Since 2016, Overwatch has been the home of one of Blizzard’s top esports ecosystems making for many Overwatch betting opportunities. As a game, Overwatch is a perfect combination of both the MOBA and FPS genres, offering up exciting, hero-driven combat in arena-focused environments. For the esports bettor, you can find out everything you need to know about Overwatch betting right here!
Best Overwatch Betting Sites
If you’re going to start betting on Overwatch, you’ll need to make sure that, firstly, you’re using the best site for Overwatch betting.
Whether you’re playing for outright winners or more exotic markets, a reputable, reliable, and safe platform is essential when betting on esports tournaments.
For the best Overwatch odds around, consider using one of the following Overwatch betting sites, all of which we highly recommend:
Please gamble responsibly.
Betting on Overwatch: The Facts
For years, Overwatch betting has been growing in popularity, particularly with the introduction of top-tier esports leagues and Overwatch tournaments.
Here are some reasons behind Overwatch’s success:
- A multi-million-dollar ecosystem at play, and the platform itself boasts millions of active fans and competitors. For the best Overwatch players, there’s so much money to be made. There are also plenty of opportunities for betting on Overwatch.
- Closing the gap on the top esports betting titles such as Dota 2, CSGO, and League of Legends, Overwatch has made a name for itself since release.
- In 2022, Overwatch 2 was introduced, bringing another keen angle for those looking to take part in Overwatch betting – reigniting the franchise’s popularity.
Typically, esports bettors will flock to the best site for to place an Overwatch bet, lay down a few wagers, and tune into a tournament as it unfolds. Placing bets on Overwatch at Betway could be a great start for beginners.
It’s bread and butter betting, and there are very few nuances to the markets and to the strategies used to succeed in Overwatch betting. However, as you’ll learn further down this guide, there are several key Overwatch betting tips that you can take away in order to increase your winning potential.
Overwatch Betting: Gain an Edge with Overwatch Betting Tips
If you’re already a follower of the extremely popular ecosystem, you’ll already have a handle on the best Overwatch teams in the space and will be familiar with our Overwatch betting tips.
Anyways, here are some quick tips on how to bet on Overwatch:
- Follow the Overwatch League – learn the tangible skill gap present between the top-tier teams and the fresh competitors, knowing which organizations are the key players in the space.
- Tune into the best Overwatch streamers who play the game.
- Learn at the most fundamental level how Overwatch is played.
- If you’re able to identify key plays, strong characters, and unique tactics, you’ll have a much better chance of landing success in-play or exotic markets when betting on Overwatch.
- Stay educated – using platforms like EsportsBets, you’ll regularly pick up the best Overwatch betting tips you can find online.
If you’re approaching Overwatch betting with a well-thought-out strategy, you’re already in a good place to bet real money on Overwatch.
Then, it’s up to you to pick a betting market from the best Overwatch betting site.
For instance, you could try to play safer markets such as outright winners, which arguably needs no more information than the Overwatch odds displayed on the Overwatch betting site that you’re using.
Of course, prior to placing a bet on Overwatch, you’ll also want to learn the Overwatch League format and schedule. Further down this guide, we’ll give you an insight into the best events for Overwatch betting.
Important Overwatch Betting Events
The highest level of competitive Overwatch is captured in the franchised Overwatch League. Hosting a number of regional and international competitions under a franchised structure, a yearly prize pool of over $5,000,000 keeps things running.
Here’s a look at a list of the OWL franchises currently competing:
| Overwatch League Region | Teams |
|---|---|
| East | Dallas Fuel, Guangzhou Charge, Hangzhou Spark, Seoul Dynasty, Seoul Infernal, Shanghai Dragons |
| West | Atlanta Reign, Boston Uprising, Florida Mayhem, Houston Outlaws, London Spitfire, Los Angeles Gladiators, Los Angeles Valiant, New York Excelsior, San Francisco Shock, Toronto Defiant, Vancouver Titans, Vegas Eternal, Washington Justice |
As a franchised league, the Overwatch League schedule is as follows:
- Pro-Am – initial event featuring League and Contenders teams competing together
- Spring Stage – first leg of the Overwatch League Regular Season with regional competition
- Midseason Madness – midseason international event
- Summer Stage – second leg of the Overwatch League Regular Season with regional competition
- Play-Ins – last chance to make it to the Playoffs
- Playoffs – crowning of a new Overwatch World Champion
Undoubtedly, the Overwatch Playoffs offer the peak Overwatch League betting opportunities, offering a $2,000,000 prize pool for the best teams from the East and West regions competing under one roof.
To make it there, teams earn seeds from their prior performances at the Regular Season events – making every Overwatch League match valuable and hence, an Overwatch gambling opportunity.
At Tier 2, beneath the Overwatch League, Overwatch Contenders is the avenue for up-and-coming talent to break into the League. With scaled down prize pools of up to $125,000, regional competitions with open formats allow any Overwatch team to compete and make a name for themselves.
It’s essentially a proving ground for the best Overwatch players before they make it big and break into the Overwatch League and another opportunity to bet money on Overwatch.
Outside of the Overwatch Contenders series and the OWL, there aren’t too many tournaments that are worth your wagers. There may be ad-hoc events that surface throughout the year, but they’re not guaranteed to take place and be covered by esports betting sites anyways.
How is Overwatch 2 Played?
At the most basic level, Overwatch 2 can be described as a first-person battle arena title that focused on ‘hero characters’. These are playable models that boast unique attributes and abilities, many of which are designed to turn the tide of battle one way or the other.
Originally, Overwatch boasted a six-vs-six structure, but with the introduction of Overwatch 2, this has been amended to a five-vs-five format. This is true for both ‘public play’ and competitive gaming. For competitive players, there are four key game modes to take into consideration – if you’re betting on Overwatch, you’ll need to learn how these modes are played.
| Game Mode | Maps | Overview |
|---|---|---|
| Escort | Circuit Royal, Dorado, Havana, Junkertown, Rialto, Route 66, Watchpoint: Gibraltar | Escort is one of the most iconic game modes in the history of Overwatch. In this mode, attackers must successfully defend and transport a payload to its delivery point, which will differ between maps. This payload is moved simply when players stand close to it. On the other side of the match, the defenders must prevent the payload from reaching its destination by any means possible. |
| Hybrid | Blizzard World, Eichenwalde, Hollywood, King's Row, Midtown, Numbani, Paraiso | Hybrid is exactly what it sounds like, in theory. It's two game modes meshed together to create something unique. When the match kicks off, players are placed in an Assault-type round, with both teams being pushed to capture points. Once this stage is complete, an Escort objective begins, and players must either protect or destroy a payload as it makes its way to the final objective. |
| Control | Busan, Ilios, Lijiang Tower, Nepal, Oasis | Control is one of the most recognisable game modes in modern gaming, and it exists outside of Overwatch. In this mode, players must fight for the control of a single capture point, with each team accruing points over time for as long as they 'sit on' the objective and keep the enemies off. This mode is played in a best-of-three format, with both teams having the ability to rush to 100% domination on the point, securing the win. |
| Push | Colosseo, New Queen Street, Esperanca | Push is an all-new game mode released alongside Overwatch 2. It's a popular enough mode that is gaining traction as a great introduction to the Overwatch esports ecosystem. In Push, two teams fight for the control of a robot that progressively pushes an objective into the enemy team's spawn area, effectively trapping them. There are two ways to win: push the robot to the enemy team's spawn or get further than the other team by the time the game is up. |
Overwatch Betting Tips: How is Overwatch Different from Other FPS Games?
When Blizzard released Overwatch in 2016, it created an instant buzz among fans of multiplayer gaming. It was a relatively unique concept, fusing first-person shooter action with MOBA-style characters and mechanics. It was a perfect combination that proved to be a massive success in a short period of time, and within weeks, the platform had drawn in millions of players.
In 2022, when Overwatch 2 was launched, it piggybacked off the success of the first platform, introduced a free-to-play model, and became just as popular as the first title. As it’s free-to-play, it follored the trends of other titles such as Fortnite, Call of Duty Warzone, or Apex Legends, pivoting to a ‘battle pass’ system, which is most commonly seen in the battle royale genre.
Overwatch 2 Characters: Learn The Roles
Here’s a quick breakdown of the Overwatch characters, which are, at their core, the unique thing to Overwatch.
In many other competitive titles, players assume the role of a relatively faceless character.
While they may boast a certain skin or a particular uniform, they’re ultimately quite expendable, have no real backstory, and are rinse-and-repeat characters that anyone can pick up and get to grips with.
In Overwatch, characters are typically tied to a core, branching story, connected to the lore of the Overwatch universe and important in their own way.
As ‘Heroes’, the characters in Overwatch boast an ability set that is considered unique to that character. They’ll have two core abilities and an ultimate ability that can be triggered throughout the game to change the course of a battle or create a tactical opening.
Overwatch characters can be separated into the following classes:
| Class Types | Example Heroes | Overview |
|---|---|---|
| Support | Baptiste, Kiriko, Lúcio, Mercy. | Support characters make up the foundation of a team, and they’ll typically be responsible for dealing damage but, more importantly, ensuring their squadmates remained healed and ready to fight. They’re versatile characters that can easily mean the difference between winning and losing, provided the player controlling them understands how to play the role properly. |
| Tank | D.Va, Junker Queen, Orisa, Reinhardt. | In Overwatch (and of course, Overwatch 2), the Tank Class is responsible for both dealing and soaking up as much damage as possible. They’ll happily throw themselves in the way of danger to protect weaker, more agile teammates as they push towards an objective. There were changes made to the Tank Class going into Overwatch 2, and now, only one Tank can be present on a team at any one time. |
| Damage | Ashe, Echo, Genji, Sojourn | If the Tank Class is responsible for soaking up damage, the Damage Class is ultimately responsible for dealing it in great amounts. In Overwatch 2, no class is more favoured for its output potential than the Damage Class, which is made up of a series of Heroes designed to be the heaviest hitters in the game. If a team finds itself fighting alongside a veteran Damage Class player, then the game is almost surely going to end up in their favour. |
Can Overwatch Characters be Switched Mid-Game?
Unlike most other shooters, players can switch between Heroes as the game unfolds. It’s a key component to the success of the Overwatch environment, allowing the ‘meta’ to ebb, flow, and ultimately change as the match unravels.
It ensures that play remains as dynamic as possible, but for someone taking part in Overwatch betting, it can make for a slightly confusing experience.
That’s why it’s important to at least read up on the most basic facts about the Heroes of Overwatch. That way, when you’re watching a tournament unfold, you’ll recognize when a change has been made, and, more importantly, you’ll appreciate why that change has been made and how it’ll impact the game’s pacing.
It might seem bizarre, but there are no restrictions on the duplication of Heroes. In Overwatch 2, there are two support class characters available per team, and these characters can be the same if the players so desire to choose them that way.
However, many tournament organizers impose rules that prevent overpowered combinations from forming to keep the competition as clean and fair as possible.
Which Platforms Can Overwatch be Played On?
Overwatch 2 is a cross-platform title, meaning PC, PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch players can cross over into each other’s games. It’s a progressive, forward-thinking feature that ensures the biggest, most seamless community imaginable can exist.
Currently, almost all Overwatch esports leagues and tournaments are played on the PC platform, which is typical for almost every esports title in the business.
Ultimately, this means very little when it comes to Overwatch betting, aside from the fact that you’ll be able to identify which players are the best on the PC platform.
If you’re watching an Overwatch streamer and they’re playing on PlayStation 5, for example, you’re probably safe in assuming that they’re not an esports competitor.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I bet on Overwatch?
Yes, you can bet on Overwatch from most of the esports betting platforms featured on our site.
What types of bets can I make on Overwatch?
You can put down Overwatch bets on things like match winner, tournament winner, map winner, first kill and much more.
How do I know if an Overwatch betting site is safe?
By checking that the betting site is officially licensed. We only featured esports betting sites that are fully licensed and regulated.
