It’s pretty much a given that you’re here to learn how to become a good Dota 2 punter, but before you get to that point you need to get with the very basics of how to bet on Dota 2 games in the first place. If you’re a total newbie to the Dota 2 betting game, then this article should be your starting point. If you’ve done this before, then it’s always a good idea to come back to this every now and then if you need a refresher!
The Dota 2 betting sites we list here do not include jackpot or casino betting. Our List of the Best Dota 2 Betting Sites 2017. All of the Dota 2 betting sites that we feature have been independently reviewed by expert esports gamblers and editors. Each review is an honest indication of what to expect when betting on their Dota 2 sportsbook.
Real Money eSports Betting
As the name would imply, real money eSports betting refers to gambling actual money on professional video game matches, coursed through online bookmakers. As opposed to skins betting sites (e.g. Dota 2/CSGO Lounge, CSGOHunt, etc), online bookmakers accept only real money and are fully licensed and regulated by their respective governing bodies.
- On Dota 2 betting sites, you not only choose the type of the bet but the currency you wager on. Yet the majority of bookies offer real-money wagering; you can also bet with play money and in-game items. Let’s take a deeper look into how the entire system works Real Money And Play Money.
- Dota 2 Betting Real Money. Dota 2 esport betting for real money is one of the most exciting things you can do. There is nothing like watching a live online game as the action unfolds – you are routing for your team and watch them pull off some amazing moves.
With the rapid growth of the eSports scene the world over, gambling companies have taken notice. There are several bookmakers out there that now offer betting on a wide variety of eSports titles, and there has never been a better time to get into the game. Real money eSports gambling is fun, simple, and can even be a source of income if you’re lucky enough. However, at the end of the day, always remember that gambling is gambling and even the highest of rollers have bad betting days. The important part is to know when to bet and when to stop. Try not to chase your losses, especially if your loss was due to bad luck.
The Basics
We will be using bet365.com as the example for this how to article. The actual steps taken while betting may differ depending on the bookmaker you play with, but they all follow the same process, more or less.
First off, you’re going to want to create an account on the websites of the bookmakers you intend to play with. If you don’t know where to start, check out some of our recommendations over at our bookmaker reviews page. We highly recommend starting with bet365, our example here. They have a great, newbie-friendly interface and the most number of options when it comes to Dota 2 betting, so you will rarely ever find days with no Dota 2 games to bet on in their site.
To create an account, simply head over to your respective bookmaker’s registration page. This should be simple enough so we’ll leave you to that. Afterwards, find out how to claim your free bet upon account creation. Each bookmaker has different terms and conditions with regards to free bets, which you can also find in our reviews. If the bookmaker you signed up with requires a deposit before claiming the signup bonus, read on.
Most online bookmakers will have a page dedicated to displaying their eSports books. In this example, the eSports section is located on the navbar to the left. Click on it to navigate to the section. This will vary from site to site, so keep your eyes peeled on your bookmaker’s interface to find the eSports section.
From there you will usually find the events that are being priced up by the bookmaker, or the books themselves without any kind of sorting. In our example’s case, the markets are arranged according to the title of the game and the market type. Look for the cards that say “Dota 2”, then click on the market of your choice.
For this guide, we will be choosing the “Match Winner 2-Way” market for the TI6 qualifier matches. Clicking the link will bring you to the books for that particular market in that event.
Here you will see the odds for each team in the upcoming matches. These odds are computed by the bookmakers, based on a team’s perceived chances of defeating their opponents or accomplishing feats such as being the first to take Roshan in a game or scoring the most kills in the series. The closing time for each book is displayed on the right of the matchup title, giving you an idea of how long you have to mull over the options.
Once you’ve chosen a side, simply click on the team you wish to bet on. This will add the team to your bet slip. You can adjust your stake on the bet slip itself by typing the number into the box. In most cases, the bet slip will automatically show you how much you get in return after typing in your stake.
Once you’re finished, simply hit the “Place Bet” button to finalize your bet slip. From there, you can choose your payment option. It’s really that simple!
General Tips
Always remember that different bookmakers might place different odds on matches. You may be able to find a better deal elsewhere, so make sure to look in several places before committing your bet slip. Of course, this will only matter if the match you’re betting on is being offered by more than one bookmaker, but it’s safe to assume that the biggest events out there will be priced up by more than a few.
Of course, the best place to look for top deals and the most detailed betting tips is right here on our site. Do your research before you bet! Read up on the teams’ histories, their playstyles, their peformances as of late — and make sure to read our match previews in order to get the low-down on the teams competing against each other. Doing so will only help you make an informed decision when you do feel like wagering your hard-earned money.
In Dota 2, strange things happen on a regular basis. Sometimes it is better to wager on the underdog, especially when the favoured team is on a long winning streak. Streaks have to end at some point, and when you bet on the underdog in such a case, you could score big. Even outside of long streaks, teams can still lose to opponents that they shouldn’t on paper. Again, it’s still mostly down to luck, but there are ways to swing the odds in your favour.
Most importantly, though — remember to have fun. If your heart’s not in it, the game will likely just end up depressing you. Keep your chin up through the losses and you might find yourself winning more than you lose.
— written by Patrick “EthanKairos” Bonifacio (@EthanKairosSC2)
Dota 2 is a computer multiplayer team game in the genre of the multiplayer online battle arena, developed by Valve Corporation. The game is a continuation of Dotа is a custom map modification for the game Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos and additions to it Warcraft III: The Frozen Throne. The game depicts a battle on a map of a special kind; in each match, two teams of five players participate, controlling the “heroes” – characters with different sets of abilities. To win the match, the team must destroy a special object – a “fortress” belonging to the enemy side, and protect its own “fortress” from destruction. The game operates on a free-to-play model with micropayment elements.
The development of the game began in 2009 when Valve hired the main developer of Dotа – Ice Frog, and in the summer of 2010 filed an application for registration of this trademark. On October 13, 2010, on the Game Informer game portal, the game was announced for release in 2011. On August 15, 2011, the game trailer was published on the official blog. Dota 2 was released in July 2013 after two years in beta.
Initially, the game was released on the Source game engine, after which in 2015 it was ported to Source 2, becoming the first game running on it. Dota 2 provides the ability to create custom game modes, map design, and cosmetic items for heroes, and then add them to Dota 2 using the Steam Workshop. It is one of the most popular games on Steam and has received generally positive reviews from critics for the gameplay, production quality and preservation of the positive aspects of its predecessor. Among the main disadvantages of the game, the difficulty of learning was noted.
Dota 2 Esports: Leagues and Tournaments
Dota 2 is an active esports discipline in which professional teams from around the world compete in various leagues and tournaments. Premium tournaments on Dota 2 betting sites have prize pools of millions of dollars, which have repeatedly become the largest in history. The largest tournament of the game is The International, held annually by Valve. Starting in the 2017/18 season, Valve is also organizing the Dota Pro Circuit, a professional season held throughout the year. Large professional Dota 2 tournaments are broadcast on video streaming services, sometimes gaining over a million spectators at the same time. People betting on Dota 2 esports are often called “Doters.”
The game Dota 2, like its predecessor DotA, is an esports discipline, and even before the official release, many tournaments were held on it, the largest of which is the International series tournaments organized by the developers themselves – Valve. In 2015, The Major launched a series of tournaments, also hosted by Valve. The first of them was held in November 2015 in Frankfurt, the OG team became the winner. The second Major was held in March 2016 in Shanghai, the Team Secret team became the champion. The third tournament was held in June 2016 in Manila, the OG team became the winner. The fourth Major was held in December 2016 in Boston, where the OG team won. The fifth Major was held in April 2017 in the city of Kyiv, where the OG team won again.
The game is also one of the largest esports in the world. The origins of Dota are a point of contention among some, but the first widely played Dota 2 of a Dota was a player-made map called Defense of the Ancients for Blizzard Entertainment’s Warcraft III real-time strategy game. The content was created using the game but was not made or owned by Blizzard itself. One of the developers associated with the mod, who is known publicly as “Icefrog,” was employed by Valve as lead designer on Dota 2.
Dota 2 betting is one of the most popular multiplayer online battle, developed by Valve. This free-to-play game is a continuation of Defence of the Ancients, a mod for Warcraft video game. Released in 2013 for Windows, OS X and Linux, these esports turned out to be one of the most played video games of all times. Despite its complex gameplay, players still find it very engaging and rewarding.
Dota 2 is played by two teams, each consisting of five players. All players choose their own hero, each having their unique strengths and characteristics. The teams play on a map and each has a large structure called Ancient to protect from the enemy team. The team which destroys the enemy’s Ancient first is the winner.
About Dota 2 Betting
Among esports fans, Dota 2 is known as the electronic sport with the largest prize pool. At The International 2018, the largest Defence of the Ancients 2 tournament, 16 teams compete to win a prize of over $25mln, which is far more than money prizes of any other esports. So the fascinating gameplay, availability of numerous international tournaments and strong teams of talented professional players make Defence of the Ancients 2 very popular among eSports betting fans.
Launched in 2011, EGB is a popular esports betting platform. Dota 2 fans choose EGB to place their bets for the following reasons:
- great Dota 2 betting odds for the major tournaments, including The International
- support of a wide variety of paying systems, including Visa, MasterCard, Neteller, Skrill, and other popular options
- fast withdrawals for sums starting from just $15, commission-free withdrawal once in a month
- lots of bonuses and promotions
- game schedule with results updated in real-time
- online chat, which provides users with a chance to discuss major tournaments other industry events
- live streams of the main games
Besides, EGB is a fully secured esports Dota 2 betting website, which is proven by its Curacao license.
What Are The Dota 2 Betting Bonuses?
Dota 2 betting bonuses will differ from site to site, and come in a few common forms. One of the most common bonuses is the first deposit bonus, which multiplies your first deposit – sometimes substantially. We’ve seen percentages anywhere on a Dota 2 betting site from 25% to 200%, although of course you will be required to bet this several times at challenging odds to get your money back out again. Still, this is a nice way of starting off your Dota 2 betting career or a good excuse to try a new website.
Other bonuses are also offered. Free bets are just what they sound like; a free chance to win some money without offering up any of your own. It’s rare that you’ll be able to roll that into a big payout, but with skill and a little lucky anything is possible.
Cashback bonuses are a rarer beast, but you can still find these from time to time. These bonuses return some of the money ventured for a losing bet, pushing the odds a little closer to being in your favor and minimizing the risk of a big bet. As always, terms and conditions apply so make sure you know what you’re dealing with
Dota 2 Betting Usa
For most readers who are familiar with gambling outside of esports, the first two should be familiar. Play money and real money gambling are often offered by the same sites, with play money being the substitute for those where online gambling is illegal (such as in the United States), or as a tool with which to practice and become acclimated to the idea of a wager.
The kinds of bets on betting sites on Dota 2 that people make are wagers on who will win a particular game, a future bet on the winner of a tournament, a bet on how far a team will go in a tournament, etc. Best Dota 2 betting sites that offer esports gambling include Pinnacle Sports and Bet365. We’re also fans of Betway eSports, which offers an array of titles, including several matches.
Some sites, such as DraftKings, offer fantasy league and esports betting. Similar to fantasy leagues for live-action sports, fantasy bets for esports are based on bettors choosing a roster of pro players for their own fantasy team. The performance of those players determines whether or not you earn money. There are points given for kills and assists, and points taken away for deaths. There is more in-depth information and FAQs on Draftkings’ site.
The ways to wager on the game only deviate from the gambling norm through the ability to wager in-game content on the outcomes of high profile matches. Using the Steam client by Valve (who is not actually affiliated with the gambling itself, but allows for third parties to use Steam), players can connect to dota2lounge.com to trade or bet the in-game content they own. These in-game items have real-world monetary value, and their sale is a primary means by which Dota 2 is sustainable monetarily.
These items are all classified by their rarities. When betting on Dota 2, look at the odds for each bet, how many items of a particular rarity they must wager, and the items they would receive back if they won their bet. Players choose items to wager and send them to the trading accounts run by these sites through the Steam platform’s own trade functionality. They then receive the appropriate rewards, and their wager items, when the match is over: they are losing and get nothing.
One possible problem for people who don’t actually play Dota 2, however, is that it’s a bit difficult to find places to reliably sell items to other people for real money. Items can be sold on Steam’s Marketplace for money on a Steam Account, but this money can only be used on the Steam service itself. One site that offers gamblers the chance to sell items is dota2shop.net, but it’s difficult to say how reliable the site truly is. There are some bare-bones sites like dotamarket.com which keep forums to track buy and sell offers, as well as discussions of buyer/seller reputations, but the site doesn’t ensure the safety of any transaction.
Conclusion
Making money through betting on a game requires an understanding of the game and its best players. On top of that, simply learning about various Dota 2 betting sites can provide a huge edge in itself. Both types of knowledge can be acquired by watching the aforementioned Dota 2 International Championships, where the best players in the world compete. Any broadcast with a famous commentator (such as TobiWan) will give you more information than anyone because they know more about the sport than anyone short of professionals.
There are also qualifiers for the tournament, which are good to watch to see second-tier pros and learn more about up-and-comers. The place for in-depth statistics about any match is liquipedia.net. Here is a page that gives statistics for one round of a wild card matchup for this year’s International Championships. Keep in mind the role and hero each character was playing as when looking at statistics. A person playing a carry should have very high LH compared to the rest of their team, whereas someone playing support will usually lose.
Dota 2 Money Betting Sites
Dota 2, like all esports, is in its infancy. It may take some work to make the most of this opportunity, but there is information there, and someone is always ready to make an effort. If you are willing to take the time to become an experienced expert in Dota 2 esports, you can make huge profits.