Betting on esports can’t be flawless. It involves some risks, which can’t be ignored. Ideally, online bettors should be familiar with those to protect themselves from possible inconveniences. In this article, we try to explore esports betting through the prism of the risks involved.
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Esports Betting Explained
Esports is known as a competitive online video gaming experience. Like traditional sports, it has a lot of fans that follow teams, watch matches, and place bets. It exists in two main variations: the simulation of real-life sports (for example, FIFA, NBA, and MLS) and classic esports games (for example, CS:GO, Dota 2, and Fortnite).
Over the last decade, esports has turned into a billion-dollar industry. Streaming platforms like YouTube and Twitch make it available to a worldwide audience. Some of the biggest contests involve teams and players fighting for millions of dollars at stake.
The pandemic contributed to the rapid popularization of esports and esports betting. Locked at home, people started looking for new ways to entertain themselves. Those, who were already familiar with the thing, had more time to devote to esports betting activities.
Risks of Esports Betting
As esports betting has become mainstream, it is important to understand the potential risks. Let’s mention some of them:
Stay away from predatory practices
The growing traffic of live streams and gambling sites means that more and more people join the world of iGaming and iGambling. This allows hackers to seek larger targets, which might cause great damage to everyone involved. Just think about the Esports Entertainment Association League being hacked. This is when the data of 1.5 million members was leaked to third parties.
At esports events, hundreds and thousands of viewers connect to free, public Wi-Fi to place their bets. These connections are traditionally not very secure, which makes them easy targets for hackers and scammers. Those trying to benefit from a public connection should look after their data as it becomes the subject to unauthoraized access by third parties.
If you are watching an esports event from a screen at home or in a stadium, you should rely on a Virtual Private Network (VPN). This program aims to hide your browsing, location, and personal data from third parties on public connections. At this point, you need to explore numerous options available on the market.
Watch out for cheating and fraud
Corruption in esports isn’t something new. When it comes to esports betting, the situation might be even more critical. Some players and teams are paid to lose on purpose, which makes it difficult for bettors to make an accurate prediction. Thus, match fixing along with poor anti-fraud mechanisms create unethical practices.
Unfortunately, there aren’t many ways to solve the problem. Industry leaders should take responsibility for a random yet fair gaming environment. If overlooked, they can cause trouble for many in the long run.
Expand your knowledge
Most esports games, like DOTA 2 and CS:GO, are quite complex. You won’t be able to succeed in gameplay without an in-depth knowledge of the game. Make sure you know the rules, strategies, and other features that might help you reach the top. (yourdoctors) Learn how to read esports statistics in detail. Fortunately, many online resources like https://cover.gg/ provide a lot of information in this regard. It’s in your very best interest to explore them. The more you know, the better chances of winning a bet you have.
Avoid making it a habit
Betting on esports is a fun adventure, not the major source of income. Even though you invest money, you shouldn’t take it too serious. Otherwise, it can transform into addiction. No need to say how hard it is to get rid of addiction.
According to the study conducted by the University of Bristol, 17% of esports followers are under 16 and 69% between 16 and 23. This is a relatively young age when people might fail to think critically. So it is not hard to persuade them to spend more.
Esports betting is never a 100% harmless adventure. The risks appear here and there. And you, as a bettor, should be prepared for the worst-case scenario.
