Football remains the most beloved sport in the world. And, in case you have any doubts, just check out the global success of video games and e-sport FIFA .
You may also know it as FIFA Football or FIFA Soccer . In any case, the FIFA game is the most famous football simulator in the world, originally released by Electronic Arts Sports in 1993. Today, after 27 official editions, its newest title is FIFA 19. Its latest release, FIFA 19, sold nearly six million copies in its first week alone.
And it's not hard to see why EA Sports simulator has evolved to become one of the biggest video game franchises in the world and, in recent years, one of the biggest esports titles, although still far from competing head-to-head with the biggest titles of the moment ( LoL and Dota 2 ).
Thanks to interactive events between online players (such as Interactive World Cup , in which fans of the game can compete in a series of tournaments that qualify them for the finals of the event), the game has shown its potential as an e-sport. Even today it is already possible to place bets on FIFA.
As with football matches and other sports, you can place your bets on official FIFA tournaments online , betting the amount you want on the player of your choice. In this guide, we show you how to bet on competitions from New Zealand, choose the best betting sites to recommend to you and bring you resources, tips and news channels to help you stay informed about e-sport.
Before we move on to the subject of betting, however, we will introduce FIFA to newbies, briefly explaining how its gameplay works and introducing the latest versions of the game. If you are already familiar with its operation, you can scroll straight to the section that interests you – the betting manual.
About the game
The FIFA game is fully licensed by the International Football Federation (FIFA), a body founded in 1904 to coordinate international futsal, Sand Soccer and football events such as the World Cup . Because of this partnership, players will find the world's biggest football leagues in EA Sports titles, including the Bundesliga, La Liga, Premier League and New Zealand, as well as the national teams that make up the World Cup.
The latest version of the game was released in September 2018 and is available for Xbox One, Xbox 360, PS4, PS3, Windows and Nintendo Switch. It features the men's national teams of 52 countries and 14 women's national teams, including New Zealand. In each league and national team, you will find the best football players in the world and play with your favorite teams on the virtual field.
To promote the competitive landscape of the game, EA Sports created the Interactive World Cup in 2004 (today renamed FIFA eWorld Cup), an event in partnership with FIFA, which places 32 players to compete for the title of Grand Champion (Grand Champion) in an event of great proportions. Finalists are chosen through knockout matches, but any player can compete, just be playing the latest version of FIFA on an Xbox or PlayStation. This tournament has become so popular that in 2016 FOX Sports televised the championship in full. This visibility, of course, has only increased FIFA's popularity as an e-sport around the world.
Millions of players participate in the event every year. For the past two years, it has been recognized as the largest online gaming tournament in the world by the Guinness Book of World Records . And it's not hard to see why: in 2017, more than seven million players took part in the first stages of the event. Only 32 made it to the finals.
The success and appeal of the FIFA football game has to do with several elements, the main ones being the three that we have named below:
- The popularity that men's football enjoys around the world.
- The similarity of the game to traditional sport.
- The inclusion of men's players and leagues, as well as national teams from around the world. In this sense, the game achieves worldwide reach.
But its popularity does not stop there – many players go further and bet on official FIFA matches. If this seems strange to you, we recommend reading about the recent phenomenon of e-sports , which have been gaining attention and space in popular culture in recent years. Just as it is possible to bet on traditional football matches in New Zealand or international events, it is also possible to bet on matches from FIFA events. And this is what we will see in this guide. First, though, we talk about the basics of the game.
Gameplay and objectives
The most commonly used game mode in FIFA is classic, which is generally called classic Fast Play. The match is played by your team and your opponent. The goal is to beat him through his virtual soccer techniques. Alone, you control all your players.
In FIFA 19, the latest version of the game, five new types of matches have been incorporated from which players can freely choose which ones they want to play: UEFA Champions League, alternative rules, Best Of series, Home And Away and Cup finals.
Each of these game types adds changes to the quick game matches, bringing news and making the matches more interesting. The new match types are as follows:
- UEFA Champions League: Within Quick Play, you can create a custom match within one of the most contested Championships in the world, the UEFA Champions League. You will be able to select specific rules and visuals for your game, creating a more realistic and, of course, unique experience.
- Alternative Rules: Play a match with custom rules, chosen especially for you. In this mode, EA has included several totally original game types, such as Survival Mode, de Fora Vale 2, Vale Tudo, Quem Fazer Ganha and Cabeios e Voleios.
- The best of the series: In this mode, you play classic mode matches in a best-of-three or best-of-five series to determine the winner.
- Round trip: Play one home match, and one away match, to determine the winner between you and your opponent.
- Cup finals: Play a match as if you were playing in a World Cup final, Europa League, UEFA, and any other tournament you want. Special effects and other features are included to make your game even more exciting.
In the quick game, players can follow the record of their matches and their complete statistics, which measure wins, losses, draws, goals scored and goals conceded, goal difference, types of goals, goal area, shots on goal, among other various factors.
You can even save your stats in the game itself and check your progress whenever you want.
FIFA 2016 game
FIFA 16, released in late 2015, was the first FIFA game to include female players in the game. The game includes 78 stadiums and a new training mode, which was added to the Career Mode. This allows to develop certain skills of specific players.
Improvements have also been made to The Ultimate Team interface, and many gameplay updates, including The Ultimate Team Draft. In this, players could choose from five random players for each team position, and thus form a unique team and compete in championship matches.
FIFA 2017 game
FIFA 17 was released in late 2016 and replaced the 2016 version. It was the twenty-fourth title in EA Games ' series. Among the novelties that it brought, the most outstanding was, without a doubt, the use of the game engine called Frostbite on Xbox One, PS4 and PC.
In addition, the game FIFA 17 brought a new game mode called The Journey, or The Journey , which is a kind of quest that tells a story, a format widely used by video games of all kinds. In this mode, the player controls only one character and their actions and decisions directly interfere with the reaction of the other characters in the story and the course of the game.
The new version also brought recreations of rehearsed moves, more realistic graphics and women's clubs.
FIFA 2018 game
The football game FIFA 2018 was released at the end of 2017 and, like the previous version, puts in evidence the Career Mode, also called Story Mode, since it has made tremendous success among fans of the game.
In it, the player controls a football player during the beginning of his career and goes making decisions and facing challenges to reach a victorious end. In this new version, it is possible to choose to play in Career Mode also with a female player.
FIFA 2019 game
FIFA 19 was released at the end of September 2018 and is the twenty-sixth game in the FIFA series. For the first time, the game includes UEFA clubs, including the UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League and UEFA Super Cup events. The Journey mode, which appeared during FIFA 17 and 16, returns for the third and final time in the game.
The new 2019 version also includes several changes to improve gameplay and player controls, including the so-called Dynamic Tactics , which allows players to formulate game strategies and Switch players during a match, and the Times Finishing , with which the player has more control over when the ball is kicked.
FIFA as e-sport
The word "e-sport" means electronic sports or online sports. The term is generally used to refer to games that are played competitively over the internet. Here at New ZealandCasinos, we write about the most popular ones, some of which you may have already heard about – such as Overwatch and CS:GO . Esports matches are not between friends and much less informal. Professional events are organized with structure for the transmission of the game and to receive thousands of spectators.
Some traditional sports channels such as FOX Sports and ESPN even already cover some of the biggest events in full. Most of the time, however, players watch professional matches through free streaming channels such as Twitch.tv and YouTube. According to recent research, the number of viewers of esports events totals 385 million people around the globe, and the expectation is that this number will only grow in the coming years.
As a fairly popular game and already very well known among loyal video game players, the FIFA game Series became an e-sport thanks to the event called eWorld Cup - better known in previous versions of the game as Interactive World Cup (FIWC), that is, the FIFA Virtual World Cup. The event encourages players from all over the world to compete against each other in a series of tournaments to qualify for the online Cup, organized annually by EA Sports.
Thanks to the popularity of the game and its similarity to real football, FIFA online competitions have naturally grown as a fairly competitive and watched e-sport. And thanks to the extreme popularity of esports in recent years, it is now possible to place bets on esports as you would on World Cup or New Zealand matches.
Betting on FIFA online competitions is relatively easy. If you already do football betting , then practically do not need to learn anything new. Below you will find a complete guide to help you prepare to place bets on the game.
Betting guide
To start placing your bets, you will need to find an eSports betting site that offers FIFA events. Our team recommends just below some of the Best New Zealand players they accept. We also recommend that you always read our reviews before signing up and stay away from sites that don't seem safe. Having chosen a reliable site with comfortable payment options for you, make your account, deposit the desired amount of money and start betting.
The number of bettors making guesses in the FIFA game has been growing every year. And it is not difficult to understand why. Those who bet on real football matches may well place bets on e-sport, it is enough to know the players who enter “on the field”.
First-Person Shooter-style esports and Multiplayer Online Battle Arena, on the other hand, do not enjoy a similar similarity. To bet on the latter, bettors must know the universe of the game and all its nuances, as well as practical factors such as the formation of teams and individual players.
In FIFA, it is relatively easier to start betting, since we all already have a lot of knowledge about football, even those who do not like or are interested in the sport. Football is quite involved in New Zealand culture, and for it to unfold for a video game is quite natural.
It is not difficult to understand why the 2017 FIFA Interactive World Cup, now called the eWorld Cup, broke the record for the largest number of participants for its qualifiers; almost seven million participants were counted. If you already play the game and want to compete for the title of the best player in the world, you can, and this also attracts hundreds of players every day.
What you need to know to start betting
To do well in betting on any sport or e-sport, it takes dedication, research, and extensive knowledge about the game in question. We have written a complete manual for beginners in the eSports betting and sports betting , which you can read If you are now entering the world of online betting. Below we separate the best tips we have for beginners in the subject:
- Making bets on e-sports is very similar to making sports bets. You should understand odds, know how the players are performing and you will always have several betting options beyond the single bet.
- It is not always that bets on FIFA are available. Tournaments need to be taking place for there to be open betting markets, no matter what site you bet on.
- Have a broad understanding of the game before placing your bet. If you expect to profit, the more information you have, the better. Knowledge is power at the moment of making a guess.
- Most bettors kick the outcome of the game. However, those who really devote themselves to studying betting can maintain a more regular level of profit.
- Visit our other online betting guides. In them, you will find several important information to take into account in your bets. All our guides are original and in New Zealand English.
- Research before choosing a site to bet on. Generally, bettors use more than one website to place bets. But that doesn't mean they don't research and test different alternatives. Our team periodically evaluates betting sites that accept New Zealand players. Our reviews are unbiased and you can find all of them in the main menu.
- Do research on websites specializing in e-sports. There is a lot of material on the internet created by fans of the game that can help bettors make better guesses.
- The number one rule of the professional bettor is to set a budget for the bets and not go over it.
Odds and betting markets
Thanks to the similarity of FIFA with football, e-sport offers several betting markets that are also present in football betting.
The most popular markets, which you will find on various websites, include:
- Single bet (Moneyline): Bet on the outcome of the match, which has only three possibilities: player A wins, Player B wins, or there is a draw.
- Future bets: Bet on the winner of the championship or tournament before the events even begin.
- The best of the series: In this mode, you play classic mode matches in a best-of-three or best-of-five series to determine the winner.
- Proposition bets: These are more specific bets that have no direct relation to the outcome of the match. For example: there may be a bet on who will be the first player to score a goal in the match, how many penalties there will be in the game, and so on.
- Live betting: These are only open after the start of the match. It is recommended that the bettor placing live bets is watching the match. To watch the events in real time, you can access free esports streaming sites. The largest of them is the Twitch.tv.
As for the odds, it is necessary that the bettor has a full understanding of them, if he wants to profit. Odds are fundamental in all types of online betting, including eSports betting. It is they who determine your potential profit.
In general terms, the odds express the chances that each player has to win the FIFA match. The odds are determined by each betting site, and so they can vary considerably. We explain in detail the odds and how to read them in our guide on how to win in sports betting . On the internet, you can also find various explanatory materials about them. We recommend that you only start betting after you have understood the meaning of the odds in online betting.
Where to watch the matches?
FIFA matches can be watched via Twitch.tv, completely free streaming channel. There, you even have access to live matches. Just type "FIFA 19" in the search bar and you will find all available matches there. No Twitch.tv, it is possible to chat with other spectators during matches. In case you need an alternative, on YouTube you can also follow the matches.
Live betting
Some betting sites may offer real-time FIFA betting. Thus, you can follow the matches and make some special types of bets that are only available as live bets, such as which team will score the next goal.
Best sites to bet
New ZealandCasinos has reviewed a number of eSports betting sites over the past few years. We have tested them to find out which are the best and which are the most recommended for New Zealand players. In this way, we find out which of them offer the best services and the best profit opportunities.
Considering that not all sites are trustworthy, we thought it important to analyze in detail one by one and thus recommend only the best ones to our readers. To learn more about how we evaluate sites and which ones we recommend, visit our guide on the reliable online casinos .
Below, we separate for you the selection of the sites that we indicate to make your bets on FIFA . If you'd like more information, check out our special guide to FIFA betting sites to see why and how we selected the sites in question.
- Betway
- Pinnacle
- GGBet
- Thunderpick
- GBS
Competitions and tournaments
At the moment, there are several e-sport events and tournaments throughout the year, spread across several countries. You can follow the tournaments and match schedules via the internet. There are a few sites that specialize in the game that will keep you informed about the competitive gaming scene.
The biggest event in e-sport, however, is open to all players, no matter where in the world. Check out more about the virtual World Cup below.
FIFA World Cup
The FIFA eWorld Cup was previously known as the FIFA Interactive World Cup (FIWC). Its first edition was in 2004, and in the following years the event has grown and taken on the enormous proportions it has today. The eWorld Cup is an annual event, and in each new edition, players compete using the newest version of FIFA. Its format is completely open at the beginning, which allows everyone who wants (millions, usually) the chance to participate and qualify.
Generally, the event took place only on PlayStation, but from 2015 Players using Xbox One were also accepted, which meant a larger number of participants. The last edition, which was FIFA 18, took place in August 2018 in London, at The O2 Arena. 32 finalists competed in the Championship finals for a total prize pool of $ 250,000.
Following the release of FIFA 19 last month, EA Sports also announced the Global Series on the Road to the FIFA eWorld Cup 2019 , which will be the global event tasked with taking players all the way to the 2019 virtual Cup final, licensing tournaments around the world and formalizing new ways to compete online with the game.
Betting tips, news and informative sites
To be successful with the bets on FIFA you need to be well informed about the game . How to do it? It is enough to know the players well, the models of the championships and other variables that influence the matches.
We recommend researching, reading and staying up to date on the game. Compared to other e-sports, which are routinely updated, the FIFA series does not present so many novelties, but you have to pay attention to some details. For this, we bring below several resources and information channels about the game. Just follow them and you will be aware of the main news and discussions around e-sport.
- Official EA news Site-regularly visit the official EA Sports website to read the official news released by the creator of FIFA.
- Official FIFA forums – in the official FIFA forums, players and fans of the game can discuss in-game and championship issues with each other.
- Official Facebook - Like the official Facebook page of the game to be aware of all the information released by EA.
- Official Twitter - Follow the official game account on Twitter to have daily updates from the game team.
Below, our final tips for those who are planning betting on FIFA 19 :
- Do not place bets without first knowing the basics about the game. You don't have to be a gambler to bet, but it's good to know the mechanics of the game and the professional players.
- Watch the matches of the events whenever you can. Thus, you have an idea of how competitions take place and how the performance of certain players is.
- Follow your favorite players and keep track of what they publish. It is true that anyone can reach the FIFA eWorld Cup finals, but it is also true that only players who are dedicated to e-sport will get a place in the final.
- As a bettor, keep in mind that you can never bet more than you can afford to lose. Set a maximum amount-based on your financial reality – and never exceed it.
- Keeping a record of your bets can help a bit if you're starting out now. Professional bettors always keep track of their bets so they can learn from their mistakes and successes.
Frequently Asked Questions
FIFA 19 is the latest version of the video game FIFA, created and distributed by EA Sports. It has sponsorship from FIFA, World Football's governing body. Today it is considered an e-sport as it features a competitive scene and players can compete in official tournaments for cash prizes.
No. Anyone can place their bets on FIFA online. However, we recommend that the person knows the game well before placing their bets. This prevents kicks and makes betting more conscious.
Further up on this page, we recommend the betting sites that have fared best in our reviews. You can check out our reviews of each of them before making your decision where to bet.
Yes, but not all sites offer live betting. To place your live bets on FIFA, keep an eye on the schedule of the tournament in question and choose sites that have this functionality.
No. FIFA tournaments are not so numerous as to be present all year round. Check the official website of the game for the official tournament schedule to find out when new bets will open.
Bet on esports-FIFA 19
Although it is still far from being considered one of the most popular esports, the popularity of football around the world, combined with the fluidity of the game, allows the FIFA series a good chance of being successful as a competitive esports in the coming years. The incentives of the creator of the game itself, in the sense of expanding the reach of tournaments, has proven effective.
Bets on FIFA 18 have already been closed since FIFA 19 was released last month. From now on, the tournaments of the new edition of the game begin.
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