World of Warcraft is the most popular MMORPG of all time, and every gamer today knows about this game. It doesn’t matter if you like it or hate it; its popularity is still unprecedented.
However, many WoW players are not aware that World of Warcraft esports betting is also quite popular. Many don’t even know that it exists, yet it can be very lucrative for esports bettors.
Many fans are not familiar with the fact that WoW has significant roots in esports. The WoW we all know today is due to the massively popular real strategy series called Warcraft. These games made possible other popular titles, such as Starcraft and Dota, which are among the world’s most popular esports titles at the moment.
Warcraft 3, the last game in the strategy Warcraft series and arguably the best one, has a sizable and continuously thriving competitive scene. Even though it waned over time, that same competitive spirit remained with World of Warcraft.
It’s still alive and is growing steadily. As the popularity of WoW has never stagnated, it’s understandable that WoW betting is thriving.
If you want to get in on the action, you are in the right place. In this piece, we’ll tell you all about World of Warcraft esports betting, what it is, how it works, how to place WoW bets, and more. With all the knowledge you’ll gain from this guide, you’ll be able to quickly start betting and earning some money.
What Is World of Warcraft Betting?
As you can probably guess, World of Warcraft esports betting signifies betting on WoW matches. In essence, you get the chance to place a wide variety of wagers on events in WoW, including bets on both player-versus-player matches and player-versus-environment speedruns and clears.
The beauty of this betting form is that it allows you to make your love of WoW lucrative. You don’t get to play the game, but you get the chance to bet on the things you would otherwise enjoy playing.
That’s because all of these bets operate within World of Warcraft, so if you’ve played the game already, you’ll know how each bet works, and you’ll be better positioned to make accurate predictions and earn more money.
It’s easy to start betting because all you need to do is join a good sportsbook that covers WoW esports betting. There are many such sportsbooks as more and more betting sites are starting to cover esports betting. Since World of Warcraft is a popular game, most of these betting sites will cover WoW betting, among other esports.
However, it’s essential to choose the right site, as they all differ significantly in the quality of betting markets, the WoW tournaments they cover, the odds they offer, and of course, the overall betting experience. For example, if you start out by trying a quick payout online casino, you could be cashing out before you know it – while having fun doing so!
How Exactly Does World of Warcraft Esports Betting Work?
World of Warcraft is known for its team-based battles between teams of real players and computer-controlled monsters. However, that’s not all that WoW has to offer. With the massive player base and basically infinite content, lots of competition was bound to spring up across the board.
That’s why there are many forms of World of Warcraft esports and numerous betting markets for each WoW esports type.
One of the most popular WoW esports is player-versus-player, or PvP. The latter include teams of players competing against each other, much like in other player vs. player games. This usually happens in double-elimination brackets, and teams are typically composed of three players who compete in best-of-five matches.
Players get to choose between 12 distinct classes, which are then categorized into different builds. If you’ve already played or wagered on esports like Dota 2 and League of Legends, you’ll know how diverse this can get.
Now, once the choices are made, a match can begin. Naturally, all six players need to load in, and then the two teams of players can poke and test the opponents using spells. The real action usually begins when a small mistake triggers an all-round fight between the teams.
The second most common WoW esports betting type is player-versus-environment, and these games are known as PvE matches.
As the core of the game itself is about players forming Guilds to take on stronger computer-led monsters, PvE matches follow a similar format. A lot of skill and coordination is required here, which is something that all true WoW players are familiar with. The excitement that arises rivals other team-based esports like Overwatch and Counter-Strike.
A typical Guild has 20 active players. All of them need to optimize their builds with different characters and learn to coordinate with every other player. Considering all of this, it’s clear why one needs to be highly skilled to win.
There are different difficulties here, and the toughest one is known as Mythic, which is why becoming the first Guild to clear Mythic level content is considered to be a very prestigious achievement in WoW.
As for bettors, these PvE matches or Raidraces are incredibly fun as they can last for weeks or even months for a Guild to complete a race only once.
World of Warcraft Bets
As there are different types of esports in World of Warcraft, there are many different betting markets for each. In other words, you can place a different set of bets on PvE and PvP matches.
In PvP WoW betting, the most common bets are fight duration bets, standard matchup bets, and outrights.
Fight duration bets can cover both the time of individual fights or the number of rounds in a match. On the other hand, outrights let you place a bet on the winner before the event starts.
PvE betting is a bit different as there is only one bet that most players like to place. This is the First Clear bet that allows you to pick the Guild you believe will be the first to finish a Mythic Raid. Naturally, you can also choose the First Three bet that increases the odds but makes the bet much harder to win.
World of Warcraft Tournaments
Every six months, a new Raid is released, and after a week, new Mythic PvE content is released as well. This usually means that the top Guilds will immediately start preparing themselves for the new Raid. They will usually stream their preparations on their Twitch channels, so you can follow them if you want to make better predictions later.
If you placed a bet in advance, following Twitch streams is a great way to follow the status of your bet. However, you need to be prepared to wait for a long time as these bets usually take long to conclude.
On the other hand, PvP events are more similar to regular esports. Teams get to compete in brackets to qualify for events or can join them by invitation. The most prominent event every year is the Arena World Championship, hosted by World of Warcraft developers. It also features the biggest prize pools. For example, the 2019 Arena had a $330,000 prize pool.
FAQ
Is WoW betting legal?
Yes, WoW betting is as legal as all other esports. However, this also depends on your location, as the law doesn’t always recognize esports. Thankfully, this usually means that players are free to place esports bets, as their countries typically don’t prosecute players for online betting, even if the law doesn’t regulate this form of gambling.
Can I bet real money on World of Warcraft?
Yes, of course, just as you would with other betting forms. Depending on the sportsbook you choose, you’ll likely be able to use a wide range of currencies, including cryptocurrencies.
Is WoW betting still a thing?
In old times, players used to make trade bets, where you had the chance to place in-game wagers through independent bookies. However, these have mostly disappeared and regular sportsbooks have taken over, which are accredited, licensed, and safe. This can only mean that WoW betting is not only still a thing but even more popular than it used to be.
