Instructions on How to Bet on Esports Betting

For decades, the concept of betting was associated with traditional sports. Betting shops were essentially an extension of the community football culture, but the emergence of online bookmakers in the mid-2000s changed everything. Not only did sports betting suddenly become accessible to everyone, but this massive digitization also led to the birth of Esports betting.

Contrary to popular belief, Esports tournaments were nothing new, even 15 years ago. However, participating in these tournaments was only for a select few. Gradually, everyone started to get involved. People quickly realized that iconic games like Counter-Strike, Starcraft, and DOTA were not just for watching and playing. The overall excitement and quality of gameplay brought Esports betting into the spotlight.

Although betting on the most popular games has taken root all over the world, information on how to approach the whole thing is still scarce. With this guide, we sincerely try to change that. In the following sections, you will learn everything you need to know. Lucky Cola will cover everything from eSports betting tips to comparison tools, which will hopefully help you improve your money significantly.

What is eSports?

Electronic Sports (Esports), or eSports for short, is a term used to describe the activity of playing multiplayer video games in a competitive environment. Typically, Esports takes place in the form of tournaments with the participation of professional players competing against each other. Amateur Esports tournaments are equally important, if not more important, than professional tournaments, as they help bring new talent to the sport.

Rules of play

eSports matches can involve two players or two teams, while the number of players depends on the specific rules of the game. For example, Tekken is always played in a 1v1 format, while League of Legends (LoL), Counter-Strike, and many others are mostly 5v5 matches. Whether there are betting markets for a particular game depends largely on its popularity. The more popular the game, the bigger the prize money and the more hype there is. While today’s lucrative contracts, sponsorships, and million-dollar prize money are impressive, eSports was very different in its early days.

Some side information

In the early 2000s, tournaments were mostly for amateur gamers, with gamers rarely getting coupons or powerful gaming computers. Game developers and publishers were largely uninterested in getting involved in the hobby, largely because the market was so small and gaming culture was “closed” compared to traditional sports. So what changed? While the answer to this question largely depends on who you ask, it is generally agreed that it all comes down to the following factors.

The rise of live-streaming

Before the advent of YouTube, Twitch, and Mixer, the only way to keep up with the latest developments in Esports was to scroll through obscure Esports news blogs, with no way to review summaries or highlights. When video hosting and streaming platforms became popular in the late 2000s, Esports enthusiasts were suddenly able to watch matches in real-time. Every day, more and more people want to watch the best players play their favorite games. This directly led to a huge increase in accessibility, turning Esports into a force to be reckoned with.

Which Games Are Best for Esports Betting?

So, where should you start betting on eSports? We decided to test 20 of the most popular games today and survey the market for each one for two months. This period seemed the most reasonable, as it allowed us to cover a wide range of tournaments, exhibition matches, and other activities. As a result, we came up with three options that are guaranteed to give your eSports betting experience a good start:

Counter-Strike: Global Offensive 

First released in 2000, CS: GO is one of the most legendary video game franchises of all time. It is praised for its simplicity and unique approach to the first-person shooter (FPS) genre. Global Offensive is the latest version of the game and it features all the same mechanics and gameplay, but with significantly improved graphics. For those who have never bet on eSports, CS: GO is the best place to start. Not only is the game realistic, allowing you to quickly grasp the rules, but it also doesn’t depend on many variables. It’s a war between terrorists and counter-terrorists, with the bad guys trying to plant bombs to win. Another way to win is to eliminate the entire opposing team before they do the same to you. You can learn how to bet on eSports on CS: GO matches in just a few weeks, but most of that time is spent watching matches and following teams before you start. It is that simple.