eSports Terms and Lingo You Need to Know

Sett is terrifying in the late game. This level of tanking potential, coupled with such high DPS output, may be devastating to teams who lack AoE crowd control. His carry potential will snowball if he can again steal the Red Buff.

You probably didn't get a single word of that statement unless you're an avid League of Legends player. That's an issue, especially if you want to wager on League of Legends games.

But you are not concerned; you are placing your bets on Valorant, not the League of Legends. Right? Not! The League of Legends has its language, but it's not the only one. Each eSports franchise, in essence, has its own lingo that is exclusively understood by its fanbase. If you're not a gamer but think eSports betting seems exciting, you're in for a rough ride.

Luckily, the most often used terms associated with wagering in esports have been collected in one convenient location: this expert guide. Once you've finished reading this article, you won't have to guess what some unique eSports betting words mean.

eSports Games and Franchises

In the first section of this eSports terms list, we'll go through the many games that serve as the foundation of the eSports industry and the betting scene. You must learn the rules of each game and the various betting alternatives associated with them. That's because the rules of each game are unique, and different sites provide various options for playing. Many of these games have abbreviated titles, so familiarity with these shorthands is also helpful in determining exactly which one a player is wagering on.

CS: GO — Counter-Strike: Global Offensive

One of the most played games, CS: GO, stands for "Counter-Strike: Global Offensive." It was initially launched in 2012, and it's a multiplayer first-person shooter game where players take turns playing as either the Counter-Terrorists or Terrorists through various maps and environments.

CoD — Call of Duty

Call of Duty, more often referred to as CoD, is a series of first-person shooter video games that has seen massive success worldwide. Players have a variety of betting options in this game.

DotA 2 — Defense of the Ancients 2

Defense of the Ancients 2 (DotA 2) is the follow-up to the acclaimed original. Dota 2 is an online multiplayer battle game, just like League of Legends and Heroes of the Storm.

Hearthstone

Hearthstone does not have a shorter title and shines out due to the unique gameplay it provides. Instead of combat, players in Hearthstone acquire digital cards and strategically deploy them to defeat their opponents.

HotS — Heroes of the Storm

Heroes of the Storm, or HotS, is a MOBA similar to League of Legends. This game, like many others, is played in an arena setting and encourages participants to use their ingenuity and strategy.

LoL — League of Legends

LoL stands for League of Legends, a multiplayer game that is regarded as one of the most popular eSports games in the world. A battleground arena setting is used for gameplay.

Overwatch

Overwatch is a team eSport that focuses on this type of cooperation and cooperation-based gameplay, allowing teams to show off their skills and abilities while working together.

Rocket League

Rocket League is an entirely different genre from the games above; it's a kind of football in which players drive cars to score goals.

SC2 — Starcraft 2

SC2, or Starcraft 2, is another strategy game that has been a strong contender in eSports. Other games like Dota 2 and League of Legends have recently surpassed their fame.

eSports Genres

Next, we'll discuss the common eSports terms that describe the many eSports genres that may interest you as you expand your eSports betting journey over time.

MMORPG – Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Game

The most well-known genre abbreviation there is. World of Warcraft popularized the term after its 2004 debut as the first game to successfully allow players from all over the world to interact with one another in an open, multiplayer online environment. As a result of the doors that WoW opened, a deluge of MMORPGs have emerged, all of them attempting to replicate the success of Blizzard's flagship title.

RPG – Role-Playing Game

Make a persona you can control and watch it gain stats, abilities, and experience. Both Second Life and World of Warcraft encourage players to step into another character's shoes, whether that character is human or some other bizarre species.

TBS – Turn-Based Strategy

Most TBSs have a structure that unfolds in different phases or turns. You have one round to put your plan into action and another to evaluate its effectiveness. Or, in Player versus Player (PvP) games, you get to plan your move while the other player watches. The best-known game played on TBS is chess.

RTS – Real-Time Strategy

Imagine a football game. Players must make split-second decisions on their next moves. Adapt. There's no time for deep consideration. The mechanics of real-time strategy games (RTS) are designed to challenge players by mimicking stressful situations.

Games like Starcraft and Age of Empires are perfect examples.

FPS – First-Person Shooters

A first-person shooter (FPS) is a type of shooter video game in which the player experiences the action from the protagonist's point of view while having direct control over the protagonist in a three-dimensional environment and using various firearms and other weapons.   Advanced 3D and pseudo-3D visuals have pushed hardware design from the genre's debut, and multiplayer gaming has played a crucial role.

TPS – Third-Person Shooters

In a third-person shooter, the camera stays above and trails the protagonist. The Metal Gear Solid, Tomb Rider, and Resident Evil series are prime examples.

MOBA – Multiplayer Online Battle Arena

Multiplayer online battle arenas (MOBAs) are real-time strategy (RTS) games in which a single player takes command of a single character on one of two opposing sides. The goal is to wipe out the competition. At other times, you'll need to fulfill a mission while stopping the opposing side from succeeding.

TCG – Trading Card Game / CCG – Collectible Card Games

The first of these card-based games, Magic: The Gathering, spawned a thriving industry. In card games, "cards" depict the heroes and villains, monsters and abilities with which players battle. Even though players could not touch their collections, the model was translated to the digital realm and became a successful genre. Millions of gamers in titles like Magic: The Gathering Online and HearthStone engage in daily card trade. 

In-Game Basic eSports Terms

The next section of this eSports terms list will discuss the most basic eSports terms used in-game. These terms will come in handy when making prop bets or futures, especially when you are live betting on eSports. We'll divide them by the most popular eSports genre you will encounter.

MOBA eSports

FPS eSports

Other Basic eSports Terms

Final Words

Our eSports terms list concludes with those final few esports language terms. This is a partial glossary of eSports words, though. Many specialized eSports terms still exist, and this eSports lingo continuously evolves over time.

To recap, understanding every single one of the common eSports terms depicted above may decide the outcome of your esports bets. You can better grasp the material you're investigating before placing bets if you have a deeper understanding of it.

This is true across the board in competitive video gaming, but it is especially pertinent to multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) games, which may be quite challenging for newcomers. Not only to play, but also to follow and bet on. If you're still having trouble and want to increase your odds of winning bets, go back to the eSports terms list and start familiarizing yourself with them.

Finally, we appreciate you taking the time to read this and wish you the best of success in your eSports betting endeavors.