The International is the biggest event on the Dota 2 calendar, and it is also the number one event to bet on in esports. The International betting is done all over the world, although Dota 2 is particularly popular in Asia, with the top player ranks dominated by China and Korea.
The best The International betting sites will largely be determined by your location. Our guide to The International betting includes details like how to bet, the top Dota 2 bookmakers, The International odds and, of-course the latest news and tips that will enhance your betting.
Dota 2 The International betting and odds 2025
Odds for the Dota 2 International are not available. ESB will update this page when they are released.
Dota 2 The International 2025 teams
Six teams will be invited, and 10 teams will qualify through the regional qualifiers. Two teams from each of the Western Europe, China, Southeast Asia and South America leagues will qualify, while one team from North America and Eastern Europe will also book their place at The International.
Why The International is a huge betting event
The International is the biggest annual esports tournament in the world and one every fan of professional video gaming should watch. It showcases the best Dota 2 talent on the world stage every year in September and is famous for having the largest prize pool for a single esports tournament around the globe.
The 2025 tournament is the 14th edition of The International, organised entirely by Dota 2’s creators, Valve. This year’s prize pool is expected to top $3 million, and we can’t wait to see how the competition adapts to the higher stakes. Here’s what we know of this year’s plans.
Where to bet on Dota 2 The International
Betting markets on The International are currently not open. With the event held in September or October each year, there are still plenty of professional Dota 2 tournaments, part of the Dota ESL Pro Tour, which you can bet on all year-round at the many highly-reviewed sites listed in the table above, geo-targeted to only display the best options for customers from your country.
Our top Dota 2 betting sites are:
An introduction to The International
The International acts as the definitive championship tournament for the Dota ESL Pro Tour, an eight-month season of Dota 2 competitions held around the world. Each ESL Pro Tour event awards qualifying points, used to determine which teams get direct invites to The International.
For Dota 2 esports players who play year-round, The International remains the best possible shot at top bragging rights and a million-dollar payout (and more) every single year. Valve has implemented some big changes for 2024 onwards, making the whole qualification process smoother, more transparent and more rewarding to the teams that perform well throughout the season.
The International 2025 qualification structure
Professional Dota 2 teams around the world must participate in Majors and officially sponsored tournaments run by third-party organisers like Electronic Sports League, to earn an invitation to The International.
These events make up the Dota 2 ESL Pro Circuit and offer massive prize pools and titles of their own, but the main reason to participate is to collect ESL Pro Tour ranking points. Awarded to teams based on their performances in all tournaments, these points ultimately determine who takes part at The International. The more points you earn, the better your chances of making the cut.
For The International 2024, Valve also decided to send out direct invites to the six top-ranking teams on the ESL Pro Tour.
The remaining 10 teams had to win their way into The International through regional qualifiers. Two teams each from Western Europe, China, South-east Asia, and South America, and one team each from Eastern Europe and North America, will qualify through the qualifiers.
The International 2025 match structure
Group Stage
- Swiss-system for all 16 teams
- All series are best-of-three
- Top three teams advance to playoffs
- 4th to 13th place teams proceed to special elimination round
- The bottom team in each group is eliminated
Elimination Round
- 10 teams compete in a single-elimination bracket
- Winners will advance to the playoffs and losers will be eliminated
Playoffs
- Eight teams will compete in a double-elimination bracket
- Grand is a best-of-five series and all other matches will be best-of-three
Dota 2 The International prize money
The prize pool for The International is ever-growing thanks to Valve’s immense contribution and investment.
Given they are one of the wealthiest gaming companies in the world supporting esports, it makes sense that Valve wants to see their most successful property continue to lead the way in the booming pro gaming circuit.
In the last few years, Valve has crowdfunded the prize pool by selling a digital compendium, the ‘Battle Pass,’ to hardcore fans, with 25% of all revenue generated from sales put directly into the tournament’s prize pool.
The prize pool distribution for the 2025 Dota 2 The International will be distributed as the table shows below.
| Place | $USD | Percentage Distribution |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | $1,159,895 | 45% |
| 2nd | $360,861 | 14% |
| 3rd | $231,937 | 9% |
| 4th | $154,624 | 6% |
| 5th-6th | $90,215 | 3.5% |
| 7th-8th | $64,409 | 2.5% |
| 9th-12th | $51,506 | 2% |
| 13th-16th | $38,709 | 1.5% |
Dota 2 The International past-winners
The International 2025 will mark the 14th edition of the event, which has seen 10 different esports organisations hoist the Aegis of Champions.
Past winners of the Dota 2 The International:
| Year | Team | Runner-Up |
|---|---|---|
| 2011 | Natus Vincere | EHOME |
| 2012 | Invictus Gaming | Natus Vincere |
| 2013 | Aliiance | Natus Vincere |
| 2014 | Newbee | Vici Gaming |
| 2015 | Evil Geniuses | CDEC Gaming |
| 2016 | Wings Gaming | Digital Chaos |
| 2017 | Team Liquid | Newbee |
| 2018 | OG | PSG.LGD |
| 2019 | OG | Team Liquid |
| 2020 | Event was not held | |
| 2021 | Team Spirit | PSG.LGD |
| 2022 | Tundra Esports | Team Secret |
| 2023 | Team Spirit | Gaimin Gladiators |
| 2024 | Team Liquid | Gaimin Gladiators |
