It’s hard to find a person that has never heard of Dota 2. Since the game was released, it has grown steadily, attracting players from all over the world. One of the more unique things about this highly-ranked multiplayer game is its fascinating gameplay.
Dota 2 is a multiplayer online battle arena game developed by Valve Corporation. Each game is made up of two teams made up of five players battling it out to defend the opposing team’s home base. At the first stage of the game, players have to choose a certain character. Each of these characters has unique traits, strengths, and weaknesses, and plays multiple roles throughout the game.
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Players try to choose a main character that will give their team the highest chances of winning.
Unbalanced teams usually lose right away. The first team to destroy the opponent’s Ancient wins the game.
The way there, however, is difficult to master. Defense towers block the way. In addition, both factions are constantly producing computer-controlled units that make their way directly to the opposing Ancient and attack the enemy’s figures and buildings in the process.
Because the composition of the team is just as important as the control of the characters, Dota 2 is a very demanding game. Only after several years of training are the players able to play at the highest level and possibly win tournaments.
The fascinating, unique gameplay features of Dota 2 resulted in an increase in popularity. There was soon a big esports scene with several teams around the world battling each other everywhere, including:
- Leagues;
- Championships;
- Tournaments.
Dota 2 is also available on esports betting sites where bettors bet on their favorite teams to win, among other things.
Valve is working with third-party providers to host a series of tournaments that are held in the Dota Pro Circuit event format. Teams are awarded Pro Circuit Points based on their performance in these tournaments. With the collected points, you will receive a direct invitation to the biggest Dota 2 tournament of the year called The International.
By the end of this article, you will know everything about The International and how it can open up new betting opportunities.
The International Dota 2
In August 2011, The International was held for the first time as part of the Gamescom trade fair in Cologne. The reason for the event was that the developer Valve wanted to introduce Dota 2 as a continuation of the Warcraft 3 modification Defense of the Ancients. The top 16 teams from Defense of the Ancients get an invite to the tournament.
The fact that The International immediately caught the attention of fans and media was not least due to the high prize money. A total of 1.6 million US dollars were distributed at the first edition. A million of them went to the winning team. At the time, this was synonymous with the highest prize money in all of esport.
The media support was also unique for the time. The tournament was broadcast live on the internet in four different languages:
- English;
- Chinese;
- Russian;
- German.
It didn’t take long before the betting market became aware of this event and Dota 2 The International bets became socially acceptable.
In 2012, when the 2nd edition of The International took place, Valve turned to the American market. The venue was the Benaroya Hall in Seattle. The largest city in the northwestern United States remained the annual venue until 2017.
In 2018, The International was held for the first time in the Rogers Arena in Vancouver (Canada). In 2019 the Mercedes Benz Arena in Shanghai (China) was the venue. It seems to be the organizer’s strategy to change the location several times and thereby appeal to a large audience.
But no matter where The International takes place the fans follow the games on the Internet from all over the world. Dota 2 The International bets are therefore very popular every year.
Dota 2 The Internationals Champions: What Factors to Consider When Betting on This Tournament
Dota 2 The International bets are very complex and therefore so appealing. Various aspects have to be taken into account if you want to bet on the winners of the group/tournament.
It’s not just about which team is more playful. At an event, the size of The Invitational, nerves also play a role. Thousands of spectators in the arena and millions on the screens cheer when the best teams duel in Dota 2.
This results in a pressure situation that not every player can cope with. This should definitely be taken into account when betting on this tourney.
If you want to make money with Dota 2 The International betting, you should know about the best teams and dates when games take place. The European team OG is practically the FC Bayern Munich of the Dota-2 universe. In 2018 and 2019, the team won the championship.
The team, which was founded in 2015, has collected prize money of around 31 million dollars in the first five years alone. It is an honor for the best players in Europe to be part of OG. One of the top stars is, for example, the Dane Johan “N0tail” Sundstein.
The Liquid team is also considered a top address in the esport sector. The special thing is that the company not only operates several teams, but also a matching news portal on the subject of esports.
Team Liquid was mostly known through the StarCraft game but is also a big hit in Dota 2. In 2017, the team took first place at The International, and in 2019 made it to the finals where they secured second place. Other successful teams are:
- PSG.LGD;
- Newbee;
- Wings Gaming;
- Evil Geniuses;
- Alliance;
- Natus Vincere.
Sometimes, however, it is also worthwhile to place bets on promising outsiders at Dota 2 The International. The reason for this is the higher winning percentages.
Betting Options
Sports betting makes esports an exciting experience. This is especially true for major tournaments like The International when the world’s best players compete against each other in front of a large audience.
The betting providers have responded to the great interest. Dota 2 The International bets are versatile because you can not only bet on the winner of a game but also have countless other betting options. For instance, you can bet on regional qualifiers. Here are some of the available betting options:
- Overall winner;
- Region of the winner;
- Handicap betting;
- First blood;
- First team with 10 kills;
- Team to destroy a tower first.
Live betting is a particularly exciting option. Here the player can make a prediction while the game is still running. Speed is required here. Ideally, the bettor recognizes a development in the respective game earlier than the bookmaker, so that the odds are not yet adjusted. Qualifying matches can be especially lucrative.
The International Prize Pool
Hardly any other event in esport is so much in the media focus as The International. This is not only because Dota 2 is one of the most popular games worldwide. The high prize money also plays a role.
When The International was held for the first time in 2011, there was prize money of 1.6 million dollars. The winning team alone received one million dollars. At the time, this was the highest winnings in all of esport. Since then, the prize money has significantly increased, as the prize pool for Dota 2’s The International latest tournament has topped over 30 million dollars. And the TI 10 prize pool will be even bigger.
And the best thing is: not only the active players but also the fans can pocket a lot of money at the tournament, thanks to numerous betting options.
The Most Important Things to Keep in Mind When Betting on Dota 2 The International
Dota 2 betting is a science in itself. Of course, there are people who simply let their gut instinct guide them when betting on a qualifier and are sometimes even right. However, it is usually worthwhile to invest a little more time in the preliminary analysis before making any predictions.
The betting odds are always displayed in relation to a bet of one dollar. For instance, in the case of a win rate of 4.5, a dollar stake would result in a profit of 4.50 dollars. With a stake of 100 dollars, it would be 450 dollars.
Basically, the lower the win rate, the higher the betting provider estimates the chance of winning. And the higher the win rate, the lower the bookmaker estimates the chance of winning. Therefore, it can be worthwhile to evaluate the current standings and bet on promising underdogs with a good win rate. In any case, the gambling providers are not always correct with their assessments.
Bookmakers often have little experience, especially in the field of esports. It is therefore worthwhile to get an overview of the shape of the respective teams for yourself before placing any bets on the TI 2021:
- How did the last games end?
- Which teams did the respective team often have problems against?;
- Does it feel like a certain player is in a bad mood?
You can watch all of the upcoming games on various Internet channels such as Twitch, Youtube, or Youku to gain an impression of the strength of the game yourself.
Summing Up
Dota 2 is one of the most played games worldwide, and The International is one of the most popular events in the esport universe. All of the tickets sell out very quickly. So it’s no wonder that Dota 2 The International bets are so popular right now. Assuming a certain amount of expertise, you can reap decent profits here if you carefully follow the schedule.
The odds are often more attractive than the odds for real sporting events. In addition, game outcomes in esport can be better estimated because it depends more on the skill level and the right tactics. The luck factor, which in real sport often decides whether to win or lose, hardly plays a role in esport.
The betting providers have long recognized that Dota 2 The International bets are steadily increasing in popularity. Due to the different betting options, there should be the right game variant for every interested party, such as:
- Win bet;
- Handicap bet;
- Live bet.
