Despite the crisis that the world currently faces, esports is one of the few minimally affected and active sectors in the global entertainment industry. Because of its resilience, bookmakers have now rapidly expanded its market to esports betting.
Among the hundreds of esports you can bet on, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) has taken over Europe and North America in terms of betting popularity. With millions of fans and players across the globe, bookmakers race to offer CS:GO betting tips and opportunities to the hungry market.
What is CS:GO?
CS:GO is a first-person shooter game played by two teams consisting of five players.
Teams:
- Terrorist – This is the offense side. Their goal is to either plant a bomb and have it explode or kill all players of the other team within the 1:55 time limit.
- Counter-terrorist – The defending side’s goal is to stop the terrorists from planting and setting off the bomb by delaying the other team from planting the bomb, defusing the bomb, or killing off the other team.
Most competitive matches are hosted by the best-of-3 game format, although some matches implement the best-of-5, best-of-2, and even best-of-1 format.
Each game has 30 rounds in regulation and the first to win 16 rounds will be declared the winner. After 15 rounds, the teams switch sides.
Why is CS:GO betting gaining popularity?
Recent world events have allowed esports and esports betting to rise in popularity, but CS:GO has gained much attention due to the popularity of the game’s genre and the fact that it’s the top first-person shooter game in the field.
For punters, upsets are not uncommon in CS:GO making it perfect for punters who would like to make a high profit with a small stake.
Aside from this, CS:GO tournaments are held throughout the year and can be played in different formats such as leagues and single-player tournaments. Some of the wide variety of CS:GO tournaments to bet on are CS:GO Global Championships and the ESL Pro League.
Types of CS:GO Bets
- Money-line bets – a common type of bet placed based on the result of a single match-up. The odds are according to the perceived overall strength of the teams.
- Accumulator bets – a popular type of bet consisting of several individual bets. If all bets are won, odds are multiplied and results in a higher payout.
- Futures market bets – this type of bet focuses on the overall result of the tournament. An example would be placing a bet on which team would win the tournament, or which team would make it to the finals.
- Special bets – a type of bet that requires further knowledge on the games and the players as it focuses on specific events in the game. Examples of these types are map bets, first blood, and correct scores.
For those who are interested in trying esports betting, CS:GO is an easy and exciting game that you can get into. For now, regular punters can explore this non-traditional side of betting and see if the gains are worthwhile. As esports continues to prove its convenience and popularity in the gambling industry, will esports become the future of the betting industry?