The prize money reflects the growth. The International 10 (Dota 2) tournament’s prize pool tipped just over a whopping $40m. For context, that’s on a par with tennis’ Wimbledon and more than golf’s British Masters.
So, read on and we’ll show you how you can maximise your chances of winning crypto by betting on esports…
Esports will rival the biggest traditional sports leagues in terms of future opportunities
Steve Bornstein, former CEO of ESPN and the NFL Network
Which esports can I bet on?
The 5 esports listed below are best if you’re looking for profitable betting.
CS:GO
Dota 2
League of Legends
Rainbow Six
- Six Invitationals – The pinnacle of the sport.
- Six Majors – Important individual tournaments.
- Six Pro League – Regular league season.
The Six Invitationals are usually held in February are have the highest stakes and tension of all. Six Majors are the next level down, followed by the Six Pro League.
The meta constantly changes in Rainbow Six, so if you’re going to start betting on it you need to stay up to date. Much like CS:GO, teams can go through and ban certain maps when playing competitively. So knowing which team performs well on certain maps would be good knowledge to add to your armoury.
StarCraft
Rocket League
HOW?!?!? 🤯🤯🤯@ZamueRL strikes on one of the craziest pinches we’ve ever seen! #RLCSX
📺: https://t.co/PpKjSDWZR1
🚀: https://t.co/YaSObt9CJg pic.twitter.com/9bTasEev5d— Rocket League Esports (@RLEsports) January 17, 2021
Which game is best to bet on?
Each has it’s own charm. Much like sports, it’s about finding your niche and researching like crazy. Once you’re loaded with this information you’re well placed to have an edge over the sportsbooks and maximise profits.
Arguably Dota 2, League of Legends and Starcraft require the most knowledge therefore have the greatest barrier to entry. Rocket League wold be the easiest to pick up and learn, with CS:GO and Rainbow Six somewhere in the middle.
The deeper and more specialist your knowledge the better. Although be sure to check which tournaments are available to bet on. As esports are a relatively new trend, many traders aren’t sure how to price it, so tend to be selective when picking matches and competitions.
Where to bet?
Who has the best esports coverage?
We recommend Cloudbet if you’re in search of an esports sportsbook. They have the widest range of matches across all the major esports. Each has multiple markets available, with streaming integrated where possible. An honourable mention goes to Stake, who also offer a top class esports product.
Most sportsbooks do offer streams of esports events which can be great to watch even if you’re not betting.
Who has the best esports odds?
It’s easy to find out who has the best esports odds. Just head over to our esports odds comparisons, which lists all key upcoming matches.
Or, for a more general outlook, head to our crypto sportsbook odds comparison to see who offers the best odds across the board.
Who is the best all-round sportsbook?
We’ve done all the leg work so you don’t have to. Our extensive crypto sportsbook reviews give you all the details on each crypto sportsbook. The 3 operators we’d highly recommend are, in order, currently BC Game, Sportsbet.io and Club Riches.
Types of bet
Match winner (moneyline)
The simplest bet to follow, the “match winner” market pays out on which team wins the match. Be sure to check sportsbook rules on overtime or a tiebreaker. Some will payout on the tiebreak winner, while others will offer a draw as an option.
Point spread and handicaps
One of the most common markets within esports is a point spread or handicap. For example, you can bet on a team to win by a margin of 2 maps or more by backing them on the -1.5 map handicap. The reward is bigger odds, although there is the risk of needing a comfortable margin. These are particularly useful when 1 team is heavy favourite and the moneyline offers no value.
On the flip side, if you think an underdog will give their opponents a good game, you can back them on the +1.5 handicap. As long as they only lose by 1 map (or win) then your bet will payout.
Outright
Outright bets are typically placed on a team or player to win a tournament. This is a great way to get a bit more longevity from your bets and can offer good value.
Top tips for esports betting
Short formats can spring surprises
Esports events usually start with a best of 1 (BO1) round. These are extremely unpredictable and regularly throw up shocks. The format is so short that matches hinge on individual decisions and events. Exercise caution when betting on these matches as upsets are more common than in other sports.
Watch closely for roster changes
A roster change can alter the dynamic of an esports team, meaning their price no longer reflects their true ability. Teams often change players at the start of the season, and have even been known to change all their players. This would mean any previous form or results from that specific team aren’t worth taking into consideration.
The best way to keep up with these changes is to follow teams on Twitter or Facebook where they’ll be announced.
A man who needs no intro. Welcome to Liquid, @FalleNCS! pic.twitter.com/BBwhpcIwzC
— Team Liquid CSGO (@TeamLiquidCS) January 9, 2021
Don’t be fooled by odds
Many sportsbooks price matches based on previous form or without allowance for the randomness of shorter matches. Knowing this, and keeping up to date with the latest news, can give you a real edge and allow you to pick some bigger odds winners. You’ll also be sure to avoid backing short odd teams in early tournament rounds. This is unusual in regular sports, like tennis for example, when the majority of odds-on favourites are very likely to win.
Meta changes
Each game implements updates which favour certain teams and disadvantages others. Keep a close eye out for these changes, and be sure to tailor your bets accordingly. Often it may be better to sit back and watch a few rounds after a meta change. This way you can evaluate how drastic the impact is.
How to win
- Pick an esports series to specialise in.
- Keep a close eye on esports teams and players across social media.
- Make sure you’re up to date with meta changes within your esport.
- Follow the points on how to be a winning sports bettor.
- Media pundits are there to entertain – don’t take what they say too seriously.
- Try both pre-game betting and live in-play betting, to find out which suits you better.
- Get the highest possible payout for every bet by using our odds comparisons.