Betting on esports can be exciting but without a solid understanding of how the odds work, you’re just guessing. Odds show players two important things: how likely something is to happen, and how much you can win if it does. Whether you’re backing a favorite or taking a shot on an underdog, knowing how to read and compare odds is crucial for making smarter bets.
This guide covers everything you need to know about esports betting odds — how to read them, what different formats mean, and how to spot value.
Understanding Betting Odds in Esports
In esports, just like traditional sports, betting odds reflect the probability of an outcome and determine your potential payout. Lower odds suggest a higher chance of winning but come with lower profits. Higher odds point to a less likely outcome, which means there’s more money on the table if you win.
Take the time to read the odds correctly, and you can do more than just guess. You can make informed choices that optimize value, risk, and potential profit. Whether it’s a regular season match or a massive global tournament, having a clear grasp of the numbers and what they mean gives you an edge.
How Esports Odds Are Set
Esports odds are never random. Bookmakers set odds based on a mix of stats, strategy, and market behavior. Knowing what factors sportsbooks use to set their odds can help you see which wagers are truly valuable plays.
Here’s a look at what really impacts the odds:
- Team & Player Performance: Results, streaks, and match history are all part of how odds are made. If a team has been struggling with a certain game patch, you’re going to see that reflected in the odds.
- Roster Changes: If a strong player leaves a team or someone new comes along, this shakes things up. If someone consistently carried and they’ve moved on, that team might fall behind. Team communication is also a key part of many esports, so frequent changes can have a big impact.
- Game Updates: Most esports titles are still very active, which means they see regular updates or patches. These game patches can shift the meta, remove weapons, or change the character pool. All of these things impact how teams perform, so the odds will follow.
- Public Opinion: If a ton of bettors are loading up on one side of a line, sportsbooks will adjust the odds to balance their risk, which means that betting early can boost your returns.
A key thing to remember is that esports matches move fast which means that the odds are always shifting. If you spot a good bet early, you can lock it in before the market catches up.
Popular Esports Odds Formats
Decimal Odds
Decimal odds are more common in Europe, Canada, and Australia but a lot of esports betting sites present their lines this way, too. Even though it’s not the most popular format, these odds are easy to read and calculate.
With decimal odds, the payouts are calculated by multiplying the original stake by the odds. For example, let’s say you bet $50 on Team Vitality at 2.5 odds in a CS:GO match. If they win, your total return is $125, which includes your $50 stake and $75 profit.
Lower odds in this format show the favored team and usually come with a smaller payout; higher numbers mean a bigger risk and bigger potential rewards.
Moneyline Odds
Moneyline odds are also called American odds because they’re most popular in the United States. These odds can be positive (underdog) or negative (favorite). They’re formulated to show how much you can win based on a wager of $100 or conversely how much you need to risk to win $100 on your bet.
To make it easy, let’s take a look at the following hypothetical League of Legends odds:
G2 Esports +200
Cloud9 -150
In this example, G2 Esports is the underdog. A $100 bet on this team would return $300 total — that’s $200 in profit. Cloud9 are the favorite, and -150 means that you’d need to bet $150 to win $100. That means a $100 bet on Cloud9 in this scenario would yield you $166.67, a profit of $66.67.
Once you get used to this format, it’s easy to quickly spot value on matchups.
Fractional Odds
Fractional odds are most commonly used in the UK and Ireland. As the name suggests, these odds are presented as a fraction, like 2/1 or “two to one.” This fraction shows your profit compared to your stake.
If Fnatic is listed at 5/1 on a Valorant match, this means that for every dollar you bet, you get $5 in profits. In this scenario, a $100 bet would win a total of $600. If the larger number is on the top, that shows the underdog and means you could win bigger.
A larger number on the bottom, like 4/5, shows the favorite and has lower returns. For example, at four to five odds, you need to bet $5 just to win $4. How does that really look? A $100 bet at 4 /5 odds has a return of just $180.
Your Betting Edge Starts with Esports Odds Knowledge
Esports betting is more than just picking your favorite teams and players — it’s about making smart decisions based on real data and the latest odds. When you know how to read different types of odds and what influences those numbers, you’re better equipped to avoid bad bets.
Knowing how to interpret esports odds turns casual guesswork into calculated, strategic plays. The more you understand how lines are set — and how they reflect team performances, momentum, and public action — the sharper you become.