The International betting is the favorite activity of Dota 2 fans, as this is the most important tournament of the year. For two weeks, the best teams in the world get together to compete for the biggest prize pool in esports. Not surprisingly, bookmakers dedicate ample coverage to this tournament and there are multiple TI10 betting options. In this guide we tell you everything you need to know about the odds, the strategies and the places where you can make the most of this unique opportunity.
TI10 Schedule
The International 10 was supposed to take place in Sweden, but it was relocated to Bucharest, Romania. The plan was to provide fans with the chance of watching the games from the stands of the National Arena. Unfortunately, those plans were thwarted by the pandemic and the pro-players compete without the support of the fans. After several delays, the event finally started, as the last tournament of the Dota Pro Circuit in 2021. The dates have changed many times over and the tournament began on October 7.
Punters had the earliest The International betting round in the second weekend of the month. Group stage matches lasted until October 10 and they offerrf unique a Dota 2 betting opportunity. During this phase players could bet on a draw, since games were played in a best of two series. The main event started on October 10 with the playoff matches and it is scheduled to conclude on October 17.
TI10 Format
The International would bring 18 teams to the group stage, 12 of them from the DPC and the other six from qualifiers. These are some of the Dota 2 best teams and were divided into identical groups of nine, with the top four advancing to the upper bracket. Only the bottom team in each group is eliminated, with the remaining ones advancing to the lower bracket. In 2021, all the favorites advanced from the group stage, so there were no upsets and the stage was set for a fantastic main event.
The TI10 Format states that during the playoffs, the 16 qualified teams compete in a double elimination bracket. Winners are decided at the end of best-of-three series, with the Grand Final being the exception. Since this is the culmination of the most anticipated tournament of the year, up to five games are played. This paves the way to more The International betting options and offers more competitive odds.
TI10 Teams
In 2021, the tournament featured an exceptional lineup that included the biggest names in Dota 2 history. Former champions have returned into the spotlight, with OG being the ones to have won the last two tournaments. They advanced from the group stage but were unable to survive the early playoffs and suffered an untimely elimination. They shared Group A with Invictus Gaming, Virtus.pro and T1, but all of them faded into the lower bracket.
PSG.LGD, Team Secret, Vici Gaming and Team Spirit played together in Group B and were far more successful in the latter stages of the tournament. Because of the extraordinary competition, favorites got higher than expected The International betting odds. They rarely covered the spread and in the decisive matches, most series were decided by the odd game. The prize pool started at $1.6 million but after all the past purchases were factored in, a total of $40 million will be distributed among the top teams.
The International Betting Tips
Betting on the most important Dota 2 tournament of the year opens up multiple opportunities. All the important bookmakers dedicate ample coverage to the event, with an abundance of special markets. Veteran punters can take advantage of these opportunities to maximize the return on investment and cash in on top TI10 betting odds. Beginners are advised to steer clear from these markets and they require a thorough understanding of the game. If you have also played Dota 2 you can tinker with this option.
One way of maximizing winnings is to bet on the favorites to destroy the first barracks instead of winning the game. That’s because in an overwhelming majority of cases, the team that prevails will march straight to victory. On the other hand, it pays off to side with the underdogs when it comes to special markets that involve a higher degree of uncertainty. The destruction of the first tower and the team scoring the first blood are subject to more volatility but the odds are high enough on the underdogs to justify the risks.
Dota 2 Betting Sites
Any respectable esports book will have The International covered in its portfolio. You should obviously focus on licensed and regulated bookmakers to play in accord with the law and take no chances. Once you narrow down the search, the focus should be on bookies that offer special bonuses for the flagship Dota 2 events. Match deposit bonuses, as well as free bets and cashback deals are usually up for grabs during this time of the year. Carefully read the terms and conditions to find those relatively easy to clear.
The quality of The International betting odds should be the determining factor. We recommend that you sign up for accounts with several bookmakers to give yourself more freedom of choice. That’s because some tend to offer bigger odds on the favorites, while others allow you to extract more value in backing the underdogs. Equally important is to choose a bookmaker that has a high selection of mainstream and niche betting markets. The best ones such as GG.bet offer more than 500 betting options per game
How to bet on Dota 2 The International (2021)
Before and during the tournament there are three ways to bet on The International. These are available at all bookies, so regardless of where you choose to sign up for an account, this advice will come in handy.
- Ante-post wagers – you bet on the outright winner of the tournament, or the final placement offer team. Some bookies offer races between teams, so you can pick the one that makes a deeper run.
- Pregame bets – these are the most comprehensive The International betting options because they cover all the special markets. In addition to picking match and series winners, you can wager on special in game events, as the odds for special markets are only available before the match starts.
- Live betting – the most exciting and also the most difficult way to gamble is in real-time. Top bookies broadcast the games as they unfold, so you can watch the action and make a decision. The greatest challenge is to identify the value in the odds, as they can be quite lopsided.
Betting Markets for The International (2021)
The beauty of major tournaments such as The International is that they provide an excellent variety of betting markets. Some are available only pregame while others are also accessible live at all sports books covering the tournament. It is not possible to combine them on the same betting slip, so a decision must be made. The good news is that you can create accumulators with other traditional sports and esports.
- Map winners – bet on the team to win the match and profit regardless of the outcome of the series.
- Series winners – you indicate the team that wins a best-of-three or best-of-five series.
- Total number of kills – bet on the total number of kills scored by the two competing teams.
- First blood – bet on the team to kill the first opponent; this bet is only available pregame.
- First barracks – wager on the team to break into the enemy base first and destroy the barracks
- First Roshan – bet on the team to kill the most powerful neutral monster on the map.
Special Dota 2 Betting Strategies
The strategy you choose for Dota 2 The International betting depends largely on the type of betting markets you fancy. For all types of wagers, solid bankroll management is necessary to prevail in the long run. When betting on lopsided matches, always consider backing the underdogs with a handicap. Teams from different regions rarely play against each other and they don’t know what to expect. The element of surprise can sometimes be enough to give the underdog a stunning win in one match of the series.
Betting on special in-game events requires a thorough understanding of Dota 2. If you haven’t played it before, it is better to steer clear from this type of wagering because it can prove difficult. We advise to bet on aggressive teams rather than favorites when considering first blood and the first successful gank. This way you can make a profit even if the team ends up losing a match and you don’t worry about the result.
In the later stages of the tournament when evenly matched teams face each other, bet on a high number of kills. These games usually go the distance and when a Dota 2 match takes a long time to conclude, many kills are scored. The beauty of such wager is that it doesn’t matter who wins the game, as you win if there’s plenty of action. The opposite applies when betting on the creep score after 10 or 20 minutes, as these special markets benefit those who bet on the stronger team.
History of the Dota 2 The International
Over the years, there were many winners, as the tournament began more than a decade ago. 2019 was the first year when a team successfully defended its trophy and OG defeated Liquid in the final. One year before they outshined PSG.LGD, one of the strong contenders for this championship. Liquid is a force to be reckoned with on the Dota 2 stage and one of the winners of the international, back in 2017. All these teams are now out of the race except for PSG.LGD which is going strong in the upper bracket.
Conclusion
Dota 2 The International continues to set records with its massive prize pool. The richest tournament in the world is also an incredibly competitive one that generates tremendous enthusiasm among fans and participants. For punters, it generates unique betting opportunities and it is well covered by mainstream bookmakers and dedicated esports books. Take advantage of the odds available and try your luck with mainstream or special markets to spice up this esports festival.