The International is nearly here. Taking place in Seattle, this will be the 12th time the tournament has taken place. Last year’s thrilling final saw Tundra Esports take the title and the huge prize fund home with them, and people are already speculating about who will win the event in 2023, which will see huge crowds descend on Seattle to watch.
There have been some tweaks to the way the tournament will work this year, aimed to avoid confusion and make it clear which rounds are the playoff rounds, which we will also explain.
Looking Ahead to the Competition Favorites
In 2018 and 2019, OG managed to retain their title, but this is the only example of this happening in recent years. So, while Tundra Esports have a chance, it is not a certainty that they will win.
A lot of people who are following via Twitch, YouTube, or other methods, will be paying close attention to the odds of the competition as they change in the run-up to the Seattle heats.
20 teams will take place in the International 2023, with Tundra Esports looking to retain the title, but the likes of Gaimin Gladiators, Team Liquid, and BB Team are also among the favorites.
The odds vary from one betting company to the next, and so do the markets. People who want to place a bet on The International 2023 can find great odds across many markets for Dota 2 betting. As well as betting on the outright winners of the tournament, bettors can also visit Thunderpick to bet on other markets throughout the tournament such as who will win their group or individual matches.
Some betting sites also offer good coverage of the tournament, meaning that they can provide a place to see the fixtures, format of The International, and statistics throughout the event.
All 20 teams have a chance, and some gamblers will choose to bet on the individual match-ups that take place throughout the tournament.
The full list of competing teams is:
- Tundra Esports (reigning champions)
- Team Liquid
- Gaimin Gladiators
- Shopify Rebellion
- Talon Esports
- Beastcoast
- Team Spirit
- TSM
- BetBoom Team
- Nouns
- Azure Ray
- Keyd Stars
- Thunder Awaken
- Entity
- Virtus.pro
- Team SMG
- Quest Esports
- Evil Geniuses
- 9Pandas
- PSG.LGD
As you can see, this is a pretty sizable tournament, and the International is split into different phases. This has led to some changes in the naming and format of the tournament…
2023 Includes “Road to The International”
The International is only the name of the very final stages of the tournament. There are multiple phases, and this means that the group stage and the playoffs until we reach the top eight competitors, will take on a new name. They will now be called The Road to The International.
The events take place on the weekends to maximize potential attendance, and take place over one weekend for the Group Stage (October 12-15), another weekend for Playoffs (October 20-22), and a weekend for The Finals (October 27-29).
The way the group stages work has also been changed for this year’s tournament. While it may be confusing for those who have watched The International before, it seems to make sense and will be easier to follow in the future, with smaller groups in the first phase.
Seattle Convention Center’s Summit will host the first stage of the tournament before it moves to the Climate Pledge Arena for the finals.
How to Watch The International 2023
So, how can you follow along with the main event? If you are in Seattle or willing to make the journey, you can still pick up tickets for some days of the tournament. This is an amazing way to soak up the atmosphere.
Most people can’t get to the actual venue, so they will be relying on other ways to follow. This is an esports tournament with loads of ways to watch along. The International is going to be live on the Dota 2 Twitch and YouTube channels. Plus, those who have the game already installed can go to the “Watch” section in their game and they will find all of the live fixtures available to watch free of charge.
Conclusion: The Dota 2 Phenomenon Continues
Even 10 years on from its release, we’re still discussing Dota as one of the most-played games. There have been some impressive new games in 2023, but Dota 2 continues to be one of the most-played. Partially, this is because it is free to download on Steam.
Dota 2 is also immensely popular in the esports gambling niche, meaning that there are plenty of gamblers watching along, studying the form and statistics to try and pick the winner for The International, and each of the fixtures we’ll see in October 2023.
