World of Warcraft is a MMORPG developed and published by Blizzard back in 2004. The game revolutionized online gaming and was the most popular game worldwide for almost a decade. Players take on the role of characters from a certain race to venture through a massive open world, growing stronger while fighting enemies and completing quests.
There are two factions that the player can choose, standing hostile to one another: the Alliance and the Horde. There have been numerous expansions since the start of World of Warcraft, each with its own storyline, content and rewards.
The game has won multiple awards and meant the definitive breakthrough for Blizzard as a leading publisher in the industry. The success of World of Warcraft (and to lesser extent Warcraft 3 and Starcraft 2) gave Blizzard the tools to develop other titles that became staples in the scene like Overwatch and Hearthstone. The revenue of World of Warcraft came primarily from monthly subscriptions, which not many other games have succeeded in.
World of Warcraft can be played in either PvP (Player Versus Player) or PvE (Player Versus Environment) mode. Though the first is most suitable for esports and has its own World Championship yearly with Blizzcon, the latter is the most popular.
World of Warcraft Betting | Your Guide for Esports
Fast approaching 15 years since its initial release back in 2004, World of Warcraft has quickly grown to become the world’s most popular massively multiplayer online RPG title.
At the last count, there were over 5.5 million subscribers to the game, a number which is bound to have been boosted by Blizzard Entertainment’s latest expansion pack – Legion. And not only are WoW players among the most numerous of any game on any platform, they are also the among the most passionate, die-hard and committed to their craft.
Even well-known celebrities have been bitten by the WoW bug: Dave Chappelle, William Shatner and Cameron Diaz, to name a few. Now imagine one of those people being your raid leader.
With such persistent popularity across the world, it’s no surprise that WoW has spawned multiple ways in which people can engage with the game itself. We’re here to talk about World of Warcraft betting, a phenomenon that has been steadily gaining more and more traction in the world of eSports in recent years.
Just as with any major competitive sport, video games have gradually become a competitive endeavor themselves, and WoW is a prime example. Whether you’re completely fresh to the world of World of Warcraft betting – or eSports in general, for that matter – or you are looking to get a more comprehensive view of the range of WoW betting options out there, this is the guide for you.
Let’s dive straight in, shall we?
World of Warcraft Betting – An Introduction
The very first question you should be asking yourself is: how does one actually bet on a game like World of Warcraft?
As with most eSports, the answer lies in professional competitions. With WoW being so popular, it’s really no surprise that there are numerous organised tournaments in which players and clans can pit their characters against one another in a series of PvP rounds.
The premier global event is the WoW Arena World Championship Finals, hosted every year at BlizzCon, an event which celebrates all of Blizzard Entertainment’s major titles and gives fans the chance to cosplay and witness the best players in the world battling it out head to head.
History of World of Warcraft
When it first came out in November 2004, no one expected the audience to be so enthusiastic about the game as they were. In the US, retailers came short of stock just after release. The servers were not capable at all of handling such a massive amount of players.
There were, to put it lightly, quite some start up problems that had to be fixed. But so Blizzard did. Using patches, they added new content and improvements to what was to be called Vanilla WoW. In January 2007, the first expansion called The Burning Crusade was released.
This time Blizzard was prepared as thousands and thousands of players marched through the Dark Portal at once, entering the outlands. Raising Level Cap from 60 to 70, introducing Blood Elves on the side of the Horde and Draenei for the Alliance as well as flying mounts.
Also the introduction to the Arena made competitive WoW possible and was extremely important for the development of WoW esports. By many, the first expansion was considered the best expansion.
For others, the next expansion was seen as the highlight of WoW for the simple fact that the storyline was incredible. Wrath of the Lich King centered around the story of prince Arthas, that became The Lich King much in a way that Anakin became Vader. The story starts where Warcraft 3: The Frozen Throne ended, something that the fans received positively. We are now 5 expansions further, each being released after approximately 2 years of another:
- The Burning Crusade World of Warcraft: The Burning Crusade — first expansion, released January 16,2007
- Wrath of the Lich King World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King — second expansion, released November 13, 2008
- Cataclysm World of Warcraft: Cataclysm — third expansion, released December 7, 2010
- Mists of Pandaria World of Warcraft: Mists of Pandaria — fourth expansion, released September 25, 2012
- Warlords of Draenor World of Warcraft: Warlords of Draenor — fifth expansion, released November 13, 2014
- Legion World of Warcraft: Legion — sixth expansion, released August 30, 2016
- Battle for Azeroth World of Warcraft: Battle for Azeroth — seventh expansion, released August 14, 2018
- World of Warcraft: Classic, release summer 2019
- World of Warcraft: Classic, the Burning Crusade – release summer 2021
WoW Arena World Championships Explained
The biggest tournament is the Arena World Championship, where teams face off in a 3v3 composition. Starting in January, regional qualifiers called Arena Cups with a prize pool of €10.000 start in Europe, America, China, Latin-America and Asia-Pacific.
Here’s how the basic structure plays out: Throughout the year, a series of qualifying tournaments, commonly known as The Road To BlizzCon, are held throughout the following regions:
- North America (12 teams advance)
- Europe (12 teams advance)
- China (8 teams advance)
- Latin America (4 teams advance)
- Australasia (3 teams advance)
- Taiwan (3 teams advance)
- Korea (2 teams advance)
There is then a further round of regional tournament action which determines the best eight qualifying teams, the top 4 of both Europe and US
that compete in a cross-region battle for spots to eventually go through to the World Arena Championships during Blizzcon, where they have their matchups broadcast live from BlizzCon. Each of these rounds gives diehard fans the opportunity to bet on their pick of the teams, culminating with the ever-popular Grand Final Where the teams compete for their share of €280.000.
It’s a rather small prize pool compared to other esports, but that doesn’t mean World of Warcraft ain’t popular by any means! The qualifiers are open to everyone, so if you think you got what it takes make sure to sign up for the 2019 road to victory!
The WoW Arena World Championships have been evolving every year without fail, and there are now more ways to participate, more teams, more live action and more betting options than ever before.
World of Warcraft Betting – Scouting Out The Best Players
As with any competitive sport that you’re planning to place a wager on, it really pays off to do your homework. Getting to know the world’s best WoW players and collectives is a vital first step to make sure that you stay well-informed of who stands the best chance of winning at each stage of the competition.
Weirdly enough, the most famous player in the history of World of Warcraft has absolutely nothing to show for. Well, except for one famous ‘pull’ during the middle of a raid in the Upper Blackrock Spire. Shouting ‘Leeeeeeeeeroy Jeeeeeenkins’ while running through the entire room, taunting all dragons there. He topped off his internet fame with: ‘at least I had chicken.’ There is even an achievement named after him and a character in Hearthstone.
Before we get to the actual pro-players there is another type of players that deserve mentioning: celebrities playing World of Warcraft. Mila Kunis, Vin Diesel, Cameron Diaz and Ben Affleck are just a grasp from the long list of celebrities publicly admitting playing WoW.
And finally we’ve come to the players that actually know how to go hard in this game! Honorable mentions go to Swifty, a streamer with almost a million subscribers on YouTube and Athene. The most famous narcissistic rage troll the Internet has ever seen.
To start with, we look at the most recent team dominating the Blizzcon of 2018 (3v3 arena play). What stands out immediately about this team is that they originate from the USA, so that’s the first time in five years that a team from the US takes home the trophy. WoW was dominated by europeans for years. But the past is the past, and the credits now go to Method Orange! Team Captain Cdew had build up a nice following on Twitch over the years and the consensus is that he really deserved this win. In 2017 it was Europe’s ABC that dominated the finals with a 5-0 victory.
Here’s a quick rundown of some of the best teams currently out there:
- Splyce (back-to-back Arena World Champions 2015 & 2015)
- Method NA (runners up 2016)
- SK Gaming
- Nihlum
- Against All Authority
These are some of the top teams currently out there on the competitive circuit. When you consider that a team like SK Gaming has accumulated a total of over $200,000 in prize winnings, it quickly becomes clear how lucrative these tournaments have become in recent years.
That said, it always pays to keep your eyes peeled for new and promising players and teams as you’re likely to get better odds for those that are lesser known.
World of Warcraft Betting | Joining The Mobile Wins Sports Community
Here at Mobile Wins, we are dedicated to giving fans a clear view of the latest World of Warcraft betting odds, enhanced offers and expanded markets. We also offer strategic advice and informed picks to our loyal fans because we share the same passion for competitive World of Warcraft action.
If you’re super keen to get involved in the action yourself, you can do so directly through the Mobile Wins website. We accept all major payment methods including secure bank transfers and MasterCard.
Not only that, but by popular demand, we also accept Bitcoin transfers, which is another quick, reliable and secure way to put your money where your mouth is. If you don’t know too much about Bitcoin, it’s well worth genning up on the benefits of using it. As the world’s most popular online cryptocurrency, Bitcoin users enjoy additional layers of security and anonymity. When you play with Bitcoin, you’ll find out that there are much smaller transactional charges compared with major cards.
Of course, whichever payment method you opt for, we always advise that you come prepared. As with any physical sporting event, researching the individual form and playing styles of different teams is a necessary approach in order to make the most informed stake possible. For many eSports betting fans, this process is all part of the fun and should never be overlooked or thought of as a chore.
The most important thing for all of us at the Mobile Wins community is to help you enjoy World of Warcraft betting. Remember that you can get all latest betting news, events and odds by signing up to the Mobile Wins community. It only takes two seconds. Godspeed, WoWers, and good luck!
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Frequently Asked Questions about Esports Betting
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How are esports tournaments organized?
Esports tournaments are typically organized by esports organizations, game publishers, or event organizers. They can be held online or in-person, featuring players and teams from around the world.
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What are some popular esports games?
Some popular esports games include League of Legends, Dota 2, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO), Fortnite, Overwatch, Call of Duty, and Valorant.
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What is the role of a coach in an esports team?
The coach of an esports team provides strategic guidance, analyzes gameplay, conducts team practice sessions, and helps players improve their skills to perform at their best during tournaments.
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What are LAN events in esports?
LAN events (Local Area Network) are esports tournaments where players and teams gather in a physical location to compete face-to-face, often in front of a live audience.
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What is the biggest esports tournament?
The biggest esports tournament depends on the game and region, but some of the largest and most prestigious events include The International (Dota 2), League of Legends World Championship, and the Intel Extreme Masters (CS:GO).
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