StarCraft 2 Explained for Beginners

StarCraft 2 is not your ordinary e-sports game. For a kick-off, unlike most of its counterparts, Blizzard Entertainment’s StarCraft 2 was not initially free to play. Since it debuted in 2010, this sequel to 1998’s StarCraft has sold tens of millions of copies. Indeed, it sold three million in its first month. What is StarCraft 2 all about, though, and where can you play the game?

If you want to know, you’ve come to the right place. Our team has put together this guide to betting this space-themed game and its expansion packs. We’ll briefly touch on how StarCraft 2 is played before looking at the types of bets you can wager, and we’ll provide you with a few top tips for StarCraft 2 betting at reputable sites. Let’s begin by showcasing a few of the hottest StarCraft 2 betting sites for you right here.

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What Is StarCraft 2?

StarCraft 2 is a game that features three species – Terrans (humans), Zerg (assimilated life-forms), and Protoss (advanced species). Different expansion packs focus on different species. The single-player game follows the trials and tribulations of Jim Raynor and the Terran Dominion. Of course, this details the single-player storyline mode. We’re more interested in the multiplier modes.

StarCraft 2’s multiplayer modes began as LAN games but quickly switched over to wireless cooperative gameplay. You can control one of the three species or races in the game, with each species having tactics and skills that are counter to those of the others, ensuring balanced gameplay.

Initially, South Koreans tended to dominate StarCraft 2’s e-sports arena. However, that has changed in recent years, with the game now hugely popular in most regions. How is it played, though?

How a Game Begins

At the start of any match, players must pick one of three species. Using an isometric perspective across a large battlefield, players begin with a single base and twelve workers. They can start building up their base while scouring for resources to deny their opponents.

Defeating the Enemy

As each turn progresses, players can carefully manage their resources, build units, train them, and use them to fight in combat against the opposition. As is the case in most of these games, the ultimate objective is to defeat your enemy by conquest. This means destroying your enemy’s base. The surplus of ways you can go about doing this is what has kept StarCraft 2 hugely popular for well over a decade now.

How to Bet on StarCraft 2 Online

Oddly enough, StarCraft 2 was the very first game to become an e-sports betting market. Naturally, this means that the market is advanced and well-known. Players began betting on StarCraft (the original game) way back in 2000. There are several major bets to look at for beginners, and we’ve detailed the primary ones for you below. They include:

Match Winner

There’s nothing complicated to understand about this bet. It is a straightforward wager on one player to be victorious over another. Also known as a straight-up, money-line or head-to-head bet, it is based on a single match. Odds will likely vary wildly from bookmaker to bookmaker for these matches.

Outright

If two players are going to play multiple games, perhaps a best-of scenario, then you’re going to want to pick an outright winner. This is not based on the result of a single game but on a series of matches. Outright bets are also ideal if you want to bet on tournament winners.

Correct Map Score

Here you can bet on the final score line over several matches. You can bet that Player A will win X matches or Player B will win Y. The correct score is necessary, though. Because it is trickier to predict, the winnings tend to be more adventurous and profitable with Correct Map Score bets than conventional match winner stakes.

Map Winner

A map winner bet is a simple stake on who will win the current map being played. In some cases, they may be identical to match winner bets. In others, they may also include a few prop bets to spice things up.

What Major StarCraft 2 Events Can I Bet On?

Some StarCraft 2 tournaments are far more prestigious than others. If you are interested in having a crack at betting on the game, what do you need to know? Here are the tournaments you may wish to keep an eye out for:

GSL Versus the World

This annual tournament is held between the very best South Korean players and those from anywhere else. Finnish players tend to do well in this tournament alongside South Koreans. If you fancy a challenge, then this tournament is worth exploring.

Top Paying Competitions

These are the StarCraft 2 tournaments with the best prizes available. Up to $400,000 can be won via prize pools. At the same time, the best paying of all is the World Championship Series Global Finals. This is sponsored by Blizzard themselves and offers $700,000 in prize money. All the top dogs roll up in these competitions.

Other Series

Plenty of leagues and competitions exist for StarCraft 2. You can find the most skilled players playing their trade in the GSL Super Tournaments and the Global StarCraft League. These events regularly feature at bookmakers as they often support games featuring the best players.

Top Tips for StarCraft 2 Betting Online

We’ve tried our hand at StarCraft 2, and we’ve learned a few things. Of course, the best way for you to learn how the game works is to play it yourself. However, our team is nonetheless prepared to share a few tips with you to help you get started. For instance…

Play Yourself

As touched on, StarCraft 2 is now a free-to-play game. You can download the game and get started at no expense. Learning how to play StarCraft 2 can be tricky, and even if you understand it, that may not help you learn who the pro players are and how they play. However, getting a better understanding of any game you are prepared to bet on is no bad thing.

Watch and Study

The quickest way to amass a decent record when betting on StarCraft 2 is to learn about all the best players. You can watch their games online via several streaming services like private Twitch, YouTube, and Discord pages. You can also read up about them. Understanding players will help you make smarter bets on StarCraft 2.

Use a Tipster

If you are just starting out and don’t know a whole lot about how the game works, we recommend using a tipster. These are StarCraft 2 pros who know exactly how each team and player goes about their business. They can provide you with handy advice (often at a cost) when it comes to betting on StarCraft 2.

Am I Ready to Bet on StarCraft 2?

As you’ll have noticed earlier, our team has put together a top selection of StarCraft 2 betting sites for you to join. Scroll through our list of top StarCraft 2 casinos and bookmakers above to find a reputable, trusted, and secure portal for your betting needs. Each has won our seal of approval and represents one of the best sites you can choose to play at right now.

FAQS: We Answer Your StarCraft 2 Questions

Just before we leave you, it may be worth exploring our brief FAQ for any added information.