Counter-Strike
Esports Betting
Vitality vs GamerLegion BLAST Bounty Winter: Preview, predictions
Steven Rondina
The Janusz “Snax” Pogorzelski era of GamerLegion has begun, and while sportsbooks aren’t giving them much of a chance versus the tournament favorite at BLAST Bounty Winter 2026, there’s some betting intrigue heading into this match-up versus Team Vitality. Event BLAST Bounty Winter 2026 Kick-off January 23, 2026 at 10 am ET Top pick Over 2.5 maps Betting favorite Team Vitality Team Vitality shut up the doubters by winning the …
Esports Betting
BLAST Bounty Winter qualifier betting odds: Team Liquid vs NiP
Steven Rondina
Team Liquid is returning from its winter break with a match against NiP, but as these two titanic names clash in a CS2 battle for the BLAST Bounty Winter qualifiers, which side has betting odds you can actually rely on? Match BLAST Bounty Winter 2026 qualifiers Kick-off January 15, 2026 at 11 am ET Top pick Team Liquid wins Betting favorite Team Liquid This match pits two of the most …
Esports Betting
Astralis vs Fnatic at BLAST Bounty Winter: Best betting odds & tips
Steven Rondina
The player break is over, and the 2026 Counter-Strike 2 esports calendar is kicking off in earnest with BLAST Bounty Winter 2026 and a Astralis vs Fnatic match that is the best highlight of the qualifiers with tight odds that reflect fan interest in this battle. Match BLAST Bounty Winter 2026 qualifiers Kick-off January 13, 2026 at 11 am ET Top pick Astralis wins Betting favorite Astralis Two legendary Scandinavian …
Esports Betting
100 Thieves Roobet sign dev1ce to complete CS2 roster
Fariha Bhatti
100 Thieves Roobet has finalized its CS2 roster by signing Nicolai “dev1ce” Reedtz, with the veteran Counter-Strike 2 star stepping in as the team’s new AWPer moving forward. In November 2025, 100 Thieves Roobet announced its return to Counter-Strike 2 through a partnership with betting operator Roobet, a move that immediately stirred the CS2 scene given the organization’s long history in the game. At the time, 100 Thieves Roobet was …
Esports Betting
What new Valve policy means for gambling, skins betting in CS2
Fariha Bhatti
Valve has formally barred Counter-Strike 2 teams from promoting or otherwise displaying materials relating to gambling and betting with in-game CS2 skins and cases during official tournament broadcasts. But what does that mean for the game’s esports scene, and will it affect other forms of betting? While CS2 has become closely tied to betting in 2025 and in prior years, largely owed to its case-opening system that essentially serves as …
Esports Betting
FaZe vs MOUZ StarLadder Budapest Major: Best odds, picks
Fariha Bhatti
Day 2 of the StarLadder Budapest Major 2025 quarterfinals brings a heavyweight clash between MOUZ and FaZe Clan, a match-up that’s already sending bettors back to the odds table in search of the smartest picks. FaZe didn’t enter the major with the best standings, unlike MOUZ, which earned a straight berth in stage 3 as the top 5 teams in its region. But FaZe’s 3-0 showing in stage 3 should …
Esports Betting
Vitality vs MongolZ StarLadder Budapest Major playoffs: Best odds, picks
Fariha Bhatti
Team Vitality vs MongolZ would’ve looked like a one-sided affair just a few short months ago, but the recent history of these two top teams tells a different story, and bettors should take a closer look at the odds and value picks before locking in their StarLadder Budapest Major 2025 quarterfinal wagers. StarLadder Budapest Major 2025’s outright favorites haven’t shifted much compared to the last few events, with FURIA and …
Esports Betting
StarLadder Budapest Major 2025 playoffs betting guide, best odds
Fariha Bhatti
The StarLadder Budapest Major 2025 event is finally entering its much-anticipated playoffs, and only the strongest teams remain. Our breakdown covers the best odds and picks for every stage leading up to the December 14 grand finals. Stages 1 through 3 of StarLadder Budapest Major 2025 were full of surprises. Outright odds for many collapsed after G2 Esports and Aurora bowed out early. Both were ranked among the top seven …
FaZe Clan vs Passion UA StarLadder Budapest Major 2025: Best odds, picks
Steven Rondina
Esports Betting
FaZe Clan is hanging on by a thread in the StarLadder Budapest Major, and CS2 bettors will have to weigh their chances against Passion UA in the final round of groups. Match StarLadder Budapest Major Stage 3, Round 5 Kick-off December 7, 2025 at 11:30 am ET Top pick FaZe Clan wins Best price GG.BET Betting favorite FaZe Clan Passion UA has arguably established itself as North America’s top Counter-Strike …
G2 vs Falcons StarLadder Budapest Major 2025: Best odds, picks
Fariha Bhatti
Esports Betting
G2 vs Falcons will have plenty of eyes on it as two top-10 teams go into a match-up that will send one of them home packing from the StarLadder Budapest Major 2025. These are the best odds and picks for bettors looking for big payouts from this titanic tilt. Both G2 and MongolZ enter the 2–2 bracket after dropping their high matches, and while their journeys look nearly identical, one …
G2 vs MongolZ StarLadder Budapest Major: Best odds, picks
Fariha Bhatti
Esports Betting
G2 vs MongolZ is the third high match-up of stage 3, round 4, and bettors will know early whether their preferred team gets to fight another day. We’ve pulled together the best odds and picks for this highly anticipated StarLadder Budapest Major 2025 game. Round 4 at the major is where things really get dicey. Whoever loses between G2 and MongolZ drops into the elimination bracket and has to fight …
Falcons vs Imperial StarLadder Budapest Major 2025: Best odds, picks
Fariha Bhatti
Esports Betting
Bookmakers have marked a clear odds favorite for the Falcons vs Imperial match-up, but the game still has potential to result in yet another upset. We’ve broken down the smartest picks for the upcoming game between two teams with fervent fan followings. Stage 2 played out almost exactly as expected with few surprises, but stage 3 has dragged the upsets right back into the StarLadder Budapest Major 2025. Team Liquid …
paiN vs 3DMAX StarLadder Budapest Major 2025: Best odds, picks
Fariha Bhatti
Esports Betting
paiN vs 3DMAX is arguably the toughest match-up to predict in stage 3 of the StarLadder Budapest Major here in 2025. We’ve broken down the best odds and picks to give bettors a clearer path before placing their wagers. The StarLadder Budapest Major 2025 is only one stage away from the playoffs, where the real action finally begins. The biggest teams have now entered the conversation, with stage 3 serving …
Liquid vs Astralis StarLadder Budapest Major: Best odds, picks
Fariha Bhatti
Esports Betting
StarLadder Budapest Major 2025’s final round in stage 2 is revealing what stage 3 may look like, and a renewal of the storied Team Liquid vs Astralis rivalriy is the highlight match. With both teams in the top 15 of the global rankings, it’s a tricky game for bettors. We break it down here with the best odds and the picks to go for. The Swiss format has pushed two …
StarLadder Budapest Major Imperial vs M80: Best odds, picks
Fariha Bhatti
Esports Betting
StarLadder Budapest Major 2025 has been eventful so far, and an upcoming M80 vs Imperial game is only going to make it that much more interesting as this game decides the next team to reach 3-1, and we’ve put together the best odds and picks for bettors to have in mind. After multiple upsets and twists, StarLadder Budapest Major 2025’s stage 2 is nearing its final rounds. Round 4 will …
Astralis vs FlyQuest StarLadder Budapest Major 2025: Best odds, picks
Fariha Bhatti
Esports Betting
Both Astralis and FlyQuest have crashed into the Stage 2 elimination bracket, now fighting for one last lifeline at the StarLadder Budapest Major 2025.We’ve gathered the best odds and picks for a Astralis vs FlyQuest match-up that’s shaping up to be far tighter than most anyone expected. Stage 1 of the major was quite shocking, with teams including FaZe and Fnatic showing signs of struggle. While FaZe has quickly bounced …
NAVI vs FlyQuest StarLadder Budapest Major 2025: Best odds, picks
Fariha Bhatti
Esports Betting
Stage 2 of the StarLadder Budapest Major 2025 will include some familiar teams squaring up against the stage 1 winners , and the biggest draw to begin is NAVI vs FlyQuest, especially after FlyQuest’s flawless first-stage run. Anyone planning to wager on this match-up should actually read the odds and picks before placing wagers. In stage 2, eight teams are already waiting to face off with those sides that survived …
FaZe vs Fluxo StarLadder Budapest Major 2025: Best odds, picks
Fariha Bhatti
Esports Betting
The 2025 StarLadder Budapest Major is finally entering its Stage 1 elimination round, through which only three teams will secure a place in Stage 2. The Fluxo vs FaZe match-up is sure to draw eyes, and interested bettors will want the best odds and picks for this anticipated series before placing anything on the line. Stage 1 of the StarLadder Budapest Major 2025 featured 16 teams competing in a five-round …
NRG vs Fnatic StarLadder Budapest Major 2025: Best odds, picks
Fariha Bhatti
Esports Betting
Stage 1 of the StarLadder Budapest Major 2025 is wrapping up, with NRG and Fnatic among the final teams for Stage 2 are about to be locked in to face some of the most accomplished Counter-Strike 2 rosters in the world. It’s a good moment for bettors to check the latest odds and picks before placing their wagers. Group play at the StarLadder Budapest Major 2025 has already delivered enough …
StarLadder Budapest Major hit by stream and production issues
Fariha Bhatti
Kick
StarLadder has issued an apology for the production issues at the ongoing Budapest Major 2025, acknowledging the problems after a full day of criticism from livid CS2 fans and bettors. StarLadder Budapest Major 2025’s first day will likely go down as the most talked-about opening day of any CS2 Major. The conversation wasn’t due to any shocking upsets, but was rather attributable to the relentless tech and production issues that …
Counter-Strike has long been among the biggest titles in esports and competitive gaming, even going back to esports’ deepest roots from decades past. What’s more, the game continues going strong today, with developer and publisher Valve releasing the latest iteration of the franchise in 2023. The newest version, Counter-Strike 2, has not been without its issues. But its popularity continues the enduring prominence of the Counter-Strike series, signaling that the venerated franchise is likely here to stay for many years yet to come.
But how did the franchise come be to so prominent in the esports space, and role does CS2 have to play in the industry moving forward?
Counter-Strike has roots in the beginnings of esports
Counter-Strike was unquestionably one of the biggest drivers of what we would today consider to be early professional esports movement. It was far from alone, and it wasn’t the most advanced. That likely was StarCraft: Brood War, a real-time strategy game from famed developer Blizzard that caught on in South Korea and led to a professional scene in the country well ahead of any examples of esports industry elsewhere in the world.
But outside of Korea, Counter-Strike quickly became the driving force behind competitive gaming and esports. First released in 1999 as a modification for popular first-person shooter Half-Life, the game was easy to pick up and play for many gamers. Half-Life was borderline ubiquitous software for gamers with a PC, and adding a mod to it was as simple as downloading and applying said mod. So it was that Counter-Strike began to catch fire and spread across the world.
As it spread, so too did its competitive play. Early competitions often centered around online play, most prominently including the Cyberathlete Amateur League (CAL) in North America and the Clanbase Eurocup in Europe. But live, in-person tournaments, similar to those enjoyed by StarCraft players and fans in Korea, were also rising in prominence.
Within just a few years, there were a number of major annual tournaments being held for the original version of Counter-Strike. Notable international tournament organizers included the Cyberathlete Professional League (CPL) in the United States, the Electronic Sports World Cup (ESWC) in France, and the World Cyber Games (WCG) in Korea. This was in addition to many other regional tournaments through which teams could test their mettle and battle over smaller prizes.
But even at bigger tournaments, prizes weren’t what they are today, and in general there was far less money available to professional Counter-Strike players than there is in today’s thriving esports industry which sees many players and teams playing at the full-time pro level. That’s a far cry from a time when perhaps a small handful of players were able to make a true living through playing CS alone, and even them, it was often a modest one.
Counter-Strike 2 at the fore of a bigger esports scene than ever before
Counter-Strike 2 was released to a far different esports space than that which the original Counter-Strike occupied. But what exactly is it that has changed the scene so much, besides the accrual of years?
Esports betting is at the top of the list. The sports betting industry is growing and expanding around the world each and every year, and esports has absolutely been a part of that. As esports betting continues to grow and thrive, it brings its benefits to the games that are being bet on. And Counter-Strike 2 is at the top of that list.
These benefits have arrived through a myriad of means. Fan interest in tournaments has gone up and become more consistent with betting markets available for each and every game played, which further incentivizes tournament organizers and their sponsoring partners. But those partners are also now more likely to work with the pro teams and players themselves. Betting operators are among the most common and most generous sponsors in the pro CS2 space, showing how esports betting’s rise has contributed to Counter-Strike’s continued prominence in esports and competitive gaming as a whole.
Esports Betting
Vitality vs FaZe Starladder Budapest Major finals: Best odds, picks
By
Steven Rondina
Esports Betting
NAVI vs FaZe StarLadder Budapest Major: Best odds and picks
By
Fariha Bhatti
Esports Betting
Vitality vs Spirit StarLadder Budapest Major semifinals: Best odds and picks
By
Fariha Bhatti
