The Fundamentals of Esports Betting Odds

The first thing for anyone getting started with eSport betting is to learn how betting odds work. Understanding how different betting is critical as it unearths the likelihood of an event happening and, most importantly, the value offered by the odds. Unfortunately, things often appear confusing for starters, especially when confronted with a long list of betting odds.

What Are Esports Betting Odds?

Betting odds are essentially a set of numbers offered by a bookie that represents the likelihood of a specific outcome in an event. In most cases, odds given by different bookmakers tend to vary. Also, eSport betting sites tend to present odds differently, which can be confusing.

Esports Betting Odds Formats

There are three main odds offered by eSports bookmakers online. These include:

• Fraction odds, also known as British odds are popular among British bookies. As the name suggests, these odds are usually expressed in fraction form (6/1). For a six-to-one (6/1) odd, a player wins $6 for every $1 wagered, plus your initial investment. In other words, fraction bets represent a ratio between the amount wagered and the profit from the bet.
• Decimal or European odds are offered mainly in European, Canadian, and Australian betting sites. These odds are easy to understand. The win amount is generally calculated by multiplying the amount wagered with the decimal odds.
• American or Moneyline odds are primarily used in the US. Odds for the favorite outcome are often accompanied by a minus sign (-) and indicate the amount of stake required to win $100. Underdogs odds, on the other hand, are accompanied by a positive sign (+) and show the possible win amount for every $100 wagered.

Popular Esports Bets

There are plenty of eSports bet types. Some bets are usually game-specific, while others apply to various video games. For instance, CS: GO betting markets might differ from those employed in LoL. Here are some of the common bet types offered by eSport betting sites.

Outright Bets

Outright bets are undoubtedly among the simplest eSport bet types. Almost every betting site that offers online eSport betting should have these options. Ideally, outright bets require punters on the outright winner in a series of eSports contests. Some common outright bets offered by online betting sites include match and tournament winner bets.

Over/Under Bets

This bet type requires eSports bettors to wager on the number of times an event happens in a match. For example, this could be CS: GO scores or the number of kills in LoL. In most cases, the betting site settles on a number and assigns odds based on respective probabilities.

Handicap Betting

Bookies trying to even out teams often offer this bet type when there is a clear favorite. For instance, when a bookie gives a team a handicap of +2 points, this essentially means that the clear favorites should win by more than two points. Else, bets on the underdog team win.

Correct Score

Correct scores bets are easy to understand, especially when betting on soccer. However, this bet type can be applied differently in eSports betting. For instance, most LoL betting sites offer the correct score bet, allowing a player to predict whether a team will win 3-0, 3-1, 0r 3-1, and vice versa.

First Kill/First Blood

This bet type is common to MOBA games such as CS: GO. This bet type allows the punter to bet on the team or player that is likely to get the first kill/blood of the match. Players are thus expected to do due diligence on the respective section to profit from this bet.

First Map

This bet type allows punters to bet on the winner of an individual map. Like First kill bets, users with adequate knowledge of a team or player’s strength often have a slight advantage when it comes to these types of bets.

The range of eSports bets can be enormous. As such, players should always try to understand different bet types and, most importantly, be able to find value odds.

How to Find Valuable Esports Odds

Each player should always make odd comparisons when looking for the best possible value. Although many considerations come into play when assessing eSports odds, there will always be simple and effective ways to get the job done.

Some punters rely on eSport betting tips, but the players’ judgment plays an invaluable role. That said, here are some tips that come in handy in aiding players find high-value odds:

• Understand the game
• Shop around
• Assess probabilities
• Pay attention to online eSports odds checker
• Keep emotions at bay
• Do not ignore heavy favorites

Conclusion

Esports odds are not different from those used in mainstream sports. They all serve the same purpose, shed light on the probability of an outcome and also the possible win amount. A bettor can only find the best value from eSport betting by relying on their knowledge of the game and keeping up with current eSport betting tips and news.

When in doubt, it is always advisable to stick to simple bets and small stakes to minimize the risks.