With the popularity of Dota 2 growing quite exponentially in 2019 and 2024, it’s natural to expect this trend to hold true in 2024 and beyond. Dota 2 and esports fans have been placing wagers more readily than ever before, according to dotabetz.com, a website that provides structured data, analysis, and news about Dota 2, and the associated betting activity with the game.
In light of this interesting development, you may find out ‘Beginner’s Guide to Dota 2 Betting’ an interesting read that will help you understand not only how Dota 2 betting works per se but also make you a little more familiar with the ins and outs of esports betting in general. Without any further delay, we take a deep dive into this dedicated Dota 2 guide.
1. Know the Game, Know the Bets
The first and more important thing you should do before you even consider betting on any type of Dota 2 contests is to understand the game a little better. If you are still learning about Dota 2 and finding out how the myriad skills, items, and recipes work, we strongly recommend not place bets.
Betting is all about auctioning your knowledge on the game and turning it in your favor. Yet, it must be fun, as is Dota 2, and to get the most fun out of it, you should be familiar with everything that relates to the game.
So, the first advice you should follow after reading this guide is to make sure you are completely familiar with the game before you venture out there to make a bet. After all, you want to be having fun first.
2. Stick With and Study Teams
It’s important to be a fan and to learn from the best. When looking to place a bet on your favorite Dota 2 team, it’s just as important to know everything about a team. The top-performing outfits, such as Team Secret, usually don’t introduce too many changes to their rosters.
But look anywhere down the food chain, and you will find many myriad changes that happen on a monthly basis or between tournaments. Most competitive outfits try to stay with unchanged players from one big event to the next, and especially throughout the Dota Pro Circuit.
However, to know exactly what is happening, you need to keep a close eye on the season, the little changes, and roster news. There are many rumors circulating in the esports community and the Dota 2 community, and they can help you a whole lot when deciding to back one team or another.
3. Back the Team with the Better Odds
Now, you generally want to be making selections that make sense. This means backing the team that has the biggest chance of success, but does this mean the best odds displayed by a sportsbook?
That is an interesting question, and it is an advanced strategy that works well with more experienced players and Dota 2 fans. What this means is that sometimes, you will perceive what esports bookmakers make. These mistakes are not intentional.
Put simply, an experienced Dota 2 fan tends to have a little more experience than the average sportsbook, although betting firms are quickly closing the gap, so some caution and strategizing is important.
In other words, does the esports bookmaker know something you don’t, or are you looking at a very tempting value betting opportunity? It’s either-or, and everything is definitely possible, making for an even more enticing overall experience.
4. Read about the Game All the Time
The best way to be caught up to date is if you really show interest in Dota 2. ‘All the time’ doesn’t mean to spend your days reading long and often silly forum discussions. No, you should sort through the important things of the day and take in the information that can influence your next decision on which team to back.
Often, rumors about game changes, players not attending events, and such will first appear on Reddit or Twitter, and you being caught up to date is always a good thing. You will want to develop a healthy habit of making regular pitstops at Dota 2 communities and seeing what is new.
5. See If Any Travel Restrictions Apply
So, you see, the way this works with the Dota Pro Circuit and most Dota 2 events is that teams often have to travel around the world to attend Major Events and especially The International.
However, this makes it rather difficult for everyone to attend as VISAs are difficult to obtain on some occasions, forcing teams to actually ask the same teams they compete against to let them have their stand-ins. Now, this may raise a suspicion if such inter-dependence is unfair, but as it turns out, it isn’t.
Stand-ins may not always be the best players, but they do try their best to contribute to the team they are currently playing in, as they can actually benefit from the experience as well, including in terms of payment and a good way to make a name for them.
Just like any other competitive sport or video game, players stand to benefit from having their names recognized.
6. Don’t Back Anyone on a Whim
Sometimes, you may be tempted to back one team over another. Placing a bet because you are emotionally influenced to do so maybe a bad idea and you definitely do not want to do so. Instead, focus on having a critical approach and analytical approach towards the games you want to bet on.
Pick teams you are fully familiar with and teams that you know most things about. There are many great things to explore when betting on Dota 2 contests, but most of all, you will want to make sure that your selections turn out successful in the end.
7. Remember, It’s All About Having Fun
Just like any other type of hobby, betting on Dota 2 can be exceptionally fun, and it is. Yet, you should keep in mind that it’s all about having a bit of fun. Betting is not new in Dota 2 or esports in general. GosuGamers, for example, has used the ‘tango betting system,’ for the longest time, and so has JoinDota.
All of these betting portals can find the upside of having people bet a bit of virtual currency on their favorite teams. It’s a great way to feel a little more immersed and involved, and if done safely and responsibly, nobody gets hurt, and everyone is having fun.
