Why is Dota 2 betting so popular?

Dota 2 betting has grown in part thanks to the game’s simplicity mixed with the sheer number of heroes available – and the fast, frantic action that can unfold between two teams of five.

Since its initial release, Dota 2 has expanded massively to become one of the most fiercely competed esports on the calendar. For example, 2021’s International tournament held an impressive prize pool of around $40m!

The game has become immensely popular with esports fans who are otherwise preoccupied with the likes of League of Legends and StarCraft – two other titles that have grown in competition worldwide over the past two decades.

Bettors choose Dota 2 markets thanks to the esport’s varied gameplay and ever-changing moments. The gameplay has balanced out over the years, and it has found its way into a number of big esports events such as the ESL and the World Cyber Games.

Let’s take a quick look at some of the most popular Dota 2 events and tournaments taking place across the year.

The International

As mentioned, The International typically casts out some of the biggest prizes in global Dota 2, and that’s hardly surprising – it’s hosted by the developer Valve!

This tournament typically finishes the Dota 2 season, making it pretty prestigious. The location of The International changes from year to year, and players get to take away a trophy as well as some impressive prize money.

The Majors

Much of the year’s Dota 2 action spreads out across a handful of different championships called The Majors. The locations can vary – for example, in 2023, Majors took place across Lima, Berlin and Bali. However, the original set of Majors, taking place in 2015 and 2016, unfolded in Frankfurt, Shanghai, Manila and Boston!

DPC Tournaments

Among Majors and The International, there’s the Dota Pro Circuit, which hosts multiple regional tournaments across the year.

These tournaments are split into different stages where players can rank and qualify for leagues and championships. In particular, teams that triumph in their regional tournaments can start making their way towards The International, where the biggest spoils await.

What’s interesting about tournaments and championships within Dota 2 is that they all work together. To qualify for the next tournament or to progress through, teams need to win at the lowest levels.

Anyone getting into Dota 2 betting will see how the different circuits and tournaments connect and therefore follow their favourite teams as the action heats up.

Dota 2 betting: what bets can you place?

As with other sports you can bet on via Bitsler, our Dota 2 betting section serves up a variety of markets, types and odds to introduce you to the esport.

Dota 2 betting: markets

Naturally, the first market you should see when getting into Dota 2 betting is outright wins, where you decide who you think will win a match outright.

However, you can also refine your bets to cover how well you think certain teams will perform in a given match. Let’s use a hypothetical match between BetBoom and Gaimin Gladiators.

You might decide that Gaimin Gladiators can win at least one map during a match, and you can choose between a ‘yes’ or ‘no’ bet. Bitsler offers different odds for every outcome, as you’d expect for choosing the outright winner.

Dota 2 betting at Bitsler also lets you decide how much you think the overall score will be at the end of a given match. Picking the correct match score takes some skill, however. It means that you will typically need to learn more about the different teams and players involved. It’s not a bet for newbies!

Digging even deeper, we also allow punters to place bets on who will draw first blood on a given match and which team will reach a certain number of kills first.

There are lots of ways to diversify your betting with this esport. Also, given its famously fast pace and varied play, everything can change in an instant. That’s why we’ve also set up in-play betting for the biggest Dota 2 matches, where you can decide which way a match is going even once it has started.

Ultimately, we at Bitsler understand that betting tastes will always vary. Whether you’re just getting into Dota 2 or are keen to find niche ways to bet on the esport, we’ve covered you with a competitive and comprehensive range of markets.

Dota 2 betting: bet types

Winner betting is, of course, one of the most popular ways to wager on Dota 2 at Bitsler. Dota 2 betting revolves around which team is best. However, there are a few other twists in our sportsbook you can use if you’d prefer to try something a little different.

Take a look at the Dota 2 section of the Bitsler sportsbook and you’ll find a dropdown box that lets you choose how you’d like to place bets on the sport – this is even before you start looking into markets.

Alongside outright winner betting, we’ve arranged handicap bet options for Dota 2 that allow you to get behind the underdogs with more confidence. Not everyone likes betting against the spread, of course, which is why you can also find additional odds and bet types in our ‘Total’ section.

The Total area gives you a complete overview of niche markets and betting options specific to certain matches. For example, if you opened up Total bets on a match between Gaimin Gladiators and Team Secret, you’d see decimal odds on correct match scoring, handicaps and map wins.

Bitsler also provides parlay betting, which means that you can combine two bets or more into one slip to increase your potential return.

Dota 2 is a pretty deep game – despite its relative simplicity at the surface. It’s why we’ve pushed the boat out to offer bet types and markets that we know fans will want to take advantage of. Of course, if you’d prefer to start with outright winner markets and bets, you can!

Dota 2 betting on Bitsler

What sets Dota 2 betting at Bitsler apart from other sportsbooks is the fact that we accept a wide range of crypto – in fact, we’re a crypto-first betting platform. If you’re keen to avoid using fiat cash and bank cards for betting, we get it.

It’s why you can bet on Dota 2 with us using currencies as diverse as Doge, Tether, Ripple and, naturally, Bitcoin. In fact, we currently welcome payment and withdrawal through more than 20 different cryptocurrencies. It’s highly likely that we accept your chosen coin, but if you’re concerned, reach out to us for advice.

When betting on Dota 2 through Bitsler, you never have to dip into the USD in your current account or on your card. Set up your wallet with us when registering and you can tap into your crypto to explore the esports markets. The same applies to other esports markets here at Bitsler.

Beyond choosing your ideal currency, you’ll also find that we bring together a range of stats and figures to help you narrow down your choices.

Before deciding who you’d like to bet on, it always helps to know the form and history of the teams in play. That’s why when you click through to a specific Dota 2 and its different markets, we present recent win rates, hero picks and tower claims.

You can use these stats to help inform your Dota 2 betting, or you can go against the grain and decide that things will be different this time around. The choice is yours! However, don’t ignore form and tips where you can help it – you never truly know what’s going to happen from match to match!

How to place your bet on Bitsler

To find the Dota 2 schedule and betting section at Bitsler, log into your account and head for the esports tab on the left-hand menu. You’ll see Dota 2 in the list of the most popular games available to bet on, alongside Counter-Strike and Call of Duty.

Click or tap on Dota 2, and the full menu of popular events will appear, alongside in-play, upcoming and competition tabs.

To start, select your bet type from the dropdown menu provided – it says ‘Winner’ by default. Choose your preferred type and take a look at the updated results.

Scroll down the list of Dota 2 matches and select a set of odds that appeals to you – e.g., a bet on Blacklist International to win with odds of 2.7.

Once selected, enter the amount you’d like to bet in your chosen currency and click or tap to confirm. Remember, you’ll need funds in your wallet to make this bet!

Then, wait for the match to play out, and if you win, your wallet will receive a credit. You can access your bet slip and other live bets at any time from the sportsbook. Don’t forget that you can switch from single to parlay betting at any time!

Winner

Match handicap

Team Liquid

Team Spirit

Number of maps

Team Spirit wins at least one map

Correct match score