CSGO Betting Tips For Beginners

Betting on Counter-Strike matches can make watching matches infinitely more exciting, but there is a lot of risk, especially for beginners. It’s important not to jump into betting blindly, so we’ll give you crucial betting tips on how to win CSGO gambling consistently. Here’s everything you need to know about CSGO betting for beginners!

It’s important to start from scratch and familiarize yourself with how CSGO betting works. CSGO betting refers to placing wagers on professional matches, and should not be confused with CSGO gambling, where you would play game modes such as Roulette, Crash, or Coinflip. 

Before placing bets on matches, it is vital to have a good understanding of the game and the different betting types available in matches. Let’s quickly go over them as it is crucial for making informed decisions.

Know The Game And Its Maps

Ensure you have a good grasp of Counter-Strike and how the game works. You must have intermediate knowledge of the game before shoving money on bets. Understand how the gameplay works, the game’s format, and most importantly, the various maps. 

Maps in Counter-Strike can favor one side, Terrorists or Counter-Terrorists. For example, Nuke is widely considered one of the most CT-sided maps, while Anubis is extremely T-sided. This information can be useful when placing live bets, which will be discussed in the next portion of the article.

Familiarize Yourself With The Betting Types

Just like betting on sports, bookmakers will provide players with various betting options to select from. Make sure you know these CSGO betting terms so you don’t look out of place! Let’s briefly go over the most common betting markets to wager on:

• Match Winner: Betting on the team that will win the overall series. For example, an entire Best of 3 series.
• Map Winner: Betting on the team that will win a specific map in the series. For example, Map 2 of a Best of 3 series.
• Over/Under Rounds: Betting on how many rounds will be played on a map. For example, over/under 20.5 rounds.
• Handicap Betting: Betting on a team that is given a round advantage or disadvantage. For example, +3.5 or -3.5 rounds. 
• Special Bets: Betting on special markets such as pistol round winner, first 5 rounds, first kills, and more. 

Pre-match and Live Betting

When placing bets on Counter-Strike matches, there are two primary categories: pre-match betting and live betting. 

Pre-match Betting

As the name suggests, pre-match betting is when you place a bet before the match begins. The odds are set by the bookmakers based on their analysis of the current form of the teams and players. Typically, most bookmakers will share relatively similar odds. 

Normally, the best pre-match betting types to wager on are Match Winner or Over/Under Maps. The vetos would not have been announced when placing pre-match bets, so you won’t be sure of which team picks their map first and what it will be. It wouldn’t be wise to place bets on map winners on pre-match bets.

Since you are going in with no information about the current state of the match in pre-match bets, you might notice that the odds provided by bookmakers are more generous. However, it can be a little risky since you don’t know how the veto will play out and the players’ forms. 

Live Betting

Live betting is when betting lines are opened as the match is being played out. Since the game is ongoing, the odds will continuously fluctuate based on what’s happening in real-time. 

Round wins, players’ forms, and momentum shifts are considered when bookmakers update the odds for a live match. This gives bettors the opportunity to jump in after getting such information about the match. However, bettors must quickly react and place their bets immediately, as the odds could begin shifting again.

Live betting is ideal for bettors who watch the match in real-time. You must have a deep understanding of the game to analyze what’s happening in the current state of the game, and which team is favored after every round. Consider how Counter-Terrorist or Terrorist sided a map is when placing live bets. 

How To Win At CSGO Betting: Best Tips

Now that the basics are out of the way, let’s get into the most important points to remember when betting on CSGO matches. 

Research The Teams And Players

When betting on Counter-Strike, we’re not picking horses or gambling red on roulette. We’re betting on real players and teams. There are a lot of data and statistics for Counter-Strike teams, easily accessible for free on the internet.

Use prominent websites such as HLTV.org to gather information, such as the team’s players and past matches. There are also regularly updated world rankings, giving an accurate representation of a team’s current skills and capabilities. 

It is also important to pay attention to the team’s chemistry, and if the roster underwent any roster changes previously. Changing a single player can have a massive impact on a team and could either be good or bad. 

Keep An Eye On A Team’s Form

Similar to sports, it is crucial to closely watch a team’s form. In Counter-Strike, the meta changes quite often, and teams must adjust to the new “best” play style. Some teams may struggle to adapt quickly and begin falling off. 

Additionally, a player’s individual performance can have a massive impact on the outcome of a match. If one member of a team has been feeling it and fragging out on the server in the past month, they could potentially carry their team to a swift victory. 

Past achievements from years ago do not matter much when you’re betting on Counter-Strike teams. Make sure the data you collect comes from recent tournaments in a three-month time span. 

Watch Out For Map Picks

In a regular Best of 3 series of Counter-Strike, teams will go into a veto process where they ban and pick maps. Teams will ban two maps, pick two maps, ban two maps, and have one final map as the decider. 

When a team picks a map, it is because they are very comfortable on the map and have a high win rate in the past few months, or because the enemy team does not play the map often or have a negative win rate on it.

Naturally, a team is favored for their map pick, so be wary of that. Resources such as HLTV.org offer statistics and win rates of teams on every map. Make sure to take a peek and conduct your own research before betting on a map. 

Play On Reliable Bookmakers

Finding proper bookmakers and betting websites is crucial to making money from CSGO betting. 

The first reason why it is important is because the most prominent bookmakers provide bettors with the best odds. Since they have a lot of daily users, they can reduce the house edge and result in more returns for players.

Second, large bookies have more options for players to bet on. First to 5 Rounds, Pistol Round Winner, and Player Over/Under Kills are a few examples. Having a wider selection allows you to diversify your bets across different bet types.

Manage Your Bankroll Properly

We highly recommend starting with low stakes if you’re new to Counter-Strike betting. Playing small allows you to learn the ropes while minimizing the risk of losing. Everyone has to start somewhere!

Once you get the hang of betting, we suggest dividing your bankroll into units depending on your comfortable sizing and stakes. For example, let’s say you have $1,000. You can divide this bankroll to 50 units, meaning each unit is worth $20. A large bet could be 6 to 8 units, a medium bet 3 to 5, and a small bet 1 to 2. 

Additionally, it is important to set a strict budget when betting on Counter-Strike. Make sure to set limits and never ever bet more than you can afford to lose! 

Watch The Matches Live

When placing money on Counter-Strike matches, you might as well watch the game as it plays out. You’re essentially paying to watch these matches. 

Spectating the game is crucial for future reference. While watching the match, see the form of both teams, and if any particular individuals are fragging out or struggling to put their feet on the ground. Information like this can provide you with insights for upcoming bets.

Additionally, you can also place live bets like discussed above. Live betting allows you to place wagers as the match unfolds. If you are sensing a comeback, or want to partake in handicap betting, it is important to watch the matches live!

Do Not Rage Bet

“Rage betting” refers to when bettors are tilted or upset and place bets impulsively out of frustration. This activity usually happens when a bettor experiences tough losses or is in a losing streak.

Betting like this often leads to poor decision-making since no real thought or research is being put into these wagers. Many bettors fall into this hole and lose piles of money, sometimes going over their limits due to a lack of control.

Make sure to take breaks after losses and be patient. There is no way to make easy money in this world, and losing while betting is inevitable. Stick to your strategy and keep your emotions in check!

Discuss With Others

It never hurts to hear opinions from other people about upcoming matches. Joining betting communities, forums, or servers can be a great idea to dig into the thoughts of other bettors. You could gain information about the teams or players you didn’t know.

Feel free to ask questions and share your opinions in these communities, as that’s what they are made for. Engage with the members and discuss betting tips, cool strategies, and general insights about the professional scene.

At the end of the discussion, you’re the one placing the bet. Don’t be too swayed by the opinions of others, and simply use them as a secondary opinion to help you decide which team to place your bet on. 

Understanding External Factors

When watching a Counter-Strike match, all you’re seeing is what’s happening in the game. However, there are external factors that also impact a player or team’s performance during a match. 

Top players must travel around the world to participate in tournaments, and sometimes, flights could take 10 to 20 hours. When a team arrives a day before an event, there is a solid chance of them being jet lagged compared to a team that arrived a few days before. 

Other external factors could include ping. For example, South American teams often participate in North American tournaments. These matches are played on NA servers, meaning SA players could be playing on high ping. 

Researching external factors seems like a “tryhard” method of betting, but we’re playing with real money here, so why should they not be considered?

Pay For Predictions

There are many expert Counter-Strike bettors who share their predictions with members who pay a certain monthly fee. Becoming a member might cost anywhere from $20 to $200 per month.

If you are playing with stakes higher than the prices, it could be a good idea to pay for these predictions. These bettors have watched thousands of professional matches and keep a close eye on the form of teams and players.

Though it is impossible for them to predict every match correctly, their predictions can serve as a second opinion to help you make more educated decisions.