Esport betting - trends and strategies

The popularity of esports has grown significantly over the past few years, and the same goes for sports betting - both at home and abroad. When you're not following exciting matches on screen or participating in esports yourself, you can also try your luck with online betting, just like many do with classic casino games like online blackjack. Casino and esports betting may not have much in common on the surface, but both are about betting strategically to maximise your chances of success. It's no surprise then that the esports betting market is getting bigger and bigger, with esports going from number seven on the list of sports with the most bets in 2021 to number four in 2023.

Here we take a closer look at some of the biggest betting markets in esports and some strategies you can use before placing your bet.

The best betting markets

Sports betting has come a long way since the days of simply betting on your favourite team to win. Now you can bet on many different aspects of sport, and the same goes for esports. Here's a list of some of the best esports markets to bet on.

Match result is, unsurprisingly, one of the most popular categories. It's simple and straightforward: who do you think will win?

Maps played in total: Over/Under is how many maps are played in a match. For example, if the number is 2.5, choose whether you think the final number of maps will be over or under 2.5.

Match Up Handicap are odds where one team is given a disadvantage or advantage. For example, it can be +1.5 or -1.5 according to the number of winning maps.

Round/Map Winner is a market where you can place bets on the winner of a specific map or round.

Time is a category found in games with time limits (such as Overwatch). Here you have to choose whether you think the game will go over time or not.

First Blood is a popular market in shooters like CSGO. Here you choose which player you think will shoot an opponent first.

Group Winner is about predicting who will be the winner of their group.

Innovative betting strategies

If you want to make betting on esports a little more exciting - and effective - you can choose to use strategies. There is no magic solution that will guarantee you a winning bet, but you can utilise strategies from the casino world to increase your chances of success and limit losses.

If you're familiar with online blackjack, you may already know some of the most well-known strategies. Blackjack and esports betting may not seem similar, but both games are about betting money on a desired outcome in the hope of winning a prize. Several blackjack strategies have already been created to maximise the chances of that happening.

The most well-known strategy is the Martingale system. The system is very simple: you place your bet on a desired outcome - for example, the result of one of today's matches - and if your bet loses, you double the stake on the next bet. If it also loses, you try again, doubling the stake once more. You continue like this until you win. After a win, you go back to the starting bet. The Martingale system is especially suitable for bets where the odds are at least 2.00, so you double your winnings if you win. This way, you can lose several bets in a row, but when you finally win, you get all your lost bets back.

If the Martingale system seems too aggressive, you can try the reverse Martingale system (also called the Paroli system). Here you double your bet every time you win instead of every time you lose. You keep doubling your bet until you lose, after which you go back to your starting bet. The Reverse Martingale system doesn't win back lost bets as effectively as the Martingale system, but there is less risk of big losses if you lose too many times in a row.

If you're considering using any of the Martingale systems or would like to learn more about the many alternatives, you can find an in-depth guide here.

The future of esports

The overall outlook for esports and esports betting is bright. More and more people are now following esports, and there are several technological developments on the way that could have a major impact on both the sport and bookmakers. VR and blockchain may well become a regular part of esports in the near future, and with increased security and immersion, we're likely to see an even bigger audience in the future.