Odds in eSports is a value set by eSport betting sites on all matches that can be bet on. The odds show you how much money you will win if you win the bet. The odds are also an indicator of the probability of winning the bet as eSport bookies make predictions of all outcomes which are then turned into the odds.
Key takeaways
- Esport odds show you much you can win and how likely you are to win.
- The odds can be displayed in multiple ways, including Decimal, Fractional and American.
- Betting sites make professional match predictions to come up with percentages of teams winning. These percentages are turned into odds via a calculator and then a profit margin is added.
- There are three different ways to place an eSport bet which can have an effect on the eSport odds; single bet, combination bet and system bet.
Different Types of Esport Odds
Esport odds can be displayed in several different formats with the main ones being Decimal, Fractional and American. While all of the formats tell you how much you can win, they have their own math behind them.
As an example, a Decimal odd of 1.50 is displayed as 1/2 in Fractional and either -200 or +50 in American.
At eSport betting sites, you usually get the option to choose how you want your odds to be displayed.
Decimal
Decimal odds show you how much you'll get paid in total if you win the bet. This payout includes the stake as well as the profit. Here's an example:
- The decimal odds are 1.50
- You place a bet of €/$10
- You get paid out €/$15 if you win
The math behind this is simple. The odds are multiplied by the stake (1.50 * €/$10 = €/$15).
Fractional
Fractional odds are a bit more complicated than Decimal. These will only tell you the net profit you will make from the bet. The stake is not included. Here's an example:
- The fractional odds are 1/2
- You place a bet of €/$10
- Your net profit is €/$5 if you win
The math is done by multiplying your stake with the leftmost number in the fractional odds. In this case, the €/$10 is multiplied by 1. This value is then divided by the rightmost number. In this case, €/$10 is divided by 2. This results in a net profit of €/$5.
American
American odds are either displayed as “+” or “-” and show you one of the two following things:
- How much your net profit is for every €/$100 staked (+)
- How much you have to bet in order to win €/$100 (-)
For instance, American odds of +50 mean that you make a €/$50 net profit if you stake €/$100.
Likewise, American odds of -200 mean that you need to bet €/$200 in order to make a net profit of €/$100.
American odds of -200 and +50 are the exact same thing.
How Are Esports Betting Odds Decided?
When eSport odds are selected for a match, operators do it via the following process:
- A professional estimation of each team winning the match is made.
- Each team's win percentage is turned into odds via a calculator.
- The betting site adds a profit margin to the odds which lowers them.
Some betting operators are hiring a third-party company to handle their eSports betting odds. Other operators handle it themselves. No matter who is doing the job, the process is the same. There is a team of people that are highly knowledgeable in different eSport games that estimate the likelihood of certain events happening.
Here's an example:
- Astralis is playing against Virtus.pro in a CS:GO match.
- It is estimated that Astralis has a 70% chance to win and Virtus.pro a 30% chance.
- In decimal odds, this translates to 1.43 for Astralis and 3.33 for Virtus.pro.
- A profit margin of 5% is added, which lowers the odds by 5%.
- The odds offered to players become 1.36 for Astralis and 3.16 for Virtus.pro.
All eSport betting sites have their own profit margin, but 5% is a common number. This margin exists to ensure that the bookmaker will make a long-term profit from all bets they take.
This does not mean that players can't beat the bookie though. By making better match predictions than the eSports bookie, you could get an edge.
Bet Types Affect Esport Odds
At most eSport betting sites, there are three different ways that you can place a bet, which can affect your eSport odds:
- Single bet
- Combination bet
- System bet
When you choose multiple matches to bet on or multiple markets in a match, you will be presented with these options. Let us explain how they work and how they affect your eSport odds.
To make things simple, let us assume the following:
- The winner in four different matches is bet on.
- The odds for each match are 2.00.
Single Bet
A single bet is the most straightforward way to place your bets. This will never affect the eSport odds.
Each selection is bet on individually. Thus, you need to provide a stake for each of the four matches.
For each match you win, you get paid the stake multiplied by the odds of 2.00.
Combination Bet
A combination or accumulator bet will always increase the eSport odds.
All selections will be combined, which means that the odds will be multiplied by each other.
With our four matches, the odds will be multiplied as follows: 2 * 2 * 2 * 2. This results in a final eSport odd of 16.00.
To win this bet, you would have to be correct on the predictions of all four matches. If one is wrong, you would not get paid out.
System Bet
A system bet will place several types of single and/or combination bets for you, using your selected matches in different ways. It's the most complicated way to bet and it often affects your eSport odds.
If the four matches we used as an example would be placed as a system bet, you would be given the three following systems to choose from:
- 1/4: This is the same as placing four single bets.
- 2/4: This will create different combination bets with two matches in each bet.
- 3/4: This will create different combination bets with three matches in each bet.
If you choose 2/4, there will be six different combination bets placed. Here's an illustration of the bets that would be placed, using the letters A – D as an acronym for the matches:
AB | AC | AD | BC | BD | CD
The eSport odds for each of these bets would be 4.00 as all bets have two matches in them and each match have an odd of 2.00 (2 * 2 = 4).
If you guess correctly on match A, B and C but incorrectly on the rest, you would win the bet for AB, AC and BC but lose the rest.
The stake you choose in a system bet will always be divided by the number of bets placed. In this example, a €/$10 bet would result in a €/$1.66 bet for each combination.
