a base of operations. These esports tournaments platforms are a mixed bunch – some focus on first-person shooters while others have a preference for MOBA titles. There are some that will cost you, and some that offer free gaming tournaments for money. Ultimately, they’re all brilliant, and they all make up the best gaming tournament websites you could hope to find.

Are you ready to compete?

What Are Online Gaming Tournaments?

If you’re totally new to the concept of competitive gaming, then you may be asking this question. There are multi-million-dollar esports tournaments being played all the time, but what about the smaller events? It’s more or less common knowledge that esports started off as mostly a grassroots concept – people playing against one another in the backrooms of gaming stores, for example. It grew to what it is today but there is still plenty of room for the smaller online gaming tournaments.

And that’s where the best gaming tournament websites come into play.

With these platforms, you’ll have the ability to make an account, invite your friends, and set up tournaments. There will also be predetermined events arranged by the platform that give you the opportunity to play online gaming tournaments for money. There are some that will cost you nothing to get involved, while others will have a ‘credit’ system that sees you buy into the tournaments in the hope of winning some money for your talents.

They can be played on a range of titles – Call of Duty, Rainbow Six, League of Legends, Dota 2, Fortnite, and many more.

Read More: What is Esports and Why Is It Popular?

Best Gaming Tournament Websites

There are plenty of online gaming tournaments out there, but what are the best and most reliable websites that offer and host them?

Checkmate Gaming

 

Checkmate Gaming is definitely one of the best gaming tournament websites out there – for many reasons. It offers a wide range of games across a platform that’s popular, stable, and reliable. There’s a VIP system, a credit feature, and an array of free-to-enter tournaments that still offer cash prizes. It has a match-finder system, countless on-platform tournaments, leaderboards, and the ability to find teammates on the site.

Challengermode

Challengermode is one of the most recognisable online gaming tournament sites around today, and it has been building that profile for several years. It’s free to use and covers a massive range of games – even some that you might have never heard of. It gives competitors and organisers the ability to build and host esports tournaments that are backed by an intelligent engine. It’s more a site that hosts, schedules, and supports tournaments than one that pays you to play – but it’s still legitimate and popular.

Read More: Latest Esports Tournaments News

Repeat.gg

Repeat.gg is a solid site that allows competitors to play in free tournaments but still have the opportunity to win money. It has a more limited range of games compared to some other online game competition sites, but it’s still a great choice for proving your talents against other gamers all over the world. It also offers whatever it does offer with a much simpler interface and a no-frills solution, but there are still leaderboards, statistics, and customisation options.

GameBattles

It could be said that GameBattles is the original gaming tournament website – it’s where it all began. It’s backed by Major League Gaming, one of the oldest and most prolific esports tournament ecosystems in the history of the business. It’s one of the best gaming tournament websites, even if it has lost some of its momentum over the years as a result of more competition surfacing. It uses a credit system and offers cash prizes, and it’s fantastic for organising your own events and climbing the leaderboards.

Z League

As one of the newer platforms to make this list, Z League is an app-based system that encourages players to compete in tournaments for money. Unlike other sites, Z League is skill-based, matching up competitors based on their individual talents and statistics that the app keeps on record. It’s a fantastic, multi-faceted site that allows users to share clips of their tournament gameplay, meet new players, and showcase their profile to the world.

Planet9

On Planet9, competitors can create their own online gaming tournaments with just a few button presses. It’s one of the easiest sites to navigate in the space and it covers a huge range of games, offering CSGO tournaments right alongside Just Dance competitions. It also offers a ‘course’ platform, where users can exchange credits for educational classes that teach them how to get better at certain games like Apex Legends and Rainbow Six Siege.

ESL Play

With ESL Play, competitors can play safe in the knowledge that they’re backed by one of the most prolific organisations in esports. ESL FACEIT is a critical company in the esports space, and not only does it back up some of the biggest tournaments in the gaming world, but it also offers a tournament platform for the more average players. It means that there’s a competitive space for everyone to play in, and with ESL Play, there’s a wide range of titles to enjoy.

Read More: ESL Gaming Tournaments Breakdown

Unikrn

With Unikrn’s patented ‘UMode’, players can compete, but in a way, they’re competing against themselves. In UMode, players sign up, accept challenges, and place wagers on themselves, and if they’re successful in those challenges, then they win money – it’s that simple. There are some tournaments on the platform, but it’s mostly a site that’s used to bet on yourself, which offers up a unique spin in that respect.

Battlefy

Battlefy is another no-frills platform that might not look stunning on the surface, but it offers a great service. It gives players the ability to run their own tournaments or compete in online gaming tournaments hosted on the site. It’s a contender as one of the best gaming tournament websites because it simply works, and that’s what matters the most. It’s not as popular as the likes of Challengermode or Checkmate Gaming, but it’s still a solid choice.

Kafu Games

Kafu is the last gaming tournament website to make this list, and again, it’s a unique platform. It’s a crypto-focused site that offers ‘crypto tournaments powered by Youyaa’ and it allows players to compete for NFTs and tokens. There are tournaments on the site that focus on FIFA, Call of Duty, and Apex Legends, but that list stretches to the likes of Brawl Stars and even UNO. It has a leaderboard system, the ability to create tournaments, and there’s even a mobile app.

Frequently Asked Questions About Gaming Tournament Websites

 

How Do I Get Into Gaming Tournaments??

Firstly, use one of these platforms that we’ve listed here – and then ideally, be good at the game that you’re playing..

Are Gaming Tournaments Online Legal?

They’re absolutely legal, but you’ll need to make sure that you’re using a reputable site to stay safe.

Can I Host An Online Game Tournament?

Many of the platforms we’ve listed here give you all the tools you’ll need to host your own online gaming tournament with ease.