The first-person shooter Counter Strike: Global Offensive has a huge international gaming scene behind it. That’s why the ESL, the Electronic Sports League, has made it an official part of their ever extensive line-up, with their international Pro League. You can be sure that there’s plenty of bets you can manage yourself here too, which is what we’ll now go over in greater detail.
First founded back in 2015, the ESL Pro League would begin as an international showcase for global talent found in the CS:GO PC gaming community. Based in Germany, with their headquarters located in Cologne, they would take the Valve developed game and launch it forward as a major force to be reckoned within the world of eSports. Currently boasting a total of forty-eight teams taking part in the event annually, it’s a huge tournament that’s live-streamed worldwide. Outside of CS:GO, the ESL also focuses on Rainbow 6 and Halo, making it one of the largest ventures in the eSports scene to date.
So many influential players and teams have risen through its ranks over the years, making it very much the place to be for any up-and-coming eSports star. How do you best identify who these are though, and where do you turn when looking to successfully predict a win?
Where To Bet The CS:GO ESL Pro League:
America: Using Bovada is best when it comes to coverage of all the CS:GO events and games in North America.
Canada: Here it’s Bet365 Sportsbook, giving an extensive range of CS:GO related bets, with a wide range of different odds too.
Everywhere Else: This is also Bet365 Sportsbook, as it offers up-to-date coverage worldwide of most, if not all CS:GO games and events.
What is The CS:GO ESL Pro League?
As the foremost professional CS:GO League internationally, the ESL Pro League is the premier event for all things Counter Strike. With a prize-pool of over $1,000,000 and rising, it’s fast become one of the most sought after prizes, featuring a whole range of different teams and players. Currently standing with the most titles are Team Liquid and Fnatic, but this is set to change as the competition continues to evolve.Featuring forty-eight teams consisting of five players in each, they must battle through a series of game modes to defeat the opposition. Taking in international teams from all over, this is currently the make-up of the Pro League by country and teams:
- Europe: Sixteen teams come from across Europe, including France, Denmark, Germany, Poland, Sweden, Turkey, Bulgaria and the Ukraine.
- Americas: Sixteen teams are from the Americas, both North and South, with the United States, Brazil, Colombia and Argentina.
- Asia: Eight Asian teams are featured, which includes China, Thailand, India, Singapore and South Korea.
- Oceania: Eight teams come from the Oceania region, which here mainly features Australian teams.
It therefore stands to reason that an event of this magnitude would feature a lot of competition, marking it as one of the largest currently running today. Where does your bet come in though, and who should you keep an eye on when placing down any serious money?
Common CS:GO ESL Pro League Betting Questions:
What bets are being offered and who should I look out for?:
Bets on the match outcomes is what you’ll find first, as you can predict who will win, using match lines as well. Then there’s the more specific prop bets to CS:GO, including map bets, and who will win on which particular layout. This will allow you to define the results with an even greater degree of precision, as a lot of Counter Strike comes down to how the environment is used. Some teams will excel on certain maps, and this is what you want to look out for when casting any bets, along with any updates that may have been made.
How can I watch this?:
Live-streamed through services such as Twitch, the CS:GO ESL Pro League is readily available to a worldwide audience. YouTube also has matches playing, along with older games shown on the official ESL Archives channel, allowing you catch up with any previous events. Heading over to tv.eslgaming.com will also provide you with an updated schedule of all the forthcoming games and where to see them. Facebook is also an official streaming source for many of the matches too, letting you watch them live as they happen in real-time.
How To Bet The CS:GO ESL Pro League:
Bovada: Selecting ‘Sports’ from the top of the first page, you should then go and select ‘All Sports (A-Z)’ from the range of drop-down menus on the next. After this choose ‘eSports’, before going on and using the ‘All eSports’ roll-down menu, which will give you ‘Counter Strike: Global Offensive’ about mid-way down. This will offer all of the CS:GO events now, and you should be able to find the Pro League there when available.
Bet365 Sportsbook: Using ‘Sports’ at the top of the first page, then go on and select ‘Esports’ just below ‘Darts’ on the next. All the eSports should be in the middle of the page now, with ‘CS:GO’ events coming up near the top. Opening up the Pro League when available, you can then find the subsequent bets, such as ‘To Win Outright’, allowing you to create a betting slip.
The CS:GO ESL Pro League Betting Strategy:
One of the core features of CS:GO is its team-based element, along with its use of environment, as players must know their surroundings when competing. Looking at the maps being used is instrumental to success, along with how teams will deploy specific strategies in certain areas. Just as important is their communication with one another, giving you some idea of where any weak links may be.
Keep an eye out for any updates being put into effect as this could also change the entire outcome of a game at the last minute. Watch older games and channel streams, along with staying up-to-date through newsfeeds and forums, allowing you to make a bet that has far more potential in the long-run.