Top 3 eSports Betting Tips
Looking for eSports betting tips to get started betting on games like Overwatch, League of Legends, or CS:GO?
Maybe you’re an experienced sports bettor looking to explore the exciting new frontier of eSports wagering. Perhaps you’ve been an avid gamer or eSports fan for years and want to cash in on your knowledge.
Either way, you need to have a solid understanding of both the games you’re betting on and the peculiarities of betting on sports more generally.
Here are 3 eSports betting tips to get started on the right foot.
Play the eSports You Bet On
Our first eSports betting tip won’t apply as much to those who are already dedicated fans of the games they’re betting on. But no matter your experience level with the world of online gaming, playing the games you bet on is the easiest and most impactful way to gain a leg up on the betting line.
The most popular eSports have complex rules and a huge number of characters with unique capabilities. You need to know all this info to effectively handicap and bet on professional matches. The fastest way to learn the ins and outs is to experience them directly.
Every eSport you can wager on is also available to play online. Most are available for free, and you can always watch a few matches on Twitch if you don’t want to jump into the action directly.
In addition to providing a comprehensive understanding of the rules, game modes, and hero/character classes, gaining some firsthand experience with the games will help you understand the cadence and flow of a normal match.
This familiarity can be particularly valuable when live betting on eSports.
Understand the Odds and Shop Around for the Best Value
Even if you’re already an eSports expert, gaming knowledge is worthless for betting if you don’t understand the odds and wagering options.
If you’re unfamiliar with betting lines or using them to calculate implied probabilities and payouts, take a moment to read our detailed guide to sports betting odds.
Comparing the odds offered at a range of different sportsbooks, or ‘line shopping,’ is also an important eSports betting tip to keep in mind as you get started.
Once you have a feel for the odds, it’s time to familiarize yourself with the type of bets you can place on eSports.
eSports Moneyline Betting
Moneyline bets ask you to pick the winner of a map, match, or tournament straight up. Simply pick the winner correctly, and your bet will cash according to the odds provided.
Moneyline bets are great for their simplicity, but remember to closely consider the odds and expected value. Betting moneyline favorites time and time again is rarely a winning strategy.
eSports Totals Betting
If you’re familiar with the term over/under, you’re familiar with totals betting. This bet type is an appealing option for those who don’t favor one side but do have a strong feeling about the potential duration and competitiveness of the match they’re betting on.
When it comes to eSports, you’ll be asked to wager on whether a match will go ‘over’ or ‘under’ several rounds, maps, etc. pre-determined by the sportsbook.
eSports Spread Betting
Point spread lines are used to even the playing field in eSports match ups featuring one side heavily favored over the other. By ‘giving’ points to the underdog, point spreads allow bettors to back either side of the wager at relatively similar odds.
For example, League of Legends matches are typically played in a best-of-three format. As such, sportsbooks might offer a spread of +/- 1.5, meaning the team that is favored will have 1.5 points (round won) subtracted from their final tally.
That means you can profit backing the underdog if they win just one of the three rounds.
Futures betting and props offer eSports bettors a couple of additional options outside those outlined above.
Whatever type of eSports wager appeals to you most, don’t forget to compare the odds at a few places before getting in on the action. Your bankroll will thank you for line shopping in the long run.
Crowdsource Information from the Gaming Community
The robust online community surrounding them is one of the best reasons to bet on eSports. Especially relative to major team sports, a massive number of people have direct experience playing these games at a high level. As a result, there’s a wealth of knowledge online just waiting to be absorbed by diligent eSports bettors.
There are countless eSports threads on Reddit specific to betting on eSports or simply discussing upcoming tournaments and events. With such a highly engaged fan base, these forums can be a great place to pick up some match-specific inside knowledge you may have otherwise missed.
Looking for More eSports Betting Tips?
We also encourage you to take advantage of the game-specific advice right here at Sports Betting Dime. While there’s plenty of high-level overlap in terms of eSports betting tips, you’ll need to adjust your strategy to be specific to the game you’re wagering on.
The eSports guides in our how to bet on sports section are a great place to start.
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