Getting Started with eSports Betting
Online bookmakers are now waking up to the lucrative world of eSports betting. But just how do you get started on eSports betting, and is it as easy as gambling companies would make you believe?
Sign up to any major online gambling operator now, and amidst the slot games and football offers, you will see a dusty, unassuming subcategory for events known as eSports. Those in the scene know exactly what this is: Competitive electronic gaming. However, even within the community people are only just realizing it is possible to place bets on the major events and tournaments.
Starting with eSports Betting
It is estimated that 318.1 million people across the globe now tune into competitive eSports events. This makes it an attractive market for bookmakers, and it is still growing. The only major difference is that where you would traditionally have sports, like soccer, then the leagues like EPL, and finally the games, eSports may have different categories. They could be broken down into tournaments and their respective games, like League of Legends or Fortnite.
If you haven't bet before at all, then you don't need to worry. Most online bookmakers have extensive eSports sections, and you may even get ones that provide you with sign-up bonuses. Learning how to bet on Betway is an easy process, with a website that can lend a guiding hand as you make the first bet. Placing an eSports bet is just as simple as scrolling through a few markets and seeing which odds you fancy. You can then enter a wager and see the outcome. You can even benefit from the dedicated free eSports bonus.
If you have placed a sports bet before, then eSports betting follows the same process. You just look through the markets, find the bet you want to make, and input a stake. This will give you the amount you should win if the bet comes up.
The Type of eSports Bets
The most common types of eSports bets are outrights. These are found at most online bookmakers. They are a simple bet on who will win a match or series. You can even go further and bet on the winners of a whole tournament. You will often find that odds are better the further in advance you place them, as less information is available on the outcome.
Bookmakers with more extensive markets will also allow you to place a wager on some quite complex scenarios. One of these is the exact final score. Depending on the mechanics of the game, the bookmaker may give you a selection of outcomes that you can wager on. As it is quite hard to predict, you will often see them with live-in-play betting. This is where bets are made as the match is in progress.
Other hard-to-predict metrics are the performance ratings of an individual player. For example, you may call them to have a specific set of kills in a match. Again, this is one that you may find easier in live betting.
Finally, you may also get the above bets as under/over odds. This is where you can guess if a certain metric will be over or under a certain amount. For example, the bet may be that a player gets over 5 kills in a match or tournament.
The last type of bet is a prop bet, which is a proposition that something will happen. In a sports game, this may be a match going into extra time. This is similar in eSports but will depend on the game being played. You might bet on a map going into overtime for example.
Getting the Best from Esports Betting
It pays to know the game you are betting on. That can include everything from the title itself, down to the teams and players involved. This applies when making any bet, but in eSports, it becomes even more crucial. This is because teams are smaller, making changes even bigger and more impactful.
The titles involved in eSports are also at the mercy of developers. So if a character, weapon, or map has a major change and it is one your favorite team uses regularly, then betting on them may not make sense. Conversely, you may be able to use it to spot weaknesses in opponents.
There is also a huge human element to eSports. You may find a team has had infighting or a new player who has not gelled with the squad as much. All of this should be taken into account when you are looking for great eSports bets.
The best way to get started with eSports betting is to have a go. Make sure you use minimal amounts while you get the hang of it. Even better, you may be able to use bonuses so you don't spend any money at all on titles like League of Legends and CS:GO. Once you know the ropes and have the markets, you will find it can enhance the enjoyment of an eSports experience.