Which Dota 2 tournaments are the most reliable for betting

The success of a player in Dota 2 betting depends not only on understanding current meta, drafts and strategies, but also on the correct choice of tournaments for betting. The fairness of matches, predictability of results and stability of odds directly depend on the reliability of the event.

Wrong choices can lead to unjustified risks, even if the bet, based on hero picks, was correct. In this article we will tell you how to identify and choose a reliable Dota 2 tournament for betting, and also describe all the features of the events and their differences.

Which factors affect tournament’s reliability

To distinguish a reliable tournament from a dubious one, you need to consider several key factors. One of the main parameters is the championship’s tier. The tier of a Dota 2 tournament is a system of classifying events by their level of importance, prize pool and participants. Simply put, the "tier" (level, rank) shows how large and reliable the tournament is. You can determine the rank of an event on our website by using the filter. To find current or upcoming major Dota 2 competitions, go to the "Tournaments" section and select the desired event level.

How to determine the tournament tier yourself:

• Organizer (tournament operator or TO). Large studios that organize tier-1 championships (ESL, PGL, Blast, FISSURE) have a long history, high standards of conduct and strict control of matches and players.

• Participation of top teams. If teams such as Team Spirit, Tundra Esports or Team Liquid play in the tournament, the probability of "strange" matches is sharply reduced.

• Prize pool. In tier-1 championships, it usually exceeds $500,000.

• Format. Large international LAN tournaments belong to tier-1 (PGL Wallachia, BLAST SLAM), regional or online leagues – to tier-2/3 (European Pro League, CCT Series).

• Large sponsors such as Mercedes, Intel, Saudi Esports Federation and others guarantee high standards and control.

• Coverage. Reliable tournaments are broadcasted on Twitch, YouTube, and in the Dota 2 client, accompanied by analytics and reporting, and bookmakers provide a wide range of betting options.

No less important factors are compliance with the rules and principles of fair play – the use of an anti-cheat system, checking players for the use of cheats and macros (sometimes a doping test is carried out), as well as monitoring bets and cooperation with the Esports Integrity Commission (ESIC) – an organization that investigates cases of “fixed” matches. The lower the level of the tournament, the lower the chance of compliance with these principles.

The reliability of the championship is also indicated by its presence on bookmakers’ websites, as they cover only reliable matches at verified events. Doubtful series and competitions are not allowed on the platforms. If a violation of the rules and principles of fair play is detected, all bets on this match are canceled. Money is returned to players at a coefficient of 1.0 (i.e. no win and no loss, as in the case of technical problems with the match) or the bet settlement is suspended until the investigation is completed. This is done to avoid payments for unfair results.

Once a match is confirmed to be "fixed", bets on teams or players involved are usually permanently blocked. However, it is not always possible to uncover and prove a "322" incident. Therefore, if you are inexperienced in gambling, bet only on tier-1 championships. In lower-level competitions, the risks are very high due to the instability of teams and the unreliability of participants, and sometimes even organizers.

Most reliable Dota 2 tournaments for betting (tier-1)

To date, the most reliable for betting are the championships organized by leading tournament operators: PGL, ESL, Blast and FISSURE. All events held under their control belong to tier-1.

The International is the main Dota 2 tournament organized by Valve in cooperation with PGL. The championship prize pool is partially formed by a percentage of the sale of in-game content. And, although since Valve abandoned the Battle Pass, the prize money at TI has stopped breaking world records every year (as it was in 2021 with an incredible $40,000,000), previous history and status of the world champion still make this competition the most prestigious. Teams participating in the battle for the Aegis are always highly motivated and show an incredible level of preparation.

Esports World Cup is the world championship in esports organized by ESL, which also hosts the Dota 2 competition called Riyadh Masters with the largest current prize pool ($3,000,000). The highest level of organization and huge prize pools allowed EWC to start competing with TI for the title of the main Dota 2 tournament of the season. Both events are considered key, so the results at these championships are of the greatest importance for the teams.

Other series of events from ESL – ESL One, DreamLeague – the prize pool of which usually amounts to $1,000,000, are no less reliable. In addition to the financial component, teams are motivated by ESL Pro Tour points – the position of teams in the EPT leaderboard determines their chances of getting invited to the biggest championships of the season. This is an additional motivation that forces players and clubs to approach ESL tournaments more responsibly and distinguishes them from other tier-1 tournaments.

Events from PGL, Blast and FISSURE, which flooded the pro scene after the cancellation of the Dota Pro Circuit, also attract all the top teams and media attention, which ensures their reliability, as well as strict control and compliance with the rules by the TO itself. In addition, the scale and significance of the tournament directly affects the betting line – the list of events and markets on which bets are accepted. At the largest events, the bookmaker is ready to provide the widest range of markets, including not only wagers on the winner of the match, tournament or map. You can also bet on the exact score in the series, handicap, total maps, kills and time, first blood, first 10 kills, killed Roshans, destroyed towers and even make your predictions on individual statistics of players and heroes.

Example of the wide bookmaking line:

• Main:

• Winner

• Exact score

• Map total

• Maps:

• Map winner

• Kills total

• Kills handicap

• Special bets:

• First blood

• First tower

• First Roshan killed

• Time:

• Map duration >/< 35.5 min

• Players:

• More than 8.5 kills

• MVP (of a map or a match)

• Tournament:

• Winner

• MVP (of the tournament)

• Most popular hero.

Other Dota 2 tournaments (tier-2, tier-3, tier-4)

You can also find reliable organizers and regular events among tier-2 championships, but the smaller prize pool increases the risk of “fixed” matches. At tier-1, the probability of "322" is close to zero, if you take into account prize pools at the largest tournaments and salaries at top clubs, it is simply not profitable.

The best clubs and players value their reputation very much, and most of them, already having millions of dollars in prize money, compete not for money at all, but because they are passionate about the game.

Below you can see typical indicators of medium and low-level tournaments. These points will allow you to determine the level of most events, as well as find out what risks you may face.

Characteristics of a tier-2 tournament (for example, European Pro League and CCT Series):

• average prize money ($10,000-100,000);

• strong, but not top teams (for example, regional leagues) participate;

• tournaments often serve as qualifiers for Tier-1;

• the quality of organization is lower than for tier-1 events. Sometimes there are delays, technical problems.

Characteristics of Tier-3 tournaments (e.g. Lunar Snake Trophy and Americas Convergence):

• small prize money (up to $10,000);

• many young rosters;

• online format;

• high risks of no-shows, technical problems, sometimes “fixed” matches.

Characteristics of Tier-4 tournaments (e.g. Impacto Solar and Betera Esports League):

• minimum prize money (up to $1-2k);

• tournaments from small organizers or communities;

• often without broadcasts, poorly regulated;

• used for training by new players.

On CyberScore you can follow tournaments of any level, up to tier 4, but it is worth noting that not all medium or small-scale events are available on bookmaker websites. It is the presence of such events on the bookmaker's platform that allows you to determine their reliability. However, the line in such competitions is always inferior to the top championships.

Example of a narrow betting line:

• Main result: match winner.

• Map handicap: (-1.5/+1.5).

• Total maps: over/under 2.5.

If you are new to betting, we recommend that you do not pay attention to events of tier 3-4 levels. Start playing in the largest tournaments due to the advantages that we have described above.

Summary

If you want to bet on Dota 2, choose only proven tournaments. Avoid little-known online competitions with low prize pools to minimize risks. Focus on matches with strong teams.

The reliability of the tournament is the foundation of successful betting on Dota 2. The higher the level of organization and prestige of the event, the more chances you have to enjoy the process without fear of any fraud. But even a reliable tournament does not guarantee that your stake will win, so do not risk amounts that you are not ready to lose – bet responsibly!