Introduction to Esports Betting Odds
Esports betting has exploded into a multi-billion-dollar industry, drawing millions who wager on titles like League of Legends, Counter-Strike 2, and Valorant. Unlike traditional sports, esports odds fluctuate rapidly due to live patches, player form, and global tournaments. Bettors accessing platforms via Fairplay login can dive into these markets instantly, tracking real-time shifts that define winners.
In this guide, I will help you figure out how to interpret esports betting odds to help you bet more intelligently, rather than hoping for the best. Whether you are a beginner or a more experienced gambler, being able to value odds means you will be able to see value while most others are seeing confusion. Odds translate to a certain probability, which you can see represented in a couple ways. Odds can be in decimal (ex. 2.50 means for every dollar bet, you will win a total of $2.50 including the dollar you bet), fractional (ex. 3/1 means for every $1 you will win $4), or American (+200 means for every $100 bet you will profit $300). In esports betting in particular, the odds fluctuate with every kill and objective, which is a lot to keep up with in terms of odds.
The odds are constantly changing within esports betting. There is a lot of data being taken into consideration, including winning percentages (ex. 65% for favorite), and the history of the matchup along with map rotation. Betters can gain an edge over the competition by understanding how odds are calculated.
Esports Betting Odds Explained
In esports betting, the odds are calculated based on how likely a certain event is going to happen. For example, if a team has odds of -150, they are the favorite to win and are expected to win 60% of the time. 150 is the number you would have to wager to win 100. On the other hand, if the odds are positive, they are the underdog and you are expected to win 40% or less of the time (mathmatically upside down). For example, in Dota 2, one of the variables that would be taken into account is the draft. If one team has a stronger draft than the other, the team that is considered the favorite to win would be more likely to WI 15% – 20% more than the other team.
Profit in UK-style esports books is represented as fractional odds (ex: 5/2 returns $3.50 on a $1 bet). In Europe, decimal odds formats include stake and are easier to calculate. American sportsbooks excel at moneylines and even bets are priced at $110 to win $100 (i.e. -110). Keep in mind that esports betting odds are dynamic. For instance, due to a star player disconnection, an esports betting site may shift an outright winner bet from 1.80 to 2.20.
The average punter may not consider the implied probability that an esports betting site uses, and this is a critical metric in setting esports betting odds. For example, decimal odds may appear to indicate 2.5, but that means an implied probability of 40% (1/2.50 = 40). Bookies make money on bets using vig/juice (5-10%) so, betting over multiple esports betting sites is more valuable. Overround in esports betting means that the total probabilities of all potential outcomes (via odds) exceed 100%. You can find Overround on a 2-way market at 105% (more than just Over/Under totals). These are useful in Kill and Map betting.
Different Kinds of Esports Betting Odds
Esports betting odds can be moneyline (straight winner), spread (handicap, e.g. dull-1.5 maps), and props (first blood, total towers). The live odds of CS2 pistol rounds swing wildly and offer people with +EV bets of 3.00 or more when the percentile is predicted at 40%.
Betting Odds and Esports
Esports betting odds rely on several predictors like server latency, patch cards, and streaming sentiment. A pro team’s 70% first-map win rate can be sourced to 1.40 odds, and the hype stream leads to a tightening of 1.20. The weather normally isn’t a factor, but the geographical jetlag is crucial for international matchups.
Best Tactics for Esports Betting Odds
Winning more when betting on esports is more about sticking to the numbers than going off your gut. Start with a laid-out plan for your budget, and stick to 1 – 2% of your bankroll for every bet to help you weather the ups and downs of a best-of-5 series.
Understanding Esports Betting Odds
Look for discrepancies when one book offers odds of 2.10, and another has 1.90. Using odds historical records will help you gauge the profitability of arbitrage betting. A team with a 55% win rate and odds of 65% actually lose value on the bet. Riding on the favorites is a trend, but the odds usually end up priced more than they should.
Strategies that give you options for developing your bankroll in esports betting
The Kelly Criterion helps you calculate your bet size for when you are betting odds of 2.50 and are estimating a 50% chance of winning. You would bet 20% of your bankroll using a fractional unit size. Beginners can use a flat 1% unit size for esports volatility.
Live betting: odds on a comeback win after a 10k lead can go as high as 5.00. You can win this if the meta favors late-game heroes. You can hedge the map winners and lay off a lead after 2-0. You can get a 5-10% ROI by backtesting strategies on past VODs.
Tips for Beginners in Esports Betting
When betting in esports or Fairplay24, be aware of these trends:
Betting in esports is about understanding risk, and knowing how to evaluate a risk is essential to be a successful bettor over the long term. Chasing losses is never a good strategy, and betting out of frustration is possibly the most disastrous way to bet. Not understanding sample sizes is also detrimental to success. Just because a betting streak happens does not mean the odds are changing, and a major upset in an esport tournament does not, by itself, disrupt the odds in betting markets.
For example, a roster move that is not followed by a bettor can disrupt a betting market. A roster change could disrupt a betting market by over 30%. Most non-professional esports and betting professionals do not bet on their favorite teams as their emotions become a poor influence on value.
Esports audiences often overvalue certain players, and therefore decrease the betting value to a market, resulting in the market closing. Fading the public is a betting strategy that often allows value in a market. An example of this is how the betting public often bet astron out of Europe because of the value markets provide. Parlay betting is essentially a bet that presents a public value.
Chasing losses in betting can cause a poll of frustration, and result in tilting a bettor.
Mistakes of esports betting odds
If done properly with a risk-oriented strategy, betting in esports can be profitable over the long term.
These allow newcomers to remain successful with the rapid changes in esports betting odds. (218 Words)
What to expect with esports betting odds in the future
Artificial intelligence is used to improve esports betting odds, predicting drafts with 75% accuracy using neural nets. Virtual reality (VR) integration is used for live odds overlays. Asia’s regulatory growth improves liquidity, with a vig of approx. 4% expected. As tech advances, micro-bets on specific kills will become available. (162 Words)
Final Thoughts
There’s a reason as to why esports betting odds is considered a unique challenge. It is because it is betting as a whole, with discipline, data, and practice needed to be successful. Consider the seven tips discussed in this piece, ranging from line shopping to live edges. Keep your knowledge as current as possible to maintain the most effective betting practices, and watch your edge increase.
