Whether you’re looking to spice up your tournament viewing or put your knowledge of the DOTA 2 esports scene to the test, there are plenty of betting opportunities to be found. Not sure where to start? Give our DOTA 2 betting guide a go — it’ll have you betting like a pro in no time!
Dota 2 Explained
Beginner’s Guide to Dota 2
Defense of the Ancients 2 — or as it’s more commonly known, DOTA 2 — is a multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) game developed and published by Valve Corporation. Valve is well-known for hit games like Half-Life, Portal, and Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, the latter of which is another popular esport for betting. Valve is also the company behind the Steam platform, a games distribution service and digital storefront. While DOTA 2 itself is a standalone game, its roots lie in a community-created modification of Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos — the original Defense of the Ancients.
DOTA 2 is one of the world’s most successful esport games, with over 10 million active players and a thriving professional scene featuring hundreds of teams. Each year, the DOTA Pro Circuit features around 25 high-level tournaments with prize pools between $300,000 and a whopping $1 million. These tournaments are held in huge arenas and bring together the world’s best competitors. With so many huge DOTA 2 events, esports bettors will never be short of opportunities to win big.
How to Play DOTA 2
Before you start adding to your betslip, we recommend getting familiar with fundamentals of the game. DOTA 2 is highly complex, and it’s known among gamers for its steep learning curve. The game is played in a team versus team format with 5 players on each side. This esport mixes real-time strategy with role-playing game elements, and there’s a high skill ceiling for esports players — that’s part of what makes it so exciting. A professional game can last anywhere between 15 and 75 minutes and a match usually consists of two to five games.
The two teams, named Radiant and Dire, choose five heroes each out of a pool of more than 100 options at the start of every game, during what is called the drafting phase. Each hero has different strengths and weaknesses determined by its stats and abilities. Heroes have at least three basic abilities plus an ultimate — a unique power that can dramatically affect the outcome of a game. The drafting phase is where much of the strategy begins. Teams take it in turns to pick heroes, attempting to put together a complementary roster while countering the strengths of the opposition.
The Dota 2 Map, showing the Radiant and Dire sides and the three lanes — top, mid, and bottom
After the drafting phase, the two teams proceed to do battle on a two-sided map divided by a river. The ultimate goal is to destroy the opposing team’s Ancient, a large structure inside the team’s base. Each game of DOTA 2 begins with what’s called the ‘laning’ phase, where each hero kills non-player units called ‘creeps’ in one of the three lanes in order to gain gold. Throughout the match, players can use this gold to purchase items and upgrades, hopefully tipping the scales in their favour.
As the match goes on, each hero becomes more and more powerful. At some point, a team will decide to make the first move and engage the enemy in combat. Win enough battles, and the heroes and creeps will advance towards the enemy base, where they’ll lay waste to the Ancient and other structures. The first team to destroy the other team’s Ancient claims victory and wins the match.
Arguably the simplest Dota 2 betting bonus, a free bet will let you place a wager at no cost to yourself. Once you’ve claimed your free bet, all you have to do is choose an eligible market and place the bet. If it wins, you’ll pocket the profit — once you’ve met any wagering requirements, if they apply. Usually the free bet stake isn’t returned.
So, how do you unlock this bonus? It depends on the Dota 2 betting site. At some, you’ll just have to sign up — that’s known as a no deposit free bet. At others, you’ll need to make your first deposit of a minimum amount once you’ve created your account. Or, you could run into a ‘Bet X, Get Y’ type of deal, where you’ll need to make a bet of a certain amount at the minimum odds in order to receive your free bet credit.
Terms and conditions to watch out for here include eligible markets for your free bet, as well as minimum odds. For example, a free bet may have to be placed at odds of 1/2 (1.5 in decimal odds) or more, and may not be eligible for accas or in-play bets.
Another common bonus at Dota 2 betting sites is a matched deposit. This is where your first deposit is literally matched by a certain percentage, giving you more credit with which to place bets.
An example offer could be ‘100% deposit match up to £100 when you deposit at least £20’. Say you were to deposit £50 at the site after signing up — you’d get another £50 in bonus credit to bet with.
It’s important to note this bonus credit is usually separate from your real money balance. It can’t be withdrawn until any wagering requirements have been met, and could be subject to terms like market and payment restrictions. Watch out for time limits on your bonus too. If the clock runs all the way down, it’ll expire.
Some offers require you to input a promo code at the Dota 2 betting site. This could be when you sign up, when you make your deposit, or at any time through your account management. In return, you could get a free bet, a deposit match, an odds boost, or something else entirely.
Promo codes are sometimes given away through email newsletters or social media as a way to encourage customers to opt into marketing. You might also see them handed out via loyalty or referral schemes.
Cashback is a way for Dota 2 betting sites to give back to their loyal customers. Generally, you’ll receive somewhere between 1% and 10% cashback on your total losses in a given period. The best sites give cashback as real money which you can withdraw straight away, but some return it in the form of free bets or bonus credit.
e-Wallets
If you’re looking for a do-it-all payment method for Dota 2 betting, e-wallets are the best choice. They function rather like a bank account, allowing you to hold a balance — often in several different currencies if you desire. And like a real wallet, you’ll be able to store your debit cards and bank accounts within the account, using them to pay for goods and services online. Transactions with e-wallets are simple — once you’ve signed up, you only need to log in with your e-wallet account at the point of purchase and confirm the transaction. As well as being highly convenient, e-wallets are often favoured for their fast withdrawal times. Many e-wallets can process transactions immediately, so you’ll receive your money as soon as the Dota 2 betting site authorises your request to cash out. PayPal is arguably the most popular e-wallet, with Skrill and Neteller often filling in the gaps where it’s not available. ecoPayz and MuchBetter, meanwhile, are two alternative e-wallets you might find at Dota 2 betting sites. Many of these services offer useful extra features alongside security measures like two-factor authentication. While most e-wallet transactions at Dota 2 betting sites are free for the customer, there can be some fees charged by the e-wallets themselves — particularly if currency conversion is involved. We recommend checking before you sign up. Another drawback is e-wallets are commonly excluded from claiming bonuses.
Debit Cards
The faithful debit card remains a popular choice at Dota 2 betting sites. For one, it’s the most familiar payment method to many players. Debit card deposits and withdrawals are easy to carry out — simply enter the 16-digit card number, expiry date, and CVC. Deposits with debit cards are usually instant, while another perk of using debit cards for your deposits is they’re always eligible when claiming a Dota 2 betting bonus. As for withdrawals, these have traditionally been on the slow side, taking around 3–5 working days. However, the newer Visa Fast Funds service offers withdrawal speeds in line with e-wallets for Visa customers. Using your debit card at a licensed betting site is safe and secure, thanks to requirements put in place by the UKGC around encryption and data handling. That said, some players still prefer to keep these details private, in which case e-wallets, prepaid cards, and Trustly are great alternatives.
Trustly
Payments intermediary Trustly allows bettors to make direct deposits and withdrawals to and from their chosen Dota 2 betting site. How does it work? All you have to do is log into the secure Trustly portal with your online banking credentials. The service is built on Open Banking, which is the secret to its instant deposits and speedy withdrawals. You’ll often receive your payout within an hour or two of the betting site processing your request. There aren’t many drawbacks to using Trustly, aside from the fact you might not find it at every Dota 2 betting site. It’s generally eligible for bonuses and there aren’t usually any fees associated with the service. Most major high street banks are compatible with Trustly.
Paysafecard
If you want to keep a close eye on your Dota 2 betting spend, a prepaid card such as Paysafecard is a good choice. You can buy Paysafecard vouchers at participating retailers in denominations from £10 to £100. Then, just enter the 16-digit PIN at the betting site and you’ll be able to transfer the funds to your sports betting wallet. At no point are any bank details shared with the Dota 2 betting site, making this one of the most secure methods around. The card can’t be overdrawn either: once it’s spent, that’s it. As you’ll need to buy another card to make subsequent deposits, it can be a useful responsible gambling tool for budget management — although it may not suit those who like to bet larger amounts. While Paysafecard deposits are instant, the service doesn’t support withdrawals. It’s not always eligible for claiming bonuses, either.
FAQs
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I claim my new customer bonus at a top esports betting site?
Once you’ve chosen an esports bookie from our top rated list, simply follow one of our links and sign up to become eligible for an exclusive welcome bonus. Unless stated otherwise, you’ll simply be required to make your first deposit in order for your welcome bonus to be credited to your account. This happens almost instantly.
Can I place live bets on DOTA 2 tournaments?
Yes. The top online esports betting sites allow you to place bets even after a match has kicked off. You’ll be able to choose from live DOTA 2 markets such as match winner, map winner, and race to a certain number of kills.
Is there a winning DOTA 2 strategy?
No. As it is impossible to guarantee the outcome of a DOTA 2 match, there are no strategies that can guarantee a winning bet. The best strategy any player could adopt is having a thorough knowledge of the match they are betting on. This includes taking relevant statistics into consideration, as well as keeping up to date with esports news and watching recent major events.
Should I follow DOTA 2 betting tips?
There are several websites and social media pages that provide tips and predictions for DOTA 2 betting. While many claim to be ‘expert tipsters’, it is impossible to guarantee the outcome of any esports game. Therefore, it’s important to take any DOTA 2 tips with a pinch of salt. While a tipster may have an excellent track record, this has little bearing on his or her future performance.
How have the top DOTA 2 esports betting sites been selected?
Our team of experts has scoured the internet for the best esports betting sites and filtered a long list of hundreds down to only the very best. Along the way, we’ve eliminated any unlicensed betting sites, and sought out sites with the best welcome bonuses, promotions, and most competitive odds.
Can I bet on DOTA 2 on my mobile?
Yes, all of our top esports betting sites are mobile friendly so you can bet on DOTA 2 on the go. Some of the sites you’ll find here also offer native mobile betting apps available for download.
