What to know about safe esports betting

Esports betting has taken off at an unpredictable rate in recent years. Millions of PC and video gaming fans have embraced the hobby with excitement and regularly invest money in the fascinating world of so-called e-gaming.

Are you someone who dreams of a small esports betting hobby but isn't sure how to get it off the ground safely? If so, you've come to the right place. Namely, in this article, we will go over the most important things you need to know about safe esports betting.

Choose reputable betting platforms

The unfortunate fact is that there are rotten apples in the gambling industry. Some esports-focused sites are set up mainly to benefit their owners - rather than the gambling public. The easiest way to avoid such bad operators is to choose online casinos in Malta or Estonia as your place to play. Casinos and betting sites operating within the EU adhere to the highest standards in the industry and will not allow any dubious or disreputable sites under their licence.

The Maltese and Estonian gambling authorities both ensure that operators who break their rules and regulations are held accountable for their actions. They also keep a constant watchful eye on esports sites to ensure that customers do not have to go to too much trouble to find out where they should play safely.

In addition to all these other good things, EU sites have another ace up their sleeve. They allow Finnish players to claim tax-free winnings under domestic law. Because the EU has free movement, esports sites already pay their taxes to Europe so customers don't have to.

So whatever you do, it's best to favour European and, more specifically, EU-based betting companies when betting on esports. That way you avoid a lot of bad things. You can check the up-to-date licensing status of each gaming site by clicking on the footer at the bottom of the casino's homepage, among other important information.

Understand the games and teams

Knowledge is key in esports betting, as it is in all other betting.

Before you start betting, it's important to know what you're betting on in the first place. So if you're interested in betting on, say, a CS:GO game involving your local ENCE team, you should first know what Counter-Strike: Global Offensive is all about. It also wouldn't hurt if you'd previously familiarised yourself with the competing teams and their potential weaknesses and strengths.

In many cases, the smartest esports bettor is one who knows exactly what they're getting into and what they're doing. He or she is also more or less familiar with the recent results and achievements of the teams. In other words, he doesn't just make bets on the basis of "wasn't this team once good", but his bets are based on measurable and existing facts in one way or another.

Set a budget and stick to it

In all forms of gambling, it is vitally important to stay within the bounds of accountability. Esports betting, of course, has no strict upper limits when it comes to betting sites. Customers can therefore pour as much money as they want into their bets - or even more.

It's worth setting a budget for yourself and committing to it before you start betting. For example, if you don't want to lose more than €20, you should only deposit €20. You can also set yourself a daily, weekly or monthly deposit limit to ensure that you never go over your budget.

Esports betting is a very exciting and exhilarating experience. Sometimes the excitement can take you by surprise and you end up making a new deposit soon afterwards, ex tempore. In these situations, it is important to remember that games should only ever be played with money that you can afford to lose. At that point, if a player starts playing games compulsively or beyond his budget, we can talk about some kind of gambling problem. By setting yourself a budget, you can therefore more easily monitor and regulate your own gambling behaviour, rather than letting it control you.

Explore the different types of gambling

Esports betting offers many different markets and destinations. So you don't always have to just bet on the winner of a match, you can dive deeper.

It's worth exploring the many different betting options to find the one that suits you best. Depending on the game and the object, you can bet on the winners of individual maps, for example, as well as various player statistics and in-game events. Diversifying your bets can improve your overall betting experience and, ideally, even reduce your risk.

Compare odds

Different betting sites may offer different odds on the same esports match. Of course, the smartest bet is to bet on a reliable site that offers the highest and therefore the best odds for the desired bet.

Experienced esports bettors will vary the betting site based on where the highest odds are to be found at any given time. So it may be worth joining several sites from the start with this in mind. Alternatively, you can sign up to new esports sites as you find the best odds on the ones that interest you.

Finally,

Esports betting can offer enthusiasts an entertaining and rewarding experience at its best. However, this requires a safe and responsible approach. If you don't do the necessary background work or if you go into betting with too loose and vague a budget, you could be drawn into dangerous or otherwise unpleasant situations.

Remember to follow all the points on our list to make your betting experience as enjoyable as possible from start to finish!