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Educational live blog
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Gabby Chan League of Legends Mar 31, 2025
Understanding Fearless Draft in League of Legends Esports Fearless Draft was first implemented in top-tier leagues during the 2025 Split 1 and the First Stand tournament. After its intriguing debut, Riot Games announced on March 16, 2025, that Fearless Draft will remain for the remainder of the 2025 season. Here’s everything you need to know about Fearless Draft and how it impacts the game.
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Gabby Chan Counter-Strike 2 Nov 20, 2024
Beginner's guide to CS2 tournaments | Economy system and utilities The economy system is one of the core features of Counter-Strike. From CS 1.6 to CS:GO, it has evolved over several generations into its current form. Despite the switch from MR15 in CS:GO to MR12 in CS2, Valve has shown no intention of adjusting the economy system. Therefore, the economy system in CS2 remains the same as it was in CS:GO.
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Gabby Chan Counter-Strike 2 Nov 13, 2024
Beginner's guide to CS2 tournaments | Tournament format and team tactics Watching CS2 tournaments is relatively beginner-friendly compared to other esports titles. There are no characters with complex abilities, and the maps are mostly static, with few interactive elements. CS2 games are straightforward, featuring Terrorists (attackers) who play against Counter-Terrorists (defenders).
Victory is achieved either by eliminating the enemy team, planting and protecting the C4 bomb until it explodes for the Terrorists, or defending the bombsite by defusing the bomb for the Counter-Terrorists. The intense gunfights in CS2 provide an exciting experience for the audience.
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Simon Teunissen Oligboh Counter-Strike 2 Jan 10, 2024
How to improve your CS2 predictions The goal of making a Counter-Strike 2 betting prediction is to determine the outcome of a match with greater accuracy than a bookmaker’s odds. Predicting the outcomes of matches for your esports bets requires an approach in which greater insight into game mechanics, decision making and tactical play are needed. So how can you make accurate CS2 predictions? Read on to find out more.
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Archie Henry Counter-Strike 2 Dec 13, 2023
An introduction to the CS2 map pool There are currently seven maps in the Active Duty map pool – the most balanced and competitive maps that are used in all of Valve’s official events. If you want to make money from betting on CS2, knowledge of the different maps and the impact they can have on a match is crucial. Read this article to learn more.
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Simon Teunissen Oligboh Counter-Strike 2 Nov 21, 2023
A beginner’s guide to CS2 betting Counter-Strike 2 (CS2) has cemented the franchise’s position as one of the most important esports games of the last decade. Its popularity has also generated huge growth in betting, but if you are an esports fans that is new to the idea of betting on CS2, this introduction will help you get started.
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Simon Teunissen Oligboh Mobile Legends Apr 27, 2023
How to Bet on Mobile Legends: A Beginner's Guide | Betting Tips Mobile Legends is one of the most popular mobile games in the world, with millions of players worldwide. But did you know that you can also bet on Mobile Legends at Pinnacle?
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Kristian Medina Valorant Apr 6, 2023
A guide to the roles in VALORANT As a new tactical first-person shooter game with an emphasis on abilities, VALORANT players use a unique mix of terminology to match the roles found within the game. In this guide we go over those roles and how they function within the game.
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Archie Henry CS:GO Feb 1, 2023
An introduction to the CS:GO map pool There are currently seven maps in the active duty map pool – the most balanced and competitive maps that are used in all official Valve events. If you want to make money from betting on CS:GO, knowledge of the different maps and the impact they have on a match is crucial. Read on to learn more.
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Kristian Medina Educational Dec 6, 2022
Esports terminology and glossary Esports is one of the fastest-growing industries in the world and has brought with it a range of new terms. In this glossary, we cover some of the most commonly used terms in esports, identify the different game genres in esports and list some of the most popular esports titles.
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Pinnacle Educational Dec 3, 2022
What is implied probability? By understanding the implied probability of esports odds, bettors are in a healthier position to make a profit. This article explains how to convert both Decimal and American esports odds to their implied probability.
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Pinnacle Educational Dec 2, 2022
How to calculate expected value The Expected Value of a bet shows us how much we can expect to win (on average) per bet, and as such is the most valuable calculation a bettor can make when comparing bookmakers' odds. How can you calculate Expected Value in esports betting in order to predict your winnings? Read on to find out.
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Pinnacle Rocket League Nov 30, 2022
A beginner's guide to Rocket League betting The rocket-powered cars soccer game, Rocket League, is speeding onto the esports scene with a simple yet exciting format that has won plenty of admirers. The number of people playing, watching and betting on Rocket League is on the rise. Continue reading if you want to learn more about the basics of Rocket League betting.
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Michael Moriarty Rocket League Nov 28, 2022
How to watch... Rocket League So you’re wanting to get into watching an esport, and while making your decision you stumble upon Rocket League. Fast paced action, soccer but with cars – you fall for it almost immediately. But you’re missing the finer points on the stream – we’re here to help.
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Jack Stewart League of Legends Aug 4, 2022
LCS and LEC 2022 Power rankings The LCS & LEC are the two premiere franchised leagues in Western League of Legends, we analyse both each week in our LCS & LEC Power rankings.
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Kristian Medina Educational Mar 17, 2022
The ultimate guide to betting on Arena of Valor With a global player base, Arena of Valor (AOV) is a 5v5, mobile-based, MOBA esports title. In this guide we cover the basics of betting on Arena of Valor, the popularity of AOV esports and more.
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Kristian Medina Strategy Nov 19, 2021
Multiplayer Online Battle Arena terminology A Multiplayer Online Battle Arena (MOBA) is an online video game genre that has grown massively over the past decade − led by the two of the most popular titles in the space, League of Legends and Dota 2. In this glossary of terms for MOBA games, we outline some of the most popular terms used.
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Adam Boothe CS:GO Dec 23, 2020
The impacts of Roster Instability The rapid growth of professional esports has been a major point of focus for the top echelons of CS:GO teams over the past two to three years. When the professional scene emerged in 2013, it began with five dedicated players and a part-time coach and manager for the highest paying organizations. Those clubs have since evolved, with dedicated positions for not only coaches and managers, but also for analysts, trainers, and psychologists.
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Adam Boothe CS:GO Oct 2, 2020
Using maps in your CS:GO betting strategy For as long as I have been following the competitive Counter-Strike scene, the professional map pool has consisted of seven maps in active circulation at one time. However, beyond this Valve has, at seemingly random moments, swapped in a new map with the intention of updating the one they are removing.
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Michael Moriarty Valorant Sep 1, 2020
Understanding Vanguard: VALORANT’s Anti-Cheat Alongside VALORANT’s highly-publicised launch, Riot Games also made a big deal out of their new, innovative anti-cheat system - Vanguard. It operates a little differently to the anti-cheat offerings in other games, and we’ll explain more on how it works in this article.
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Pinnacle Educational Jun 24, 2020
How the Swiss-System works in esports For those of you that are avid watchers of CS:GO Majors, you may notice that the opening two sections host a format not seen at many other tournaments, the Swiss-system. We’ll look at how it came to be, and where it originated from, before injecting itself into esport tournaments across the world.
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Pinnacle Educational May 27, 2020
What is the difference between LoL and Dota 2? League of Legends and Dota 2 remain two of the most played MOBA (Multiplayer Online Battle Arena) genre within esports. Whilst the games themselves seem very similar in style, characters and general appearance, some key fundamental gameplay differences make these two games stand out from each other.
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Adam Boothe CS:GO May 20, 2020
The importance of Pistol Rounds in betting strategy In the first-person shooter Counter-Strike, the opening sequence of every single game is what is known as the pistol round, or pistol. It determines which side has the economic advantage into that particular half.
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Michael Moriarty CS:GO Apr 27, 2020
CS:GO callouts explained While you may know your Inferno’s from your Dust2’s in the CS:GO map pool, knowing the names of each part of the map may not be in your wheelhouse. Read on to get a better understanding of where exactly these places are that casters and players talk about.
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Michael Moriarty CS:GO Apr 9, 2020
What is FPL? Outside of regular competition, a number of professional CS:GO players take part in the FACEIT Pro League (FPL) to engage in some slightly more relaxed, but still competitive, matches. But what exactly is the FPL? Read on to find out.
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Michael Moriarty Educational Apr 8, 2020
Esports in South Korea For those new to esports, you’d imagine the hotspots for the fledgling industry to be North America, Europe and China. That belief would completely miss out the contribution South Korea made to the start of esports as the first country where it hit the mainstream
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Pinnacle Strategy Mar 24, 2020
The difference between LAN and Online esports When betting on esports it is important to take into account whether the tournament is a LAN event or online. Many factors can enhance a player’s performance - or have a negative impact - and understanding why a player played better or worse in a match can be beneficial when betting on events in the future. Read on to find out more.
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Michael Moriarty CS:GO Mar 24, 2020
What is CS:GO Totals betting? Outside of the main options for betting on CS:GO matches, there are many alternative markets to bet on. One of the easiest alternatives to understand are Match Totals and Map Totals markets. So, how does Totals betting work and what is important for bettors to understand to utilise it? Read on to find out.
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Pinnacle Strategy Mar 16, 2020
How to use an esports in-play betting strategy While the simplicity of pre-game esports betting markets make them ideally suited to novice bettors, in-play betting is becoming increasingly popular with more advanced bettors. Want to know how in-play esports betting works and how it can help you make a profit? Read on to learn how.
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Kristian Medina League of Legends Mar 10, 2020
How to improve your League of Legends predictions The goal of making a LoL prediction in betting is to determine the outcome of a Team A vs. Team B match with greater accuracy than bookmaker odds. Predicting LoL matches requires bettors to analyse an evolving set of variables both inside and outside of the game. How can you improve the accuracy of your LoL predictions? Read on to find out more.
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Benjamin Doughty CS:GO Jan 13, 2020
CS:GO: The year in review 2019 has brought us many memorable moments in Counter-Strike. We witnessed Astralis dominate the Major circuit, and saw Team Liquid break records to take the Intel Grand Slam in record time eventually resulting in Intel changing the requirements.
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Jack Davidson Educational Nov 19, 2019
The role of an esports psychologist Sports psychologists have been a core team member in traditional sports for a while now, but esports organisations have recently begun exploring the advantages of employing professionals for their players. There are already a few case studies where psychologists have had a tremendous effect and helped push a team to the top of their game, Astralis and OG to name a couple.
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Michael Moriarty Rocket League Oct 2, 2019
Understanding the RLCS The entire Rocket League esports ecosystem revolves around the Rocket League Championship Series (or RLCS), in which teams compete to reach two world championship finals a year. If you’re new to betting on the circuit, read on to find out more.
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Kristian Medina League of Legends Jul 29, 2019
A beginner's guide to Teamfight Tactics (TFT) What is Teamfight Tactics and how to play TFT? Check out our beginner's guide to TFT, covering Origins, Classes, Gold and the best strategy for TFT. Read on to find out more. -
Dota 2 Betting: How to bet on Dota 2 Dota 2 betting is becoming increasingly popular within esports betting, with Dota's action-cum-RTS style being a perfect match for the excitement of online betting.
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Jack Davidson League of Legends Jul 18, 2019
Teamfight Tactics (TFT) vs. Underlords - What are the differences? The Auto Battler genre has taken two of the biggest gaming communities by storm with both Riot Games’ Teamfight Tactics (TFT) and Valve’s Dota Underlords proving massively popular. So, what is the difference between TFT and Underlords?
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Jack Davidson Dota 2 Jul 16, 2019
A beginner's guide to Dota Underlords Dota Underlords is Valve’s official version of the Dota 2 mod Auto-Chess. The ‘Autobattler’ genre has exploded in recent months to become a new genre, as Riot have also released their own version of the autobattler mod. Plus, the original creators of the Auto-Chess mod, Drodo Studio, are releasing a stand-alone version on the EPIC store. But just what is an autobattler?
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Stuart Bridges League of Legends Jul 11, 2019
The different League of Legends roles explained Roles are the cornerstone of how LoL is played and if you are unaware of what the roles are or what they mean, then understanding a game of League of Legends can be difficult. For example, why is that champion just standing there not hitting anything? If this is a question you have ever asked yourself, then this simple guide should explain everything you need to know.
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Pinnacle Educational Jul 5, 2019
How to bet on esports: The basics Whether you’re new to esports or have been a fan for years, this how to bet on esports guide is the perfect place to start for any novice bettor. Starting with the very basics, this article will help you learn more about esports betting and the available markets at Pinnacle.
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A beginner’s guide to CS:GO betting Counter-Strike: Global Offensive has reinforced the franchises' position as one of the most important esports games of the last decade. Its popularity has also seen a huge growth in CS:GO betting, but if you are one of those esports fans that is new to the idea of betting on CS:GO, this introduction will help you start.
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Pinnacle League of Legends Jun 14, 2019
An introduction to live betting on League of Legends Identifying the earliest possible stage of any prediction is important. Consider the pre-game element of LoL during the initial pick and ban phase - if Team B bans Team A’s most important Champion, this can have a tremendous impact on the game. Understanding multiple different stages to the game is vital when handling live betting on League of Legends.
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Pinnacle Educational Jun 1, 2019
Does home field advantage exist in esports? It is widely accepted that teams playing at home in competitive sports benefit from improved performance compared to playing in their opponent’s stadium (or a neutral venue) but does this also apply to esports? What is home field advantage (HFA), does it exist in esports and why is it important for bettors to understand? Read on to find out.
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Pinnacle Educational May 30, 2019
Interview with a Pinnacle Esports Trader With the demand for esports betting sky-rocketing, we got one of our Live esports traders, Michael Prim, to give us an interview. Why is live betting so popular with esports bettors? What game state changes are the most critical? When do bettors overreact to a situation? Read on to find out.
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Using map knowledge to inform CS:GO betting Some bettors may think all seven maps play out the same way in CS:GO, but they are actually incredibly different. Certain maps have a slight bias to different sides, while others will be better-suited to different play styles. Read on to find out why map knowledge is important when betting on CS:GO.
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Stuart Bridges League of Legends Feb 25, 2019
A beginners guide to League of Legends betting League of Legends is officially one of the biggest competitive online games in the world. In response to the demand, Pinnacle has consistently expanded its LoL betting markets, from the LCS, LEC to the LPL and LCK. Continue reading for a beginner’s guide on how to bet on League of Legends.
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Stuart Bridges League of Legends Feb 15, 2019
League of Legends Twitter accounts to follow League of Legends (LoL), can be incredibly difficult with the game changing all the time. Following the right Twitter accounts can provide you with vital information which can be the difference between winning and losing a bet. What are the best LoL Twitter accounts to follow? Read on to find out.
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Stuart Bridges Overwatch Jan 22, 2019
Overwatch League - Season 2 preview The return of the Overwatch League is here! What have we learned from Season 1? Who are the new teams? What will happen once the new season starts? Read on for an in-depth Overwatch Season 2 betting preview.
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Stuart Bridges CS:GO Dec 21, 2018
How to improve your CS:GO predictions The goal of making a CS:GO prediction in betting is to determine the outcome of a Team A vs. Team B match with greater accuracy than bookmaker odds. Predicting CS:GO matches requires an approach that involves greater insight into game mechanics, decision making and tactical play. How can you make accurate CS:GO predictions? Read on to find out more.
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Pinnacle Educational Aug 1, 2018
What eSports game best suits you? There are a whole variety of different eSports games around at the moment and those new to the world of eSports will probably be spoilt for choice when it comes to choosing which games to play or watch. Want to know what eSport best suits you? Read on to find out.
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How to use Kelly Criterion for esports betting Bettors should always look for a mathematical edge rather than rely on their impulses. Learning how to use the Kelly Criterion, for example, is a great way for bettors to determine how much they should stake. Read on to find out.
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Pinnacle Hearthstone Aug 1, 2018
A beginner's guide to Hearthstone The popularity of Blizzard’s card game Hearthstone has been increasing in recent years, with playing numbers now hitting over 70 million. Game updates are frequently released so Hearthstone betting offers a unique challenge. Read on to learn the basics of Hearthstone betting.
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Pinnacle Educational Jun 5, 2018
What is the best gaming equipment? Playing eSports titles yourself is the best way to understand the complexities of a game you’re betting on and owning the correct equipment is essential to have the best gaming experience. What are the best gaming peripherals available? Read on to find out.
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Is CS:GO becoming more T sided? Playing on the counter-terrorist side in CS:GO has always been seen as an advantage. Multiple updates have changed CS:GO extensively, leading many to believe CS:GO is becoming more terrorist sided. Is this actually the case? Why is it important for bettors to analyse the T side bias in CS:GO? Read on to find out.
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May's eSports Player of the Month Pinnacle’s Player of the Month for May is Jake ‘Stewie2k’ Yip. Despite winning the Boston Major with Cloud9, he decided to take a leap of faith and join the Brazilian side of SK Gaming in March 2018. What makes Stewie2k one of the most exciting players in CS:GO? Read on to find out.
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Pinnacle Overwatch Apr 17, 2018
The best Overwatch Twitter accounts to follow As Overwatch is regularly updated, betting on it without having up-to-date information is difficult. Following the best Twitter accounts will provide you with essential data that can be the difference between winning and losing a bet. What are the best Overwatch Twitter accounts to follow? Read on to find out.
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Pinnacle Starcraft 2 Apr 17, 2018
March's eSports Player of the Month Pinnacle’s Player of the Month for March is Sasha ‘Scarlett’ Hostyn. By winning the IEM PyeongChang tournament sponsored by International Olympic Committee in February, she became the first female in eSports to win an international event. Why is Scarlett a role model for women across the globe? Read on to find out more.
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Pinnacle World of Tanks Apr 13, 2018
A beginner's guide to World of Tanks World of Tanks holds the record for the highest recorded amount of players on one server at a given time and has one of the highest number of active players of any eSports game. The game’s increasing popularity means bettors are now turning their attention to World of Tanks betting markets. Read on to find out how to bet on World of Tanks.
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Interview with a professional CS:GO player: Petra We recently sat down with Petra from the CS:GO team Singularity to ask her a few questions. How do you get a career in playing eSports? What’s it like to play CS:GO for a job? Read on to find out.
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Pinnacle League of Legends Mar 19, 2018
February’s eSports Player of the Month: Faker Pinnacle’s Player of the Month for February is Lee ‘Faker’ Sang-Hyeok. He was crowned eSports player of the year for 2017 but has begun 2018 disappointingly, having his worst ever start to a season in the LCK. What is so special about Faker? Read on to find out more.
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Pinnacle Educational Mar 5, 2018
A beginner’s guide to Street Fighter betting Capcom released Street Fighter 5 (SFV) in February 2016 and has sold almost two million copies since. Punching its way into the world of eSports betting, SFV is now one of the most entertaining games to watch thanks to its fast-paced, action-packed fights. Read on to learn the basics of Street Fighter betting.
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Pinnacle Educational Mar 2, 2018
Will PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds (PUBG) be the next major eSports title? PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds (PUBG) is beginning to thrive as an eSport despite the game being unfinished and large issues still remaining. Read on to find out more about the problems in the game and what it needs to do to become one of the major eSports titles.
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Pinnacle Overwatch Mar 1, 2018
Interview with a professional Overwatch player: Logix If you are interested in eSports, you probably want to know what it’s like to be a professional player. Logix from the Overwatch team Florida Mayhem was kind enough to sit down and answer a few of our questions. How do you make it as a professional eSports player and what is it like to play Overwatch full-time? Read on to find out.
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Pinnacle Heroes of the Storm Mar 1, 2018
A beginner’s guide to Heroes of the Storm betting Heroes of the Storm (HotS) is trying to bring something new to the world of MOBA games with its unique features and approach. Under the wing of Blizzard, HotS has everything it needs to compete with LoL and Dota 2. Read on to find out more about Heroes of the Storm betting.
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January’s eSports Player of the Month: coldzera The first person to win Pinnacle’s eSports Player of the Month title was an obvious choice. Marcelo ‘coldzera’ David is well on his way to becoming the best CS:GO player there has ever been. How does coldzera compare to other CS:GO players and why is he so good? Read on to find out.
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Pinnacle Overwatch Jan 24, 2018
A beginner's guide to Overwatch betting Although it was only released in May 2016, Overwatch has quickly become one of the most popular eSports games to both play and bet on. Understanding how the game works will help bettors find an edge over the bookmaker when it comes to Overwatch betting. Read on to learn how to bet on Overwatch.
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Pinnacle Strategy Jan 24, 2018
How to calculate betting margins With a large number of bookmakers claiming to offer the best odds and an equally large number of websites comparing betting odds, are you really getting the best deal? In this simple guide we explain how odds work to help you make educated decisions when looking for the best betting odds. Don't place another bet without knowing how much it really costs you.
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The best CS:GO Twitter accounts to follow To be a successful bettor you need to have the most accurate data available. Researching player or team statistics is important, and following the correct Twitter accounts can also give you this and an edge over the bookmaker. What are the best CS:GO Twitter accounts to follow? Read on to find out.
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Pinnacle Educational Jan 19, 2018
A beginner’s guide to PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds betting PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds (PUBG) has achieved a lot in its short lifespan. Nominated for Game of the Year multiple times, this still technically unfinished game is now becoming increasingly popular amongst eSports bettors. Want to learn how to bet on PUBG? Read on for a beginner’s guide to PUBG betting.
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Pinnacle Educational Nov 8, 2017
Staking: One method to improve your betting There is a strong case to suggest that the amount you bet is actually more important than what you bet on. We reviewed five popular staking methods. Continue reading to discover which is best.
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Pinnacle Educational Nov 8, 2017
Arbitrage betting explained Arbitrage betting promises risk-free returns - the Holy Grail of gambling - so is naturally a very popular topic within the betting community, but how does arbitrage betting work? We have laid out everything you need to know; this is arbitrage betting explained.
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Benjamin Cronin Educational Nov 1, 2017
An introduction to esports betting Following the launch of Pinnacle’s new Esports Hub, our Content & Social Media Manager - Benjamin Cronin - has sat down to answer the questions that every novice esports bettor will be asking. Is esports betting for you? How do you bet on esports and why should you choose Pinnacle? Read on to find out.
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Pinnacle Starcraft 2 Oct 31, 2017
The basics of StarCraft 2 betting StarCraft 2 is the fastest-selling real-time strategy (RTS) game in history. Understanding how to bet on StarCraft 2 is therefore of great importance to esports bettors. Despite hefty competition and a decline in playing levels, the game still gave out over $3.5 million in prize money last year. Read on to find out more about StarCraft 2 betting.