What is Esports Betting? Beginner’s Guide to Start Betting
Esports betting is another form of sports betting where bettors bet on video game matches instead of sports events held in arenas. When comparing the two betting options, esports betting is arguably more flexible since events can occur either remotely, especially during the pandemic, or in actual arenas where multiple computers are set up to ensure all players are using the same software and hardware.
More traditional gamblers and sports bettors might not necessarily enjoy betting on esports due to these games being video games and not as exciting as actual sports. Younger gamblers, however, might enjoy esports and its professional scene since their generation is more accustomed to video gaming than older ones.
What are Esports?
Esports are video games played competitively in a highly organized setting, similar to traditional sports. Esports itself is more popular in casual and competitive scenes than in the betting scene, with many young gamers building cheap gaming PCs and system integrators and builders selling them since there’s a huge market for them.
Most esports titles are generally video games that can be played competitively on even relatively low-end hardware. This is because several of these games have been popular for years now, with Counter Strike, League of Legends, and Dota 2 being popular for at least a decade now so these games must be able to accommodate a wide range of players to have more people playing the game. Some titles can be more demanding than others, like Fortnite with its poor optimization that makes it fairly hard to play on a tight budget.
Now, not all video games are technically esports, even if they have esports aspects. One example is the Command & Conquer franchise which has multiple games with their own pro players competing in smaller, often sponsored, competitions. This franchise has a fairly niche fanbase that can’t match bigger ones including the Warcraft community and the bigger MOBA communities in Dota 2 and League of Legends.
Additionally, some games aren’t meant for esports leagues. Minecraft is a child-friendly game that’s often thought of to be only for kids, even though many “pro” players use this for game modes attractive to a large number of players, including zombie survival, parkour, survival, builder, and even competitive PvP. Still, not a lot of people will enjoy watching the child-friendly gameplay even when players are killing each other since it’ll only look like they’re jumping around and whacking each other with sticks.
What are the Most Popular Esports Titles?
The most popular esports titles today are the most accessible games to the public. In the Philippines, some of the most popular titles are the following:
Mobile Legends, Call of Duty: Mobile, and Wild Rift are one of the most accessible games in the Philippines right now since they’re all mobile games that can basically run on even some of the most affordable gaming phones.
League of Legends, Dota 2, and Crossfire are popular since many gamers played these games in internet cafes or computer shops when they were still students. Today, they’re still popular in said cafes.
Are Esports More Popular than Actual Sports?
First of all, esports are already considered as actual sports. There are already multiple official competitions held worldwide and some events even have higher prize pools compared to certain sports leagues. In 2019, a Fortnite player managed to win more than Tiger Woods did in the Masters. 16-year-old Kyle “Bugha” Giersdorf won $3 million as opposed to 43-year-old Tiger Woods’s $2.07 million.
Right now, the highest esport team tournament prize pool is Dota 2’s The International 2021 which had $40,018,400.00 while the highest recorded team sport prize is the UEFA Champions League with €80 million.
BK8 sportsbooks offer odds for different esports titles with the following having the most betting odds:
BK8 sportsbooks offer more odds for soccer and basketball matches, but esports are still popular in its own right.
Additionally, there are sports simulator video games out there that once substituted for actual soccer and basketball through the NBA 2K games and the FIFA games.
BK8 Esports Betting Tips
The best tips to follow to win in BK8 esports betting are the following:
Know the Game
Actual gamers who know the mechanics of the game and how the game usually goes will have an edge against bettors who have no idea about the game. For example, it’s not uncommon for Valorant matches to last multiple rounds with games lasting 20 out of 24 rounds frequently occurring when both teams are fairly matched. Bettors betting on 13-19 in the Total Rounds market can easily lose their bets if they think that a game surely won’t take 20 rounds to finish.
Additionally, bettors must know the basics on who the top players for the games are. Warcraft 3 gamers will know that Happy and Moon are some of the best players in the competitive scene and they can capitalize on this information if they see favorable moneyline odds on a match one of them are participating in.
Take a Look at Match Histories
Bettors should research how the players past matches were and how they won or lost them to get an idea on how they’ll play on their next matches. Doing this allows you to have an idea of whether they’ll win their next match or not and even make more informed decisions on harder betting markets.
Betting on Round Winner, Total Maps, Winning Method, First Half Winner, and 1st Blood will require bettors to have an idea on how the participants performed in their previous matches. A player who’s notorious for getting the first blood should have a decent chance of getting it again on a different match.
Bet on Easy-to-Win Markets
First-time bettors should settle for easier-to-win betting markets to win their bets. Players should stick with Moneyline/1X2 and Total Maps for easy wins. Bettors who know a lot more about the participating teams and players can go for harder markets, including Will There Be Knife Kill, Total Bomb Defused, Will 1st Killed by Headshot, and others.
Conclusion
BK8 esports betting is a well-liked betting option and is something that’s growing in popularity among younger sports bettors. As online gambling becomes more popular throughout the years and as more exciting esports tournaments occur, more and more bettors will likely bet on esports matches, but not to the point of replacing sports betting.
Bet on esports matches at BK8 Casino today. Register and bet on Dota 2, CS2, and Valorant matches today!
