Complete Guide to eSports Betting in India 2023
Online gamers, PlayStation lovers and Xbox fans unite, in what is one of the biggest growing betting platforms in the decade. Thanks to its global reach, eSports is now bigger than ever, with players in India and all over the world. To learn more, we’ve put together a full eSports betting guide, detailing everything you need to know to get in on the games. Here, you’ll find:
What is eSports Betting?
eSports betting centres around electronic sports, allowing individuals to most commonly place wagers on video games. The video game is usually contested by multiple players in a tournament setting.
Popular eSport games include League of Legends, Fortnite, Dota 2, and Overwatch, and can be categorised as multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA), first-person shooter games (FPS) and real time strategy games (RTS).
Betting on eSports is like any other market, but with its growth in popularity, the stakes are often huge. You take a look at the odds, form of each participant, strengths and weaknesses of those participants, and make a decision on what bets to place.
How to Get Started with eSports Betting
Getting started in eSports betting couldn’t be easier.
- First, you need to find an online sports betting site that offer eSports betting markets. Our site reviews a wide range of these in our eSports section.
- Once you’ve found a preferred sports betting site to join, do some research into which eSports game you’d like to bet on.
- How you pick your preferred eSports can be down to a number of factors including the odds, prize money, type of game and prestige of tournament.
- Once you’ve chosen your game, choose your type of bet.
- Select your odds and place your bet.
eSports Betting Types Explained
eSports betting is very similar to any other type of sports betting. The markets on offer are almost identical. Essentially, it’s a sports betting platform being transferred to a video game platform, where human players are competing against each other. Here is a look at a few of the key terms you’ll want to familiarize yourself with before betting on eSports.
Money line
One of the most common wagers in eSports betting. It’s effectively Team A versus Team B without any handicaps. Pick one team or participant to win. That’s it.
Handicap
This is where one outcome in a particular eSports event is given a handicap advantage. An example of this would be backing Team A to win a game of FIFA with a -1 handicap. This means they need to score an extra goal for the bet to come in.
Straight betting
This type of bet is where you wager on a single game that holds a point spread, total, or money line. To win on one of these bets, you just need to correctly wager on the team or participant that covers the spread or if both teams or participants cover the over or under.
Pre-game betting
Any bets placed on a game before it begins is considered to be a pre-game bet. This type of bet covers most markets available on eSports events.
In-play betting
If you are placing a bet during the actual game taking place then this will be deemed an in-play bet. In-play markets are becoming more popular and often include bets on what the next outcome will be in certain markets. The odds fluctuate in real-time for in-play markets.
Single bets
This is a bet where you place a wager on one market. It’s simple and allows you to cash out your money based on the outcome of one bet rather than relying on several bets to come in.
Specials
A term used for bets that are specific to the event taking place. In eSports, specials could be unique outcomes that could potentially happen during an event such as consecutive wins, one team or participant winning by a certain margin, or certain things happening throughout a tournament.
Accumulator bets
These types of bets are when a number of two or more wagers are combined into a single bet. An example of an accumulator bet would be placing a wager on two or more teams or participants winning their games at a tournament. In order to win the bet, every team must win. The risk is higher, but the odds are longer, so the potential win is higher.
Skin Betting
This is a type of bet that is becoming more popular. Rather than betting with standard currency, individuals bet using in-game skins and other items related to the eSports they are betting on.
Over/Under Bets
This is a bet where you simply guess if you think the final score between two teams or participants will be over or under a specific score.
Understanding eSports Betting Odds
Understanding the value of odds can help players work out if a team, participant, or outcome is worth betting on. Essentially, the lower the odds, the more likely a scenario is to happen. The higher the odds, the less likely that outcome is to happen. As a punter, you need to work out if the odds have value. Sometimes, there might not be any value in a bet if the odds are too low. Likewise, for an outcome that offers odds that are really high. So, it’s important to learn the different types before making an eSports bet.
Fractional Odds
These are the most traditional form of odds available. They are displayed as two numbers separated by a slash. It works like a ratio. If you bet the number on the right, then you’ll receive the number on the left if you win. This can be adjusted by multiplying depending on how much you wager. For example, if you place 100 Indian rupees on an outcome with odds of 5/1 then you’ll win 500 Indian rupees. If you place 200 Indian rupees on the same outcome at the same odds, then you’ll win 1,000 Indian rupees.
Decimal Odds
These odds are certainly the simplest to understand. It shows how much you would win from a bet. You simply multiply your wager by the number shown as decimal odds. An example would be an outcome of 9.00. You just multiply your wager by that number and that’s the amount of winnings you’ll earn if your bet is successful.
American Odds
These odds are probably the most complex on the market and are most popular in the US. The odds displayed show how much money you would get on a return of every $100 bet. That is why the odds have a + or – sign in front of them. If an outcome is listed as +200 then it means you will receive $200 profit from a $100 wager if your bet is successful.
Popular eSports for Betting
Fortnite
The survival game first released in 2017, became a huge success spawning a new generation of players. 16-year old Kyle “Bugha” Giersdorf won $3 million at the Fortnite World Cup in the summer of 2019 – making more than Tiger Woods at the US Masters.
League of Legends
Riot Games launched LoL back in 2009. Since then the MOBA title has gone on to become one of the most lucrative eSports games of all-time. The annual League of Legends World Championship is the most high-profile eSports tournament in the world.
Dota 2
The sequel to Defense of the Ancients was released in 2013 by Valve Corporation. The game has thrived as an eSports title and the annual International tournament boasts the largest prize pool in eSports history.
OverWatch
This Blizzard Entertainment title hit the market in 2016 to a lot of hype. The Overwatch League has become one of the biggest eSports competitions in the world with teams participating from the US, China, South Korea, Canada, UK, and France.
Hearthstone
Originally given the title Heroes of Warcraft, this Blizzard Entertainment title has been an eSports hit since 2014. The eSports schedule for this game is one of the most intense around including the Masters Tour, Championship Tour, and Grandmasters schedule.
eSports Betting Tips & Strategies
Potential payouts in eSports betting similar to many betting markets, but with its growth in popularity the potential payout is big – provided you back the right outcome. When it comes to betting strategy, there’s no substitution for research and analysis. Here are our expert tips to increase your chances of winning big on eSports.
Research
It’s obvious but can’t be stressed enough. Do your homework. Study the odds, form, and background of the events you’re betting on. The more you know, the more chance you give yourself of backing the correct outcome.
Know the game
Once you’ve chosen the eSports game, you’re betting on then you’ll want to spend time playing that game. The more you understand, the better you’ll be able to judge what’s likely to happen.
Have a betting game plan
If you budget how much you are willing to bet, then you’ll be able to wager more effectively. You might want to place lots of low value bets or fewer high-risk bets. Just put the plan in place before you start so you don’t lose track.
Choose your betting site wisely
It’s a popular and congested market out there. On the plus side, that plays into your hands as the punter. Betting sites want your money. Compare the odds offered on the eSports you want to bet on and pick the betting site offering the best odds.
Be flexible
A willingness to change is always positive when betting. If your strategy isn’t working, then be willing to adapt. The eSports market is in a constant state of flux right now. As the games and the market evolves, you need to be in a position to evolve with them.