What do Esports and betting have in common? Aside from the increasing connection between the two worlds with people placing wagers on Esports contests, teams also "bet" on certain choices during play to achieve success. Esports teams invest in specific players and mods, train particular strategies, and choose a path of evolution, a reality that extends beyond sports into all aspects of life.
The best outcomes in any sport or area of life tend to come only with good planning, consistent effort, and a clear mindset about what needs to be done. It’s the classic "knowing where you are, where you want to go, and how to get there." But what happens when everything seems too stagnant, or when a situation isn't in your favour? That’s when the term "gambling" comes into play.
When you hear the word "gambling," the first image that comes to mind is a casino — playing roulette, poker, or perhaps enjoying 50 or 100 free spins on slots to try and earn winnings from the bonus tokens that don't use your cash balance. But the term goes beyond this classic betting scenario.
Gambling is also used to describe actions driven by risk and luck, rather than by a well-thought-out strategy. In other words, it's when someone, whether in a game, in sports, or even in life, makes decisions based more on impulse and emotion. People leave things up to chance and bet that "it will all work out," without stopping to analyse everything rationally.
In your life, this can be as simple as deciding not to take an umbrella, even though you see some rather odd-looking clouds in the sky — you are essentially betting that it won’t rain. In football, it would be when a player tries to pressure the opponent a little more, knowing that, in the best-case scenario, they could set up an unprecedented counter-attack.
However, in the worst-case scenario, they could leave space for another player to score against their team. But what about Esports? Where does the term "gambling" fit into the picture?
It is not only amateurs who gamble on decisions during in-game action. If you were thinking that gambles on decisions during in-game action were only made by beginners or amateurs, you'd be mistaken. It’s common to see pro players directly leaning towards this more luck-based strategy in various scenarios. Here are a few examples:
The most traditional example is when the counter-terrorist team in Counter-Strike decides to send everyone to just one bomb site, such as A. This is a major gamble aimed at surprising the opponent, attempting to gain an advantage, or overcoming a consistent disadvantage they’ve been facing from their adversaries. This situation tends to happen especially when the counter-terrorists are outnumbered in the round.
In League of Legends, securing the Baron is an important moment where one team gains an advantage over the other. However, achieving this objective is not simple and requires careful strategic planning. That said, this is where "gambling mode" can be activated.
When a team is losing, for instance, pro players may choose to attempt the Baron even without being certain of the enemy's position or other factors. In doing so, they might just salvage the defeat and bring their team back into the game.
The draft is a perfect moment to explain how "gambling" applies to Dota 2. In a 2023 match, Tundra Esports and Team Spirit faced off in the final of BetBoom Universe: Episode I - Comics Zone.
During the draft (the hero selection phase), Team Spirit surprisingly chose Alchemist for one of their players, and by doing so, took a gamble by selecting an unconventional hero. The team were relying on the risk to spring a surprise on their opponents.
Tundra, meanwhile, had stuck to more traditional drafts, managing to prolong the match and withstand the surprises that Spirit tried to introduce. On this occasion, Tundra came out on top with a 3-2 victory as Spirit's gamble didn't pay off.
Making an impulsive decision, without rationality behind it, is not what experts recommend. But trying to control every detail and playing it safe also guarantees nothing thanks to the many random factors that determine the outcome of events!
True champions in various sports and Esports are born through a perfect balance of discipline, organisation, planning, and of course, a bit of willingness to take risks as well.
The question is: when do you take a gamble? And when do you hold back your impulse? That’s something that is only learned through experience.