Modern video game fans need more understanding of how much of a phenomenon the WarCraft franchise was in the mid-2000s. Though the series still has eight million monthly players, and World of Warcraft boasts a subscriber count of 4.6 million, the pop culture impact this RPG has today pales compared to the mainstream popularity it enjoyed some fifteen years ago. World of Warcraft, Blizzard Entertainment’s genre-defining MMORPG, has spawned nine major expansion packs and paved the way for WarCraft-inspired products that have attained their sense of identity. Hearthstone, a free-to-play online digital collectible card game, is one super noteworthy example. It utilizes the lore of the Warcraft series, incorporating many of its elements and characters, transferring them over to turn-based card gameplay that can be enjoyed by competitors who implement constructed decks of thirty cards with chosen heroes that have distinct powers.
Hearthstone was unleashed in the world in 2014 and is now available for Windows and macOS systems and iOS and Android devices. It offers single-player and multiplayer action, getting reviewed positively by even Blizzard critics, accumulating as many as one hundred million players on the internet. It has managed to maintain its popularity thanks to frequent cash tournaments held by various organizers, including Blizzard Entertainment, and people getting to bet on them online. Some basics of betting applied to sports can also be used in video game competitions, Hearthstone contests included, which now draw loads of attention globally.
Below, we explain the game’s mechanics and what wagering possibilities it offers to parties interested in eSports betting.
Hearthstone’s Gameplay Explained
As mentioned, this is a virtual card game that uses turn-based mechanics. Players pick a hero, one for ten classes, each with unique attributes. The aim of the gameplay in Hearthstone is to deplete an opposing player’s hero’s health to nothing through various attacks. Hearthstone players have four types of cards at their disposal. Outside the discussed hero ones, they also have weapon cards, minions, and spells. They all have varying qualities.
Hearthstone implements a mana system. That means that players utilize mana crystals to summon minions and cast spells. The gameplay here also features prizes awarded for those who win their battles and in-game gold. Most high-end Hearthstone competitions happen using a three-versus-three format. The multiplayer matches have three modes, play, arena, battleground, and tavern.
Hearthstone Betting Options
In general, the betting choices that high-end sportsbooks offer on this and other eSports don’t differ dramatically from the ones on hand for real sporting contests. Moreover, it is worth noting that some of the greatest online properties also host casino games and virtual sports wagering, which is betting on simulated sporting events.
Going by the statement made in the leading paragraph of this subheading, Hearthstone gamblers can wager on match winners, so-called future markets (competition winners), make handicap bets, turn ones, and props. Props are betting on specific things, like which cards might get activated in a match. Turn wagers are guessing how many turns will get played in the game, and handicaps get primarily implemented when the outcome gets heavily skewed towards one player.
Depending on the chosen sportsbook, the odds format may differ. The four standard ones are American, fractional, implied probability, and decimal. But, most gambling sites allow users to switch between these, selecting whichever one tickles their fancy.
Leading Hearthstone Tournaments & Players
Per most turn-based card message boards, the two most newsworthy Hearthstone competitions are the Hearthstone World Championship and the Hearthstone Grandmasters. The first brings the planet’s eight highest-ranked players to battle against each other and get their share of a prize pool that can reach as high as half a million dollars, and the latter consists of two eight-week seasons. Other famous tournaments that don’t have the official Blizzard stamp but glue millions of eyeballs to screens are hosted by StarLadder, ESL, and Major League Gaming.
Going by various online standards, Hearthstone’s premier masters are Adrian “Lifecoach” Koy from Germany, the Romanian Rdu, Netherlands-based ThijsNL, Ostkaka from Sweden, and Pavel Beltukov, a member of the Russian Team Millenium.
Five-Star Hearthstone Betting Sites
The two chief platforms most eSports bettors like the most are BetUS and Bovada.
BetUS is a super recognizable online gambling brand that debuted shortly after the inception of this sphere, meaning it has been operational for over two and a half decades. It offers a 150% up to $3,000 promo deal on sign-up and accepts deposits from $10 to $50,000.
Bovada is another highly-credible wagering/gaming hub that is technically an offshoot of the legendary internet gambling company Bodog. It has a comparable welcome package to the one found at BetUS, giving away up to $3,000. But through a 100% match. Bovada also has a terrific invite-only VIP area for loyal gamblers, named the Red Room, where members get a 10% match on all deposits.
Tech expert fresh from the Australian Coast. Been in the tech industry more than 9 years, as part of a Business Growth Group. His out of office days are 100% for freestyle surfing and waves chasing.
