Counter-Strike: Global Offensive Betting Guide for Absolute Beginners

With an estimated 11 million players per month, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive remains one of the most popular games on Valve’s Steam platform. The reason behind the success of the famous online first-person shooter can be attributed to factors like regular updates, competitive gameplay, a free-to-play model, low system requirements, and, of course, the thriving esports scene. It’s the latter that continues to attract large audiences and sponsorships via annual tournaments and multiple regional competitions, cementing the game in its status as a worldwide e-sports phenomenon. In this beginner’s guide, we’ll cover Counter-Strike basics, list the main events and tournaments, and delve deeper into the CSDO GG BET types and how to make a prediction if you’re new to this engaging shooter.

Basic Rules of Counter-Strike: Global Offensive

Launched in 2012, CS:GO is a straightforward game that features two teams: Terrorists aiming to plant the bomb within the designated site and Counter-Terrorists, who must prevent it or defuse the bomb if it has been planted. The game is round-based: 30 rounds are the maximum, and the first team to get 16 rounds under the belt wins. The rounds are super short and last 1 minute and 55 seconds; if the bomb is planted, the round continues until it explodes (40 seconds) or is defused. If neither happens, the team with the biggest number of remaining players wins the round. The game ends in a tie if both teams reach 15. Based on their performance in each round, players can earn money and spend it on better weapons, armor, and equipment to enhance their chances of killing more opponents. Counter-Strike is a team game, so expect a lot of communication, strategy, and coordination.

Major Tournaments and Events

With millions joining in to play each month, it’s no surprise that Counter-Strike has spawned a whole array of tournaments and championships. Here’s a look at some of the most prestigious events on the calendar:

• Majors. First introduced in 2013, Valve Major Championships are a set of tournaments with a prize pool of around $1-2 million. The event is the pinnacle of this competitive e-sport. During PGL Major Stockholm 2021, the concurrent viewership reached 2.75 million. The event is held biannually and attracts top-tier teams that compete for the title and money.
• Blast Premier. Launched in 2020, Blast Premier is the second most popular tournament for CSGO live betting fans. The series is divided into spring and fall seasons, each lasting around four months. The prize pool varies by year but generally ranges between $500,000 and $1 million.
• ESL Pro League. Launched in 2015, ESL Pro is one of the longest-running leagues, with multiple seasons ongoing throughout the year. The league’s prize pool is around $750,000 per season, attracting top-tier industry talent.
• Intel Extreme Masters. Started in 2006, IEM is the longest-running tour that attracts the best teams in CS:GO, StarCraft II, and more. This prestigious event is held multiple times each year with a prize pool estimated at around $500,000–$1 million.

Main Bet Types

Before rushing headlong into the counter strike betting, you must have a solid grasp of the main bet types available. Despite there being an endless amount of unique wagers, you can divide the bets into several main categories:

• Moneyline. Pick the team most likely to win. Keep an eye on the moneyline CSGO betting odds. The odds can be either negative or positive; for instance, for the latter, if you bet $100 on +200 odds, you will get $200 for each $100 wagered. In the negative moneyline odds, -150 means a $150 bet will yield you a $100 profit.
• Over/Under Totals. Predict whether the number of maps, total kills, and rounds played in the match will be over or under the specific number set by the bookie.
• Futures. Bet on the team most likely to win the entire tournament.
• Props. If you have a grasp of the game’s mechanics, prop bets should be your go-to. Predict specific outcomes, like the team to win pistol rounds, correct map score, map spreads, first blood, etc.

These are only some of the most popular bet types in CS:GO. If you’re new to betting on Counter-Strike, start with simpler bets, like predicting the team most likely to win in the match. After getting a more solid grasp of the game’s mechanics and teams’ history, try more challenging bet types, like futures.

How to Make a Prediction

Luck will only get you so far; if you want to learn to make better predictions, you must dedicate time to researching the CS:GO professional scene and even try to play the game yourself. Here are the main factors to consider for increasing your chances of placing a successful bet:

• Team. Check the team’s world ranking, note the star players, and keep an eye on recent roster changes or substitutions. CS:GO strongly relies on cohesiveness and synergy; if there are last-minute stand-ins, it can affect the team’s performance.
• Setting. From the prize pools to prestige levels, tournaments differ. Top-tier events are more stressful and can positively (or negatively) affect the team’s performance.
• Head-to-Head Performance. Top-tier teams that have been on the professional scene have likely already competed with each other before. Check the previous stats and streams, and take note of the team’s vulnerabilities and perks. If one team has historically dominated the other one, it’s likely to repeat in the future.

To make informed predictions, you must have a solid grasp of the game and stats and dedicate much time to research. For in-depth analysis, team rankings, player profiles, and match results, check resources like CSGOStats.gg, Liquipedia, and GosuGamers.