eSports Betting 101: Dota 2

Safe for the League of Legends, there is arguably no game that is as popularly loved by eSports gaming enthusiasts than Defence of the Ancients, commonly known as Dota 2. This increasingly popular multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) game started as a mod for Warcraft 3, but has since taken a life of its own, becoming one of the most-loved and competitive gaming franchises in eSports with a religious-like following across the globe. If you are new to playing Dota 2 for prestige and prize money or betting on eSports at your online sportsbook, you may find the game a bit complex, but with the following guide, we are certain that you’ll soon be joining the millions of people that play and bet on Dota 2.

A Closer Look at eSports Betting on Dota 2

Gameplay

Essentially, Dota 2 features a wide-ranging cast of characters organized in the form of two teams of five, which are referred to as the Dire or Radiant. The two teams are pitted against one another in a three-lane map, with both teams starting on opposite sides. Each team usually has a safe zone, also known as a base, with a central structure known as an Ancient. The ultimate aim of the game is to defend and protect you ancient, while you concurrently plan on how to outwit the opposing team in the bid to destroy their Ancient. Generally, the game lasts around 30 minutes to 1 hour, depending on your skill level. Like most online games, Dota 2 comes with a lot of customizations and you can accumulate gold and experience to buy items for usage in the course of the game. Eliminating your opponent’s heroes, as you’d expect, helps you to level up and is also good for you financially. As a crucial note, Dota 2 is about suppressing your enemy just in the same way it is about progression by your team, so be sure to have a balanced offensive and defensive plan.

Choosing Heroes

As mentioned above, each team can choose a number of heroes to use in a game, and with over 100 playable characters that have unique styles, stats and abilities; it can be confusing to make your choices. Fortunately, you can ease this process by focusing on the three major statistics in Dota 2–strength, intelligence and agility—along with a proper assessment of each hero’s unique abilities. Considering Dota 2 is a team game, you must have a careful balance of abilities in your heroes in order to outmaneuver your opponent.

Betting on Dota 2

The best part about playing or watching a Dota 2 game is that you can use your experience on the game to bet on it. With several matches and tournaments taking place every week, Dota 2 comes with a variety of markets and options to bet on, including match winner and tournament winner. Besides betting on the outcome of a Dota 2 event, you can bet on specific aspects like first blood/first kill.

Final Note

Dota 2 is one of the most exciting online games to play or watch, and eSports is already a sensation in the world of online gaming, so don’t hesitate to try it. And if it turns out to be fun, as we guarantee you it will, then don’t hesitate to take the next step of venturing in betting.