The esports industry has grown more prominent, and it can be said that it’s currently at its peak. But what makes it all more incredible is that it’s expected to reach even greater heights as video games continue to evolve through time. That and along with other factors, contribute to its market value money-wise, which makes related activities such as betting more enticing.
Esports betting adds to the fun and excitement of watching esport matches and tournaments. It’s also easy to understand due to its likeness to betting on traditional sports and competitions. It also doesn’t hurt that bettors can win a healthy sum of money from it.
Since gaming has influenced generations, age is not that much of a concern in esports betting – just in case you’re thinking about it. All you need is knowledge, and you can try doing it. If you want to get started, this article lists seven great ways of kicking off your esports betting game.
1. Decide Which Games You Want to Bet On
An advantage that esports has that is similar to traditional sports is its extensive coverage. It’s a guarantee that you can easily find esport tournaments being broadcasted on TV or live-streamed on Twitch or Youtube. Thus, there are plenty of bookmakers that offer many of the popular games to bet on.
The safe bet is always with the games that you’ve played yourself. But if you want to explore betting on different genres such as fighting games like Street Fighter or if you prefer RTS such as Starcraft betting, then you have the option to do as you please. If you’re betting online, make sure that the bookmakers you’re looking at are covering the games you’re interested in before signing up.
2. Learn the Types of Bets and Odds
If you have experience in betting on traditional sports, then you will have no problem adjusting with the bets and odd types in esports. As previously mentioned, esports betting is very much like sports betting, especially in these aspects. But in case you’re new to betting, here are some of the wagers and odds in esports:
Odds
- American odds – these odds use plus and minus signs as indicators of which team or players are the underdogs and the favorites.
- Decimal odds – these odds refer to the total amount that you can win per dollar bet.
- Fractional odds – these odds includes a backslash in between the value of your bet and how much you’ll win.
Wager types
- Moneyline – this is a straight-up bet that handicaps each team. You’ll basically bet on who’ll win a match or a tournament.
- Over/under – this bet requires you to bet on a total based on a combined value of both teams. You can for instance bet whether the final score in the match or total amount of kills will go over the line or under it.
- Prop – the prop bet is about betting on elements that don’t directly affect the game (e.g., which team will destroy a tower first or get the first kill)
3. Research on Bookmakers
Suppose you prefer betting online, which is already a great decision on your part. In that case, you have to choose bookmakers that cover your favorite games, offer good odds, and ensure your safety and security of the information that you share.
Bookmakers and online casinos of high-quality and held in high regard usually have those things for their clients. Keep in mind that you’re spending your time and money when you gamble, so it better be worth your while.
4. Take Advantage of Bonuses
Bonuses are what betting sites use to attract and retain players. It’s one of their main promotional tools that make them stand out from other websites. Use this to your advantage by getting a deposit bonus or a free bet after signing up with a betting site.
A great benefit of betting online is that you can create multiple accounts with several sites. You can use this in your favor because with more than one account, you can avail of several bonuses to add to cushion to your bankroll.
5. Follow a Budget Plan
This is always sound advice regardless of which form of gambling you’re engaged in. This is in support of the cardinal betting rule that you should never risk money that you can’t afford to lose. Losing a lot of money sucks the fun out of gambling, and to avoid that, you should make a budget exclusive for that purpose and follow it strictly.
6. Learn Betting Strategies
For you to be a successful bettor, you have to learn strategies that you can use. Handicapping is a great practice to start with. Different punters have different ways of handicapping odds, but as you bet more often, you’ll get better with it, and it becomes more natural. The bottom line is that it’s all about predicting the result of a competition or match and choosing to bet on odds that will be in your favor.
7. Keep Track of Your Results
You’re probably asking why you should do this as you read it. It’s simple. You got to have data to see how you’re doing with esports betting. Recording your results isn’t that difficult anyway because there are many tools which you can use to do it. Keeping track of your betting will help you make better decisions and improve your success rate.
Wrapping Up
Getting a good start in esports betting is excellent and all, but remember that it doesn’t necessarily mean that you’ll be winning most of the time. Losing is part of betting, and it’s inevitable. These tips are here to help you get started and to have a foundation that you can rely on when things get tough. Apply these ways into practice, and don’t forget to have fun, and you’ll do fine.
