How to Bet on CS2: Complete Guide
Table of Content:
- How to Bet on CS2 Step-by-Step
- CS2 Leagues and Tournaments
- CS2 Betting Markets
- CS2 Betting Tips
- CS2 Live Betting
- CS2 Betting FAQ
How to Bet on CS2 Step-by-Step
Set up an account on LeoVegas Sportsbook.
Search for CS2 or go to our CS2 Betting page.
Select the betting market. Moneyline is the best bet for beginners.
Place your bet and check the results.
CS2 Leagues and Tournaments
First released in 1999 as a mod for Half-Life, CS2 (Counter-Strike: Global Offensive) has built a legion of dedicated fans worldwide leading to in-person events and tournaments which celebrate the game and build the gaming community. CS2 tournaments have taken place since 2001 and have steadily grown in popularity since.
CS2 tournaments are popular esports events that draw thousands of players, spectators, and sponsors from all across the globe. Major tournaments have prize pools reaching millions of US dollars, while smaller tournaments and leagues are more commonplace. In this section, we discuss some of the major CS2 leagues and tournaments.
BLAST Premier
BLAST Premier is one of the premier CS2 events, bringing online gaming to legions of fans in person. A multi-level, multi-region professional league for top players and teams, BLAST Premier is a live interactive tournament bringing players together from all over the world. Play begins with a regular season of 10 tournaments and culminates with the BLAST Premier Global Final, the grand finale where players compete for a cash prize.
The prize pool for tournament winner of the 2022 Global Final alone was US$1,000,000. The tournament series continues to grow in popularity and remains one of the most sought-after and prestigious CS2 tournaments. Some of the most well-known winners are the FaZe clan, Heroic and Team Vitality.
With commentary rivaling popular sports channels, BLAST Premier has popularized a new, innovative way to play games. BLAST Premier has an unprecedented competitive structure and rewards for exceptional performances set it apart from other leagues, and some of the biggest names in the esports field are participants.
Intel Extreme Masters
The Intel Extreme Masters (IEM) is one of the longest-running CS2 tournaments in the world. Launched in 2006, the IEM is a premier global tournament series held in several cities around the world. Over its many years, it has become one of the most respected and anticipated tournaments in CS2 esports, drawing top teams from all corners of the globe.
IEM is best known for its spectacular settings and electrifying atmosphere, offering one of the best esports in’ most engaging fan experiences. The tournament offers an impressive prize pool and features some of the most exciting professional CS2 matches.
ESL Impact
ESL Impact is a CS2 tournament series developed by ESL, one of the longest-running esports organizations. It features the best teams from the international CS2 scene and is broadcast worldwide.
The tournament is divided into three seasons and seven key tournaments, concluding with a live Global Final. ESL Impact is known as one of the most popular tournaments. ESL Impact is known for its women's only league, encouraging women to take part in CS2 tournaments and feel welcome and safe in the tournament.
ESL Impact has one of the most generous prize pools in the CS2 scene, recently increased to $1.25 million USD. The ESL Impact guarantees a dramatically exciting atmosphere for all viewers. The tournament series focuses on bringing together the biggest names in CS2, as well as potential up-and-coming teams, to further the competitive level of CS2.
Flashpoint
Flashpoint is a CS2 tournament series organized by FACEIT and sponsored by Twitch. Flashpoint is one of the newer tournaments on the list, which comes with teething problems. Founded in 2020, Flashpoint shows that it's never too late for new tournaments to crop up. Flashpoint is a premier esports tournament featuring both challenger and professional teams from a variety of regions. It focuses on providing viewers with an immersive and entertaining experience, as well as providing teams and organizations with lucrative prize money.
Flashpoint wanted to build on the popularity of tournaments, as well as offer a more sustainable alternative to lots of in-person events. Flashpoint is owned by the teams and helps build on that community aspect.
The tournament series also has professional commentators and analysts and follows the broadcast formats of traditional sports, creating an exciting tournament atmosphere. Flashpoint is one of the most watched and highest-quality CS2 tournaments in the world.
European Pro League
European Pro League (EPL) is one of the most prestigious CS2 tournaments. It is a professional tournament series open to any CS2 teams from Europe. A total of twelve teams from each region form the EPL roster, with the top eight teams qualifying for the coveted playoffs. The tournament offers an attractive prize pool for all participating teams, as well as a stage for the best teams from each region to come together and show their skills. EPL is highly respected in the CS2 esports scene and tournaments are cast by some of the most respected commentators in the world.
CS2 Betting Markets
Moneyline
One of the most well-liked types of CS2 betting is moneyline betting. The bettor must properly anticipate which team will win a specific game in order to place this particular type of wager. The simplest kind of betting, moneyline betting, requires no specific expertise or understanding.
The odds are determined by the bookmaker based on teams’ estimated strengths, and bettors can place wagers on either the favourite team or the underdog. Due to their simplicity, moneyline bets have relatively low payouts, but they are also simple to understand and provide a quick method to enter the CS2 betting market.
For CS2, you can bet on which team will win in a best-of-three or best-of-five, as well as choosing individual team members who are likely to perform the best or win, meaning bettors can rely on their knowledge of the game, as well as awareness of which players can perform better than expected.
When placing moneyline bets, advice to keep in mind includes looking up teams' histories and looking up locations on a map (if playing a map other than the standard ones) and making a decision not only on who is most likely to win, but who could be a dark horse in the competition.
Outrights
Outright betting is another type of CS2 wager that is gaining popularity. It is different from normal match betting because the outcome of a match is not determined by the performance of a single team, but by the overall performance of a tournament or league.
Outright betting requires a different skill set from normal moneyline betting, as bettors need to analyze the performance of all teams in order to make an informed decision, as well as knowing previous winners and what it takes for a player to win the entire tournament.
How outright betting works is simple: the bettor must correctly predict which team will win an entire tournament. The odds for outright outcomes are usually higher than for moneyline bets and the payouts are accordingly larger. The most popular outright betting market is the futures market, where bettors can bet on the winner of the next major tournament.
Total Maps
Total maps are yet another popular CS2 betting market. Total map betting is all about predicting the total number of maps, or rounds, that must be played in a match. It differs from moneyline betting in that the bettor doesn't need to pick a winner but simply predicts the number of maps that will be played in a given match. The outcome is usually determined more by chance than skill.
The bookmaker usually sets the odds and the payout is determined by the bettor’s correct prediction. For instance, if a bettor feels confident in predicting the total number of maps being played, they will place a higher bet. If the bettor is new to total maps betting, they can look at the odds and make an informed decision.
It is important to note that the totals market can be extremely volatile as it is heavily dependent on the skill level and the matchups. Therefore, it is important for the bettor to gain a comprehensive understanding of the teams' strengths and weaknesses in order to make an informed bet.
Total Rounds
Just like total maps, total rounds betting involves predicting the total number of rounds that are played in a single match. Rounds are different from maps in that a single map can be divided into multiple rounds.
Here, the bettor must predict the total number of rounds that will be played in a best-of-three or best-of-five series. Researching total rounds betting requires both teams' strengths and weaknesses to be taken into consideration, as well as the map pool of the team. The bettors must also account for the playstyle of each team in order to make an accurate prediction. This type of wager has become increasingly popular as it allows for more experienced bettors to gear their wagers towards certain maps and team strategies.
CS2 Betting Tips
In this section, we provide a few tips for those looking to bet on CS2 matches:
Watch professional tournaments to get an understanding of the teams, players and current metagame.
Set a budget and stick to it.
Use multiple betting sites to compare odds and find better-value bets.
Seek out underdog teams that can offer you higher payouts.
Analyze individual matchups to understand the strengths and weaknesses of each team.
Always do your research before placing a bet.
Be aware of when tournaments are rescheduled and map pools are changed.
Choose betting markets that suit your knowledge and understanding of the game.
Make sure to take note of teams’ past statistics.
Use online forums and discussion boards to gain insight into the professional CS2 scene.
Keep up to date with team and tournament news.
Make use of in-game analysis and hot-spotting tools.
Be patient and don’t go chasing losses.
CS2 Live Betting
Live betting is a type of CS2 betting that is becoming increasingly popular as it gives bettors the opportunity to wager on a match while it is still being played.
Live betting allows bettors to take advantage of real-time action and tailor their bets accordingly. Rather than placing a wager before a match and waiting to see the outcome, live betting requires bettors to constantly evaluate the match and adjust their bets as necessary. This allows the bettor to take the game into context as well as evaluate any circumstances which may affect the player's performance.
When betting on live CS2 matches, it is important to have an understanding of the metagame, teams and players. Additionally, bettors must be aware of the current state of the match and how the teams are playing in order to make more informed decisions.
Lastly, it is important to remember that live betting is a form of speculation and bettors should never risk amounts that they are not comfortable with, as well as considering the circumstances of the match.
CS2 Betting FAQ
Is CS2 betting popular in Canada?
Yes, CS2 betting is popular in Canada. With the major growth of esports betting here in the past few years, many of the major betting companies have opened their doors to the CS2 competitive scene, offering a wide variety of betting markets and competitive odds.
How do you check CS2 betting odds?
Most of the major betting and gambling sites, that offer CS2 betting will display the odds and potential payouts on their websites. Betting sites also publish live odds, which makes it easy to check the odds on any upcoming matches.
What are CS2 weapons?
CS2 weapons are the various guns, knives and grenades featured in the game. Players can purchase these weapons in the store and use them to gain an advantage in the game. Different weapons have different characteristics, making them more suitable for certain strategies and playstyles.
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