When it comes to the best esports events, few are as valuable or exciting as the many Dota 2 tournaments. It’s easily one of the most popular competitive platforms in history, and every year, tens of millions of dollars in prize money is awarded. There’s a packed schedule in 2023, featuring the overwhelmingly lucrative The International and the prolific, top-tier Dota Pro Circuit.
If you’re interested in esports betting, you’ll need to know the best Dota 2 tournaments to target in 2023. To that end, we’ve compiled a handy guide featuring a breakdown of these all-important events. It’s a busy year ahead – here are the events to keep an eye on.
The Most Valuable Esports Tournament in History
In 2021, more than $60 million was won through Dota 2 tournaments and in 2022, 1.7 million live viewers tuned in to watch the most anticipated Dota 2 Tournament of the year live from Singapore, The International 11, a remarkable tournament with previous winners Team Tundra taking home $8.5 million between them.
The 2021 International wasn’t just the biggest prize pool in Dota 2 history but in the history of esports as an industry. While we know the still high total wasn’t quite as grand for The International event in 2022, many players from around the world will be wondering just how much money will be up for grabs in Dota 2 grandest event in 2023, The International 12.
Image credit: Valve
For Dota 2 betting, no tournament is bigger – it’s one of the most popular competitions in esports as a whole. Each year, millions tune in to watch the event live, and it’s covered by every esports betting site out there. The most recent International 11 was held in October 2022. In 2021, The International 10 was also hosted in October, so we’ll likely see this year’s The International 12 be held in October, if not another Autumn month, as has been the case in the past.
If you want to make money betting on Dota 2, you cannot miss this tournament. The world’s finest Dota 2 teams descend on this event, and only one can walk away the ultimate victor.
Entering The Pro Circuit
In 2017, Valve announced a reformed and refreshed championship circuit known as the Dota Pro Circuit. This prolific and high-tier tournament became a hugely popular and valuable competition within a very short period of time. It was backed by Valve, which provided a massive prize pool for tournament Majors, and featured competitors from all major regions. Furthermore, like many other esports tournaments, the Dota Pro Circuit boasted an intense, on-location LAN final.
The Dota Pro Circuit is one of the biggest esports leagues in history. (Image Credit: Valve)
There are Dota 2 tournaments, and then there’s the Dota Pro Circuit, arguably the most prolific league in the vertical. The tournament is split up over six regions, and in each region, the organisation of the competition is handled by high-ranking regulatory bodies. For example, in Western Europe, it’s DreamHack, and in North America, it’s ESL.
Over the course of an annual season, the play is split up into ‘tours’ that feature regional events. Typically, three Major events take place, each boasting a massive $200k prize pool. At the end of the season, following all matches and Majors, the top twelve teams (by points ranking) will qualify for a chance of winning Dota 2’s The International 2023. There are many rules and regulations to this event, but one thing is for certain – the esports betting opportunities are unmatched.
The 2023 Dota 2 Pro Circuit (DPC) season is fast approaching, and fans are excited to see the dates for the three regular seasons finally revealed by Valve. With the tours, which will be held in January, April, and June, the DPC season draws in players and teams from around the globe. In addition, this year will feature three major Dota 2 tournaments.
Betting on Dota 2 Pro Circuit tournaments is a popular activity for many fans. With three major tournaments on the horizon, fans will have plenty of opportunities to get in on the action. By announcing the 2023 DPC season dates, fans can begin to plan their bets and strategize for the upcoming tournaments.
So when is the DPC 2023 season?
The first DPC season of 2023 will begin on January 9, 2022 (Does not include CN as it does not have a fixed weekly schedule). This date will mark the start of the upper-division matches for each region. The event will run until January 29, with a short break before the year’s first major tournament, which begins on February 24. Here are the announced dates for the full 2023 DPC season:
First Season:
- First Division – Jan 9th – Jan 29th
- Second Division – Jan 31st – Feb 21st
- First Major: Feb 24th – March 5th
Second Season:
- First Division March 12th – April 2nd
- Second Division – April 4th – April 25th
- Second Major: April 28th – May 2nd
Third Season:
- First Division – May 15th – June 4th
- Second Division – June 6th – June 27th
- Third Major: June 30th – July 9th
Where are the Dota 2 Majors in 2023?
As for the locations of the major Dota 2 tournaments in 2023, Valve recently formally announced the cities that will host them in a blog post.
- Lima will host the winter major
- Berlin will host the spring major
- Bali will host the last major before The International 2023
Dota 2 fans in Peru, Germany, and Indonesia are likely looking forward to these events. With the 2023 Dota Pro Circuit season fast approaching, the anticipation for these tournaments is sure to grow.
Dota 2 On An Olympic Scale
We can’t talk about all the Dota 2 tournaments without mentioning the Asian Games. This event has been officially recognised by the International Olympic Committee, with claims that this is the ‘second-largest multi-sport event’ after the Olympics themselves. Like the Olympics, this event is held once every four years, and it features the best Asian esports competitors that the region has to offer.
For these competitors, it was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, as they had the honour of representing their country on an extremely important stage.
Team Whoops triumphed on the final day of the National Esports Championship 2022 in DOTA2, securing a spot in the Indian delegation for the Asian Games 2022. The team, led by Captain Moin Ejaz and featuring skilled players Krish, Abhishek, Ketan, Darshan, and Shubham, dominated in the best-of-five final against Team Avengers, winning 3-0.
In The Mix
Of course, it doesn’t end with these events – there are plenty more Dota 2 tournaments to come in 2023. Every year, the Dota 2 schedule is packed with high-end events, such as the ESL One regional competitions and the Dota 2 Championship League. These exciting tournaments boast tantalising prize pools, and they’re spread out over the course of a year.
There are also sporadic, ad-hoc events that take place, hosted by various organisers and supported by the best esports and Dota 2 betting sites. As you can imagine, this popular esports title boasts unparalleled esports betting opportunities.
Whether you’re new to betting or you’re an industry veteran, you can’t be sleeping on the top Dota 2 tournaments in 2023.
