Everything to Know About ESports Betting: Terminology

With the esports jargon library being deep, it pays to spare time to learn about the lingo before placing the first bet. The best part is that understanding these terminologies is not far from possible. This blog post seeks to unravel some of the most commonly used terminologies in the world of esports.

If you’re diving into esports gaming and want to stake some KSh on matches via M-Pesa or Airtel Money, sasa make sure you know these terms. With roughly 51% mobile penetration in Kenya, betting on your favourite titles is poa—just don’t be a noob!

• Esports: Video games with competitive scenes. Big names include CS: GO, League of Legends, and Dota 2. Here at home, the Kenya Esports Association runs tournaments that draw crowds in Nairobi, Mombasa and beyond.
• Zoning: Forcing opponents out of an area using pressure. You "zone" them off that safe spot so your team can control objectives.
• Assist: You deal damage, let a teammate finish off the opponent, and bam—you get assist credit. Handy for your KDA ratio.
• Backdoor: Sneaking around enemy defenses to hit objectives when they least expect it.
• Bots: AI-controlled players to warm up against. Perfect for practising your combos before you hit live matches.
• Random Number Generator (RNG): The in-game chance element—think drop rates or critical hit rolls.
• Camp: Holding a choke point for kills or loot. Approach routes are limited, so campers love this.
• Combo: A seamless chain of attacks that leaves no chance to block or counter.
• Circuit: All major events in a year—Minors, Majors, The International, plus charity matches.
• Carry: A superstar who lifts a struggling squad to victory. Carry meaning? It’s when one player offsets poor team play and clinches the win.
• Buff: Any power-up that makes your character stronger—like a temporary speed boost or attack buff.
• Deny: Snatching resources or kills your opponent was about to get. Deny synonym: block or steal.
• Betting Edge: Your advantage over the sportsbook. In Kenya, that might mean specialising in local Dota 2 qualifiers or knowing insider rosters for EPL (English Premier League) football bets. Use that edge to outsmart odds.
• Bait: Feigning weakness to lure foes in, then pouncing.
• KDA Ratio: Kills, deaths, assists—your personal performance stat.
• Noob: Meaning of noob: a beginner who’s still exploring game mechanics. Everyone starts here.
• Gank: Teaming up to jump a lone enemy. If they escape solo, they’re next-level skilled.
• Glass Cannon: High-damage hero or loadout with low defense. Great at fragging but super fragile.
• Developer: The studio behind the game—like Valve or Riot.
• Objective: Key targets—towers, bosses or buff camps—that swing momentum.
• Kiting: Leading a chaser on a merry dance while still landing hits.
• Babysit: Staying close to a teammate to shield them until they’re strong enough.
• Jungling: Farming neutral camps for gold and XP instead of laning.
• Build: Your chosen items and skill upgrades—whether you go tanky or full DPS.
• Clan: A regular squad of players.
• Coach: The strategist who analyses stats, calls rotations and hypes the team.
• Poke: Chip damage from a safe distance until they back off.

MOBA hits like Dota 2 and League of Legends dominate the scene, both globally and in Kenya’s local leagues. Before you bet KSh 1,000–KSh 5,000 on a pro match, check these keywords.

• Tanky: Slow but nearly unkillable heroes with massive armor.
• Squishy: High DPS champs (marksmen, assassins) who melt under pressure.
• Feeder: A poor performer who keeps dying, giving opponents extra gold. Rare in stacked pro games.
• AoE (Area of Effect): Skills hitting multiple foes at once—clever for teamfights.
• Pushing: Advancing creeps up the lane to destroy towers or inhibitors. Pushing synonyms include siege or press.
• Dot (Damage over Time): Effects like poison or burn that chip away health.
• Ultimate: Your champ or hero’s most powerful ability—use it wisely.
• Farming: Last-hitting minions for gold during laning phase.
• First Blood: The inaugural kill of the match earns bonus gold. Always hype when that happens!
• FF (Forfeit): Voting to surrender when the game looks grim.
• AA (Auto Attack): Basic melee or ranged attacks without ability use.

When you load into CS: GO, these will keep you shwari on the comms and help you place smarter bets on rounds.

• Eco Round: Skimping on gear after losses to save money. Expect KSh500–KSh1,000 buys.
• Lit (Lit meaning): When you’ve taken damage but still fighting—"I’m lit, hold my angle!"
• Molly: A molotov grenade to block chokepoints.
• Kobe: Lobbing a grenade long-range that secures a kill.
• Anti-Eco Round: Buying just enough armour to profit off cheap-weapon foes.
• Boosting: Teammates stacking up to reach high vantage spots.
• Rotations: Moving from one site or lane to another for offence or defence.
• Top Fragger: The player with most kills and points in a match.
• Shot Caller: In-game leader directing rotations, map control and overall strategy.
• Nemesis: That one player who downs you over and over again without letting you return fire.

Esports betting in Kenya is legal and regulated by the Betting Control and Licensing Board (BCLB). Always choose licensed platforms, fund your wallet via M-Pesa or Airtel Money, and remember: if it ever feels like too much, reach out to Responsible Gaming KE at 0800 722 200. Bet shwari, enjoy the hype, and don’t chase losses—achana na mimi, it’s just a game!