How does CSGO betting work? Real money esports bets are simple

By Kenneth Williams

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Nov 10, 2021

Reading time: 2 min

CSGO betting can seem challenging, but it’s really not so difficult once you’ve gotten started.

Counter-Strike: Global Offensive is one of the biggest esports in the world. It has a thriving competitive base with hundreds of teams and events to bet on. There’s no better way to make CSGO matches more exciting than putting money down on them through a platform like MonsterGames. If you watch with friends, sharing advice and bet slips is fun. The benefits are obvious, but there isn’t a ton of information out there about starting your esports betting career. How does CSGO betting actually work?

To start, CSGO betting is almost entirely identical to traditional sports betting. If you’ve placed wagers on the NFL, NBA, or MLB, you’re already equipped with all the knowledge you need. A betting site lists an upcoming match with odds depending on who they think will win the match. 

As an example, let’s say that FaZe Clan and Team Vitality are scheduled to play in a CSGO tournament. The betting site lists FaZe at 2.12 odds and Vitality at 1.62 odds. If you bet $20 on FaZe Clan and it wins, you’ll get 2.12 times your bet at $42.40. If you made the same bet on Team Vitality and it won, you would earn $32.40 back. Lower odds means that the team is more favored to win the match.

There are a few notable differences between traditional sports betting and wagering on CSGO. Esports tournaments are much faster-paced, and new matchups can appear as soon as the tournament round is over. This is especially important for group stages, where teams can play up to five matches in a single day. On the bright side, the digital nature of CSGO betting means that you can’t lose money from a bad referee call.

It’s also worth noting that the CSGO betting industry existed long before reputable sites began offering lines. In the early 2010s, several websites existed where players could bet on pro matches using the monetary value of in-game skins. Some websites still host CSGO skin betting services, but they’re generally less trustworthy and more difficult to use compared to licensed betting sites.

The addition of licensed betting sites has changed things, giving interested bettors more reliable opportunities to get involved with the game they most enjoy following.