CSGO has been a leading force in the esports industry for more than ten years. It’s a powerhouse title, drawing millions of viewers and boasting some of the most prestigious tournaments in the space. It’s a legendary game, standing on par among the best esports titles in the world. There’s no end to CS:GO’s reach, from dominating streaming platforms to pulling in millions of esports bettors. Today, we’re looking at the top CSGO tournaments in 2023, letting you know where to aim your CS:GO bets.
There’s a packed schedule where CSGO esports are concerned, and it seems like there is always someone, somewhere, competing in the game. When it comes to esports betting, no game is more prolific than CS:GO. There may be dozens of games that populate the industry, but the top-tier CSGO events really do sit at the top of the table. As esports tournaments go, they’re iconic, dramatically popular, and remarkably lucrative.
CSGO Tournaments: 2023 Calendar
So, what are the best 2023 CSGO tournaments? How is the competitive year coming to a close? Let’s find out.
| Dates | Events | Location | Prize Pool | Teams | Winner/s |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 19 - Jan 29 | BLAST Spring Groups | Copenhagen, Denmark | $177,500 | 12 | Team Vitality FaZe Clan G2 Esports |
| Feb 1 - 12 | IEM Katowice | Katowice, Poland | $1,000,000 | 24 | G2 Esports |
| Feb 10 - 12 | ESL Impact Katowice | Katowice, Poland | $100,000 | 8 | Nigma Galaxy Fe |
| Feb 22 - Mar 26 | ESL Pro League Season 17 | Malta, Europe | $850,000 | 32 | FaZe Clan |
| Mar 29 - Apr 2 | BLAST Spring European Showdown | Online | $67,500 | 8 | Cloud9 |
| Mar 29 - Apr 2 | BLAST Spring American Showdown | Online | $67,500 | 8 | Imperial Esports |
| Apr 6 - 9 | BLAST.tv Paris Major: European RMR A | Copenhagen, Denmark | - | 16 | NAVI |
| Apr 6 - 9 | BLAST.tv Paris Major: American RMR | Monterrey, Mexico | - | 16 | FURIA Esports |
| Apr 6 - 9 | BLAST.tv Paris Major: Asia-Pacific RMR | Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia | - | 8 | GhG |
| Apr 11 - 15 | BLAST.tv Paris Major: European RMR B | Copenhagen, Denmark | - | 16 | 9INE |
| Apr 17 - 23 | IEM Brazil 2023 | Brazil | $250,000 | 16 | Team Vitality |
| May 13 - 21 | BLAST.tv Paris Major | Paris, France | $1,250,000 | 16 | Team Vitality |
| May 29 - Jun 4 | IEM Dallas | Dallas, TX, USA | $250,000 | 16 | TBD |
| June 7 - 11 | BLAST Spring Finals | Washington, DC, USA | $425,000 | 8 | TBD |
| Jul 13 - 23 | BLAST Fall Groups | TBA | $177,500 | 12 | TBD |
| Jul 25 - Aug 6 | IEM Cologne | Cologne, Germany | $1,000,000 | 16 | TBD |
| Aug 15 - Sep 24 | ESL Pro League Season 18 | Malta, Europe | $850,000 | 32 | TBD |
| Oct 4 - 8 | BLAST Fall European Showdown | TBA | $67,500 | 8 | TBD |
| Oct 4 - 8 | BLAST American European Showdown | TBA | $67,500 | 8 | TBD |
| Oct 16 - 22 | IEM Fall | TBA | $250,000 | 16 | TBD |
| Nov 22 - 26 | BLAST Fall Finals | TBA | $425,000 | 8 | TBD |
| Dec 13 - 17 | BLAST World Final | TBA | $1,000,000 | 8 | TBD |
CS:GO Tournaments: One Major Roadmap
In 2022, a dense roadmap was revealed that set out, quite clearly, a huge portion of the CS:GO esports ecosystem. It was a roadmap published by ESL, one of the leading tournament organisers in the space, and it covered events running from February 2023 until December 2023. As we go into this new year, this roadmap can serve as a betting calendar that CSGO betting fans should do good to pay attention to.
When CSGO esports returned to form in 2021, following the COVID-19 pandemic, they came back with a bang. Since then, we’ve seen many more tournaments unfold before our very eyes, as fans and competitors alike have enjoyed the return to in-person events.
As the early months of 2023 unfold, the best CSGO teams in the world will once again step up and eagerly clash with one another for opportunities to make glory and money. This means plenty of exciting events are waiting on the horizon for fans who are always hungry for more.
Here’s the full roadmap that ESL released in October 2022, but it’s worth remembering that this only represents one portion of the entire ecosystem:
Image credit: ESL
As you can see, the schedule above is densely populated, with the line being punctuated by some of the hottest CSGO competitions around. When it comes to CSGO betting, these events – IEM and ESL – are some of the most lucrative, exhilarating tournaments out there. They’re so abundant that almost every esports betting site in existence offers extensive markets, many of them battling with competitive odds to sit at the top of the pile.
Best 2023 CS:GO Tournaments for Betting
There’s something electrifying in the knowledge that 2023 has started, and along with it comes a fresh wave of competitive CSGO events unleashed. The race is on for the CS:GO esports community, with many huge events about to take place in the most spectacular ways possible.
But which are the most anticipated ones that promise fantastic CSGO betting potential?
Intel Extreme Masters
The year 2022 was a fantastic year for IEM events, with the Katowice, Dallas, Cologne, and Rio Major competitions going off without a hitch. There were some intense moments at all three events, and the teams competing on these grand stages were more capable and talented than ever before. Mostly, it was FaZe Clan’s year, and the team stormed to victory at both the Katowice and Cologne tournaments, securing nearly $1,000,000 in prize money, combined.
Image credit: Intel® Extreme Masters via Twitter
In the 2023 IEM season, Katowice, Brazil, Dallas, Cologne and Fall events will be held, with a $2,250,000 total prize pool. As can be noticed in the roadmap, the dates remain about the same. This time, though, the teams won’t be after all the roster shuffles and changes and the upheaval of player contracts.
Who will leave their mark and claim these IEM tournaments this year? While we can only speculate, the many betting chances that loom ahead are more than obvious.
See also: IEM Katowice 2023 Betting Guide
ESL Pro League
The ESL Pro League in 2022 kicked off early March and ended in October. Arguably the premier league in CS:GO esports, the Pro League brings together twenty-four teams in a centralised location for a month, pitting them against one another for an $850,000 prize. The partnership between ESL Pro League and the independent non-profit foundation GamingMalta that will last until 2024 implies that both ESL Pro League S17 and S18 will again take place in Malta, Europe.
For the team sitting at the top of the table at the end of the events, there’s an approximate $200,00 prize and qualification to both IEM Cologne 2023 event and IEM Katowice 2024. Ultimately, there are few esports tournaments out there quite as bountiful or instantly recognisable as the ESL Pro League. It’s one of the best-organised leagues in esports today, and it’s significantly popular among esports fans around the world.
And it’s one of the best CSGO tournaments for esports betting.
And It Ends With a BLAST
In 2023, we’ll see the initial event organised by BLAST.
Firstly, we’ll witness the BLAST Premier: Spring Groups take place, an intense competition that will again occur in Copenhagen and will be participated by 12 teams, including NAVI, FaZe, G2, and Heroic to name a few. These teams have a lot to show for, and their matchups at this early stage of the season might just make or break bettors’ expectations. About $180,000 is on the line along with a slot in the Spring Finals. And we all know where the winner of that gets invited to.
To cap off the entire year, there’s the BLAST Premier World Final 2023. The date and location have not been set, but for the past 2 years, the World Final has happened on the second week of December, sort of a blast before the fireworks. These 2 events were held in Copenhagen and Abu Dhabi with a prize pool of $1,000,000. The same prize pool is offered this year, with half going entirely to the winner.
Image Credit: BLAST
Before this, however, has cooked up another luxurious tournament that they’ve never been associated with before: the Major. This will be held in the capital of France (hence the name Paris Major) from the 8th of May to the 21st. With a $1,250,000 prize pool (a $250,000 increase from the 2022 Antwerp Major and the same as the recent 2022 Rio Major) and 24 of the best-performing CSGO teams competing, this event, along with the Spring and Fall finals and the World Final, will likely cement BLAST as the most relevant organiser in 2023.
There’s a reason they make up some of the most popular CSGO events around.
Take note that Valve has announced the return of two CG:SO Majors per year, which started in 2022 with the PGL Major Antwerp and the Rio Major. Currently, only the 2023 Paris Major is on the map, which will probably be followed by the next one in November similar to last year. Leading to the final Major of the year will be a flurry of CSGO competitive events.
See also: BLAST Premier Betting
Tips for Finding the Top CS:GO Events in 2023
For some naysayers in the community, there is always a claim being passed around that CSGO is dying. However, this statement couldn’t be further from the truth. As you can see from the barrage of 2023 CSGO events, CS:GO is most certainly alive and well.
Fortunately, it couldn’t be easier if you’re looking to track down the best CSGO tournaments out there. Firstly, you could run a Google search for ‘CSGO tournaments’, or alternatively, you could stay up to date with the latest news at EsportsBets.com. If you’re on the hunt and noticing names like IEM, ESL, and BLAST, you’re headed in the right direction. These make up some of the hottest and most popular CSGO tournaments in the business and are the best esports betting events.
It’s worth connecting on social media with some of the key players in the industry. For instance, the players, the organisations, and various news agencies. By doing this, you’ll be plugged in, and the next time CSGO tournaments are being announced, you won’t miss out.
