Many esports fans are in their twenties and play video games themselves. Playing games and following the action makes these younger people feel like they have a leg up in esports betting.
You may feel the exact opposite way if you’re in your thirties. Sure, you may enjoy playing video games recreationally and also follow esports. But chances are that you have far more responsibilities at this age, meaning you have less time to devote to gaming.
Being older than the average esports fan may discourage you from betting on the action. But are you really too old to win in esports gambling?
I’m going to answer this question by discussing the nature of the industry along with why age is just a number in esports betting.
One reason why anybody 30 or older may feel disengaged from competitive gaming is that most professionals are younger.
The average professional esports player is in their early twenties. This makes sense when considering that younger people have fewer responsibilities and more time to play video games.
According to retired Starcraft legend Guillaume “Grrrr…” Patry, older players have slower reaction time.
“I am way too old to compete,” the 36-year-old said. “Age is a huge factor.” He told the Global News that players in their early twenties are at the prime age range for professional gambling. “The young players are always the best [pro] players. It’s very competitive and just being a few years older, it slows you down.” He added, “I don’t think someone who’s over a certain age can adapt fast enough. “It’s not like soccer or hockey. The game you learn when you’re 13 is not the same when you’re 23.”
Guillaume has a point about older players having trouble keeping up. Research from 2014 shows that the human brain’s reaction time peaks at age 24.
You’re living in a fantasy world if you envision yourself becoming a great gamer at 30+. But this doesn’t mean that you have to give up on the dream of making money through esports.
You may need great reaction time and reflexes to be an excellent gamer. However, you needn’t the same skills to win at esports betting.
The best NBA bettors don’t have to stand 6’10” and have a 40-inch vertical leap. Likewise, the top NFL bettors don’t need to bench press 400 pounds and run the forty in 4.4 seconds.
Athletic skills are entirely unnecessary to succeed at sports betting. The same holds true of esports gambling, because you don’t need to possess all the tools that go into becoming a successful player.
Instead, you should focus on what wins bets – not what wins when playing games. You’ll find that people of any age can master these skills.
Anybody can bet on esports contests. Of course, you’ve got to put more work into the matter in order to excel and win profits.
Betting good at esports gambling involves mastering several aspects. Here are the most-important factors you want to concentrate on when starting out.
Variety is one of the best aspects of betting on esports. You can gamble on a wide range of games, tournaments, and leagues.
However, I don’t recommend that you take advantage of this variety in the beginning. It’s best to specialize in one or two games until you become a stronger esports gambler.
Given that esports betting isn’t as huge as sports gambling, I suggest that you choose one of the more popular games like League of Legends (LoL), Dota 2, and/or Counter Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO). Doing so gives you access to more lines and types of wagers.
I’m not suggesting that you avoid betting on different games for an eternity. But it’s good to master 1-2 esports in the beginning before branching off into something new.
Specialization helps you gain strong knowledge in a limited number of games, rather than spreading yourself thin.
Handicapping involves looking over data and other variables to predict which esports team offers the most value in a line.
You can look over many different variables to handicap a match. Some of the most-important factors include matchup history, travel schedule, illnesses/injuries, and recent performance.
Matchup history can help identify if one team exceeds their normal performance when facing a certain opponent.
Travel schedule can play a factor in how prepared a team is for their upcoming match. Generally speaking, teams that must travel further will be more tired for the event.
Esports pros sometimes miss matches due to illnesses or injuries (e.g. fingers or wrist). You definitely need to know if any key players will miss a match.
Recent performance indicates which teams are on a hot streak heading into a match. A team could offer more value when they’re running hot. Other factors come into play when handicapping esports matches. But it’s good to master the basics first before moving on to the finer details.
Following esports news can give you a leg up in the betting department. Seeing big news before the majority of gamblers allows you to react quickly before lines shift.
Here’s an example on reacting to esports news:
Once upon a time, only the most-serious bettors had access to breaking news. But social media has leveled the playing field.
You should subscribe to Twitter feeds of top esports news outlets to get updates on matches. Monitoring Twitter updates allows you to quickly and jump on lines before they move.
You don’t want to go to the work of becoming great at betting, only to blow it by managing your bankroll poorly.
The key aspect to bankroll management is making proper bet sizes so that you don’t assume too much short-term risk. Far too many esports gamblers risk 10% or 20% of their bankroll on every single wager.
It might seem harmless to bet this much considering that you have multiple units left after a loss. But what happens when you go on a long losing streak? Bankroll management helps you ride out short-term downswings so that you have a chance to win over the long term.
The first order of business involves deciding how much you want to risk on each wager. Ideally, you’ll only risk 1-2% on every bet.
Here’s an example:
Betting such a small amount ensures that you never risk too much on any single outcome. Of course, your bankroll size will also play a role in this.
You can’t only bet 1% of your bankroll if you only have $100 worth of funds. It’s important to account for an online bookmaker’s minimum wager when dealing with a small bankroll.
You’d have to bet at least $10 if this is the minimum bet at your favorite esportsbook. Therefore, you’d be wagering 10% of your bankroll every time with $100. Overall, the key is to concentrate on keeping your bets relatively small so that you don’t bust out too quickly.
I’ve already discussed how you’ll likely be at a disadvantage when playing video games against younger competitors.
But you may have an edge when it comes to betting on esports. Here are a few categories that you might hold an advantage in by being older.
Being older gives you more time to save up money that can go towards an esports betting bankroll.
You may not have five or six figures sitting in your bank account. But even having a few thousand can get you off to a great start in esports gambling. Everybody’s situation differs, regardless of age. Chances are, though, that you’ll have a larger bankroll than the average 20-something.
Beginning with a bigger bankroll is a huge advantage, considering that you can make larger wagers without risking as much. In contrast, most people in their 20s haven’t advanced far enough in their careers to save much money for esports gambling.
Being older doesn’t guarantee that you’ll be more mature than a younger gambler. But it does at least increase the chances that you’ll have a stronger grasp on money management.
Earlier I covered the important of properly managing your bankroll. Doing so prevents you from losing too quickly and spending money you can’t afford to lose.
Those in their 20s may struggle with bankroll management. They can especially be prone to taking big risks that may ultimately not pay off.
If you’ve been betting on sports for years, then you’ll have many of the skills that it takes to succeed in esports gambling.
The latter is the same in many ways to sports betting. Esports wagering uses the same type of bets (e.g. moneylines & point spreads) and odds (American, decimal & fractional).
Of course, you do need to put some work into learning the esports teams and players to develop true mastery. But you’ll at least have the basics down if you’re already an experienced sports bettor.
It’s especially helpful if you’re a winning sports gambler, because you can use your handicapping skills in the same fashion regarding esports.
Don’t hold any illusions about going from a 30-something recreational gamer to the esports main stage. Studies show that your brain’s reaction time peaks at 24, meaning you’re well past the point of having natural video game talent.
But just because you can’t be one of the best players doesn’t mean that you can’t win in esports betting. In fact, you may have an advantage over younger gamblers in many areas.
The key is to focus on the skills that help you win bets. Handicapping, bankroll management, specialization, and following news can all increase your chances of winning.
You especially want to focus on specializing and handicapping in the early going. Becoming good at betting on 1-2 games will greatly improve your skills.
You also want to pay special attention to bankroll management. Properly managing your esports gambling funds is half the battle.
As for your advantages as an older gambler, you’re likely to have a decent bankroll and solid money management skills. Previous sports betting experience is an added bonus.
Again, you don’t have to be the world’s greatest video gamer to successfully bet on esports. All you need is a willingness to learn and some patience with your bankroll.
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