Remaining at the forefront of the eSports scene for quite some time now, Starcraft II is a real-time strategy game set in the furthest reaches of space, as two players face off against one another, making for some tension fuelled and action packed games. This is where the Alpha Pro Series comes in to play, which will also offer you plenty of opportunities for betting, which is what we’ll look at here now.
Run by the Alpha X team, they are a group who seek to build a community and showcase the best of Starcraft II as an eSport on the world stage. Creating their own league too, the Pro Series is essentially a continuation of the ‘Psix Pro Series’, which is run by Psionic Aftermath, as it follows along similar lines. Both using best-of-nine style matches, they bring together players, with them working their way through different tiers in a series of showcase matches. Sponsored by the likes of AfreecaTV and Matcherino, it’s streamed across a variety of different platforms to a large audience worldwide.
How can you turn a profit from this event though, and where is best to put your money down when looking to make a bet? We’ll now look at this here, along with an overview of the event itself.
Where To Bet Starcraft II Alpha Pro Series:
America:
Covering the majority of Starcraft II events, you will want to turn to Bovada as your first choice of sports-book. Providing bets for a large number of eSports, it is simple to use for anyone throughout North America looking to place a wager. With the best odds as well, it definitely manages to provide competitive prices for any events overall.
Everywhere Else:
Everyone outside of North America will want to use Bet365 Sportsbook, as this really does offer the best odds when it comes to all things Starcraft II. Giving you a better deal for your money, it’s easy to use with the most available at any one time too. Just be sure to login at the right time and you’ll find something that’s right for you.
What is Starcraft II Alpha Pro Series Betting?
Overseeing both the Alpha Team League and the Alpha Pro Series, the Alpha X team consists of thirteen players in its own ranks, and has been at the forefront of Starcraft II as an eSport for quite some time now. Whilst the prize pool is smaller, it provides a great deal of exposure for the players, showcasing their talents to the world, and concluding with an interview for the top elite players. This means that competition can be tense, especially when newcomers are looking to prove themselves on a global platform to the world.
Typically starting towards the end of the year in December, it uses the most current iteration of the game’s map. With all the contributions made going to the players themselves, the event itself, which is best-of-nine for each match, generally follows along these lines:
Standard Tier: $50 prize pool payout.
Premier Tier: $100 prize pool payout.
Elite Tier: $150 prize pool payout, along with an interview with Korean host Hajinsun for the winner.
Despite this seemingly being a smaller event, the competition is still fierce due to the opportunities that it brings for the players themselves. How can you expect to make money here though, and where is best to start when placing a bet?
Common Starcraft II Alpha Pro Series Questions:
Which type of bets are available?:
Typically, due to the fairly straightforward nature of this particular event, you should find basic match outcome bets available to you throughout. You may also be able to bet upon match lines too, which is all dependent upon when you login, although, due to the smaller scale of the event, these bets are few and far between. Focusing on the matches themselves and their outcomes, you should be able to gain good odds, especially when considering the matches are best-of-nine. Giving you a good run for your money, they should add an extra level to each of the games when watching too.
How will I know what to look for with the players?:
With many of the players being fairly new to the eSport scene of Starcraft II, as many of them will be making a name for themselves, it can be difficult to know where to start. Looking into some of there older streams is a good place though, with many of them streaming on services such as Twitch. This should then provide you with a clear idea of how the players operate in-game, and how they’ll fare against other players. Many people tend to opt for the Korean players as well, with them tending to dominate the competition, but this can also provide you with not so favourable odds, so look for some more surprising niche bets that could turn up some unexpected results.
How to Bet on the Starcraft II Alpha Pro Series:
Bovada: At the main page you will be presented with ‘Sports’ at the top, which will take you through to the next page with ‘All Sports’ below. This will then provide you with ‘eSports’, which will subsequently offer an ‘All eSports’ roll-down menu, with ‘Starcraft’ followed by ‘All Starcraft’. Down the center of the page you can find all the games and events available, allowing you to then take your pick of what’s on offer.
Bet365 Sportsbook: From the main page you can select the ‘English’ language tab, which then brings up the ‘Esports’ tab down the left-hand side. You can then find all the eSports down the middle of the page, and you should find ‘Starcraft II’ some further way down. Using the betting tabs beneath, you can then easily tailor your bet to how you want it.
Starcraft II Alpha Pro Series Betting Strategy:
As an event the Alpha Pro Series is a pretty straightforward affair, providing a showcase for the best up-and-coming talent on the Starcraft II eSports scene. This will also mean pretty straightforward bets too then, although you should be able to create combinations as well. Watch out for new players, and make sure you’re aware of their playing styles at all times. You should then have a potentially far more rewarding and fulfilling experience watching the games.