ESI Gambling Report: Maximizing your bet

While we’re typically inclined to go with our gut when it comes to having a flutter, it’s typically regarded as a smart investment to do some research before putting money down on a match in esports or anything else.

With a fairly wide range of wagers being offered by bookmakers for this week’s Dota 2 Asia Championship 2018 in Shanghai, we decided to do some digging to find the best sources of information to give you a competitive edge when betting in this week’s ESI Gambling Report.

Make no mistake, being able to consistently net a profit from esports betting is challenging – but thorough research can improve your chances. Esports wagering has theory to it: understanding trends, rosters, form, and odds can all aide towards placing an informed risk and potentially, a flashy payout. With this being said, where should an individual look first?

Understand the game

This should go without saying, but if you’re looking to net some serious profit in this market, you should understand each game comprehensively. With this, know the players, follow them on social channels, know who’s good in what role and what their weaknesses are. A core understanding is going to grant some confidence in placing a bet, especially in visualising how two teams will stack up before a match. There’s a good amount to be said about rosters as well: occasionally players are forced to sit out from games for medical or other reasons, a key player can make or break a team so it’s in a bettor’s best interest to acknowledge the rosters and stay as update as possible, pay attention to them.

Tipsters

A credible tipster can be a great resource for a bettor; accurately predicting match outcomes is a valuable trait although, finding someone who can do so consistently is extremely rare.

Tipster sites are starting to sprout in esports this year; these platforms allow users to select a match outcome using real odds from real bookmakers to accumulate a reputation amongst their communities with the ability to add in some detail supporting their choice. Becoming a respected and well-known analyst within esports communities can take years to achieve. Tipster sites however, provide a low-barrier entry for esports enthusiasts to prove themselves in the betting gauntlet. Although finding reliable sources was burdensome, through a bit of gritty research, we’ve uncovered a few names who’ve caught our attention:

Under the username ‘Petar’, boasting a noteworthy win rate of 65.49% – we can see firsthand the diligence in making an informed risk. A lengthy summary accompanying each stake gives the impression of a serious knowledge of The Overwatch League and League of Legends in this particular user’s case. Another user utilizing the same platform, ‘vvvv’, brandishes a 61.74% win rate in over 100 CS:GO predictions.

What stands out in this case is the sheer depth and context behind each matchup; the type of study illustrated in these predictions would be nightmarish to untangle and then formulate a logical betting stance from. Following an individual that is willing to take the time to do so however, can be a nifty utensil in your betting wallet.

Although tipsters won’t ultimately cure losing bets, their theories in appointing a winner can be used as a guideline and should be noted.

Data sites

DotaBuff

Data sites can provide a more thorough hard number context for matchups, possibly even more than a bettor would know what to do with – there is however, a way to read between the lines to get a leg up when risking.

For Dota 2 enthusiasts, a site like DotaBuff  for example, can be extremely helpful when decided to lay down some money; the platform provides a complete breakdown of each match down to hero and player performances as well mapping of the action in a match. Examining matches on DotaBuff will neatly display a history between the two teams providing an understanding of how the two have clashed previously. Again, compiling this weighty amount of data would be exhausting to say the least – sites like DotaBuff offer a neat presentation of them for the most steadfast fan to analyse on their own.

Betting Previews

Betting previews are valuable tools for gaining critical insights into upcoming tournaments and have become prominent subjects in esports new outlets. An oversaturation of outlooks tends to make finding plausible previews in a crowded landscape difficult.

ESPN Esports provides just the quality that you’d expect from ‘the worldwide leader in sports’; having fully committed to esports only a few years ago, the global channel has recruited a number of respected and high-caliber journalists to cover its gaming district. Here you can find some well absorbed predictions and previews that’ll be sure to have you approaching bookmakers confidently.

Esports-Betting-Tips is a young betting destination designed to provide exactly what you’d assume its name suggests: premium betting tips. The platform features a useful graph that gives a spread of odds across a number of bookmakers – shopping around for the best odds are no longer a chore but rather a clearly indicated hallmark of this site. Besides actually placing the bets, the platform serves as a one-stop-shop for all your betting tools. Coupling this are some pensive betting previews that are definitely worth a look.

Reddit

An online forum for everything and anything, that is the genius concept behind Reddit; a place where individuals who are besieged by a topic, such as esports, can collaborate and discuss ideas (at least that’s the idea). Almost every game has its own subreddit inundated with individuals driven on understanding, finding content about and discussing their favorite games.

Betting subreddits supply users with some of the most valuable information on the web –  a culmination of ideas from devote bettors who have thorough experience in risking on the front line. Despite being outdated, here is an example of some of the complexity you might uncover in a betting subreddit. Here’s a few relevant subreddits to check out:

r/CSGOBetting

r/Dota2Betting

r/LoLBetting

r/EsportsBettingPro

All in all, the point is to know what you’re betting on inside and out; outcomes will never be entirely predictable – utilising tools such as credible tipsters, previews and forums will help minimise doubt in risking.

Overall, be sure to do as much research as possible, follow tipsters, and the players and teams themselves on social channels. High odds can be tantalizing on betting slips promising lofty payouts – however, if you decide to go down this path, it’s important to not bet blindly.