Sports betting is hugely popular – and has been since the dawn of time. However, one area of the industry that is starting to become a lot more interesting is that of eSports betting, which attracts billions of pounds worth of bets. What’s more, it’s showing no sign of slowing down… quite the opposite, in fact.
Interested? Well, here’s a guide to what it is and how to get started.
What is eSports Gambling?
Well, there are different types of eSports betting. For casino players, you can enjoy CSGO based roulette or there are various Rust gambling games to play. However, if you’re more of a sports bettor, you may consider the eSports gambling route, which is pretty similar to sports gambling, but with a computer game twist. It basically just involves betting on video games rather than sports events.
Different Types of eSports Bets
It is very similar to traditional sports betting with regards – and many of the bet types reflect the kinds of bets you’d make when betting on football or any other sport. And, just as with sports betting, they all come with their own Risk v Reward factor.
Let’s take a look at some of the most common…
- Match Winner: This is exactly what it claims to be. You just need to bet on who you think will win the game or match.
- Handicap Betting: Great if there’s a massive favourite, this type of bet simply gives one team or player an advantage. So, if a team was given a -2.5 handicap, they would need to win the match by more than 2.5 rounds or maps to win the bet.
- Over/Unders: You just need to try and guess whether the total number of rounds, points or maps will be over or under the number specified by the betting site. Generally, it’s a 50-50 guess – yes or no?
- Outrights: This is simply betting on the outcome of a tournament rather than a match. So, you might bet on who you think will win the LoL World Championships for example.
- Props Bets: These are more specific bets – betting on events that actually happen in the match. You might bet on which team or player gets the first kill, who gets the most kills, or whether you think the game will go into overtime. These tend to be harder to get right – but can be fun!
- In Play: As the name suggests, these are simply bets that you can make whilst the match is playing out… adding a bit of dynamism to your experience.
How to Be a More Successful eSports Bettor
Want to give yourself the best chance of winning? Well, here are some top tips…
- Research Teams and Players: Make sure you’re fully informed and updated about the teams and players that you want to bet on. Find out the strengths and weaknesses of teams and players – and bet accordingly.
- Know the Game You Bet On: Only bet on games that you understand. Don’t bet on Rust if you don’t even know what the game is or how it works – knowledge is power in betting.
- Money Management: Set a budget, stick to it and don’t chase losses. Responsible gambling is the most important factor of all.
- Shop Around: Differing eSports betting sites offer different odds. Check out a number of sites to make sure you get the best odds for the bet you want to make. Even the smallest difference can be important.
- Keep Updated: Make sure you stay in the loop with all the news. There are lots of different ways to keep updated – watch eSports news, join up with community forums, take part in threads and conversations, watch live streams etc. The more you know, the better.
That’s it! Hopefully now you know everything you need to know about getting started in the world of eSports betting, so why not give it a go?
