StarCraft 2 Betting | Classic Korean-Favorite RTS
StarCraft 2 is a popular real-time strategy game similar to Warcraft 3, except that StarCraft is more macro-based while Warcraft is micro-heavy. This game came out in 2010 as a direct sequel to StarCraft that came out in 1998. In 2017, this game became a free-to-play game.
Similar to Warcraft, most games are 1v1 or one player vs. one player matches with the only StarCraft 2 betting market available being 1X2 where bettors bet on who will win the entire match or per map.
What is StarCraft 2?
StarCraft 2 is Blizzard Entertainment’s second StarCraft game. The gameplay in StarCraft 2 involves building bases, training armies, and basically steamrolling armies and bases as this is more macro-heavy. Players will need to manage huge armies in the field and defeat the opponent’s large army to then destroy the enemy’s base.
Units train slowly here so total annihilation of one big army can keep a player from having a comeback and the match will then usually result in the end of the match. Pro players will typically manage multiple armies and micro them to keep as many of their units alive and ensure that they can continue dealing damage.
Competitive StarCraft 2 Scene
The professional scene started out in 2010 and enjoyed early success as it became one of the biggest esports in the world and even became the national pastime in South Korea. This also resulted in the creation of the KeSPA or the Korean e-Sports Association. The first professional league is the Global StarCraft II League or GSL.
The competitive scene saw conflict from the different groups hosting competitions. This saw a decline in 2014 as Blizzard strengthened its hold on professional StarCraft 2 competitions. It resurged on 2017, however, when the StarCraft II Warchest was introduced which can be purchased and 25% of the proceeds will go to esports.
StarCraft 2 becoming free-to-play also contributed to the game’s resurgence in the esports scene as more people are able to play the game. Today, some of the top competitions to place StarCraft bets are the following:
StarCraft 2 Betting Tips
As StarCraft 2 is a popular esport title in multiple countries, especially South Korea, it’s important that bettors know some tips on how they can win. Keep in mind that this game is macro-heavy when esport betting and the gameplay is completely different from a few other RTS games.
Research the Best Players
Esports.net has compiled a list on the best StarCraft 2 players worldwide. Although the list does not give a definite ranking, it’s still enough as a baseline to see which players to look out for when betting on official tournaments.
Some of the top players right now are the following:
Keep this players in mind when placing bets as these players will likely win their matches against other players. Check the odds if they are competing against one another since there’s a high chance that they’ll be tight.
Check Previous Matches
Bettors should look into how good the other players performed in their past matches, including against each other, to have an idea on how they’ll perform in their current matches. Check whether they played like they usually played to have more accurate data on whether these players are on the top of their game or not.
Additionally, some players may naturally be poor matches against certain players and are otherwise great players. Different players have different playstyles and one player may be able to beat a particular strategy that a top player is having difficulty with.
Bet on the Favorite
Some BK8 sportsbooks will already have clear predictions on who they think they’ll win a match through their odds. A 2023 ESL SC2 Masters Spring: Europe match between HeRoMaRinE and ForJumy shows that HeRoMaRinE has odds of 1.03 and that ForJumy has long odds of 10.09. Bettors can take their chances winning ten times their stake by betting on ForJumy, but the wisest move is to bet on HeRoMaRinE with the ridiculously short odds of 1.03 since they’re more likely to win than their opponent.
While the wins are small, bettors should keep in mind that a win is a win and they can increase the total amount they’ll win by staking more.
Conclusion
StarCraft 2 remains as one of the most popular esports out there with many pro players competing in different tournaments. This RTS game may work differently from Warcraft 3, but it has its own charm on macro battles. Bettors will need to keep a good eye on which players are at the top of their game and can effectively manage multiple armies at once to steamroll their enemies.
Try StarCraft 2 betting on some of the top StarCraft 2 events today at BK8!