Best Overwatch Online Betting Sites

What is Overwatch?

Blizzard's fourth original franchise, Overwatch is a team-based title that features elements of the biggest competitive gaming genres in the world. Taking a leaf out of the multiplayer battle arena (MOBA), Overwatch features a diverse roster of playable heroes with unique abilities, strengths and weaknesses. Players control these heroes from a first-person-perspective, familiar to FPS players, and compete in a number of modes that are also taken directly from the FPS mold. As such, the title has seen players from both genres taking an interest in the competitive mode which focuses both on an individual's ability as well as team-work.

Players can partake in matches in a number of different modes and on a variety of maps with modes. Teams of 6 players compete in modes such as Assault (capture a control point), Escort (escort a payload), Hybrid (a mix of Assault and Escort), and Control (similar to search and destroy, teams must hold a point until completion before moving onto capturing a new point).

Fun modes that are not featured in the competitive scene are known as Arcade games and include Capture the Flag, Deathmatch (free-for-all), and Elimination (similar to search and destroy players must capture and hold points while only having a single life per round).

Overwatch Betting Options

While betting on eSports may seem confusing at first, the betting process actually follows a very similar structure to traditional sports betting with bettors able to choose from a range of common betting options. These include:

• Money-line Bets – bets placed on the outcome of a single-match, money-line bets are the most common and easy to place wagers as they do not require players to have an in-depth knowledge of the game. An example of a money-line bet would be a wager on Team A to beat Team B.
• Outright Bets – commonly known as “future market bet” these are wagers do not focus on individual match results but rather look at overall tournament results. These types of bets include which team will win the entire tournament; which teams will qualify for the final or even which region the winning team will be from e.g. USA.
• Accumulator Bets – also called combo-bets, accumulator bets are composed of several individual bets that, if all are won, will see their odds multiplied together in order to create a larger pay-out than individual bets would offer. An example would be 2 $5 bets placed on teams in the group stage of a tournament. Bet 1, with odds 1/2, states that Team A will beat Team B with bet 2, with odds 2/5, stating that Team C will lose to Team D. Should both of these wagers be successful the total profit on these two bets would be $5 x (1/2 + 1) x (2/5 +1) = $20
• Special Bets – these specialized bets focus on the finer aspects of play and thus require a more in-depth knowledge of the game to be successful. These bets do not focus on end-result of a match but instead are made on specific in-game aspects such as total number of kills or objectives secured within a match.
• In-play Bets – also known as live-bets these are special bets that are placed once a match has already started and focus on individual aspects of play. Examples would be bets that Team A would secure 10 objectives or that Player B would get 10 kills during that match.

Betting with Fractional Odds: The Basics of Betting Odds

Just like in traditional sports betting, the most common way bookies express odds for eSports matches is through the use of fractional odds. These odds determine how much money a bet will pay-out when won and are calculated by bookies who take into account the team's performance at prior events, individual player ability and more.

For example, a wager with odds 4/1 means that, if the team played 4 games, they would win 1 of those matches. These odds are expressed as a fraction, hence fractional odds.

Let's take a look at some examples of fractional odds and what they mean in terms of pay-outs:

• Odds of 4/1 – for every $1 bet you will be paid out $4 for a win (i.e. favorable odds)
• Odds of 1/9 – for every $9 bet you will be paid out $1 for a win (i.e. unfavorable odds)

Using fractional odds means that players can easily calculate their potential winnings on any given wager with just some basic math. Simply multiply your odds by your stake in order to work out your reward. Let's take our 4/1 wager as an example. If you wager $5 on a team with odds 4/1 you will be paid out 4 x $5 = $20.

Overwatch Betting Tips

Making your money work for you is key to winning big with real money betting. As such we've done the research and gathered together some tips to help you build your own bankroll today:

• Specialize wherever possible – with so many teams and players in the eSports scene specializing on one region of players, role or even bet type will allow you to make smarter betting decisions.
• Place selective and objective bets – do not be tempted to bet on every match and don't place bets on your personal favorite unless your research backs up their chances.
• Don't only follow major events – up-coming talent has to start somewhere and minor tournaments often offer far more favorable odds on matches as upsets are much more likely.
• Understand player form – players/teams go through rough-patches too so be sure to research recent player results as well as team form before placing bets.

The Overwatch League: A New Way to Win with Overwatch

While Overwatch may be a globally recognized game, their eSports scene is still trying to find their feet. In an effort to grow their community, in 2018 Blizzard will host their official Overwatch League, set to run in a similar manner to other traditional North American professional sports leagues.

The league will focus on building structured, long-running seasonal leagues rather than promotion and relegation tournaments. The league will feed into the Overwatch Grand Final Event which will see the winning team crowned the Overwatch League Champion, walking away with a $1million first place prize

Twelve teams have already been selected to compete in the first season of the Overwatch League, with the regular season set to kick off in early January. The season will run until June with the top teams then moving into championship playoffs to determine which teams will compete at the Grand Final Event which will see the first ever Overwatch League champions crowned.

The Overwatch World Cup

Different from the Overwatch League, the 2017 Overwatch World Cup is a community-driven tournament that sees multiple nations voting for their best players (within the top 100 players from each nation) who would go on to represent their region in a global event. This fun exhibition tournament saw teams selected from one of three main regions (Americas, Europe and APAC) with 32 regions making the cut to compete for an appearance bonus and a free trip to BlizzCon 2017.

These 32 teams then competed in 8 groups of four for a chance at just 8 spots in The Overwatch World Cup Group Stage. Though competition was fierce it was ultimately the team from South Korea that walked away with the first title of Overwatch World Champions.

Overwatch Events of 2017: All the Year's Winners

Even though Overwatch has yet to kick-off their official league, there have been a number of premier events in 2017 that have showcased what the top teams in the world are capable of. Some of these events, and their winners, include:

• APAC Premier 2017 – GC Busan
• Overwatch Apex Season 4 – GC Busan
• Overwatch Pacific Championship 2017 Season 2 – Ardeont
• Overwatch Premier Series 2017 Grand Finals – Miraculous Youngster
• Overwatch World Cup 2017 – South Korea

Finding the Best Overwatch eSports Betting Sites

As the Overwatch betting scene continues to grow so do the number of sites that offer sub-par betting experiences. That's why our experts have been hard at work finding and recommending only the best sites for you, our valued readers.

When you choose to play at one of our recommended sites you are guaranteed:

• The biggest range of games and betting options
• Incredible rewards and bonuses just for playing
• Convenient, fast, and safe banking options through a number of top providers
• Secure gambling at only licensed and regulated sites
• The biggest range of device compatibility for easy gambling on the go
• Dedicated customer support for peace of mind gaming

Start Building Your Overwatch Legacy Today

Overwatch may be a newcomer to eSports but its potential is boundless, as is the potential for you to win big. We've taken through what Overwatch can offer you as a player, gone through the basics of betting and even given you some tips to building your bankroll quickly and easily. Now is your chance to win big!

Choose from our list of recommended sites, vetted to guarantee a first-class experience that is both safe and fun. We've gathered a wide range of sites so there is sure to be something that suits your individual needs so be sure to register and start winning today.