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Overwatch Betting – Best Sites And Strategy

Overwatch betting is focused mostly on the Blizzard-run Overwatch League (OWL), which features 20 professional teams based in cities around the world. With teams in six nations, the Overwatch League reaches a global audience and makes it one of eSports’ premier titles.

Overwatch is a team-based first-person shooter developed by Blizzard Entertainment and one of the world’s most-watched eSports. It features elements of classic fast-paced shooters and an ability system similar to that of many popular multiplayer online battle arena games.

Because of its global outreach, the eSport attracts bettors from around the world and is available on most online betting sites. The consolidation of the game’s pro scene means the best players and teams in the world are all playing in the same league. Though other tournaments are held, Overwatch eSports betting is generally made on the Overwatch League exclusively, concentrating all the attention, which is great for the eSport since it creates a better experience for the viewer.

OWL’s structure and marketing mimic that of other major professional sports leagues and could very well change the landscape of eSports moving forward. That makes it an exciting franchise to follow and learn as betting opportunities become more lucrative.

Overwatch Betting Markets – Types Of Overwatch Bets

Most major sportsbooks accept Overwatch League bets on individual matches throughout the regular season and playoffs which means bettors have hundreds of opportunities to wager. OWL bets are generally wagered only on which team will win an individual match outright, and Overwatch betting lines identify which team is the favorite. There is no opportunity to bet a spread or on the results of individual rounds of a match.

Overwatch Outright Bets

One of your options is to predict the winner of the entire event in advance, known as an moneyline bet, which requires a very good understanding of the field and is generally pretty tough to get right in a game like Overwatch. Since variance plays a decent-sized role in team-based matches, it is difficult to map out a competitor’s path to the finals, in that sense always be careful of roster’s changes, training of the teams beforehand, etc.

Overwatch Winner Match Bets

This is why betting on the outcome of the individual matches can be more profitable in the long run, especially if you’ve got a good understanding of how the team based game generally works. The bets on Overwatch, in some cases, are similar to bet types seen in CSGO because of the map-based strategies that can play out in several occasions. If you’ve got a good understanding of the game, you can certainly use that to win some bets.

In general, the Overwatch eSports scene is still in development and with the recent changes to the competitive format, we might see an increase of players which would allow for a bigger market, hence different types of bets. That’s the normal development for any eSport. Bigger ones like League of Legends and CSGO have gone through this same process and with the overall increase in interest through all eSports we will see betting increasing across the board too. This, in the end, increases bettors’ chances to get into the betting action.

Overwatch Esports Betting Guide

Successful Overwatch betting requires to have, for the most part, two sets of different abilities. The first one is about knowledge of the game, the second, and equally important, is the acumen around betting. Ignoring any of the two can lead to rookie mistakes, for example ignoring the betting side of things can lead to placing a lot of money on evenly sided matches, not distrubiting your risk, not doing line shopping, etc.

A similar situation can occur when you don’t know a thing about the game, who would you bet on? That’s right. This is why the following points emphasize the most important aspects and tips to take into account when starting eSports betting. Be sure to also check out our line shopping article where you’ll learn how to get odds and bet on several places at a time and get a return.

 

Betting Tip #1Look For Well Rounded Players And Teams

Adaptability is vital for OWL teams. Matches feature four different map types and challenge players and teams in different ways on a week-to-week basis. Teams that are good in all situations will win more often than not. Keep this in mind when placing an Overwatch bet.

 

Betting Tip #2Accept That Upsets Can Happen

The London Spitfire’s Cinderella run in the season one playoffs showed us that any team in the Overwatch League can win on any given night. Players and teams have unique playstyles and by default affect match-ups. Knowing how one team can neutralize a star player on an opposing team could be the key to calling an upset in Overwatch betting, and these types of situations can happen frequently.

 

Betting Tip #3Know The Gameplay Strategy – META

Blizzard isn’t afraid to change up Overwatch’s meta, which makes it increasingly more important to know what current gameplay trends are. A hero’s effectiveness in season one may not carry over into season two. Make sure you know which heroes are currently strongest and which have been nerfed.

 

Betting Tip #4Watch Live Streams And VOD’s

Picking a winner based on the league standings or which team has the league’s kill-per-match leader will only get you so far. Get a sense for the OWL teams and how they play. Make a more informed Overwatch bet by watching OWL streams and replays. VODs are a great way to get started.

 

Betting Tip #5Know The Gameplay – Learn The Nuances Of The Game

Overwatch can be overwhelming for newcomers, as it is with any type of new experience, so make sure you familiarize yourself with the game, its strategies, and its nuances. Watching just one stream will not make you an expert. Take the time to sift through the chaos and learn more about the game’s structure and heroes. This goes for Overwatch betting as well as eSports betting in general.

Overwatch League Betting (OWL)

The Overwatch League is the premier Overwatch competition and has grown from 12 teams in its first season to 20 in its second. The teams, geolocated in 20 global cities, are split into two divisions–Atlantic Division and Pacific Division–and participate in four stages from February to August. Stages one, two and three all end with eight-team stage playoff tournaments with prize pools of $5’000,000. Blizzard pushes the limits with the prize pools.

At the end of the regular season, the top teams in each division and the next four teams in the league standings, regardless of division, automatically qualify for the playoffs. Teams that finish seventh through 12th play in a sudden-death tournament with the winners earning bids to the eight-team playoffs.

Season one of the Overwatch League took place in 2018 and featured a total prize pool of $3.5 million. New York Excelsior, owned by the VC that also owns the New York Mets, took the regular-season championship. Cloud 9-owned London Spitfire went on a surprise playoff run and captured the league’ inaugural postseason championship. The Grand Final was held at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, NY.

With so many matches scheduled during the regular season, stage playoffs and league playoffs, there are many opportunities for Overwatch League betting. Most major online gambling sites accept Overwatch OWL betting in the eSports section of their websites.

Top 5 Overwatch Tournaments To Bet On

Overwatch League Regular Season

The Overwatch League’s second season began on February 14 and runs until August 25. Each of the league’s 20 teams plays 28 matches (four-map sets) during four five-week stages. Each stage features its own 12-map pools. Though the league is not a traditional Overwatch tournament, there is a $1.5 million prize pool paid out at the conclusion of stage four. The prize split is paid out based on final regular season standings. Sportsbooks accept bets on individual matches throughout the regular season.

Overwatch League Stage Playoffs

At the conclusion of stages one, two and three, eight teams qualify for stage playoff tournaments. The top team in each division and the next six teams in the league standings earn bids to the stage playoffs. An eight-team single-elimination bracket determines the stage champion, which takes home a prize of $200,000. In total, a prize pool of $500,000 is paid out at each of the stage playoffs–which are some of the biggest Overwatch tournaments on the Overwatch schedule–set to take place March 21-24, May 9-12, and July 11-14.

Overwatch League Playoffs

Eight teams will qualify for the double-elimination Overwatch League Playoffs when the regular season wraps up on August 25. Dates, format and map pools have yet to be revealed, but a $3.5 million prize pool is up for grabs with the winning team set to claim $1.1 million. The Overwatch League Playoffs is currently the biggest Overwatch tournament on the Overwatch tournament schedule.

Overwatch League All-Star Weekend

Like many other professional sports leagues, the Overwatch League conducted an All-Star Weekend in its inaugural season. Season two’s all-star festivities are scheduled to take place between stages two and three and could be of interest to those looking to place Overwatch bets.

In addition to a formal all-star game, the weekend will feature several skill competitions that pit individuals and divisional teams against one another. For example, the Lucioball Showdown is a 3-on-3 best-of-three series in which all players used the hero Lucio in a soccer-like mini-game.

Overwatch World Cup

Blizzard sponsored an Overwatch World Cup event the past three years and could do the same in future years. In 2018, the Overwatch World Cup, one of the most-watched Overwatch tournaments in the world, featured teams from eight nations in a single-elimination tournament. Despite the lack of a traditional prize pool (all teams received $16,000 to participate), the two-day event attracted many of the world’s best players.

Overwatch Best Esports Teams To Bet On During Tournaments

Season one’s regular season champion, New York Excelsior, looks strong early in season two and at the end of stage one’s fourth week boasted an undefeated 7-0 record. NYXL returned virtually its entire team from last season and is arguably the best Overwatch League team.

The Vancouver Titans, one of the Overwatch League’s newest teams, lead the Pacific Division with a 6-0 record of their own and look poised to challenge for stage titles and the regular season crown. Defending playoff champion London Spitfire has struggled early this season and is 3-3 on the year, but with DPS specialist Profit still on the roster, the Spitfire remains one of the best Overwatch teams.

Overwatch Esports Betting Strategy

With so many variables, Overwatch League matches can be hard to predict. The game features 29 unique heroes and a variety of map types. What works for one team on one map may not work on a different map. Therefore, it’s important for players to utilize a wide array of heroes in order to be effective in all scenarios. Team composition is also very important and should be considered by bettors when developing an Overwatch betting strategy. Bettors should familiarize themselves with the nuances of the game before placing bets.

All in all, it is highly recommended to combine both the betting knowledge and the gameplay knowledge, when those two are together you increase your chances to win by a considerable margin. Check out the strategy articles we’ve written extensively about to get in shape around all-things betting.

Overwatch eSports Betting FAQ