Valve is the king of esports! Lord Gaben’s company stands behind two of the world’s most popular esports titles, Dota 2 and CS:GO. Riot Games isn’t too far behind with League of Legends and the brand new (and massively hyped) Valorant. While betting on Dota 2 still isn’t as popular as betting on CS:GO, betting on The International, the game’s biggest event, seems to be on the rise.

The special thing about Dota 2 The International isn’t its production value (which is at an admirable level), nor the quality of its gameplay (also admirable). It’s because of the sheer importance and lucrativeness it brings to the table.

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It’s the world’s most worthwhile esports title, with the last iteration netting roughly $35 million in prize money. That’s what drags in massive viewership and insane demand for betting options. In short, that’s what makes The International betting just so darn popular!

Best 2024 TI Betting Sites

Real money Dota 2 betting sites are on the rise, and they’ve been steadily building their popularity after Valve’s strict rules against skin betting sites. They pushed their way to legitimacy, but it took a while, that’s for sure.

Nowadays, when talking about betting real money on The International, we’re looking at 100% legit Dota 2 betting sites.

There are little to no unlicensed Dota 2 Championships Betting operators.

Those that do likely only exist from time to time, and they usually have some sort of a skin betting system installed because they don’t have proper certificates and licenses for payment processing.

That said, shady The International betting platforms are fairly easy to recognize. If you’re still worried you might get stuck with an unlicensed bookmaker, it’s best to take a closer look at our favorites.

All of the above-featured bookies operate 100% legally, have excellent (and effective) customer support team, and they are second to none in terms of profit margins and esports betting coverage.

Interesting Facts Regarding The International Events

The International events date all the way back to 2011, so it’s safe to say it has a rich history.

  • In total, The Internationals (TIs) were hosted nine times and featured more than $125 million in prize money. Yep, you’ve read that correctly—$125 million USD! We weren’t joking around when we said The International is the most lucrative esports event in the world.
  • So, how come TI events have such massive prize pools? Well, the story revolves around Valve’s crowdfunding business model, which takes 25% off Battle Pass sales and transfers it to the overall TI prize pool. Other developers tested this model, but none had nearly as much success as Valve’s TI.
  • For everyone interested in betting on The International, you should know that OG seems to be the most in-form team out there, having won two consecutive TI titles (in 2018 and 2019), so they might be the team to bet on for your next the International betting campaign.
  • What makes The International betting so darn fun, to begin with? Well, we think it’s the thrill of the chase empowered by the ever-growing prize pools. The International events bear too much importance in the grand scheme of competitive esports, which is why it’s getting extra attention betting-wise.

A Quick Look Into the History of Dota 2 The Internationals

As mentioned above, the first-ever Dota 2 The International was held back in August 2011, in Cologne, Germany. Even for 2011’s standards, The International was a pretty big deal with its $1.6 million in prize money. Back then, the esports industry was nowhere near today’s standards, meaning the importance of the inaugural TI event was off the charts.

The second and third TI event delivered much of the same—solid prize pools, plenty of popularity, and top-notch competitiveness. However, Valve’s decision to crowdfund prize pools with Battle Pass sales frightened the competition and quickly pushed The Internationals into fully-fledged behemoths of the esports industry.

Fast-forward to recent years, The International 2019 for example, and we’re looking at a top-tier competition that greatly exceeded the numbers of its predecessor, TI 2018. For instance, the total peak went from 1.2 million to just short of 2 million. Average CCV was on the rise too – from cca 528k top 727k, which goes to show you Dota 2 isn’t done with growing just yet!

Let’s Repeat The Obvious
Dota 2 The Internationals are top-tier events and the epitome of importance and lucrativeness within the esports industry.

They are what keeps driving the Dota 2 betting scene forward, and from the looks of things (and by things, we’re referring to growing viewership), it won’t be going away anytime soon.

How to Start Betting on The International in 2024

Are you ready to start placing your own The International bets? Does betting on The International for real money sound interesting and potentially profitable? If you answered yes, but you don’t know where to start, the following step-by-step The International betting guide ought to be of service.

  1. First things first, you need to set your mind straight. Are you going to bet solely on Dota 2 or other sports and esports as well? If your answer is the latter, you should start looking for a good all-in-one bookie. A handful of options can be found at the top of this page.
  2. After finding where to bet on The International online, it’s time to register for an account, confirm your email, identity and all that good stuff. Once you’re done with that, log into your account and get ready for the next step.
  3. The next step revolves around the initial deposit. The process itself isn’t complicated, but it all depends on your preferred payment method. Keep in mind that sites with esports bonuses do exist, and they often reflect on the initial deposit.
  4. After depositing some money into your online betting bankroll, it’s time for the main course, finding Dota 2 International betting odds. Start off simple. Find a few matches, do some research and make your decision.
  5. Later on, you can start experimenting with stuff like esports specials, accumulators, betting systems and whatnot. Keep your first few bets simple, though, it’s for your own good!

Types of The International Betting Options

In this section of our guide for betting on the Dota 2 Championships online, we’ll be walking you through the key bets you can place on this ever-growing Dota 2 competition. As is the case with other MOBA games, the action in Dota 2 revolves around three lanes, jungle, neutral creeps, and a bunch of structures that act as pushing points, Betting on the winner of The International is simple. The team that destroys the other team’s base wins. It doesn’t get much simpler than that.

MOBA games are typically complex, not just in terms of champions/heroes and their abilities, but their items, builds, tactics, routes and pushing potential, among many other things. Considering the fact that we’re talking about such a complex ecosystem, it’s not even that surprising to see a massive number of in-game specials available for Dota 2 betting markets.

Even more so during the biggest events such as the Majors and TIs. These events pack an extra punch in terms of both viewership and betting popularity, which makes esports special coverage that much more feasible.

Here’s a closer look at the five most popular specials you’ll find at betting sites with Dota 2 odds of The International.

Team to Get First Blood

First blood is pretty important in Dota 2 and The International betting, as it can completely shift the odds of a lane. Additionally, it’s also important for Dota 2 bettors since it’s the basis of an interesting and high-value special. The task is simple! Just choose the team you think will draw the first blood (get the first kill) in the match. Nothing more complicated than that, you’ll get the results within the first few minutes of the match!

Farm Count by 10th Minute

Another fast bet here is the farm count by the 10th minute. It’s just what its name implies; you’re supposed to guess which team or player gets more farm by the 10th minute. Yep, these bets offer both team and player-based options. On top of that, some bookies put up other timers, too. The 10th minute is the standard, but some offer five- and 15-minute options.

Team to Destroy First Turret/Inhibitor

Next up, let’s talk about the most important in-game structures! More precisely, let’s talk about the team to destroy first turret/inhibitor specials! They’re simple, are often quite profitable, but require a cold head and plenty of research.

Match Duration/Score Over/Under

Finally, we need to go through some basic The International betting totals. Totals are pretty straightforward. Let’s take match duration as the perfect example. The bookie gives an estimate (e.g. 35 minutes) and you’re supposed to guess if the given match will last longer or shorter than 35 minutes.

As for match score, things might pan out a bit differently depending on the matchup type you’re betting on. For instance, if you’re betting on a Bo3 (best of three), the bookies will allow you to bet over or under 2.5. When talking about Bo5 of Bo7 matchups, bookies will include more dynamic options at over/under 3.5, 4.5, and even 5.5, in case of the latter.

The International Betting FAQ

The icing on the top is the FAQ section! Let’s check out the most common questions regarding betting on TIs.


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Well, it’s a tricky question, this one. On one end, we wouldn’t want to discourage you. After all, we’re a website dedicated to successful sports betting… But on the other end, we don’t want to give you false hopes. That said, here goes nothing! You can’t expect massive riches once you start betting on The International online. But what you can expect (if you dedicate enough time for proper research), is a steady flow of income coupled with a few losing streaks every now and then. Don’t let them discourage you. Set up clear goals, divide your bankroll correctly (bankroll management ftw), and you should be all good. Not rich-rich, but good!

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Could it be that we’re always repeating the same stuff over and over again? Stuff like making mistakes is fine as long as you learn something from them. Well, even if we are, it’s for a good cause! Making the same mistakes over and over again won’t lead you to a good place. You’ll end up with massive debt on your hands, and that’s something you don’t want. That said, here are the biggest, most common mistakes that The International betting enthusiasts keep making:
  • Disregarding the stats
  • Not doing enough research
  • Betting too much money
  • Having unrealistic expectations
  • Chasing losses

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We hate to say it but, objectively, OG is the most successful The International team in the event’s history. How is that possible? Well, it is. They are the first team to win two TI titles, and they are the team that won the most TI prize money. However, perhaps it’s a bit ungrateful to name OG as the most successful TI team, despite their recent strain of success. Don’t get me wrong, they are tough to play against, but their success came as a proper Cinderella story, and it was sort of hard to swallow.

Last but not least is the aspect of safety! Online safety is of crucial importance in today’s digital age. No matter what sort of International betting sites you visit, staying safe is among the biggest concerns. Why is that so? Well, let’s just say today’s internet keeps everything connected with cookies, social media logins, and all that stuff. The internet is an ever-evolving platform packed with users’ data, but that doesn’t mean it’s not safe anymore. It’s quite the contrary, actually! As far as The International betting goes, you have nothing to worry about safety-wise if you opt for one of the Dota 2 International betting sites featured on this page. All of them have the latest and greatest in online security tech, and they’re second to none in terms of SSL encryption. Long story short, betting on Dota 2 TIs won’t put your personal information at risk!

About the Author
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Chris Blain
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Chris is a seasoned veteran when it comes to everything Vegas - having lived and worked in the city permanently since age 20. Primarily having a focus on esports and martial arts, with over 20 years experience in each while partaking in history-making moments in both scenes that have shaped Vegas into what it is today. Chris also specializes in video poker and slot machines. He pursues the science behind understanding the mental relationships that algorithms create and how one can prioritize mental focus to emphasize responsible gambling to maximize overall gambling benefits.
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