If you told the average gamer 20 years ago that people would be betting on professional gaming tournaments, most would look at you like you’re crazy. But that’s where we are today, and eSports has gained a lot of legitimacy over the years. Tournaments are shown on major sports networks and eclipsing other more traditional sports.
While powerhouses like football and cricket have nothing to fear worldwide, it was estimated that more people saw the 2016 world finals of League of Legends than game 7 of the NBA finals. Bookies have long taken note and tried to find a way to corner the market. It is now easier than ever to bet on eSport events, but it still doesn’t mean that winning is easy. Let’s take a look at what you need to know about eSports if you want to get a chance at winning big.
Know the Games
If you’re foreign to gaming or are just a casual gamer, you must do your homework on the games that are frequently played at tournaments. You don’t need to be an expert on all the games, but you at least need to have a basic understanding if you don’t want to rely on pure luck.
Understanding games will help you understand the strategies employed, as well as the different playing styles. This could then give you information on certain matchups and how they will play out beside the odds.
There are also so many types of games being played, and some might cater to you more than others. The two biggest formats are MOBA games and FPS games. For the uninitiated, MOBA games are arena combat style games where teams compete against each other. Think of it as a massive game of capture the flag. FPS are first-person shooter games. You have your traditional tactical shooters like CS:Go and Call of Duty and your survivor style games like Fortnite and PUBG. These two are very different as one focuses more on the team aspect than the other, and that makes a big difference when betting.
Speaking of which, you might prefer betting on individual sports for a variety of reasons. If that’s the case, you could look at fight game events like Smash Bros or Tekken which have a substantial following, and many tournaments held all over.
If you want to learn more about how to bet on esports and which esports can you bet on, we suggest you check out this page by Roger.com. It explains all the different ways to bet on esports, along with some of the major tournaments being held every year. It also goes over things like odds along with some of the terminologies used in eSport betting.
Know Where to Bet
Now, you have to start looking for a bookie. When looking for a bookie online, you must look at the variety first and foremost. While there are now more tournaments and events, there are still not as many events as other sports and leagues, so you need to pick a bookie with a nice selection so you can see more action.
The other thing you have to do before you spend money with any bookie is look at their licensure. You want to make sure that they are licensed by a reputable regulatory body like the UK Gambling Commission or the Malta Gaming Commission. The UK Gambling Commission is one of the strictest in the industry, so if a casino is in good standing with them, chances are they’re legit.
Have a Strategy
Next, you’re going to need to devise a strategy and stick to it. The first and most important one is bankroll management. One way you could do this would be to set aside a certain portion of your monthly income for betting and betting only.
Some people advise not going over 10% of your gross income, so if you make £2000 per month, that’s about £200 you can put on betting, which is a lot. You should also consider having an account specifically for your winnings, and start pooling money from that account once it’s well funded.
From then on, you’ll need to learn how to understand odds and calculate payouts, understand how to make an edge or value bet, and also how to fine-tune your research and analysis skills. Great players also know how to keep track of their wins and losses, and know when to stop when things aren’t working.
Betting on eSports can be tons of fun, and a way to use your knowledge of video games to make a few extra bucks. Know that there’s never a sure bet, however, and you have to be more than a good player to be a good gambler. So, make sure that you have all the basics of gambling down before you even get started.