Strategic DOTA 2 Betting Tips
DOTA 2 is one of the most popular real-time strategy video games on the market. It involves two teams trying to destroy each other's fortress. Each player in the game is a hero with certain powers, and they must all work together to accomplish their common goal.
It's considered a MOBA, or a multiplayer online battle arena game, and it's not only a lot of fun to play, but it's a lot of fun to watch as well. For that reason, it has become a huge focal point of eSports for people to watch and bet on.
If you're new to DOTA 2 and check out our guide on how to bet on DOTA 2.
If you have your basics covered and want to refine your approach and strategy, follow our DOTA 2 betting tips below. These can help you get ahead and find some new angles so you can win more often than you lose.
Start Small
One of the great parts about betting on sports today is that there are so many different options to choose from. You can get very intricate with the types of bets you are making, which can bring a lot of fun and excitement to the process, of course.
However, if you're just starting out, start small. Don't get too complicated. Begin by simply looking at moneyline bets and getting a feel for betting on DOTA 2. With moneyline bets, you'll simply look to pick the team that will end up winning the matchup outright, regardless of what the final score is. This is the simplest way to bet on eSports such as DOTA 2.
Once you have the hang of that, then progress to something slightly more advanced such as individual maps. This could work just like the moneyline, except you'll be predicting which team you think will win on a particular map, rather than the entire event.
When you start small, you'll have a good chance to learn how the game works and how betting on it works, too. That can help set you up for sustained success over the long term.
Avoid Your Favorite Teams
As you watch more and more DOTA 2 games, you may develop a liking for some teams. Just like in other sports, it can be a good idea to avoid betting on your favorite teams in DOTA 2. For many people, it can be very difficult to separate their passion for a team from logic when it comes to betting. A lot of people tend to overvalue their favorite teams and think they're going to end up performing better than they might actually do. This can cloud their judgment when they're making betting decisions.
One easy way to avoid doing this is to just not bet on your favorite team at all. While there could be good opportunities when betting on your favorite team, it might be difficult to make objective decisions when they play. You would be better off by just ignoring the betting lines on your favorite DOTA 2 teams altogether, just watch and root for them instead - with no money at stake.
Follow Experts You Respect
One great way to gain insights into eSports and DOTA 2 specifically is to find an expert that you like and follow their advice. There are many different betting experts out there today, and many specialize in eSports.
Start by simply reading a lot of different experts, or listening to any podcasts they might have. Figure out ones that you like - either because what they're saying makes sense, because they have a good personality or because their betting style matches yours, for instance.
Then, follow their betting advice to see how it pans out in actual DOTA 2 matchups. This will help you see whether they're right or not, and if you would've benefitted from placing the bets they suggest. Once you do all that, you can start placing actual bets using some of the advice that they are giving. This is a great way to gain a lot of insight on DOTA 2 without having to do a ton of research on your own.
Don’t Chase Big Payouts
It can be easy to look at the odds of the various eSports betting lines that are provided and just chase some of the biggest payouts. There are a lot of these that are available in eSports, since there can be some big mis-matches when it comes to the different teams involved in competitions. This is especially true in the beginning rounds of large tournaments, where there are a lot of entrants, but only a few teams that are truly excellent.
Chasing big payouts is not a winning strategy, in any sport - or in any type of gambling, for that matter. There's a reason why the potential payout of some of the longshot underdogs are what they are. There isn’t a good chance that these teams will win. Of course, there's always that rare time when the big underdog pulls off a huge upswing. And in those cases, the payout is obviously pretty big.
But, when you're betting on DOTA 2 and other eSports, the idea is to try to get as many wins as you can. You don't need to only opt for the guaranteed wins, or the small wins. When you chase only the large wins, though, you're not giving yourself a really great opportunity to make a profit over the long term.
Instead, you're just hoping for a lot of luck to give you the big payout. In many ways, this is much more akin to playing the lottery or a progressive jackpot slot game than it is to betting on DOTA 2. So, while many of these longshot underdogs may look enticing based on just the odds and the potential payouts alone, try to avoid making too many of these bets. You're going to lose much more than you're going to win if you bet this way.