Esports has become one of the most popular forms of entertainment in the world over the last few years, with millions of fans tuning in to streaming websites to watch the biggest tournaments and events every year.
These tournaments have also gotten bigger and better, with huge prize pools for winners and participants making the events very lucrative for players. This has also contributed to esports becoming a legitimate career option for younger individuals who are talented at playing these games.
Some of the most popular games for esports tournaments are Fortnite, League of Legends, Dota 2, and Counter Strike: Global Offensive.Â
These games and events have become so popular that leading sportsbook providers have begun offering odds on them, akin to live sporting events. There are also many offers and bonuses available at such websites. For example, Unibet offers a deposit bonus and free bets for new users, and these types of bonuses can be found at almost every sports betting website.
The events featuring these games invariably draw the most eyeballs and the best teams to participate, and thus it’s worth looking at some of the upcoming tournaments for this year which are bound to be popular for fans.
As far as Dota 2 is concerned, the biggest tournament of the year is still yet to be hosted, with the ONE Esports Dota 2 Invitational to be held in Jakarta during November this year. With a total prize pool of $500,000, it is one of the most lucrative tournaments out there and will feature 12 of the best teams in the world fighting it out. Of these teams, 10 will be there through a direct invite, while the other two will make it after coming through qualifiers in Kuala Lumpur and Indonesia, respectively.
The latest edition of The International would dwarf the event in Jakarta, but Valve has yet to give a real timeframe for its rescheduling.
Looking at CSGO, many tournaments have gone completely online. One of the biggest CSGO tournaments in the world, the ESL One Cologne event, is an example of this.
The 2020 event is going online, and passes that were purchased for this year’s event will remain valid for the 2021 edition. ESL One Cologne 2020 will be held from August 21 through August 30, will be broadcast live over streaming channels, and will have a prize pool of $1,000,0000 with 16 teams vying for the top prize. Also up for grabs will be points towards the Road to Cologne 2021 as well as the Road to Katowice 2021.
ESL is also pulling off a first of sorts this year with the first CSGO Major to be held in Brazil, the Rio 2020 Major Championship. This event, with a prize pool of $2,000,000, will be held in the Jeunesse Arena in November, having been postponed from the original dates in May. This is another tournament which will be part of the ESL Pro Tour, and points collected will count towards the Road to Cologne 2021 and other Masters Championships.
These are some of the biggest esports tournaments to wait for in 2020, with several smaller events also taking place. Esports has become wildly popular, and the current events have only served to increase its popularity and further its appeal to more people.
Players must be 21 years of age or older or reach the minimum age for gambling in their respective state and located in jurisdictions where online gambling is legal. Please play responsibly. Bet with your head, not over it. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, and wants help, call or visit: (a) the Council on Compulsive Gambling of New Jersey at 1-800-Gambler or www.800gambler.org; or (b) Gamblers Anonymous at 855-2-CALL-GA or www.gamblersanonymous.org.
