Dota 2 Esports
There are hundreds of esports games out there, and all of them are amazing. However, the favourite game varies from player to player. As for Dota 2, it stands on the top of every esports game ever made. Played by millions of players every month, Dota 2 has a huge player base. For those who don’t know, it is based on the Defense of the Ancients. This was a Warcraft 3 mod that was popular in its time. Dota 2 also has some of the biggest esports events in history. Regardless of whether you hate or love the game, you can’t deny the influence it has on esports.
Dota 2 has always been praised for its rewarding gameplay and production quality. It has remained one of the most played games on Steam. The most interesting thing is that it even had one million concurrent players at its peak. This alone is something enough to realize how big this game is. Dota 2 is also a part of various machine learning experiments. It is one of the few games to have an AI Controlled team. The game has contributed a lot to esports and is one of the reasons behind the success of the industry.
Understanding Dota 2
Dota 2 is a difficult game to understand. You just cannot become a pro player overnight. Professional players who play on the competitive level claim that they have spent thousands of hours trying to learn the secrets of the game. This means that even learning the game requires serious dedication and commitment. Without it, you will just end up leaving the game after a few matches. But once you get the hang of it, you won’t stop playing it because Dota 2 is addictive.
The Basics
Just like every other player, you must first learn the basics of the game. There are two teams in a match, and both have the same goal of destroying each other’s Ancient positioned in their base. The Ancient is protected by three layers of towers; top, middle, and bottom. Each player must choose a hero that suits his playstyle, and there are more than 100 heroes currently available in the game. You have to rely on these heroes throughout the game instead of an army of soldiers.
Every hero has a unique skill set that helps him take down opponents. Upon killing a rival hero, you will receive experience points that can increase your in-game level. In addition to this, every hero comes with six item slots. You can fill these slots at one of the in-game shops. The main map of the game is divided by a river. One side of the river is called the Radiant fraction, and the other one is called the Dire fraction.
Important Terminologies in Dota 2
The world of Dota 2 is filled with many amazing things. It can be difficult to learn everything at once. However, while playing the game, you must know what some important terminologies mean. Here are a few ones that you should remember:
- Ancient – These are two buildings that you will find in your and your opponents’ base. Your main goal in the game is to protect your building while trying to take down the other one.
- Creeps – These are non-playable units that appear on bases once in a while. They travel down to the lanes and attack enemy units.
- Farming or Farm – This refers to earning gold and experience points by killing creeps.
- Roshan – Roshan is the strongest creep. You can find him near the river that divides the map. Upon killing him, you will get rewarded with an item called Aegis of the Immortal.
- Stacking – Stacking refers to gathering multiple groups of creeps. Players do this for either attacking an enemy tower or to farm.
- Towers – These are the defensive towers that you can place in the three lanes. They allow you to attack enemy heroes and creeps from a distance.
- Ganking – This refers to when a few players from a team work together to ambush an enemy hero and eliminate him. This helps the team with making their opponent weaker.
Dota 2 Betting Sites
There are hundreds of esports betting sites available on the internet. Some of them are based on esports, while others have a separate section for it. Nevertheless, all of them are amazing and serve as a platform to bet on video games. Considering Dota 2 is one of the biggest esports titles, it can be found on every online esports bookmaker. This is because most of the bettors are interested in betting on it. Many bettors have also managed to become rich only because of this game. This means that if you bet right, then you can earn some serious cash through this game.
As there is a wide range of different esports betting sites available, people often end up choosing the wrong one. Some sites offer amazing bonuses, while others might offer better odds. However, this is something you shouldn’t overthink as almost every popular bookmaker will benefit you as much as the other one. There are still some things you should consider before choosing an esports site. The right bookmaker will help you become a better bettor, but the wrong one will only waste your time.
Check the License
It is always wise to go with a site that has a license. Only go with a site that has acquired a license from an established jurisdiction. For those who don’t know, an esports betting site cannot operate legally without a proper license. It is almost important for them to get it if they want to operate in other countries. If you’re thinking about choosing a site that seems professional but doesn’t have a license, then you should think again.
Check the Design
The second thing you should check is the design of the site. A professional esports betting site will always have a well-designed layout. This is because no one wants to work with a site that has a poor layout. In addition to this, a poorly designed site also gives new bettors a hard time navigating through it. Therefore, it will be wise to first thoroughly check the design of the site before creating an account on it. If you’re planning to do betting via mobile, then make sure the site is mobile optimized. A good esports betting site should be user-friendly so that members can easily navigate from one page to another.
Look for a Bonus
Some sites offer some kind of bonus to their new customers. This is why it is important to check whether the site you are going to choose has a welcome offer or not. Some sites are going to give you a matched deposit bonus, while others might give you free bets. A matched deposit bonus can help you double your first deposit money, while free bets can help you place a bet without any risk. In any case, these bonuses are surely amazing as they help new bettors with placing their first bets without any risks.
Mobile App
These days, most people are betting on their mobile phones. If you’re one of them, then you might want to check whether the site has a mobile app or not. This way, you will be able to place bets anytime. Almost every top bookmaker has a mobile app for Android, iPhone, and Windows phones because they want their members to enjoy betting. Some people also remain satisfied with a mobile-optimized web page, but a mobile app is always better. This is because a mobile app is more convenient and quicker than a web page. You will also find all the important things at once in a mobile app.
Betting Markets
This is something really important. You must check how many betting markets the site is offering for Dota 2. Almost every top esports betting site offers all top markets for Valve’s MOBA title. If a site is offering only a few betting markets, then your options will get limited. Some of the most popular Dota 2 betting markets are Tournament Winner, Match Winner, First Blood, Odd/Even, and some more.
Good Customer Support Service
A professional esports betting site will always have good customer support service. These sites offer it via telephone, email, and even live chat. Make sure that the site has good customer support service as this will be the only way you’ll be able to solve site related problems. Some sites don’t even reply to their members, and this is the reason why they are being used by a few bettors.
Deposit Methods
You also have to make sure that the site is offering some amazing payment options. Almost every top Dota 2 site will have the most used methods. This is done to make sure that no one has any delay with any deposits and withdrawals. The payment options offered by these sites include:
- PayPal
- Visa
- Skrill
- Wire Transfer
- Bank Transfer
- Credit Card
- Debit Card
- WebMoney
- Neteller
- Vouchers
- Prepaid Cards
There are some sites on the web that also offer Dota 2 Bitcoin gambling. They allow you to even use other cryptocurrencies such as Litecoin. However, not every site offers it because of laws and regulations. At the moment, there are only a few sites that are offering Bitcoin as a payment option. Other sites might introduce the option soon since Bitcoin gambling is becoming a big thing.
Dota 2 Betting Bonuses
Dota 2 betting sites also offer some amazing bonuses for their members. Some of these bonuses are available for existing members, but most of them are limited to new members only. Some sites offer cashback bonuses, free bets, free deposit bonuses, and much more. Here are a few types of bonuses that you will find on different Dota 2 gambling sites.
- Matched Deposit Bonus – This is the most common type of bonus. Through this bonus, you can double your money. For instance, you will receive a 100% matched deposit reward if you deposit a certain amount to your account. The amount of reward can be $10 or even $150 depending on the site.
- Fee Bet – This is another common type of bonus found on Dota 2 gambling sites. Here the bookmaker is going to provide you with a free bet. This way, you can make your first bet without any risk.
- Free Bet Money – This is the same as a free bet. Here, the site is going to give you some cash. However, most sites only reward accounts with $5. Still, it is enough for you to see how betting works.
- Objective-Based Bonus – This type of bonus is not found on all sites. In it, you get rewarded after completing a certain objective. The site might ask you to place a $20 bet on Dota 2, and your account will then get credited with some money.
Dota 2 Skins Gambling
Just like some other multiplayer games, Dota 2 is filled with a great number of cosmetic items. These cosmetic items can be either found or earned while playing the game. The most popular type of cosmetic item in Dota 2 is skins. These skins have no other purpose than giving another appearance to an aspect in the game. However, what most players don’t know is that these items are highly valuable and can be even sold for real money.
How It Works
There exists a marketplace where Dota 2 skins can be bought and sold for real-life money. The official marketplace is the Steam Community Market, which you might’ve already of. This platform allows players to post their items for sale. If they’re in the mood to get their hands on something good, then they can even purchase items listed by other players. Other than the official platform, there are some other third-party websites where buying and selling of Dota 2 skins is done every day.
The value of a Dota 2 item depends upon its worth. You can find items that are valued at $0.1, while others might have a price tag of thousands of dollars. There was an item that was sold for $38,000. The best thing about these items is that they can be used for esports betting. That’s right, some sites accept Dota 2 items instead of real money. It is almost the same as traditional betting. But here, you will be using items instead of cash.
The best part about Dota 2 skin gambling is that you don’t have to own the game to place bets on it. The only thing you need is Steam. You can simply buy skins from the marketplace and store them in your inventory for gambling purposes. Once you have enough skins in your inventory, you can head over to a skin betting website. The process only involves you creating an account on the site and allowing it to connect to your Steam account.
At first, in-game items were only used for betting on only Dota 2 matches. However, with time, the sites have now started to accept skins for other methods of gambling too.
Dota 2 Betting
Betting is the simplest method of gambling that you can do with Dota 2 skins. Everything in this is the same as a regular type of betting. Instead of real-life money, you are going to use skins to place a bet on a match. You can do this for as long as you have skins in your inventory. Once your inventory gets empty, you can simply purchase more skins from the official marketplace or third-party websites.
Dota 2 Roulette
You will find this type of gambling on almost every Dota 2 skin gambling site. It’s really fun and simple to understand. The main objective of the game is to pick the colour, either red, black, or green, on which you think the virtual ball is going to land. After spinning for some time, if the ball lands on the colour that you picked, then you will win the bet. While you can find the standard 2x and 14x multipliers everywhere, there are some sites through which you can win 5x.
Dota 2 Jackpot
Dota 2 Jackpot feels just like winning a lottery. If you’re involved in the betting industry, then you already are aware of how Jackpot works. However, Dota 2 skin gambling sites have given a new meaning to it. Instead of betting against the site, people can bet against other players. What you have to do is place your skins in a Dota 2 Jackpot along with other players. After that, if you’re lucky enough, then you will end up winning all the skins.
Dota 2 Coinflip
This is yet another popular game available on different Dota 2 skin gambling sites. Coinflip works in a way similar to Jackpot. However, only 2 people can bet against each other in it instead of multiple participants. Both of them have a 50/50 chance of winning. If you’re lucky enough, then you can quickly increase your Dota 2 skin inventory by playing this game. However, keep in mind that you are not always going to win so don’t get disappointed after losing some of your important skins.
Dota 2 Crash
Dota 2 Crash is by far the most frustrating game. It is said that people with short temper should avoid playing it at all costs. However, it is still something that can offer a huge payout, but you can also end up losing everything quickly. When a round starts, there is a multiplier that starts counting from 0 to 100+. What you have to do is guess when the game will crash. If you bet correctly, then you’re going to get some exciting rewards. However, if you guess too late, then your inventory will get empty.
Dota 2 Item Betting Sites
Just like sites that offer Dota 2 regular betting, there exist sites that are specially made for the sole purpose of Dota 2 item betting. That’s right, these sites operate differently and are focused more on skin betting than cash betting. Initially, there weren’t many sites that accepted skins as currency for Dota 2 betting. But now, several Dota 2 gambling sites are allowing players to use skins to place bets on their favourite games.
Some sites focus only on Dota 2 item betting, but some focus on skin betting for different games. These sites can link directly to your Steam account and access your inventory. To start betting by using skins, you will first have to find a suitable site. A good Dota 2 item betting site will have:
A well-designed and user-friendly layout.
- Good payment options.
- Amazing customer support service.
- Multiple betting games.
- Good security
After you’re done with finding a good platform, you can simply create an account on it by following the standard sign up procedure.
Dota 2 Betting Tips and Strategies
Esports betting is something that can help you earn a lot of money, but only if you do it right. If you’re only in for the fun, then you shouldn’t pay any attention to the complicated things. However, if you are in for the long run, then there are some things that you need to consider understanding first. Some bettors blindly start placing bets because they only think about money. These mistakes cost them a lot of money and they never think about betting again. So, without any further due, here are some Dota 2 betting tips and strategies that can help you become an amazing bettor. Make sure to follow them all properly if you want to speed things up.
1- Research
The first thing you must do before anything is research. This is going to be your secret weapon in esports betting. Without it, you just cannot survive in the long run. Research is something that has great importance in this world. It can help you with learning something important. In the case of esports betting, you can get to know how things work through it.
2- Learn the Game
The second thing I will suggest is to learn Dota 2. As mentioned before, it is important to thoroughly study the game before betting on it. Once you know how a game is played and what its rules are, you will be able to make the right betting decisions on it. You will know when it’s the right time to place a bet, and when it’s the right time to avoid placing a bet.
3- Study Teams and Players
The third thing you must do is to study different teams and players. For most popular games such as Dota 2, CS: GO, Overwatch, League of Legends, there are hundreds of esports teams and players in all parts of the world. It is important to learn about most of them to know who you’re betting on. This way, you will get to know which player you should bet. This is something that can help you avoid losing any money.
4- Don’t Always Go with The Favorite Player
A big mistake which new bettors make is that they place bets on only top and favourite Dota 2 players. Sure, the top player will have great chances of winning, but he can also lose. This is why it is important to first learn how the player has been performing lately before placing a bet on him. You can see how his performance was during his last few matches, and how he performs in a specific tournament.
5- Study Different Tournaments
If you’re going to bet on Dota 2, then you must study its different tournaments. Every year, there are hundreds of different tournaments that are hosted for Dota 2. However, you don’t have to worry about learning all of them as studying only a few ones can help you out. The biggest tournament for Dota 2 is The International. It has some of the biggest prize pools in the history of esports, up to $34 million. The Dota Major Championship is also a series of some amazing tournaments that feature big prize pools. Such tournaments also feature top teams from all over the world.
6- Avoid Making an Emotional Decision
Making an emotional decision in esports betting can also cost you a lot of money. Some bettors have lost all their money while trying to recover what they previously lost. What happens is that whenever a player loses a bet, he tries to place another one with the hope to win back what he lost. However, he only ends up losing his money again because he places his bet without any prior research. This is why it is important to never make an emotional decision while betting on Dota 2 or any other game.
7- Stick to One Game at The Start
If you’re new to esports betting, then I will suggest you stick to only one game at the beginning. This is because you have to first have to understand how esports betting works before you can start placing bets on multiple games. All of this can create confusion. Therefore, it is better to first master Dota 2 betting before moving on to the second game. This way, you will properly learn everything about esports betting.
8- Stay Calm
The most important thing to do is to stay calm during the entire process. It is important to understand that it can take months to become a professional bettor. You are not going to learn everything in one day or night, so just don’t rush things. If you stay dedicated and consistent, then you will become a good bettor in no time. Just don’t give up after you lose a few bets because you will only learn from your mistakes.
9- Choose the Right Platform
Choosing the right platform is also an important part of Dota 2 betting. You can miss out on a lot if you choose the wrong platform. I suggest gathering a list of different Dota 2 gambling sites and then choose the one that suits your requirements. Some sites can help you become a good bettor and earn some serious cash. However, there also exist some sites that can scam you. Therefore, it is really important to first check the site’s license, design, customer support service, security, and some more things before creating an account on it.
10- Don’t Overthink Everything
Some new bettors make the mistake of overthinking a lot. And because of this, they always end up making the wrong decision. This is why it is best to just do proper research and make a decision based on it. If you’re just thinking and not doing anything, then it’s better to stop betting.
11- Don’t Have Big Expectations
The final thing we will suggest is to not have great expectations from esports betting. Sure, it can help you become a millionaire. But the chances for that to happen are close to zero. Esports betting can help you earn some serious cash, but it is still wise to keep the expectations low.
References
- https://blog.dota2.com/
- https://www.greo.ca/en/topics/convergence-of-gaming-and-gambling.aspx
- http://ijrp.subcultures.nl/wp-content/uploads/2009/01/hitchens_drachen_the_many_faces_of_rpgs.pdf
- https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S2214635019302965
