Sportsbet StarCraft 2: Bet on the fate of the galaxy
Launched in 2010 by Blizzard Entertainment., StarCraft 2 quickly rose to prominence in the world of competitive esports. With its legacy spanning over a decade, it remains a staple of the global esports scene. Now, you can take the excitement by placing bets on professional events at Sportsbet.io.
Whether you're a newcomer to the game or just discovering its esports scene, this guide will walk you through everything you need to know to start betting on StarCraft 2 events.
What is StarCraft 2?
StarCraft 2 is a real-time strategy (RTS) game where time and resource management are the primary skills needed to win a match. The game primarily features intense 1v1 matches, where players build bases, manage resources, and launch strategic attacks on their opponents. Whoever destroys the enemy to the point of no recovery wins the game.
In sports betting StarCraft 2, the focus is simply on predicting which side will win the match. However, the players themselves have a variety of factors that they have to consider when planning their attack and defence like the following:
- Playable factions
- The map
- Matchups with the opponent
There are three playable factions in StarCraft 2 namely Terran (humans), Zerg (monstrous creatures), and Protoss (an advanced alien race). All three factions have their respective strengths and weaknesses, ensuring that no two matchups are ever the same.
- Terran: A versatile and balanced faction suited for all play styles. They rely on engineering and ingenuity to control the tides of war. They have a powerful mid-game but will require skills in resource management to unlock powerful units before they are ready to attack.
- Zerg: Swarms of aliens that rely on strength in numbers. They have powerful units but their early game is weak unless there are enough structures to mass produce its units. Zerg adapt to any environment and can attack early to slow down the enemy’s progress.
- Protoss: It is the opposite of Zerg where an individual unit is a powerhouse capable of defeating multiple Zerg or Terrans alone. They rely heavily on advanced technologies and will require dragging out the match to reach the endgame. However, they cannot amass numbers so they’ll need to be proactive in every matchup.
That’s the basics of every playable faction in StarCraft 2 and matchups can get a lot more complex when considering the map. In esports, tournaments present the players with a pool of unique custom maps.
Players ban and select their preferred battlegrounds and then stay there until the end of the round. Maps sometimes favour a certain playstyle, adding an exciting element in esports.
Esports wagering at Sportsbet.io
In Sportsbet StarCraft 2 fixtures from major esports tournaments are covered, from annual championships to seasonal splits. Placing a wager on a StarCraft 2 match follows the same process as any other sports or esports event. Here’s how to get started:
Step 1: Sign up at Sportsbet.io
Visit the Sportsbet.io website and click on the ‘Sign Up’ button in the upper right corner. A registration window will pop up, asking for details like your preferred user name, email address, and phone number with the correct country code.
Make sure to read the terms and conditions and tick before you proceed with the registration process. Click ‘Create Account’ to complete the registration.
If you already have an account, simply log in using your existing credentials. Sportsbet.io allows you to access your account from any device, so you can easily place bets and manage your balance on the go.
Step 2: Top up your Sportsbet.io wallet
To start betting, you’ll need to top up your Spotsbet.io account. Click the ‘Deposit’ button on the upper right to open the wallet management window. Go to the ‘Deposit’ tab if you have crypto or local currency to transfer the funds. Opt for ‘Buy Crypto’ if you wish to buy a supported cryptocurrency using fiat via a partnered third-party exchange.
Aside from the money in your bankroll for StarCraft 2 esports betting, you can also use cash bonuses and free bets from Sportsbet.io promotions. However, most free bets from the website are in USDT so you’ll need to top up if you want to win different crypto on a winning StarCraft 2 esports bet.
Step 3: Find a match and choose an outcome
As with any sports betting process, you can click on an outcome from any fixture available on Sportsbet.io. The steps to do so are as follows:
- Find the StaCraft 2 tab in Sportsbet.io’s esports section.
- Click on a specific match from the list of fixtures provided.
- Click on an outcome from the available betting markets.
- Manage your bet in the ‘Tickets’ menu.
- Input your wager amount and confirm your bet.
If you bet on the match winner, you have to wait until the fixture is concluded. A StarCraft 2 match can have several maps (rounds) played in best-of settings. The player who wins the majority of maps wins the match. For bets based on statistics, the payout can be resolved as soon as the conditions for the prediction are met, giving you your cash prizes before the game ends.
StarCraft 2 betting odds
When you’re betting on sports or esports, every outcome comes with a set of numbers called ‘odds’. These numbers reflect both the likelihood of an event happening and the potential payout if your bet is successful. Sportsbet.io supports multiple formats to display StarCraft 2 betting odds and you may switch between them at any time to suit your preference.
Here are the supported Sportsbet StarCraft 2 betting odds:
- American: This odds format can be positive or negative relative to their potential payout. Positive odds pay 1:1 or higher, showing you how much you’re winning if you bet 100 USDT. Negative odds pay less than 1:1 and show you how much you should pay to win 100 USDT. Equivalent rates apply to other currencies, too.
- Decimal: This is the most straightforward odds format showing the total payout of a bet. To calculate the payout, simply multiply the odds by your bet size. A winning bet should include your ante returned as well as the profit from winning a wager. The standard 1:1 payout is 2.0 in decimal format.
- Hong Kong: This odds format is similar to decimal where you just multiply the odds by your ante to get the result. However, it shows only your potential profit. You’re still getting back your ante from a winning bet but this format is designed for bettors who focus on what they’re earning. Thus, a 1.0 odds is a 1:1 payout.
The most important tournaments in StarCraft 2 esports
Sportsbet StarCraft 2 betting can be done on every major esports tournament. Here’s the list of the best events to look forward to every year:
Global StarCraft 2 League (GSL)
The GSL is one of the longest-running StarCraft 2 esports tournaments founded in 2010 showcasing the best players worldwide. It is organised by AfreecaTV, a prominent South Korean live-streaming platform, and it consists of multiple seasons every year. Each one spans across 1 to 2 months of non-stop head-to-head action.
There is no fixed schedule for the GSL as each year can host 3 to 5 seasons in varying months. Each one is a Code S (highest tier) event, marking their importance in the StarCraft 2 esports. Every event consists of a round-robin group stage and a best-of series knockout stage where only one out of 36 players can emerge victorious.
Intel Extreme Masters (IEM) Katowice
Not to be confused with the Counter-Strike 2 tournament of the same name, IEM Katowice is an annual premier-tier StarCraft 2 tournament. It is organised by the Electronic Sports League (ESL), a major esports league for many video games that hosts events in Europe. IEM Katowice is held in Katowice, Poland, this event is a highlight of the game’s esports calendar.
The IEM Katowice Starcraft 2 esports features 24 players fighting in the round-robin group stage and best-of series knockout stage. The top 4 placers win qualification to the Esports World Cup (EWC) of the same year as well as ESL Pro Tour points for the present season’s standings.
DreamHack StarCraft 2 Masters
The DreamHack StarCraft 2 Masters is a global series of tournaments held for multiple seasons annually. Each season starts with a regional qualifier in a different region and winners compete in the international season finals. It consists of 16 players per region, reaching up to a total of 96 players combined.
There are two competitions under DreamHack 2 StarCraft 2 Masters. One of which is DreamHack Valencia and the other is DreamHack Atlanta. It’s an annual tournament traditionally but there were no events scheduled after the 2022/23 season. If there’s a DreamHack StarCraft 2 tournament, winners qualify for EWC.
Esports World Cup (EWC) StarCraft 2
The EWC is a major esports event consisting of a variety of games taking over the Gamers8 series. StarCraft 2 is one of its lineups and it’s considered the conclusion to the ESL Pro Tour, IEM Katowice, GSL, and DreamHack series of competitions of the year.
18 players compete against each other in a series of games across the main stage, knockout bracket, and final four. The winner becomes the world champion in StarCraft 2 esports. EWC also appoints an MVP among the roster and it can be anyone from the top 4, including the champion.
How to bet on StarCraft 2
Here’s a quick guide on sports betting StarCraft 2 at Sportsbet.io:
Step 1: Find StarCraft 2 in the esports bookmaker page
Click the ‘Esports’ link on the left-hand menu in Sportsbet.io. If you’re accessing the website on a small screen like mobile or portrait window mode, the menu is collapsible by clicking on the symbol with three horizontal lines. Browse through the list of events or find the StarCraft 2 tab from the options at the top.
Step 2: Select a tournament and an event
Scroll through the StarCraft 2 bookmaker for specific ongoing or upcoming events. Every fixture is categorised by tournaments or leagues to help you identify specific events by the name of the players and date of the match. Sportsbet.io offers betting options for all ongoing tournaments so carefully browse your options if you’re looking for a specific head-to-head.
Step 3: Choose an outcome
Every fixture lets you predict one of many outcomes, particularly the winner of the match. Depending on the scope of the tournament, Sportsbet.io can also let you predict statistics, handicaps, and propositions for more chances to win cash prizes. You may make multiple bets on the same event and win on each one separately when the match concludes.
Step 4: Manage your betting ticket
When you select an outcome, it’s not placed as a bet right away. Instead, they are added to your bet slip and you can manage them in the ‘Tickets’ menu at the bottom. From there, you may choose to remove a prediction, update the Sportsbet StarCraft 2 betting odds, and type the bet size. Click ‘Place Bet’ to finalise your wager and Sportsbet.io will log it in ‘My Bet’ for you to review later.
Live betting on StarCraft 2 matches
Live or in-play StarCraft 2 betting offers the usual match-winner bets where you guess which side will win at the end of the match. Depending on the tournament's importance, it is sometimes the only market available on Sportsbet.io. For more prestigious competitions like the GSL or ESL, you may find other exciting live betting markets for StarCraft 2 esports.
Real-time esports betting options
Here’s a list of the most exciting betting options in Sportsbet.io StarCraft 2:
- Map winner: This betting option lets you predict who will win each round. There are 2 to 3 maps in one best-of-three game and 3 to 5 in a best-of-five. This means you have either 2 to 3 or 3 to 5 extra betting opportunities outside of the match winner bet per game.
- Correct map score: You can bet on any combination of win allocation for a given match. For example, a best-of-three game gives you options like 2-1, 2-0, 0-2, or 1-2 and you pick one based on how one-sided you think the game will be. There’s always one victor but this adds nuance to your prediction. Best-of-five games have more outcomes to choose from which also makes it more difficult to predict.
- Outright winner: Outright betting is guessing who will be that tournament's winner among the entire list of participants. You can make this bet only within the early stages of a competition, usually before anyone is eliminated. Otherwise, it will not be available for esports betting for the rest of the competition.
Enjoy crypto betting on StarCraft 2 events at Sportsbet.io
Online betting experience is more fun when you have a variety of quality-of-life features. Sportsbet.io makes sure that you have everything you need for all sports and esports. Check out the Sportsbet.io mobile app and get the optimal platform for Android and iOS. It provides multiple handy features to enhance your betting sessions such as the Bet Builder, bet slip sharing, and more.
Sportsbet.io will cover StarCraft 2 fixtures for as long as pro tournaments are being organised. Look forward to betting on the match and outright winner all year on multiple action-packed seasons of professional matches. Don’t forget to capitalise on available bonuses and promotions to earn risk-free bets that you can use for the next fixture.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some of the most frequently asked questions about StarCraft 2 betting on Sportsbet.io: