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Starcraft 2 eSports Betting

StarCraft 2 betting has experienced a resurgence over the past couple of years as the game re-established itself as a premier eSports title. Through the mid-2010s, interest in SC2, a game tailored to professional gaming, waned, but in 2017 Blizzard made it free-to-play, paving the way for what was arguably the best year in the game’s storied history in 2018.

The game is hugely popular in Asia, namely South Korea, but fosters audiences all over the world. Its benefited from the rise of online eSports betting and StarCraft 2 betting can be found at most major online sportsbooks. Though interest in SC2 has ebbed and flowed over the past decade, the title remains a power player in eSports and is primed for an exciting couple of years.

To be clear, StarCraft II is a real-time strategy game developed by Blizzard Entertainment and one of the greatest enduring titles in eSports history. Sequel to 1998’s StarCraft, StarCraft II was released in 2010 and maintains its relevance in the world or eSports betting.

Types of StarCraft 2 Betting

StarCraft II eSports betting offers betting types similar to other prominent eSports. The simplest SC2 bet type is the moneyline or game line bet. These are bets on the outcome of an individual match. The other type are the futures, and it’s about predicting which player or team will win a tournament or competition. We’ll talk about these and more in a bit.

There are even StarCraft II betting types that do not involve real money. Bettors that play StarCraft II themselves can wager in-game items in lieu of cash at some sites. This type of virtual-item wagering has grown in popularity as more eSports offer in-game cosmetic upgrades.

StarCraft II is one of the first-ever video games to be gambled on. Designed with professional gaming in mind, SC2 is super competitive and presents eSports bettors with a plethora of opportunities to place bets annually. StarCraft II betting is easy: just visit your favorite online sportsbook–MyBookie, BetOnline, Pinnacle, and Bovada are best for SC2–login and navigate to the StarCraft II section of the sportsbook.

Of most interest to eSports bettors would be tournaments and competitions under the StarCraft II World Championship Series (WCS) umbrella. The WCS is the game’s premier competition and features two regions:

• Global StarCraft II League (GSL) in Korea: Runs three seasons annually and two super tournaments. Matches and tournaments within the WCS framework are available to bet on at major online sportsbooks.
• WCS Circuit for players in all other nations: Conducts several large-scale tournaments.

For bettors looking to wager on individual matches on a regular basis, the GSL will scratch that itch. Moneyline or game line bets on individual match outcomes are available for GSL matches. There are also opportunities to place futures bets on WCS Circuit events, GSL Super Tournaments, and the prestigious IEM Katowice tournament. The Electronic Sports League (ESL), which organizes IEM Katowice, holds many SC2 tournaments and competitions regularly, but they are less likely to be offered at online sportsbooks.

Types Of Actual Bets Along With Examples

StarCraft 2 is a major eSport but options for gambling on the game’s competitive scene are not varied. SC2 is not League of Legends and doesn’t command the similar viewership. As a result, bettors won’t find specialized StarCraft 2 bets at online sportsbooks often and must settle for basic moneyline and futures wagers.

But that shouldn’t deter bettors! Esports betting, and StarCraft 2 betting specifically is an exciting form of gambling. Competition levels are high and prize pools keep growing.

The most common StarCraft II bets are moneyline bets. This type of StarCraft II bet is a simple wager on which team will win an individual match. For matches in both the GSL and WCS, spotsbooks like Bovada, Pinnacle, BetOnline, and MyBookie accept moneyline bets.

Teams are assigned odds and bettors choose an amount they want to wager. If the team they selected wins the match then the sportsbook pays out to the better based on the odds.

Futures bets are bets placed on specific outcomes of tournaments or other competitions. For example, prior to IEM Katowice, a sportsbook may accept bets on which team will win the tournament outright.

In StarCraft 2 betting, futures bets are less common than moneyline bets, but they tend to pop up around major GSL and WCS tournaments.

MyBookie accepts map-specific bets for individual matches. Similar to moneyline bets, bettors can wager on which player they believe will win a specific round or map. Odds and payouts for this type of bet work the same as individual match moneyline bets.

StarCraft 2 eSports Betting Guide

Betting Tip #1Experience is King

Maybe more so than other eSports, StarCraft II rewards experience. It’s rare for inexperienced players to capture titles at major tournaments in a game that is dominated by Korean powerhouses. StarCraft has been around for a very long time; the best players have tens of thousands of hours of competitive experience. Players that have experience in LAN environments and high-pressure situations have an even greater advantage. Betting on experience will payout more often than not.

Betting Tip #2Keep Tabs on the Meta

Gameplay trends come and go in SC2 so it’s vital for bettors to keep tabs on what is in and what is not. Top players are copycats in many ways and they’re not afraid to mimic others if they’re successful. In doing so, the competitive game evolves and takes on a new meta. Following the competitive scene and watching pro streams will keep you informed.

Betting Tip #3Do Your Research

There’s not much that separates the world’s elite and it will be a challenge to pick a winner in tightly-contested GSL matches and tournaments. Bettors are urged to dissect gameplay styles and pay close attention to which race a player uses before backing them as opposed to their opponent. This is another important piece of your StarCraft II betting strategy and is necessary to win real money.

Betting Tip #4Be Smart

Don’t hop into StarCraft II betting too early and make sure you have set aside a sum of money you’re comfortable betting with. SC2 is by no means an eSport for gambling novices. In fact, it’s probably one of the most difficult to master. If you feel your knowledge of the game is lacking, return to the drawing board.

Betting Tip #5Learn. The. Game.

SC2 is not an FPS and is deeply complex. The most important step in this StarCraft II betting guide is to play the game and soak up as much information as you can. A StarCraft II stream to a new bettor will look like complete chaos. You must, must, must learn how to play this game before wagering on it. When you’re able to watch a GSL or WCS stream and know what’s going on, that’s when you should place your first bet.

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Top StarCraft 2 Tournaments To Bet On

The IEM Katowice tournament is the second-biggest individual event of the StarCraft II annual season. It features the best players from Korea and the world, boasts a $400,000 prize pool, and awards the winner an automatic bid to the WCS Global Finals.

The week-long tournament is the first global competition on the SC2 schedule annually and a total of 76 players participated in the 2019 edition.

IEM’s first tournament was held back in 2010 and it remains one of the biggest StarCraft II tournaments today.

Korea’s Global StarCraft II League conducts three competitive seasons annually, offering players a number of opportunities to collect Global Playoffs qualification points.

The three Code S seasons give bettors dozens if not hundreds of opportunities to place bets on individual matches throughout the competitive campaigns. Korea as a region has dominated competitive SC2 play since the game’s release and continues to be the breeding ground for the world’s best players.

The GSL seasons generally have the highest concentration of SC2 talent of any competition and it makes them some of the most important events on the StarCraft II tournament schedule.

The de facto StarCraft II world championship, the Global Playoffs, and Finals bring together the best players from around the world.

Eight players qualify from both Korea’s GSL and the worldwide WCS Circuit. The 16 players descend upon BlizzCon and compete for their share of a $500,000 prize pool and the title of world champion. This event is the biggest StarCraft II tournament in the world and garners the largest audience.

Because of the high level of interest, online sportsbooks are more inclined to offer bettors a wide array of betting options like futures and specials bets.

StarCraft 2 Betting Strategy

Gameplay mechanics are obviously important in StarCraft II, but at the highest level, all players have perfected the same vital mechanics. Playing thousands of hours competitively builds muscle memory which top players can recall subconsciously. But the best of the best in SC2 are those players that make the best decisions.

Making important decisions requires a masterful knowledge of the game and all its ins and outs, but high-pressure tournament experience is also key. When crafting a StarCraft II betting strategy, it’s important to remember that experience is a huge factor in match outcome.

The StarCraft series is over 20 years old and there are a lot of older players (players in their upper 20’s and 30’s) compared to other top eSports. What this means is that many of the world’s top players have been through the wringer, have oceans of experience, and make good decisions.

Best StarCraft 2 Players And Teams

Korea has dominated StarCraft II since the game’s release and traditionally the best StarCraft II players come for the Korean Republic. Six of the seven WCS Global Finals champions have been Korean and the 2013 and 2015 winner, sOs, is the only two-time winner.

The 2018 champion, Serral, is Finnish and the only non-Korea to claim the world title. Serral is third all-time in SC2 earnings and trails only Koreans INnoVation and Maru. Maru hit the pro scene as a 13-year-old and is the highest SC2 earner at the age of 21 having amassed $745, 639 in winnings. He won an unprecedented fourth-straight GSL Code S season in March of 2019.

 Jin Air Green Wings is currently the world’s StarCraft II powerhouse. Its sponsored two of the last four world champions and is only one of two teams to have won multiple world titles, the other being the disbanded StarTale.

Jin Air Green Wings players include sOs, Maru and Rogue, making them the best StarCraft II team.

Best StarCraft 2 Content Creators

The best way to learn StarCraft is to watch the best StarCraft II streamers. Head on over to Twitch.tv and browse by game. From there, you can watch hundreds of SC2 streams, but not all are created equal. Start with fun streams with streamers that are friendly and teach the basics of the game like Winter, an American Random player.

Random means that Winter plays all three races in the game. This is good for newcomers because watching Winter’s streams gives them a taste of each of the game’s races.

More advanced viewers should tune in to RotterdaM’s streams. The Dutch player and caster has one of the biggest SC2 followings and has been around the game’s scene for a decade.

RotterdaM is a talented player and offers interesting insight as a caster making his stream one of the best StarCraft II streams out there for interested bettors.

Lowko produces high-quality SC2 videos that are must-watches for StarCraft II bettors.

His match commentary videos provide in-depth insight into the professional intricacies of SC2 and teach viewers valuable in-game lessons. A former commentator and host, Lowko is close to the pro scene and is privy to its goings-on.

StarCraft 2 Gameplay Mechanics – Basics

StarCraft II is a competitive real-time strategy (RTS) game and is very different than most other popular eSports. It’s not a shooter, a MOBA, a card game, or a fighting game and thus demands a different type of skill set. The key to getting good at StarCraft II is to put in hundreds of hours of playing time. There are so many items and intricacies to the game that can only be understood by players who have spent a ton of time playing.

Muscle memory and reaction time are also important skills to develop when learning how to play StarCraft II. The game rewards players that can move quickly around the map and mobilize armies instantly. Doing so requires tuned instincts and quick thinking.

As an RTS, StarCraft II’s competitive scene is 1v1. The WCS names an individual as world champion annually although eSports organizations sponsor multiple players. Team competitions are rare but they do occur. There are 2v2, 3v3, and 4v4 game modes but they are not played at the professional level.

The game’s 1v1 ladders are tightly contested and give players, professional and amateur alike, added competitive incentive. For those not looking to compete, StarCraft II offers an epic campaign story mode and co-op missions.

StarCraft 2 esports Betting FAQ