Our Esports Betting Guide for Beginners

Posted by Harry Kane on Friday, April 16, 2021

While the online gambling market in the UK may be synonymous with games such as slots, poker and blackjack, so-called “esports” betting is also evolving to share a larger share of the overall marketplace.

To put this into context, the esports sector in the UK grew at an average rate of 8.5% between 2016 and 2019, expanding to support more than 1,200 jobs at the beginning of 2020. The UK sector also represents approximately 8% of the global market, while supporting £111.5 million in Gross Value Added (GVA) back in 2019.

But what is esports, and how can you bet successfully on this vertical? Read this brief guide to learn more!

What Does the Term ‘Esports’ Refer To?

In simple terms, esports refers to a form of virtual sport competition using video games. Typically, it takes the form of organised, multiplayer and international video game competitions, which see professional individuals and teams compete for a predetermined cash prize.

Additionally, esports has also become increasingly popular amongst audiences, rather than those who participate and compete for cash prizes.

To this end, the global esports audience sat at an impressive 495 million at the end of 2020, with just over half of this number represented by casual and occasional viewers.

The exponential rise of viewership in esports has also driven increased sponsorship and investment from across the globe, increasing the prize money and competitiveness of tournaments in the process.

Getting Started – What are Esport Options are Available to Punters in the UK?

Of course, the proliferation of esports competitors and audience members has created a demand for further evolution within the marketplace, particularly in terms of traditional and real-time betting markets.

As a result, established betting companies such as bet365 now offer an array of betting markets to esports enthusiasts, while defining esports games and tournaments as large, competitive leagues of any type that compete in ‘foreign play’.

This includes a huge number of high-profile esports franchises, including Dota 2, League of Legends and CS: GO.

Under this classification, players can also wager on esports tournament built on games such as FIFA, StarCraft, Overwatch and WOW, while more recent additions include NBA 2K and NFL 2K.

Given that most competitive esports of this type boast a year-long calendar of championships, invitationals and so-called ‘majors’. The latter refer to competitions that are funded by the game’s publisher, with these generally covered by a larger number of gambling operators and home to a wider range of betting markets.

Still, you may initially find that the betting markets available for some esports tournaments are relatively limited, with the classic ‘straight bet’ the single most popular wagering options within the esports space.

In this instance, you’ll simply wager on the outcome of a specific match or tournament, whether it involves two individuals competing or the participation of teams.

Beyond this, you may find alternative markets depending on the precise esports tournament that you focus on. For example, you may be able to wager on the total number of goals in a game when betting on FIFA gameplay, alongside the precise margin that your selected team will win by.

To view the markets and wagers available, you just need to check out a published list of the games available for match selection on your chosen casino platform. This will help you to drill down on the wagering options available, while also enabling you to place your bets and set individual stakes accordingly.

How to Bet on Esports – A Brief Guide

The question that remains, of course, is how should you to look to develop a viable betting strategy as an esports punter? Here are some tips to help you on your way!

1. Focus on the Game You Know Best

As we’ve already touched on, there’s a huge and growing range of esports available in the current market, from first-person shooters like Counter Strike: Global Offensive to battle arena classics such as League of Legends.

Then there’s sport-inspired classics like FIFA, which add a completely new dimension to the esports betting market and help to expand its reach amongst global audience members.

With this in mind, we’d recommend that you focus initially on games that you know well, as this affords you a competitive advantage in terms of understanding the fundamentals of gameplay and how to identify the most skilled competitors.

This will also ensure that you avoid the temptation of major esport tournaments built around Fortnite and Apex Legends, while will typically be heavily promoted by gambling operators and offer access a diverse array of betting markets.

No matter how much betting options of this type of appeal to the instinctive gambler inside you, you’ll be best served by focusing on games and tournaments that you understand.

2. Become a Viewer Before You Place a Bet

Even if you have an understanding of a particular esports game, we’d also recommend that you become an avid viewer before you wager your hard-earned cash.

The reason for this is simple as it enables you to identify the most skilled competitors and types of strategies used by teams during tournaments. If you spend a period of time watching and studying professional Overwatch players, for example, you’ll develop a clear understanding of strategy and the most likely outcomes when a match between two particular teams gets underway.

Similarly, committing to a dedicated period of watching will help you to fully understand the complex rules of games like League of Legends, along with the various in which sides negate and overcome such complexities.

When combined with statistical analysis of specific players and teams over time, this will narrow the scope of your initial wagering while informing your bets more effectively as a punter.

3. Keep it Simple and Manage Your Bankroll

When starting out, we’d also suggest that you maintain a simple outlook and betting strategy that minimise risk from the outset.

For example, using your newly acquired knowledge to identify statistically superior teams and star players can underpin successful straight bets, whether you focus on individual matches or the outcome of specific tournaments.

In instances where particularly skilled teams are matched against inferior opponents, you can also leverage alternative wagers (such as winning margins and total number of goals) to access better odds and potentially larger returns.

On a final note, it’s also crucial that you manage your esports wagering carefully as part of a wider bankroll management strategy.

More specifically, you’ll need to establish a fixed esports betting bankroll from your total funds, while initially starting out with a relatively small amount as you look to get to grips with the market.