The eSports world boasts many titles but CSGO has pride of place as one of the most popular and competitive names that have come out of the industry. Bettors and raving fans of Counter-Strike: Global Offensive have a lot of good things to say about the game’s wagering procedure and the anticipation of winnings puts people in a constant state of euphoria. Finding the best betting odds on offer, exploring different markets, and finally making informed bets keeps bettors coming for more.
Key Terms and Concepts: Overview of the Basics
Counter-Strike: Global Offensive or CSGO is a first-person shooter game played by two teams (Team A and Team B) terrorists and counter-terrorists who come against each other. An explanation of the procedure comes below;
The game mode can vary and comes with different objectives. Team A may be the terrorist planting bombs and Team B may be the counter-terrorist, defending hostages and preventing the bombs from exploding. Betting on CSGO involves several rounds per match and the rounds do not last more than two minutes each. Halfway through the match, the two teams may switch places from terrorists to counter-terrorist. The final winner of the match is usually the first to win 16 rounds.
Explanation of Odds in CSGO Betting
CSGO betting offers different kinds of odds to bettors.
Decimal odds
Another name for Decimal odds is European odds and it is listed among CSGO’s most common formats. Its straightforward and easy-to-understand nature makes it popular among newbies and old-times. This type of odd indicates the total money a bettor is likely to rake in for each $1 wagered, the initial stake inclusive.
Fractional odds
Fractional odds, also called UK odds, have gained a lot of popularity in the CSGO betting lines. Their representation comes in fractional formats as the name implies. The UK odd of ¼ means that bettors who place bets equal to the denominator are likely to win an amount equal to the numerator.
American odds
American odds are exclusive to the United States and the front of the odds are characterized by plus (+) or minus (-) signs. The signs are indications of the amount a bettor must wager to win $100 where it is a minus sign and the amount you may likely win with a $100 bet (if it is a plus sign).
Hong Kong odds
CSGO betting odds include Hong Kong odds showing the total amount you may likely win per staked unit. Though Honk Kong odds are like decimal odds, a bettor’s initial stake is never included in the winnings.
Getting Started: How to Read and Interpret different Types of Odds
Interpreting decimal odd
For instance, if Team A faces Team B in a CSGO match and Team A’s decimal odds happen to be 1.5. After Team A emerges victorious, a bettor who betted $10 on them will get a payout calculated thus; $10 (bettor’s stake) x 1.5 (odds) = $15. This means that the bettor gained $5 since $10 was his initial stake.
Decimal odds are easy, and offer bettors a simple and direct understanding of their potential wins as well as the implied odds of the event they are betting on.
Interpreting fractional odds
For instance, if Team A’s odds are 5/2, a bettor who bets $2 on them stands a chance of winning $5 in the event of a win from Team A. This betting can come in multiples of $2 and $5 – bet $10 ($2 X5) on Team A and rake in $25 ($5X5).
UK odds can be quite useful in understanding an event's implied probability. Leveraging the example above, to determine the event’s implied probability you have – 2 / (5+2) = 0.286 or 28.6%. This suggests that there is a 28.6% chance that Team A would emerge victorious.
At first glance, one might find fractional odds more complex compared to decimal odds but they can be great at understanding and calculating potential winnings and the probability of a bettor’s CSGO bet paying off.
Interpreting American odds
Team A would be the favourite to triumph with an odd of – 200 and so to win $100, a bettor must wager $200. On the flip side, if Team B’s odds are +150, they would be seen as the loser side. However, if Team B wins, a bettor who wagered $100 would win $150.
Interpreting Hong Kong odds
For instance, if Team A has an odd of 0.75, bettors can profit $0.75 for each $1 stake in the event of a win. Thus, a bettor who wagered $10 has the potential of winning $7.50 ($10 X $0.75)
Strategies for Using Odds to Your Advantage
You can use CSGO odds to your advantage by leveraging these strategies.
Research and analysis
Make diligent research on odds before proceeding to bet on any team. Try analyzing the teams by having a good understanding of their player form, dynamics, map preferences, and more. This provides an invaluable insight into the probabilities.
Understand the odds
The odds are reflections of the likelihood that an event might occur, thus, it is crucial to understand where the pendulum might swing by reading and interpreting them.
Bankroll management
For a long-term bettor to succeed on the betting table, he must put an effective bankroll management in place by pre-determining things like his total betting budget and per bet size, He must also be conscious of the dangers of chasing losses.
Keep emotions in check
While betting, a bettor should endeavour to stay cool, calm, and collected while avoiding the emotional rollercoaster that comes with the game.
