This is probably a question you have asked yourself a thousand times: “How can I make money?” If you are betting right now or even beginning to bet, you may or may not have answered that question just yet. That’s because you aren’t asking the right question.

Instead of just wondering how to make money through just one bet, you should instead try to find how much you will make over the long run. After all, you’re trying to make money, and if you consistently lose big and lose often, there’s no way you will reach that goal.

Now that I’ve got your attention, you’re probably wondering why you haven’t heard this before (hint: you probably have; you just never wondered how it worked). This not-so-secret method, or calculation, as you would call it, is expected value betting.

That probably rang a bell somewhere in your head, and if not, even better. This math problem may seem complicated at first. But I’m going to explain it in the most uncomplicated way possible so that even you beginners will be able to memorize this essential equation. But first, for those unconvinced, let me explain to you just why this equation is so important.

What Is Expected Value Betting?

First off, expected value betting, or EV betting, is a type of equation that calculates how much money you would make from a certain amount of money statistically. This is not just important; it is crucial if you wish to bet for a long period of time. That’s because even the best bettors in the world are not able to win every time they bet. But they have the ability to single out the best odds in each match and decide which is the best match to bet on.

Winning is important, sure, but being confident in what you are betting on, and passing on from that, being able to win for a long period of time, is even better. After all, basing your bets on calculated, mathematical risks is the turning point from being an amateur to an expert.

You want to be able to know what bets are in your favor instead of against. Never should you bet blindly without knowing your risks first. Even if this team is your favorite team, they won’t stay that way if you lose constantly with them. Research before you bet, taking a calculated approach, and you will find yourself a more accomplished and successful bettor.

Find the Best Odds First

Betting isn’t based on how many bets you can make in a single day or even if the opportunity arises. You should never try to force a bet, especially if you don’t feel right about it or if the odds are severely against you. This is because while you may know a lot about a certain aspect of the game and think that you can outsmart the odds, the fact is, bookmakers have dedicated professional oddsmakers who have a job specifically just for finding the best odds, and trying to outsmart these professionals will be in vain.

This is where compiling your own odds is crucial to finding betting value. The odds will probably be similar to what the bookmaker has posted, but there may be a tipping point to what the odds actually are and what the odds are appearing to be. Putting in the work to actually compile your own odds will be the game changer when determining which games you will win and with the advantage on your side.

Some odds may be in a different format compared to what you’re seeing, especially if you are betting on a European match or an American match. Here’s our  if you’re not sure how to convert odds yet.

How to Calculate Betting Value

In the rawest form, the definition of expected value betting is the predicted value of a variable multiplied by the sum of all possible values and the probability of the instance occurring. Seems pretty confusing, right? It can be if you don’t look at the equation first.

The equation for expected value is: [ (Amount won from one bet * probability of winning) – (Amount lost from one bet * probability of losing) = EV]

A positive EV indicates a positive gain or profit. Inversely, a negative EV indicates a negative gain or loss. Generally speaking, an EV is measured after a certain period of time, which means that if you are consistently reaching a positive EV on all of your bets, you should be gaining a profit over that period. The opposite goes for if you have a negative EV.

How Does This Work?

In the simplest terms, whenever the odds or the amount won differs, there is a discrepancy that can be taken advantage of. In an environment where the constants are held equal, though, the EV should remain at a neutral number, or zero.

For example, a coin flip has a 50% chance of winning or losing. The probability of winning and losing are equal. Let’s say that if the coin lands on heads, you give me a dollar, and if the coin lands on tails, I give you a dollar.

Once you plug the variables into the equation, the outcome is zero. So the equation should look like this: (1 * 0.5) – (1 * 0.5) = 0. After you plug in the variables, both of the numbers inside the parentheses should be the same. That’s because the odds are the same as well as the risk and reward.

The second discrepancy is the value discrepancy. Let’s say the odds are the same, but now if I lose, I have to give you $1.15. So the equation should look like this (1 * 0.5) – (1.15 * 0.5) = [-3.35]. This results in a negative EV, which is something you don’t want because it signals that if you continue betting on the same odds, you will eventually lose your money because no matter how much you win, you will lose more than you could gain back.

This is what the term “The house always wins” means. Because of commissions that you must pay in order to bet, the bookmaker will always gain money over time compared to the bettor. That is why you must be aware of your EV so that you can know whether you have the advantage or not.

This is why the probability discrepancy is more useful when trying to exploit the odds. Compiling your own odds is crucial when calculating EV. That’s because the bookmaker manipulates the odds in order to favor himself, but in doing so, he must change the odds to a bogus value. Once you find the real odds of the match, you are able to exploit his odds in order to gain a positive EV and be in a favorable position to win the bet.

Putting It All Together

Let’s take a look at a hypothetical scenario and say that TyLoo has -185 and Kinguin has +135. After I convert the odds, I am able to see that the implied probability for TyLoo is 64.91%, and Kinguin’s is 42.55%. You’ll see that the percentages don’t add up. That’s because bookmakers change the odds in order to give themselves the advantage.

Now, where do you come in? Let’s say you find out that the true odds are actually 48.5% for TyLoo and 51.5% for Kinguin (the true implied odds and the fake implied odds are rarely this far apart). Now instead of the EV from the bookmaker being (100 * .4255) – (100 * .6491) = [-22.36], the compiled odds are (100 * .515) – (100 * .485) = [+3].

By taking advantage of the true implied odds that you compiled yourself, you proved that betting for Kinguin would result in a positive EV and mathematically indicates a profit. This is where the EV equation is useful to a point.

EV betting has more use when you take multiple bets to figure out if you have a positive or a negative EV after all those bets. You want to have a positive EV in the end because it indicates that you are reaching a profit after all your bets are over. Having a positive or negative EV is not a reliable indicator for one bet, but rather many bets to see if you are reaching a profit. That is where the EV equation is strongest.

Conclusion

Using the expected value equation to find the betting value of a CS:GO match is tough and may take some time, but it can be a useful tool to figure out if you are losing money or gaining money after many matches. EV betting excels mathematically, but sometimes betting is not just about math. If you have the inside knowledge of a certain event going on during a match or you are confident in choosing a team to win, by all means, go ahead and bet on them. Just remember that thinking independently from what bookmakers propose is the stepping point to being a better and smarter bettor. Moreover, by compiling your own odds and using EV betting as an indicator, you, in turn, are setting yourself up for success.

ELEAGUE is back once more, with another $1,000,000 up for grabs. 8 invited teams will have to fight in an iconic arena located in Atlanta, Georgia, USA. These teams will be split into 2 groups of 4, where they will compete for a trophy from the 21^st until the 29^th of July, 9 days packed with action!

Group A

Astralis, Cloud9, Liquid, and MIBR are all part of the group A. The only two North American teams to be invited to this tournament are placed into this group. It is kind of ironic that 6 teams from Europe got an invite for ELEAGUE, but only 2 North American organizations received an invite, even though ELEAGUE is played in North America.

This will be an interesting group to watch because all of the teams that are in it are in bad form as of late. Astralis fell short in Cologne, where they finished 3^rd. Furthermore, Cloud9 cannot even find permanent players for the team. However, they signed “Golden,” and he will have his debut in the famous Turner Studios arena.

Cloud9 will also stick with “STYKO,” but still, only as a stand-in. They are in terrible form lately; in their last 3 tournaments, they were not able to get a top 5 finish. Furthermore, MIBR also made a transfer not even a week ago. They replaced “boltz” with former Cloud9 superstar “tarik”, who will also debut for MIBR in Atlanta.

The former SK team is getting stomped by everyone. Team BIG sent them packing in ESL One Cologne 2018. However, they showed a lot in that tournament, and their chemistry is improving significantly, but another addition to their roster could have some negative effects on newly-found chemistry.

The last team in group A is the second North American team in the tournament, Team Liquid. They are blending in with the rest of the teams in group A, as they were one of the first teams that got eliminated in Cologne. They did not win a single map in the tournament.

Group B

This group consists of FaZe, Natus Vincere, Mousesports, and Swedish legends team Fnatic. This group is based purely on European teams, and contrarily to the group A, most of the teams competing in this group are playing on a stable level.

Firstly, we have “S1mple” and his Natus Vincere. They are coming off from an ESL One Cologne 2018, where they managed to beat their competition and lift the trophy. The Ukranian team really found their rhythm, mostly because of “electronic,” as “s1mple” does not have to carry the entire team on his back.

However, they will have a tough competition, as FaZe will fire on all cylinders because “olofmeister” is finally back from his 3-month-long absence. FaZe did not show a lot in their last tournament, but they should never be underestimated.

Let’s not forget that they are a superstar team, after all.

Alongside these two teams, Mousesports will look to make up for their last tournament, where they played really badly. The last team in group B, Fnatic, will have a tough job fighting with the rest of their group. The addition of “draken” is proving to be a very good move for Swedish organization, but he will have to be at his best if Fnatic wants to have a chance in this tournament.

Roster Changes

Out of 8 teams competing, 4 of them have made some type of player switch lately. Starting off with Cloud9, they lost “stewie2k” and “tarik.” However, they brought in “Golden” on a permanent basis, but they are still keeping former Mousesports support player “STYKO” as a stand-in. I think that this is going to be his last chance to prove his worth to the American organization.

Alongside Cloud9, the Brazilians are not so Brazilian anymore, as they acquired another player who is not Brazilian. They replaced “boltz” with former Cloud9 member “tarik.” He will join his former teammate “stewie2k” on the MIBR roster.

Furthermore, after a long period of inactivity, FaZe’s “olofmeister” said that he is finally ready to return to a starting line-up. However, FaZe looked good with “cromen” on their team, mostly because he was that balance between a superstar player and a support role. He is not going to make a flashy move and pay for it.

In the end, we have German Mousesports, who replaced “STYKO” with “Snax.” Going through a group was always enough for Mousesports, as no one saw them as contenders. But now, after they managed to bring in a superstar-caliber player, a lot of the teams will struggle against them, and if they do not show respect, they might get overrun by the pure talent the German squad has.

Last Year’s Winner

This time last year, we all thought that FaZe was invincible. They played 8 maps throughout the entire tournament, and they did not drop a single one.

A lot has changed since then.

They’ve had to shuffle a lot ever since “olofmeister” announced his leave of absence. They did not want to permanently replace their superstar player, so they played with stand-ins instead. Firstly, “Xizt,” who played 5 events with FaZe. There were not any special results, except for IEM Sydney 2018, where they managed to win the entire thing.

Not so long after, “Xizt” signed with Fnatic, and FaZe was left in no-man’s land once again. “Olofmeister” was not announcing his return just yet, so faZe had to look for an alternative.

They found one in “cromen,” a Norwegian player who decided to step in as a support player for FaZe, and he was great for them. He did all the dirty work for the team and always put himself in front of the others so that his teammates could trade kills based on his information. He’s basically a world-class support player. After 3 tournaments, where FaZe showed great team play, he had to go. They even managed to grab a trophy with “cromen” on their line-up.

But now “olofmeister” is back.

FAVORITES

Let’s talk about favorites of ELEAGUE 2018. Astralis got placed in a relatively easy group where a lot of the teams are still finding their form, and some are still finding players. They will not have a lot of competition, at least not in the group stage of the tournament, and I can see them on top of their group.

On the other hand, group B is filled with experience, talent, and skill. After Astralis, all of the bookies favor FaZe, but in my personal opinion, they will struggle. I do not think “olofmeister” will be as ready as “cromen” was.

The other favorite in this group is Natus Vincere. They are coming off from an ESL One Cologne 2018 title, and they are in great shape. However, they are basing their play around “s1mple” and “electronic.” What happens if one of the two I mentioned does not perform well enough? The entire team will struggle.

To be honest, there are no clear favorites in this tournament, and all of the teams are able to play perfect Counter-Strike, but I think team cohesion and chemistry could decide the winner of this event.

Dark Horse

My dark horse in this event is Team Liquid. They have a roster that has been together for a while now. They are a balanced team, everyone in their team is able to step up, and they do not base their game around one or two players.

This is a team game, after all, and I think Liquid has a lot to show, especially to their nation, as they will have full support in the stands. Their first opponent is already known; that is going to be team MIBR. I do not think Liquid could have asked for a better first match.

MIBR just signed “tarik.” He has been with them for only a couple of days, and Liquid should take advantage of that. I really think that their team play could lead them to a trophy in Atlanta.

Tarik “tarik” Celik was an in-game leader for American organization Cloud9. Furthermore, Tarik is a capable rifler, decent AWPer, and a pistol specialist. He is departing Cloud9 after a series of bad results. They were not able to get a top-5 finish in their last 3 tournaments. However, this is not the only reason why tarik decided to leave the American roster.

Tarik’s Legacy

After a total of 31 tournaments played for Cloud9, Tarik decided to look for his happiness somewhere else. He did a lot of good for the American organization as they managed to win several trophies with him on their roster. They have won 6 tournaments, including one Major. He was also crowned as an MVP of the ELEAGUE Major 2018. This is really something others can admire, as tarik just turned 22.

Stewie2k’s Departure

6 months ago, Cloud9 won their first major, they managed to beat FaZe, and guess who were the two players that dominated FaZe throughout the entire series? Stewie2k and tarik! Not so long after that, Stewie2k decided to leave Cloud9, as he replaced Taco on the former SK roster. That annoyed tarik, as he was soon surrounded by stand-in players for a long period of time. They had to work on the team chemistry, but that was not possible for as long as they did not have a permanent fifth member. One thing led to another, and Cloud9 found themselves in all sort of trouble. There were constant shuffles and no adequate replacement for their star player, as they brought in FNS, who was soon benched. This is the main reason why the ELEAGUE Major 2018 MVP decided to leave the best American organization.

Stressed Out

Having to play under constant pressure took a toll on tarik. As I mentioned above, constant shuffles can really stress someone out, as he was the guy that had to call the strats. It was very difficult for him to do that because of the constant roster shuffle. Once he learned how FNS played, they benched the Canadian player and brought in former mousesports support player STYKO. I strongly think that situations like this will get to the player, especially someone who is an in-game leader, and it will definitely impact his overall skill to play the game. Tarik had some flashes of greatness, but overall he blended in with the rest of the team. For instance, he was the worst Cloud9 player vs. Astralis, but not so long after that, he had a great showing with a rating of 1.41 by HLTV.ORG, where they demolished Swedish NiP. As you can see, he had a lot of ups and downs. The only thing he needed was a permanent fifth member.

What’s Next for Cloud9?

Cloud9 is left with only 3 active players on their roster, even though they have a 4^th player in terms of FNS, who is benched and transfer-listed. They have been practicing a lot with the former mousesport player STYKO, as he will probably be their next permanent player. The Czech player could provide something new to their roster since he is a player based on supporting. He does not mind setting up a play for one of the star players with a smart utility usage or just by simply having their back.

Additionally, he is a decent rifler, but definitely not better than Stewie2k. On the other hand, the American organization will struggle to find a player similar to tarik. He was an all-around player with a great knowledge of the game. Rumors about “Golden” are spreading on the CS:GO scene, as the former Fnatic player is heavily linked with a permanent move to Cloud9. I do not think Golden would be a good replacement for the following reason. Indeed, he is a great in-game leader with a large knowledge of many different approaches and strategies. However, when you compare his raw aim with the likes of tarik, there is a huge gap between those two. Yes, he will bring a lot on the strategic side of the game, but skill-wise, Cloud9 will definitely lack a player.

While he was on team Fnatic, they caught fire, as they won 2 tournaments in a row and placed third in Golden’s last tournament. However, the Swedish in-game leader never got rated above 1.00 in all of these tournaments. Let’s go to details here. In his last tournament with Fnatic, he was rated with an average 0.77. Out of total count of 80 players who took part in DreamHack Marseille 2018, he was rated as the 79^th player in the tournament, and that itself says a lot about him as a player.

What Does the Future Hold for Tarik?

I do not think that Tarik will have any problems finding a new team for himself. Even though he’s originally from Turkey, his English is fluent, as he spent most of his life living in the USA.

One of the main contenders for tarik’s signature is definitely MIBR. The former SK roster is in need of a change, as they have been in a slump for a long time now. Another thing that could bring tarik to MIBR is his former Cloud9 member Stewie2k. These two had a real bond, and it was not hard to spot that Stewie2k’s departure got to tarik. Could he be a turning point for MIBR? Could they return to former glory with tarik in their line-up? We will find out soon.

Bomb plants are important in deciding which team wins and which team loses. Knowing hidden bomb plants are even more important. How? Let me explain. In this guide, not only will you learn about the best hidden bomb plant spots in CS:GO, but also what differentiates server-side bomb plants versus client-side plants and which would be most effective in competitive matches.

Bomb plants boost your game knowledge as well as micro play when dealing with one of the two ways in which you can win a game as a terrorist.

Bomb plants in CS:GO are very important, especially as a terrorist, because as one of the ways to win a match, you also control enemy movements to the bomb, which predictably makes it easier for you to kill them. It takes roughly 43 seconds for the bomb to explode. Slowing the counter-terrorists in any way possible, whether it be smoke bombs to hide the bomb, Molotov grenades to hurt the enemy, or just having hidden plant spots, is the best way for terrorists to win a game through a bomb plant.

In CS:GO, being faster than your opponent in all scenarios is crucial to winning matches and getting the most kills. That’s why you should know before you read this guide that some of these plants may take more than just one person to carry out the plant, and it may not be as effective if your team does not have good coordination. But if you are playing with friends and you become well versed with these planting spots, coordinating a plant in a match will be a breeze and will help you be most effective when fighting against the enemy team.

One important mechanic that plays a part in bomb plants would be the server-side versus client-side objects that affect how one player sees an object versus another player.

Many props are for decorative use only and are specifically for the client side, so trying to use a prop to hide a bomb will not only waste more time but also be ineffective. I suggest not using props like buckets to hide a bomb, but rather use the structures in the game to hide the bomb. I tested all these props, and if you want to test them for yourself, use the command vcollide_wireframe 1 in a private match. I will still list the server-side props that you may use for bomb plants, though.

Most of these plants spots are not truly “hidden,” as there would be very few places to actually hide a bomb, but rather they’re unconventional and fairly hard to see. The Competitive Game Mode Maps will be labeled below, and the regular maps will be located further below. Not all maps will be mentioned if there are no hidden plant spots, and the same goes for the sites.

The Best Hidden Plant Spots for Bombs in Competitive Maps

The Best Hidden Plant Spots for Bombs in Casual Maps

CS:GO has essentially looked the same for the past 6 years. Contrary to some of the views expressed in forums, I would not say the game is dying. I do not feel this update was created, nor needed to be created, with the goal of saving the game. The gameplay is still classic, consistent, and enjoyable. However, requests for a better UI have been pouring in since 2012, and in December 2017, Valve pledged to release the more contemporary panorama UI. Today, that new UI is in beta, and I have to say, it is looking pretty darn good!

Dota 2 upgraded to a panorama interface in June 2015 with their “Reborn” update, giving many CS:GO players a glimpse of a modern UI and how it can impact the feel of a game. Going through all the menus and gameplay in the beta, it seems like everything has received the “panorama treatment.” This UI update completely modernizes CS:GO and changes the look entirely.

It feels so much more polished and much more responsive as well. This update is also more modular by nature and should allow for much easier future development. Some of the great suggestions I have heard include a FACEIT integration and an open system where apps can be added or removed from the home screen. Is this what 2018 is supposed to look like? I think I like it.

Hopefully, this will permanently leave the clunky flash-based UI in the past. And right off the bat, I can confirm this is not just a visual facelift. Everything is smoother; it now transitions seamlessly between the game and the UI, there is no more stutter when you hit escape to access the menu (which now finds itself off to the left during gameplay, out of your field of vision), there is no more time delay when moving backwards in demos, there are tons of new, smooth animations, and more.

Along with the polished gameplay and transitions are a plethora of newer features: in-game, there is a new timer, kill feed, map, and scoreboard. Also, you can now see your teammates’ equipment in the buy menu (a long-requested feature). The new in-game scoreboard displays more stats that update at the end of every round. One of the best of these is your ADR (average damage per round). Also, the social menu can still be accessed in-game by mousing over the right side of your screen.

Now, it is still a beta, and as such, there are plenty of kinks to iron out. Aside from the usual FPS/latency issues and occasional freezing common with updates still in beta, there are some design flaws that players would like to see addressed. The new in-game scoreboard is too opaque, which partly blocks your vision when you tab. In the old UI, the scoreboard was only just slightly darker than the background, allowing you to still see incoming enemies and your own crosshairs.

Unfortunately, this isn’t a bug, so it is likely not going to be fixed before the release. The new map lines are jagged and blurry when you rotate, and the map itself is quite dark and hard to read. At the map selection screen, the white outline around highlighted maps is hard to distinguish; green would be preferable.

Now, all of these really are nitpicking. It’s a beautiful interface that flows nicely, especially for a brand-new beta. If you agree with these criticisms or maybe have some more of your own, be sure to submit tickets to the developers so that we can get them taken care of. That is, after all, why they give players access to betas before the actual release.

But don’t take my word for it. Here’s how you can check out the new panorama UI for yourself (You will have to download a 468mb update.)

Upon opening, you will be greeted by either a terrorist or counter-terrorist, and lookie there, he’s wearing one of your actual skins. On your left, you’ll see the CS:GO News Feed and the shop (coupons, store, keys, and market). If you mouse over to the right, another menu will appear, and you can view your profile, ranks (including your wingman rank), badges, and friends list. You can now inspect and try out items from cases before you open them, which includes some pretty seamless interaction of these 3D assets. Unlocking cases also has some pretty sweet new animations. I even found a use for the animated player model in the middle of the home screen; when viewing a 3D weapon model, you can select to see it on a specific character model and then select that model to be the one displayed on the home screen. It’s not really enough to justify the toon taking up so much real estate, but it’s a nifty new feature nonetheless.

Beads of sweat begin to form on your brow as the situation begins to intensify outside as the gunshots get ever closer. The walls begin to shake from the bullets pummeling the outer layer as you breathe in sharply, praying they do not pierce the stone and into your flesh.

Finally, the sounds of the bullets pummeling on the wall subside, and a momentary lull takes over the battlefield, until suddenly, you hear the distinct sound of footsteps. You tighten your grasp on your shotgun and silently wait, not daring to make a sound for fear of giving away your position.

Finally, the footsteps are right outside the door, and slowly, the silhouette of an enemy soldier begins to make its way into the room. Right as they enter the room, they understand their demise as they see you looming there with shotgun poised and ready. Bang! Enemy down. Match won.

Today, we will be discussing the fun world of CS:GO tactics regarding offensive and defensive playstyles where we will break down the advantages and disadvantages of both. Whether as a player or bettor, understanding how the tactics might play out can be the difference between a win and a loss.

Offensive

Offensive strategies can be used by either side during the Counter-Strike: Global Offensive games since there isn’t necessarily any way to gain victory. Terrorists have the goal to plant a bomb at one of two sites, while counter-terrorists need to either prevent the bomb from being planted or disarm it.

A very straightforward method of preventing the terrorist team from planting the bomb is for the CT team to charge right out of the gate and take on the terrorist team head-on. This could potentially work quite well in the early game since the teams do not have as much money to buy higher-end weapons.

We can call this tactic an extremely aggressive one since it would leave the sites exposed, and if the terrorist team managed to sneak a player out, they can plant some bombs unhindered. That doesn’t mean that aggressive offense doesn’t work, but rather, it means you need to be aware of risks.

It is invaluable for players to understand where their opponents are on the map so that they can properly figure out how to deal with them or bypass the team entirely. It is the difference between knowing if you will need back up or can take down the enemy alone.

Finding an enemy alone or in an area that isn’t as strongly protected could indicate a great time for blitz tactics to quickly overwhelm them and give a distinct advantage to the offensive team. The key word to remember with offensive tactics is timing.

Timing is the difference between catching your enemy looking in their inventory compared with slowly walking out into the crosshairs of a sniper rifle. Taking advantage of your enemy’s weakness is an essential part of the offense, and players need to be ready to capitalize on it.

Defensive

Defensive strategies will come into play typically by the counter-terrorists by protecting the objectives with different types of tactics, such as floating between both. This method allows players to have more visibility of the area and respond to teammates being attacked.

The defensive playstyle will not work as well for the terrorists since they do need to wipe out the enemy or plant bombs rather than disarm/prevent. Heavily-defensive tactics can be very useful later in the game since players have access to better weapons.

By having better weapons, a charging team may not find their aggressive tactics as effective if they are obliterated by explosions and a hail of automatic gunfire. The CT team can hang back and make their preparations for the incoming attacks.

Those using defensive measures have many different options other than just coming at their opponent like a spider monkey and hoping for the best. Teams can use the fact that they are protecting an objective by tactically retreating and leading their opponents into ambushes.

That doesn’t mean that the counter-terrorists in the situation of protecting the bomb areas have an advantage by any means. The terrorist team will know the basic area of where their opponents are and can utilize that knowledge to plan their tactics.

What Is Ideal?

The short answer is that there is no ideal tactic because every situation is different, and it is essential that teams can quickly adapt to handle whatever they go against. Counter-Strike: Global Offensive is very good when it comes to proving how useful the team is when it comes to victory.

Although amazing players can sometimes outshine others and help in the process of seizing victory, it does not negate how important the group contributions are for players. It takes communication, a mixture of both offensive and defensive techniques, and most importantly, it takes the teamwork.

That means backing up your teammates, knowing when to retreat or push, knowing where to defend and set up choke points, communicating, and so on. You can’t necessarily know what your opponents will do until the game starts and bullets start flying in your general direction.

You can go over every tactic and strategy you could think of in your head, but the one constant that you can truly control is your teamwork. There is a reason that professional teams have constant practice sessions to sharpen their abilities.

It isn’t just about developing those pinpoint skills and strategies, but rather, it is just like working on muscle memory. Drilling the tactics continuously is key so that when the team finds themselves in a situation, they know how to act and how their teammates will also respond.

The whole muscle memory aspect allows for quicker adaptation to situations and therefore will allow for teams to better coordinate and complete their objectives. Whether on the defensive or offensive, that cohesion that is developed will take teams to the next level.

Conclusion

Overall, there are a lot of different tactics that players can utilize when choosing to play offensively or defensively. The specific ones that they may choose to use, however, will determine the effectiveness or not of the measures taken.

Players must be ready to adapt to whatever situation they may find themselves in, regardless of the side they are representing. Players can get unique in their strategies, and what they may have prepared for their opponents could be revolutionary in the gaming world or just a repeat of the same old.

That is the thing. You won’t know what you are going up against until you step foot into those battles. Clearly, a veteran player will have an idea of what their opponents may or may not do, but they can’t know that for sure.

This is very important to keep in mind as both a player and someone who is betting on Counter-Strike: Global Offensive because it will give a clear indication of what the team is capable of. In theory, all teams are great when they can follow a simple strategy, execute it, and follow through.

Life doesn’t usually work that way, especially in the gaming world, and things can hit the fan very quickly without much warning. This is the make-or-break time for teams because this is when they show what they are made of to coordinate offensive maneuvers or go defensive.

The ability to quickly adapt is what will establish a team on the battlefield since they won’t be reliant upon any specific tactics for success, but rather will evolve their gameplay as the match goes on. As a bettor or opposing player, this knowledge can be essential to appropriately making strategies or placing bets.

It is important to remember as both a player and bettor that skillful teams are aware of all the different potential strategies that others may use against them. Therefore, looking at things such as team cohesion will end up giving worlds of information. You just need to keep aware.

You and the group of soldiers with you stand at attention as you all inspect your equipment and begin to plan your next move to stop the terrorist forces. As the final preparations are being put into place, and you are listening intently to your commander go over the details, you scooter closer, and he abruptly stops.

Something catches his attention and he begins to stare in your direction, and soon, the other soldiers following the commander’s cue take notice as well. You begin to shift uncomfortably under the scrutiny and can’t quite understand why all attention is focused on you.

Finally, the commander breaks the tension and smiles as he says, “Nice knife,” and nods at the StatTrak Karambit Crimson Web on your belt. You can feel a slight smile creasing the edge of your mouth as everyone goes back to making the plans. They noticed how pretty you were. Success!

Today, we shall be discussing the joyous world of CS:GO knife skins, where you will get a first-hand look at why people lose their mind over the fancy-looking virtual items. If you are a fan of virtual knives or excessive price tags on digital items, you won’t be disappointed!

Quality

Quality is one of those words that resonates with us in every aspect of our lives. From the clothing we wear to the food we consume, quality is a huge factor in our daily lives. This does not just stop in our real lives, either, but also extends to our virtual ones.

Skins and other cosmetic items have a very thriving market in games like Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, which is heavily dependent on one thing: quality. It isn’t just about finding different things that look cool, but rather how unique they are.

These ideas are the same when it comes to grading virtual weapons since the quality is the difference between a random $.05 skin and one that will go for $100,000 or more! Below is a list of the “colors” associated with rarity.

The color quality isn’t the only thing that is graded on these skins, but also the condition that the exterior of the weapon is in. Clearly, the newer an item the better in most cases, so “Factory New” or “FN” is ideally what people would want. Below is the list of the conditions of skins.

Priciest Blades

The quality is clearly a huge factor when it comes to determining the value of a skin, but there are even more things to consider than just that. There are additional “modifications” that might add to the value, such as the StatTrak feature, which keeps a count of kills with the weapon.

Features like these are one of the coolest things to have on a skin since they truly add a bit of that custom feel to it and make it “yours.” Not all skins are created equal, and they obviously do not look the same at all.

In the end, the value of skins is all about what someone is willing to pay for it, and let me tell you, people are willing to fork over big bucks, it seems! Below is a list that includes the top 4 priciest knife skins to have been sold. Without further ado, let’s go over the list.

#1 Karambit Case Hardened Factory New: Price Tag $100,000

This is one worth discussing, and it’s the #1 Karambit Case Hardened Factory New – with a price tag that exceeded well over $100,000. This is the current top knife out there. That is, for the moment, and the buyer is trying to sell it for even more. Keyword, trying.

Its rarity is so impressive that while doing research, the websites I would expect to have valid information used the wrong image. However, our team knows better and will not fall for such shenanigans! What makes this knife unique is its impressive blue hue.

Like all skins, the prices of these items are quite absurd, but we must remember that skins value is based on what people are willing to pay. If someone is willing to pay it, then that’s what it’s worth to that person. That doesn’t mean these items will hold their value over time, however.

#2 StatTrak Karambit Crimson Web – Price Tag $50,000

Much like the number-one slot holder, the Karambit is an ever-popular skin, and the crimson web design just makes it that much cooler. There is also a nice little addition as well in the form of the StatTrak on the weapon.

#3 StatTrak M9 Bayonet Crimson Web – Price Tag $45,000

We cannot have a cool weapon list and forget the glorious M9 Bayonet Crimson Web design, which for quite some time held the position of one of the most expensive skins sold. The StatTrak addition makes this rare skin even further sought-after.

#4 StatTrak Bayonet Crimson Web – Price Tag $30,000

Last on the top list but hardly the least is the StatTrak Bayonet Crimson Web design, which has a much sleeker appearance to it than the M9. There seems to be a pattern of popular skin designs, and the Crimson Web is clearly a favorite out there.

These prices are quite astounding, and if you want to go down further, it is a huge jump price-wise. Although these skins sold for such an outrageous price, the standard market does not necessarily deal the same way. At the normal range of expensive knives, many of the options are about $2000 or so.

Prices can always get driven up if a specific knife has a cool appearance or some other factor that is getting people excited. It is sometimes difficult to even fathom spending this type of money on a virtual item, but here we are, and the virtual world is just as important to many as the real one.

Do not underestimate how much people enjoy being unique in this world and having cool stuff to show off. Just like a flashy car, these knives are the Ferraris and Lamborghinis of the CS:GO world, where their owners know that they have something truly special to show off.

Other “Cool” Knives

Counter-Strike: Global Offensive clearly does not have a lack of different ways to customize your character, from the guns to the knives to even the gloves you wear. The patterns and designs that are on the blades themselves impact their value greatly.

There are some neat additions for knives that are not in the ridiculous numbers, and the features aren’t just reserved for the exceedingly rare skins. They have some flawless patterns and designs themselves, as well as some unique-looking models.

Below is a list of some of the $500-$2000 price-tagged skins.

Bayonet Autotronic Skin – StatTrak Available

Butterfly Knife Damascus Steel Skin – Covert – StatTrak Available

Karambit Freehand Skin – Covert – StatTrak Available

Huntsman Knife Damascus Steel Skin – Covert – StatTrak Available

Although the priciest knives have that rarity factor to them, aside from that feature, they are hardly that impressive. The coolest thing to me is the StatTrak addition, and that should hardly put them up to their price tag level. However, that’s just what I think.

The crimson red design seems to be a big draw factor for these blades, but there are other similar, far lower-priced ones with an amazing look, such as the Bayonet Autotronic Skin. It has a similar look and feel, but with a price tag in the zone of reality.

I myself prefer a Damascus-style blade since it just feels like a truly “forged” weapon and a butterfly knife model at that. What can I say? The flipping aspects of a butterfly knife are incredibly cool to me and not what you’d expect to see in a battle zone.

Since what we consider “cool” is unique to each of us, that is where the values begin to separate. What I personally would put a higher value on would be different than what you would since we have different tastes in what we might consider to be special about a knife.

Conclusion

Whether interested in extremely cool-looking designs or the rarest of skins out there, CS:GO will have no shortages when it comes to that. Of course, the value is clearly based on what people are willing to pay for it, and we know that people are willing to put out big bucks to be unique.

Overall, what are considered the coolest knives in CS:GO is in the eyes of the beholder since players will have different tastes from one another. However, if price and rarity are what you consider coolest, Karambit: Case Hardened: Factory New all day! Which is quite a beauty of a knife, if I do say so myself.

Let’s be real, though, on something that I think most of us can agree upon. If it has a StatTrak on it, that makes it one of the better choices by far. You can’t really go wrong when it comes to having a weapon that can count the kills you get.

Only time will tell which designs and knives will become the most popular in the coming years, but we shall continue to keep an eye on this ever-evolving market. One thing remains certain – people will continue to try and make their characters as unique as they can and are more than willing to pay for it.

Esports events have become a staple of the gaming community. There is so much talk that we all have an idea of what it means: championships and competitions based on video games that gather hundreds of thousands of people that want to see their favorite player. Now we must take advantage of the fact that we have just started the summer, and we need to be prepared because with the summer comes some of the most hectic moments for the competitive scene of Counter-Strike. We have several majors and qualifiers on the way that we are sure you will love.

The Counter-Strike: Global Offensive circuit is based on a wide variety of tournaments where teams from all over the world compete and where it is more common to see surprises. It is therefore difficult to identify which are particularly important. However, there is a category of tournaments called Majors that are characterized by the support of Valve, the game’s developer, and award large sums of money in prizes. ESL One and DreamHack are common in this tournament category.

ESL One Cologne 2018

The ESL One Cologne comes with plenty of anticipation in 2018. From July 3^rd to the 8^th, 16 teams from all over the world will be in Germany to try to win the title of one of the most prestigious tournaments on the Counter-Strike: Global Offensive scene.

One of the main novelties of this Cologne event will be that this tournament will be part of the Intel Grand Slam, a circuit created to reward with a million dollars the team that is capable of winning four of the premium events organized by ESL and Dreamhack. Another important highlight of this ESL One Cologne will be the increase in the prize pool. The tournament goes from $250,000 to $300,000. In this tournament, we will find top-level teams like Cloud9, FaZe, and SK, and we are sure it will be a great fight to take home the prize and honor.

FACEIT Major London 2018 – Qualifiers

FACEIT’s London major promises a lot, as all events are filled with excitement, effort, and great moves by game legends. However, what we don’t always see is the path that teams have to travel to reach one of the biggest stages of the Counter-Strike: Global Offensive competitive scene.

The FACEIT Minors will allow us to see great matches full of intensity between teams looking to make a name for themselves in the competitive world of Counter-Strike: Global Offensive. That may not sound very interesting, but seeing some of the teams that will take part in these minors, I’m sure that it will be a high-level competition, as it will have the presence of teams such as compLexity, Dignitas, Ninjas In Pyjamas, and Renegades, all looking to make a place in the first Major made by FACEIT in history.

ELEAGUE Premier 2018

The ELEAGUE has revealed through its social networks the 8 teams invited for its Premier phase, which will be held from July 21 to 29 and will have a total prize pool of 1 million dollars to distribute.

And we couldn’t expect anything less from an event like this, with a lineup full of stars. Astralis, Cloud9, FaZe Clan, Liquid, Na’Vi, SK, Fnatic, and mousesports are the ones chosen to fight for the trophy.

Let’s remember that FaZe Clan won the event in 2017 and is coming off recent victories at both IEM Sydney and ESL Belo Horizonte, where they weren’t even fielding their full starting roster. But it’s Astralis who will be the favorite heading into this year’s ELEAGUE event. As the current number-one team in the world, Astralis has boasted major victories at both the Pro League Finals and ECS Championships and will look to raise the trophy again in Atlanta. On the other hand, mousesports will try to seek their revenge against FaZe Clan after losing the final of the ESL One Belo Horizonte 2018.

Following the announcement of the teams invited and the format, the organizer also revealed the talents who will bring the broadcasts of this competition to life.

DreamHack Masters Stockholm 2018

The Counter-Strike: Global Offensive calendar has a spectacular competitive appointment starting August 29^th in the beautiful city of Stockholm with the celebration of the Dreamhack Masters Stockholm 2018. Between August 29^th and September 2^nd, the world’s sixteen best Counter-Strike: Global Offensive teams will gather at the Ericsson Globe to fight for a $250,000 prize bag and have the honor of lifting the championship trophy on Swedish soil.

Although only 7 teams (Astralis, FaZe Clan, Ninjas in Pyjamas, Na’Vi, SK, Fnatic, and mousesports) have been confirmed so far, we are sure that it will be a tournament full of great plays and the best atmosphere.

ESL One New York 2018

Again this year, one of the most spectacular tournaments of Counter-Strike: Global Offensive warms up its engines. New York’s ESL One returns to Brooklyn’s Barclays Center from September 26-30 with a $250,000 prize pool.

Of the eight teams that will compete in the dream, six have been invited, and two have arrived through the North American and European qualifiers. The event is sure to be frenetic, with lots of games, because what everyone wants is to reach the final.

We already know all the teams that will be part of this beautiful event, as the guests FaZe Clan, G2, Na’Vi, Fnatic, mousesports, and Team Liquid (who arrived to replace Cloud9) are all ready for the tournament. Also, on June 26^th, we got to know the qualified teams through the qualifiers – Gambit through Europe and NRG Esports through North America – where both showed that they have what it takes to be part of the elite of Counter-Strike and become legends of the game.

FACEIT Major London 2018

If we have recommended you to see the qualifiers, it is because this major is brought as the main event of Counter-Strike: Global Offensive that we have left in the year. FACEIT will again organize one of its prestigious tournaments of Counter-Strike: Global Offensive in London, but this time, it is a Major with a bag of prizes of one million dollars.

The second and final Major of 2018 will culminate with a live event from September 20^th to 23^rd at the SSE Arena in Wembley, London. This is the same place where the finals of the first and third ECS seasons were held.

This will be the first Major organized by FACEIT, which has become the sixth company to hold an event of this magnitude with Valve. The other companies that have had this privilege are ESL, DreamHack, MLG, ELEAGUE, and PGL. It will also be the first Major to be held in the United Kingdom, after multiple stops in the United States, Sweden, Poland, Germany, and Romania.

Following the guidelines established by Valve in December 2017, 24 teams will participate in the main FACEIT Major event. 16 of them have already been determined, while the last 8 will come from the various Minors to be held around the world.

BLAST Pro Series Istanbul 2018

The BLAST Pro Series, despite its youth, has entered the Counter-Strike: Global Offensive scene with strength thanks to its excellent organization and staging. The event created by the sports agency RFRSH will hold a new tournament in Istanbul from June 22^nd to 23^rd at the Ulker Sports Arena, a basketball arena with a capacity of 13,000 people.

Cloud9, Astralis, FaZe, SK Gaming, Ninjas in Pyjamas, and Space Soldiers are the six teams invited to the tournament. The level of the participants ensures an elite-level event where the local team, Space Soldiers, will be in charge of coloring and cheering on the ever-raised Turkish fans.

Counter-Strike: Global Offensive is one of the most popular first-person shooter games on the market, and it’s easy to learn but hard to master. A key feature in CS:GO is the cases that hold all the available skins that you’ll see people have on their weapons. CS:GO cases are a huge market and can be tough to understand. I hope that this blog will inform you about everything you need to know to potentially open crates and acquire rare and expensive weapon skins.

Types of Weapon Cases and the Differences

There are 26 different cases currently available in CS:GO, but what makes them different from each other? Well, there are three types of cases in the market: black, esports, and yellow cases. The black cases are created by Valve, and they only require a CS:GO case key. The esports case is again a Valve-created weapon skin, but a portion of the proceeds are used to support the CS:GO esports gaming community. A special esports key is required to open the cases. Lastly, the yellow case is a community-created weapons skins case that requires unique keys, and portions of the sales go to support the creators of the skins.

The current drop only features six of the 26 available cases. These cases are Clutch, Spectrum, Spectrum 2, Gamma, Gamma 2, and Glove.

On rare occasions, though, you may receive one of the following cases:

How Do You Earn and Open Cases?

The way you can earn weapon cases on Counter-Strike: Global Offensive is by simply playing the game. Players have a chance to receive cases as a drop after each completed game on a Valve Anti-Cheat (VAC) secured server.

To open a weapons case, players must acquire a matching key. These keys can be bought in-game or from someone from the Steam marketplace. There are plenty of options on the community market to purchase keys, as they’ll be around $2.50 in price. The highest-priced case currently on the market is $2.61 for the clutch case. If you choose to purchase the keys in-game, they can be acquired by hitting the key icon on the home page. Case keys currently available on the in-game market are Operation Wildfire, Operation Breakout, Operation Hydra, Spectrum, Spectrum 2, Gamma, Gamma 2, Chroma, Chroma 2, Chroma 3, Revolver, Shadow, Falchion, Clutch, and Glove.

What’s in a Weapon Case?

When you decide to open a case, you will receive a weapons skin, but there are many factors that affect what makes a skin expensive. Two initial elements that make a skin expensive are the gun type it is used for and how it looks. If it’s a popular weapon and appealing to multiple people, it will gain a demand in the market, which will only help its price rise. Other factors that alter the price are the skin color grade, the wear and tear of the skin, and if the skin will keep track of stats.

The other deciding component on whether your new skin is worth a lot is the wear and tear on it. As with the skin color grade, it comes in five different levels: factory new, minimal wear, field-tested, well-worn, and battle-scarred. Factory new is the best option that you can receive, while battle-scarred is the worst.

The final influence on whether a skin is worth anything is if it’s a StatTrak skin. These skins will keep track of specific stats from gameplay, such as confirmed kills or MVPs.

Probability of Cases

The probability of the cases was unknown until September 11, 2017, when the Perfect World CS:GO team released information regarding the probability of cases. Perfect World, a Chinese online gaming company, was mandated to release their loot quality stats with loot box microtransactions due to a policy from the Ministry of Culture in China.

In their release, it showed that the relative probability of getting an item one grade higher than the current grade is 1:5. This means that Mil-Spec to Restricted is 1:5, Mil-Spec to Classified is 1:25, Mil-Spec to Covert is 1:125, Mil-Spec to Knife/Glove is 2:625, and getting a StatTrak item is 1:10.

In percentage form, the chance of acquiring a normal Mil-Spec skin is 79.92%, while Restricted is 15.98%, Classified is 3.20%, Covert is 0.64%, and Exceedingly Rare is 0.26%. If you hope to get a StatTrak item, you will have a chance of a tenth of the percentage to acquire it, so, for example, you only have a 7.99% chance of getting a StatTrak Mil-Spec weapon skin from a CS:GO case.

Most Expensive Cases and Skins in CS:GO

If you are in the market to purchase a case, then you won’t be breaking your bank account until you get to the higher-end cases. 21 cases are currently priced under a dollar, while five other cases are worth more. The most expensive case to purchase is the Operation Bravo case that goes for around $12 per case. The other cases that are more than a dollar are the eSports 2013 Case (~$8.60), CS:GO Weapon Case (~$7.09), Operation Hydra Case (~$2.26), and Winter Offensive Weapon Case (~$1.15).

Conclusion

In the end, when you are opening a case, it will always come down to luck on whether you will open an Exceedingly Rare item or a just another Mil-Spec item. I hope this blog will give you everything that you need to know to feel comfortable going into a case opening. It’s helpful when you’re opening cases to know your probability on what items you’ll receive and potentially make money off of.

When it comes to Counter-Strike, maps are incredibly important.

The map can change everything in the game. It can change the pace, the strategies, and (of course) the outcome.
Not all maps are created equal. If they were, there would be no point in them. They fundamentally change the game and can create huge swings.
It’s hard to say that one map is objectively better than the rest.

For the most part, maps are a matter of taste. Some players will prefer smaller maps that lead to more aggressive play, while others would prefer that the game goes long.
However, if we look at what makes a map “good,” it becomes clear to see which could be considered the best.

What Makes a Map Good in CS:GO?

The biggest factor that makes a CS:GO map good for competitive play is balance. Some maps, the worst of the bunch, shift the advantage significantly. Find yourself at a certain spawn point, and your game is doomed from the jump.
A great map, on the other hand, provides a base for both teams to work from. This doesn’t mean that both sides have to be exactly the same — an open field probably wouldn’t be a great map — but it does mean that both teams should be provided with choke points from which they can gain an advantage.

Of course, this isn’t always perfectly balanced. Some teams will still perform better from a given spawn point than others will. In this case, the advantage is still in the hands of the players.
A common thread between all of the factors in deciding if Counter-Strike maps are good is the effect they have on player agency.

Great game design should always provide the players with the ability to win or lose based mostly on their skill. Variance is a natural and necessary part of any esport but shouldn’t be the deciding factor in every match.

Let’s say that a match with no map factor gives both teams a 50% chance to win. A map that is unbalanced might swing things wildly, giving one team an 80% chance to win. A great, well-balanced map might give one team a 60% chance to win.

Other Factors to Consider

Under the umbrella of balance, there are many more factors to consider.

Lighting is one of the nuances of a map that many people might not consider. However, it can alter the outcome of a match significantly.
Some players thrive in a low-light environment, where their play can be a bit more sneaky. Others do better in an environment with a lot of light, where all of the information is on the table.

A good map should have many well-lit areas and a few with dim lighting. It should provide players with either preference the ability to play to their strengths, while not leaning heavily to either side.
Bombsites are another thing to consider. Because bombs are such a huge part of CS:GO, there needs to be places for them.

Ideally, there should be a lot of variety in the bombsites that are available. Again, there needs to be some level of variance — monotony does not create a great esport. Variety should not be undervalued.
Good bombsites also have several different access points. Bombsites that are wide open are impossible to secure, while bombsites that are too closed off are broken. The CS:GO community typically considers two main access points and one secondary access point to be correct and balanced.

Many people also believe that a map should be high-risk/high-reward. This has less to do with the balance of the map and more to do with how fun it is.
When plays have a risk factor, play becomes more exciting. When everything is safe, the game quickly becomes boring.

What Is the Best Map in CS:GO?

With all of these factors considered, it’s clear to see which map is the best: Mirage.

Mirage is the definition of a great map. One writer described Mirage as “a warm, unembarrassing hug from your grandmother.”

The bombsites in Mirage have just the right amount of access points. Furthermore, they have a great amount of variety. No one bombsite feels like the rest.

The map also has plenty of synergy between map points. Its various landmarks seem to be woven together almost perfectly, allowing any playstyle to thrive without pushing you into any of them. It allows players to make significant decisions.
And that’s the key. Mirage gets out of the players’ way, allowing them to thrive on their own merits. Mirage is so great that it almost seems to disappear. In that way, it lives up to its name.

In addition to this, Mirage provides several different opportunities for exciting plays. The map lets both teams get into positions that could lead to huge rewards. But not one of them is without risk.
If you have ever played CS:GO, then you know how well designed Mirage is. Everything that is great about CS:GO is exemplified in Mirage.

If you don’t play CS:GO, Mirage would be a good place to start. If you spectate or bet on CS:GO, then you should learn Mirage.
Mirage is CS:GO. Mirage is tactical maneuvers and exciting plays. Mirage is where great players play.