Dota 2
Dota 2
Who Will Win The International 2026 (TI15)? These Are Our Best Picks
Owen Harsono
The TI15 group stage is over, and we’re down to the top eight teams. We’ve now got a pretty good idea of which teams are the favorites heading into the playoffs based on recent performance and season results, so here are the teams we think have the best shot at winning TI15 and claiming some of The International prize pool. The TI15 group stage saw eight teams exit the event …
Dota 2
The International 2026 (TI15) Elimination Stage Preview and Predictions
Owen Harsono
The TI15 Group Stage is almost over, and all that’s left is the very deadly Elimination Stage, which will eliminate five teams and allow the five survivors to advance to the playoffs. Below, we’ll walk you through how the Elimination Stage works, the matchups, and our best picks. The Elimination Stage is the final phase of the TI15 Group Stage. The modified Swiss format promotes the top three teams directly …
Dota 2
Team Spirit vs TEAM VISION at TI15: Best Betting Predictions and Picks
Owen Harsono
We’re two days into TI15, and we have our first significant match of the tournament. Team Spirit will take on TEAM VISION (PARIVISION) for the first playoff spot. Here are our predictions for the big match. Tournament: The International 2026 (TI15) Stage: Group Stage Game: Dota 2 Format: Best of 3 Betting tip: TEAM VISION enter TI15 as the tournament favorites, but Team Spirit are playing under zero pressure at …
Dota 2
Dota 2’s The International 2026: All teams qualified for TI15
Michael Hassall
The International 2026 will pit 16 of the world’s greatest teams against each other in the ultimate test of Dota 2 skill. After 10 days of furious competition, on team will be crowned TI15 champion and lift the Aegis of Champions. But if you’re tuning in and haven’t been paying attention to the action throughout the Dota 2 competitive season, you may not know just who’s competing and who to …
Dota 2
Best Dota 2 betting Sites for TI15, The International 2026
Michael Hassall
The International 2026, TI15, is the most important Dota 2 event of the season. With the calibre of talent on display, it’s natural you might want to put a wager on the most bet-on esports in the world during its biggest tournament, complete with a huge prize pool. But which bookmakers are going to be the best for TI15? Are there any offers and promos going into The International 2026? …
Dota 2
TaiLung responds to allegations and TI15 ban in fierce rebuttal
Michael Hassall
Sanctioned Dota 2 player Santiago “TaiLung” Agüero Gustavo has made a dramatic response to allegations of match-fixing and his ban from The International 2026 and all future PGL events in a new Facebook post. The response, posted on the evening of Aug. 11, addresses multiple accusations and the ban against him by PGL. The post also criticizes the investigation process and situation surrounding his ban and suspension from the LGD …
Dota 2
Dota 2 TI15 prize pool – What is The International 2026’s prize pool amount?
Michael Hassall
The International is the most prestigious Dota 2 event of the year, the pinnacle of the game, and for many years, the highest prize pool in all of esports. But is TI15 following the same pattern? For many years TI was a crowd-funded prize pool with tens of millions of dollars on the line, but has dropped significantly since then. Since Valve’s decision to shift away from the battle pass …
Esports Betting
GG.BET Bonus: The International 2026 Offer — Get Up to €1,000 + €250 in Free Bets
Ben Boland
Dota 2 fans are rejoicing at the start of the esport’s biggest competition, The International 2026 (TI15). It is the 15th edition of the competition, bringing the world’s best teams in Dota together in Shanghai. The good news is that GG.Bet brings you closer to all the action. It is one of the top Dota 2 betting sites, and you can follow the action live and bet on your favourites. …
Dota 2 TI15 Group Stage Preview — Format, Schedule and Teams to Watch
Owen Harsono
Dota 2
Dota 2’s TI15 is about to begin, and like any other esports tournament, it’ll start with a Group Stage. Here, we’ll get to see all 16 participants debut at Dota 2’s biggest event. If you’re looking to follow the tournament, here’s everything you need to know about The International 2026 Group Stage, including format, schedule, and teams to watch. The TI15 Group Stage will use the tried-and-tested Swiss-system format, but …
Team Falcons vs LGD Gaming at TI15: Best Betting Predictions and Picks
Owen Harsono
Dota 2
The International 2026 opens with a banger of a matchup between Team Falcons and LGD Gaming, mainly because Dota 2 legend Topson will be playing for the latter team. If you’re looking to place a bet on this match, on this page we will share our best Team Falcons vs LGD Gaming TI15 predictions. Tournament: The International 2026 Stage: Group Stage Game: Dota 2 Format: Best of 3 Betting tip: …
Teams travelling to TI15 had to contend with a Typhoon that flooded the streets of Shanghai
Michael Hassall
Dota 2
It’s not often that the elements themselves conspire against Dota 2 players, but as players started to head to China for TI15, some were left stranded by the arrival of Typhoon Dolphin to the eastern China coast. OG and other teams, potentially including PARIVISION (competing at TI as Team VISION), seemingly found themselves with extended layovers as Shanghai Airport cancelled flights in the wake of Typhoon Dolphin. While all the …
The International 2026 schedule: Dota 2 TI15 full schedule and day-by-day
Michael Hassall
Dota 2
The International 2026, TI15, is finally here, and with the event starting it’s time to watch the greatest Dota 2 teams from around the globe compete for the game’s ultimate prize: The Aegis of Champions. With TI15 taking place in Shanghai, China, and in a completely different timezone for many of its viewers, the schedule and timings can be a bit hard to follow. That’s why we’ve put together a …
These Are the Top Odds for The International 2026
Owen Harsono
Dota 2
TI15 is the biggest Dota 2 event of the year and is one you definitely don’t want to miss. This tournament features only the best teams in the world, presenting you with tons of esports betting opportunities. Here’s everything you need to know about TI15 odds and which teams to look out for. Below are the key details of TI15, including a huge prize pool. If you’re looking to spice …
TI15 Power Rankings [Best Dota 2 Teams Ranked]
Owen Harsono
Dota 2
TI15 in Shanghai is right around the corner, and if you’re looking to follow the Dota 2 event, let’s make sure you know which teams to look out for. As someone who has watched every professional tournament throughout the season, here are my power rankings for The International 2026. TI always has its own magic – the favorites almost never win, and some dark horse always seems to pop off. …
LGD’s TaiLung banned from TI15, Topson to replace
Michael Hassall
Dota 2
Santiago “TaiLung” Agüero Gustavo has been banned from The International and all future PGL after reports of alleged matchfixing were unveiled by the LGD organization. Revealed by announcement on LGD’s Weibo page on Aug. 8, before being reposted on the organization’s Twitter page, Peruvian player TaiLung was removed from LGD and banned from all upcoming competition. The ban comes days before the start of The International 2026. As per LGD’s …
A Polymarket trader won $477K on 1Win Essence II predictions
Michael Hassall
Dota 2
A Polymarket trader has reportedly received nearly $477,000 after correctly predicting the outcome of one of the playoff matches during 1Win Essence II, a major Dota 2 tournament that wrapped up Wednesday (Aug. 5). According to Predictbook, a prediction market tracking and news site, one of the top traders on Polymarket purchased thousands of shares in 1win to beat BetBoom Team in the 1win Essence playoffs, at an average of …
Team Liquid triumph in 1win Essence II finals earning the momentum heading into TI15
Michael Hassall
Dota 2
Team Liquid have defeated Team Falcons in the grand finals of 1win Essence II (Aug. 5) after a dominant 3-0 series. Liquid avenged their 2-0 defeat in the upper bracket final a day before (Aug. 4) with a remarkable turn-around win. Team Liquid figured out in their second clash with Team Falcons that there was a really easy trick to beating the green birds: Don’t let Ammar “ATF” Al-Assaf have …
MLBB is the most-watched game from the EWC, and it’s hard to see another game beating it
Michael Hassall
Esports Betting
The Esports World Cup 2026 has officially passed its midway point and viewership figures for the tournament have surpassed many expectations so far, as per Esports Charts. The viewership tracking site revealed new statistics for the event on Aug. 6, showcasing just how many games had set new records in viewership, including one name leading the way in views: Mobile Legends: Bang Bang. MLBB leads the viewership charts with the …
Dota 2’s TI patch, 7.41e, has arrived alongside a plethora of new features and fixes
Michael Hassall
Dota 2
We’re just under two weeks away from the kick off of Dota 2’s premier tournament, The International, and the patch that will see us through the 15th edition of the event has landed. Valve released the Dota 2 7.41e late on Thursday evening, or in the small hours of the morning if you’re EU based. With it came a big variety of updates and changes, from the gameplay update proper, …
Oddin.gg’s head of risk helps explain how alleged match fixing during Dota 2 at EWC was flagged
Michael Hassall
Dota 2
The Dota 2 competition at The Esports World Cup 2026 was shaken to its core during the Survival Stage earlier in the week when Southeast Asian-backed, South American team PTime (better known as PlayTime) were removed from the event citing “integrity concerns.” While the case is still ongoing, and none of the accused confirmed to be guilty, one of the biggest questions behind the incident was just how these concerns …
Few games have proven to have the resilient popularity enjoyed by Dota 2. The multiplayer online battle arena, or MOBA for short, has been among the biggest and most successful projects released by gaming giant Valve, and it continues to enjoy great popularity to this day.
That popularity has endured despite a great number of changes that have been made to both the game itself and to the communities surrounding it. The competitive title’s history reaches all the way back to another game created and published by another developer, but with Valve now leading the way, Dota 2 seems primed to last well into the future.
From Blizzard to Valve, Dota 2 continues to evolve
While know today as one of Valve’s key game properties, Dota 2 has its origins in a real-time strategy game developed and published by famed video game company Blizzard. One of the franchises that keyed Blizzard’s success and reputational growth in the games industry is WarCraft, which today is best-known for the popular massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) World of Warcraft.
But prior to the success of World of Warcraft, the high-fantasy franchise was experienced through a series of RTS games. The third main title in that series, WarCraft 3, provided players not only with a great experience right out of the box, but also with the opportunity to heavily modify the game and its functions, and to play modified versions of the experience as custom games online with other players.
The most popular of these custom game modes was arguably Defense of the Ancients, or DotA for short. This custom game mode saw two teams of players face off against each other with strong individual champion characters, as opposed to building out complex home bases and developing broad armies of diverse units.
It was an entirely different way to play the game, and it proved so popular that would eventually give birth to an entirely new genre of video games: the MOBA genre.
The continuation of the original DotA became Dota 2, a project developed under the guidance of famed developer and publisher Valve. Flush with success from online marketplace Steam and its own franchises including Half-Life and Portal, Valve was more than willing to invest in this new and innovative game type.
The International sets Dota 2 apart
While there have been many other competitive games created and released since, including other popular MOBAs such as Riot Games’ League of Legends, Dota 2 has stood apart for remaining true to its roots and for massive competitive events like The International. First held in 2011 for the purpose of bringing together disparate competitive teams from all around the world with more than $1 million on the line, the esports tournament quickly grew into the biggest such event of each calendar year.
One of the main drivers behind that immense growth was the upwards trajectory of the tournament’s prize pool. Partially funded by Dota 2 players and esports fans, the prize pool for The International began increasing in 2013 and eventually ballooned to a massive total of over $40 million by the time 2021 rolled around. For the groups of players and coaches who climbed this mountain and won its top prize, it was a truly life-changing event.
For varied reasons, Valve eventually soured on running the event itself and on the idea of having so much money filtered into one specific event. Prize winnings were dropped significantly in 2022, and even further for the 2023 and 2024 events. But despite the prizes on hand no longer being quite so astronomical, The International still boasts a prize in the low millions, and it remains the biggest event on the Dota 2 competitive calendar and arguably on the greater esports calendar across all games.
