The flat betting strategy is a favorite among many bettors, from esports to standard sports. In this guide, we’ll go through a more detailed explanation of flat betting, covering how it works, when you should use it, and how it compares to other betting strategies.

What Is Flat Betting?

Flat betting is a disciplined approach to sports betting. Using this strategy, you’ll wager the same amount on every bet you place, regardless of the odds or how confident you are in the outcome. The stakes on each bet also remain the same whether you’re on a run of wins or losses.

This strategy is often employed by bettors across various types of sports betting, not just esports. However, it remains effective across all if you’re disciplined enough to stick with it. That’s the most difficult part of making this strategy work.

But it’s a strategy that can pay off. That’s because you’re removing your emotional decision-making and focusing on the long-term results, rather than trying to find quick wins and higher value despite the increased risk.

How Does Flat Betting Work?

Flat betting is quite simple in theory, but in practice, it can be difficult. The challenge lies in being consistent with its application. 

All you need to do is stake the same amount on every bet you place. This can be especially challenging in esports, an industry known for its fast-paced nature and constant changes in teams, players, and meta. Let’s take a look at an example of what flat betting would look like in esports:

1. Decide on your fixed stake. Choose an amount that you’ll stake for all bets. Ensure this amount aligns with your budget. For some bettors, it could mean $50, for others, it might mean $5. The actual amount is not as important; what’s crucial is that it’s an amount that won’t wipe out your account with a couple of losses. In this example, let’s go with $20.
2. Place your first bet. You do your research on the Falcons’ recent form in CS2, which has been slowly improving, and you decide to bet $20 on them with odds of +100.
3. Place your second bet. TenZ has been in great form in VALORANT recently. So, you bet $20 on him getting the most kills in his next match, at odds of -125. Even though he’s the favorite to get most kills, you stick with $20 as your stake is based on your flat betting strategy.
4. Place your third bet. Based on your research, Team Spirit has been in great form on Dota 2 recently, but they’re going up against a tough opponent. You decide to place a bet on them at odds of +150 with a stake of $20. It’s less likely that they’ll take the win, but sticking with your strategy means you don’t need to overthink your stake or risk more than you should.

When Should You Use Flat Betting?

Flat betting is a great strategy you can use to minimize your risk. This low-risk approach is great when you’re still learning the ropes because you’ll also learn to avoid making emotional betting decisions since you’ll be wagering the same amount each time.

This strategy is also good for experienced bettors. Some bettors tend to overthink the stake they want to place, or they let news affect them, forcing them to make emotional, last-minute decisions under pressure. If that’s something you struggle with, trying out flat betting might be a good route to take.

It’s a simple strategy that helps you manage your bankroll and control your spending over the long term. With esports being one of the most volatile betting markets out there, it’s so important to keep your emotional decision-making under control. 

How Does the Flat Betting Strategy Compare?

Unlike most other strategies, flat betting prioritises consistency rather than taking advantage of volatility. We’ll take a look at how flat betting compares to other strategies that can be applied to esports betting.

So, compared to other strategies, flat betting might not be the most exciting or the fastest way to grow your account with wins. However, it’s certainly one of the safer strategies for gambling, especially if you’re aiming for long-term sustainability in esports betting.

Pros and Cons of Flat Betting

Flat betting is a straightforward strategy to use on esports betting sites, because staking the same amount on each bet helps you to stay consistent and manage your finances (and emotional decision-making), but it does require a lot of discipline. 

Using this low-risk strategy means that you won’t be capitalizing on good odds and “obvious wins”. It’s a much slower-paced strategy, which some bettors may potentially find boring. We’ll take a look at the pros and cons attached to flat betting.

Conclusion

Flat betting is the simplest strategy to use when it comes to managing your bankroll and controlling risk in esports betting. Its simplicity and ease of execution make it a great strategy for beginners. 

But its effectiveness in controlling your emotional decision-making and managing your account also makes it an attractive strategy for experienced bettors. Flat betting will work for you if you prioritize slow, but sustainable growth in your wallet. 

FAQs

Is flat betting profitable?

Yes, flat betting can be a profitable strategy. But this strategy won’t magically turn all of your picks into wins. It’s more about building consistency and reducing the risk of wiping out your account if you have multiple losses. It’s still important to analyze stats and do thorough research before placing your bets.

How to use the flat betting strategy?

The first (and most important) step to take is to decide on your fixed stake. Whether that’s $5 or $50, you need to stick to the same stake for every bet you place – no exceptions. For each wager you make, always use the same stake that you originally decided on.

Is flat betting a safe strategy?

Yes, flat betting is one of the safest strategies you can use. It’s a low-risk strategy that protects your bankroll by consistently staking the same amount with every bet. It’s safe because it limits your losses during losing streaks and prevents you from placing higher stakes when trying to recoup your losses.