Pro Guide to Esports Betting 2021

Posted by August 24, 2020 in

Betting on esports is THE big thing right now, especially in the aftermath of Covid-19. Esports betting got off to a slow start, but it has gained a lot of traction over the last couple of years seeing a sharp increase in 2021 and the cancellation of many major sporting events. The growth this year alone has been so explosive that it’s been estimated that the global esports betting market will be worth nearly $30 billion USD this year.

That is a massive figure, for what is still considered an “under the radar” industry compared to traditional sports. The esports fanbase is huge these days and still very young, but it’s nowhere near as big as the fanbases for traditional sports such as soccer, football and rugby. Anyone not already a part of one of these fanbases are generally unaware of what esports are actually all about, let alone understanding esports betting.

This guide will clue you in on exactly these questions, what actually are esports and how does esports betting actually work?

We have put together what we hope will be a comprehensive guide to esports betting, a guide that has been carefully compiled by our team of esports geniuses. It should help ANYONE with an interest in betting on esports. It will include a section all about esports, and a section covering how wagering on esports works.

We will also include some basic betting tips for esports betting rookies, along with some more advanced strategy tips for your consideration. Read all about our most recommended esports betting sites and inform yourself with the latest esports news and all the info you could ever want or need on upcoming esports tournaments and events.

It is our biggest goal to be able to make esports betting tons of fun, we hope our advice can help you inform and develop your own winning strategy. Peruse the full page for details of exactly what is included in our guide, or if you’re looking for something specific, use the links below to skip ahead to find what you’re looking for.

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Esports basics:

The first section of our pro guide on esports betting is for those who are completely new to esports, and will explain all about this new form of sports and what’s involved. So first off, we’ll start with a quick overview of what esports exactly are.

The term esports refers to competitive video gaming and is short for electronic sports. Basically, it means, pro-video game players competing against each other for prizes.

It was not long ago that the ONLY way to play video games against “real life” opponents was to play on the same device, sharing the same TV. Thankfully those days are behind us, however, the internet allowing players to find opponents across the world from the comfort of your own home.

Statistics show that more than ONE BILLION people play video games of one form or another, which undeniably is an amazing statistic, and reflects the growth in popularity of video gaming in recent years. Not all gamers play against other ‘real’ players of course, as solo gaming still being enjoyed by many, but there is no doubt however, that playing against real life opponents is the most exciting and competitive way.

The majority of gamers are what are known as ‘casual gamers’, and tend to play video games solely for fun. Many do enter online tournaments and play in organised competitions, but ultimately they are playing for casual entertainment. These casual and informal contests are technically classified as esports, however, the term typically refers to the professional video gaming scene.

Yes, there such a thing as a professional video gaming scene. This may come as a surprise if you are brand new to esports, but it’s out there and it’s a MAJOR scene too. Yes casual gaming can be quite competitive, but as most gamers know, professional esports are on a whole other level. With prize pools in the millions and teams travelling from all over the world to compete, the esports phenomenon is blowing up!

These contests attract live audiences and are also watched by millions more fans worldwide via online streaming services such as Twitch and Youtube. 2021 has even seen some major TV networks getting in on the act, broadcasters such as ESPN broadcasting esports events on their channels.

So yeah, the professional esports scene is a pretty big deal. You can get loads more detail about the esports scene in the article below, making it a must read if you truly want to understand what esports are all about.

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The article above covers all the important aspects of esports in detail. There are, however, a few ESPECIALLY important esports aspects covered in detail in our other articles. For example:

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A good place to start when betting on esports, is building a proper understanding of at least some of the most popular esports video games currently being played. It would be pretty tough to make good betting decisions if you don’t without understanding exactly how the games are played and some of the strategies involved, though, of course it’s not necessary to be a genuine expert.

And yes, there are dozens of different esports games, but the majority of professional competitions are based around just a few of the most popular titles. These are THE most popular esports in 2021:

Battlefield
Call of Duty
Counter-Strike Global Offensive
Dota 2
FIFA Football/Soccer
Halo
Hearthstone: Heroes of Warcraft
Heroes of the Storm
League of Legends
Overwatch
PUBG
Rocket League
Smite
Starcraft II
Street Fighter
Super Smash Bros
World of Tanks

Remember, you don’t need to be a pro on ALL of these games but we would recommend learning about any that catch your interest, and that you might enjoy placing a bet on. You can find comprehensive guides to each and every one of the games listed above on our site. Please see the following page for more information:

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Another pro tip we can give is that when making an esports wager, it really helps to understand the structure and format of whatever esports competitions you plan to bet on. There are hundreds of events, tournaments and leagues held around the world, the biggest ones a good place to start. Below is a list of the highest profile esports competitions at the time of writing:

Major Esports Tournaments & Leagues

The International Dota2 Championships
ELEAGUE
Capcom Pro Tour
Call of Duty Championship
eGames
Evolution Championship Series
Major League Gaming
Intel Extreme Masters
Battle.net World Championship Series
Halo World Championships
League of Legends World Championships
World Electronic Sports Games

You can find more information on these contests (and others too) on our site.

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There are tons to learn about the players and teams that take part in these esports competitions, and knowing all about the players and teams will definitely give you a leg up on the competition. Would you wager on a rugby game between two teams you don’t know anything about? Or bet on a darts match between players you’ve never heard of? That’s why we’re here to help.

The article below features tons of details of all the esports teams and players you would want to know about. Please note it’s pretty tough to keep this page fully up to date, but we will do our best to keep updating it as often as we can, but we recommend doing some of your own research as you go, too. As you probably already know, hings can change VERY suddenly in the esports scene.

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Betting on esports for beginners:

Once you have gained a firm understanding of esports, or you already know esports, you’re ready to test your skills on the betting side of things. We suggest starting with the following article, which explains all the basics of esports betting that you really need to know.

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