If you recently jumped into the rapidly-growing esports betting scene, you just found one of the best new gambling opportunities. People who like gaming tend to learn so much about the game that they also are familiar with the professionals who play their esports.
This level of knowledge can quickly turn from a hobby into a means of putting your money where your mouth is. If you follow a particular esport religiously, you might have just discovered the best way to start placing bets that win.
Below, we will explore some top esports betting tips, strategies, and bonuses.
>> See the latest esports betting odds
History of Esports in the Gambling Industry
The history of esports gambling is as deeply engrained into the gambling culture as gaming itself. Some of the earliest games, like Space Invaders, Pong, and Asteroids, found cult-like followers.
Initially, the culture of esports betting was informal, and there weren’t formal sportsbooks. As a result, competitions and tournaments for some of the initial esports began. As soon as rivalries and competitive matches started, so did esports betting.
By 1998, competitive matchups for Starcraft: Brood War began. South Korea was one of the pioneers of the esports industry – after recognizing esports as a sport in 2000 and launching the Korea Esports Association. Soon, government-endorsed competitions for esports like Brood War ensued.
By around 2015, esports betting was available worldwide. Today, millions of people around the world view esports in a similar manner that they view traditional sports.
Esports Betting Terms to Know Right Away
Before you dive headfirst into betting odds for games like League of Legends, Dota 2, Rocket League, and so on, you need to be familiar with common terminology. Here are some of the basic esports terms you need to know.
Map – Maps are where the game is carried out. In an esports series, multiple maps, just one, may be used, and bets can also be placed regarding who wins on each map.
Hacks – Similar idea to how a hacker might take down websites, steal passwords, etc. Someone using “hacks” in an esport has some third-party software or tools that help give the player an unfair advantage.
Carry – The “carry” on a particular team for a game like League of Legends is the one who can quickly do a lot of damage to the opposing team. Typically, esports teams are built around the carry.
Tank – When it comes time to fight against the opposing team, League of Legends players will typically unite and fight together. The player on your team that can take the most damage before dying is called the “tank.” A tank typically also does very minimal damage.
GG – GG stands for “good game.”
KDA – When discussing games like Counter-Strike, where the player controls one player and needs to eliminate the other team, KDA is a common term. This is an acronym that means “kills, deaths, assists.” In other words, a simple way to describe your current stats in the game.
Lag – When playing against other players, teams will connect via LAN or the internet. If the connection speed is poor, the gameplay will be choppy and less responsive than it is while playing alone. This phenomenon is known as “lag.”
Throw – Nobody wants to play with a thrower. When you “throw” a matchup in a game such as Rocket League, Counter-Srike, League of Legends, or another game, you are intentionally trying to lose the game and often will contribute to the success of the other team.
Meta – Before a big esports tournament, or simply throughout the lifetime of a popular esports, the game’s creators will routinely come in and apply updates to improve the game, boost fairness, and so on. These updates are commonly known as a new “meta.”
You might also see players doing well and then bragging that it’s because of the meta. Another way to use the term meta is when you want to use optimized combinations and strategies specifically designed for the latest game update. Ex: “Tanks are the new meta.”
Nerf – Similar to the previous term, a “nerf” describes the process of making a particular hero or combination less powerful. When making a new meta, game developers will often nerf specific aspects of the game that are deemed to offer unfair advantages to those using them.
Ultimate is a common term in esports like League of Legends, COD, and Dota 2. Each champion or hero in the game has a set list of powers they can use in gameplay. The most powerful of their powers is known as the “ultimate.”
Popular Esports Bets to Place
Before placing League of Legends predictions and investing money in esports matches, you must know some of the standard bets you can make.
Match Winner
This is the same as a “moneyline” bet in the traditional sports betting industry. When you bet on the match winner for Counter-Strike or another similar game with esports betting picks, you are placing your money on who will win the game outright.
First Blood
If a player on a team is particularly explosive, they might be prone to getting the first kill (or “blood”) in the matchup. You can often bet who will get the first blood for first-person shooters and other similar fighting-based team games.
>> Place your first blood bets at BetOnline
Map Bets
Users can also bet on who wins individual maps of a matchup. Sometimes, you can bet which map will be played on, which round each map will be played on, and many more, depending on the matchup.
Handicap Bets
When the bookmaker notices that a particular team has a very high advantage, almost to the point where bets are worthless, they will make full use of handicap markets. These bets force the winning team to meet more strenuous milestones while giving you access to the best odds.
>> Find the best handicap bets at Bovada
Final Score
If you play a game like League of Legends, the final score will be based on how many kills each team has. Or, if it is played in a series, on who has the highest number of wins.
Highest Number of Kills
Another one of the standard esports predictions that people will place for various esports events is who will get the most kills. This is a pretty straightforward bet. There are also over/under bets for the total number of kills.
Live Bets
Finally, those who want to continue betting during the gameplay will often have live betting markets to explore. The bets you can place depend on the esport you are playing, how far along the matchup is, and the odds for each bet before the game starts.
>> Enjoy live esports betting at BUSR
Proven Esports Betting Strategies
Need some fresh strategies after losing a streak of esports predictions? Here are a few strategies that you should keep in mind to boost your chances of success.
- Do Your Homework
Just as you wouldn’t place bets on a football matchup where you aren’t familiar with both teams, you shouldn’t approach esports betting as a get-rich-quick scheme. Always do research before placing bets. This is the best strategy for successful esports betting.
- Hedge Your Bets
Note: this strategy might only work at some of the top sites for esports betting. This is because many bookmakers have gotten privy to this tactic – which most sportsbooks are already lightyears ahead of.
Simply put, check the odds of games to see if you can place moneyline, over/under, and spread bets in both directions to gain profit.
- Bet Before the Matchup
You must bet before the matchup to set yourself up with the best odds on your esports betting picks. This is when the odds are the loosest. However, you might also need help predicting who will do well until the game begins.
- Handicap Bets Are Underrated
Many people who place esports betting picks will commonly overlook the handicap section. After all – it can be intimidating if you need to become more familiar with them. Essentially, handicap bets offer better odds. However, your chosen team often has to perform better than anticipated to win the bet.
- Do Live Bets for a Better Perspective
Sometimes, making good esports predictions is only possible once the match is underway. Especially if the teams haven’t met before, and if both teams have an all-star player, among other potential factors. This is why many people will often place live bets.
- Use the Right Esports Betting Site
To access the best odds, bonuses, and more, you must be careful when signing up at an esports betting site. Check for fair odds and a nice welcome bonus – and take advantage of bonus bets.
Bonus Tip: Cryptocurrency is a Booming Market for Esports Betting
If you have been living under a rock, you might not know how commonly accepted cryptocurrency is in the gambling industry. Bitcoin esports betting typically will come with bigger bonuses, lower transaction fees, and faster transaction times.
See similar betting guides:
Tips on Activating an Esports Betting Bonus
Those new to esports betting might need help signing up and depositing. Don’t worry; we can help you out. Here are the steps for activating a bonus at MyStake.
1. Go to MyStake
- Click here to head to MyStake
- Click “Sign Up”
- Fill out the signup form.
2. Log Into Your Casino Account
- Accept the terms & conditions
- Finish account creation
- Log into your account
3. Choose & Activate Your Bonus
- Click “promotions”
- Select “Deposit” in the Welcome Sports Bonus tab
- Make your deposit
- Wait for the funds to arrive!
- Start betting!
Top eSports Betting Tips
What Is the Trick to Esports Betting?
There is no proven strategy for esports betting that you can use on any matchup. Therefore, do not start with esports betting if you think this will be an easy way to make money.
What is the Most Profitable Esports Betting Strategy?
The most profitable betting strategy is often also the most blatantly obvious: do your research, place confident bets, and never bet with money you need soon for personal expenses.
Can You Make a Living From Esports Betting?
There are absolutely people who, somehow, manage to make a living from esports betting. However, we do not find matchups predictable enough to endorse this. Nor are there foolproof strategies for esports betting.
What Makes MyStake the Best Site to Place Your eSports Bets?
If you are still not sold on MyStake being the top esports betting site, here are a few more reasons to consider why we deemed it so.
Most Competitive Odds: To the great odds for esports, you must play at MyStake. Whether betting on Rocket League, League of Legends, or any other popular esport, we tend to find solid odds here.
Many Esports: If you want to be on some older esports like Warcraft and Brood War, you will find all you need under the same roof. The esport library here is much higher than most new betting sites.
Betting Options: Unless you want to play simple moneyline and over/under bets, you might want to find a solid esport site like this one, where there are often more than ten betting options, live betting, prop builders, and more.
>> Bet on your favorite esports at MyStake
eSports Betting Benefits
You might be a little intimidated if you are new to esports betting. If jumping into the deep end without taking your swimming lessons frightens you, here are some reasons you are likely making the right choice.
Higher Confidence: One of the common reasons that people might place bets for esports is that they simply feel better about betting on esports than they do for traditional sports. They typically know the games better.
Watch Live Games: Compared to traditional sports betting, one of the perks of esports betting picks is that you can often watch live streams of each game directly from the sportsbook itself.
Get a Free Bet: You will likely never get a free bet at your local sportsbook. However, one of the perks of betting online for esports is that the platforms will typically give you a deposit bonus that can be used directly on esports bets.
Check out these other betting resources:
More Esports Betting Tips Before You Go!
Finally, here are some great tips to remember when placing bets on esports matchups.
- Know how each esport works before betting.
- Become familiar with the latest game updates and patches.
- Watch games recreationally and place predictions for fun.
- Play with money you intend to lose.
- Take advantage of welcome bonuses.
- Don’t chase losses – you’ll likely lose more.
Try These Esports Betting Tips Today
If you want to play at the best esports betting site, the best choice is MyStake. They have the best selection of esports, excellent betting odds, and a solid reputation. BetOnline is another good option to unlock the best live betting experience
Finally, Bovada should be the first place you go to if you want to get the best welcome bonus for esports bettors.
Wherever you decide to take your bets, feel free to try these esports betting tips, and don’t forget to bet responsibly!
DISCLAIMER: The information on this site is for entertainment purposes only. Online gambling comes with risks. There’s no guarantee of financial gain, so you should only gamble with what you can afford to lose. All information on this site is for entertainment purposes only.
While gambling can be fun, it can also be addictive. If you or anyone you know suffer from a gambling addiction problem, we recommend that you call the National Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700 to speak with an advisor. Please remember that our guides and all gambling sites are only for people who are 21+. Also, check with local laws to find out if online gambling is legal in your area.
For free online gambling addiction resources, visit these organizations:
