It’s the pinnacle of every Dota 2 season, with The International 2023 kicking off this Thursday in Seattle for just over two weeks of furious Dota 2 action. The best 20 teams from around the world will be in attendance and while the prize money might be less than previous years, there’s still the best part of $3,000,000 on the line plus plenty of prestige.
The Gaimin Gladiators have been a dominant force in Dota 2 this year, but can they win when it matters? Team Spirit tripped them up in Riyadh and they’ll be looking to do so again here in Seattle. Will it be one of these two who walk away with the season’s most coveted title, or can another team come from nowhere to win The International 2023?
We break down all the latest betting odds from bookmaker bet365 ahead of The International 2023 and outline the best bets to make on Dota 2 this week.
※ Current Odds Date & Time: October 12th, 1:30 A.M. (GMT)
Looking at the outright betting odds, Team Spirit’s recent success over the Gaimin Gladiators has propelled them into the number one spot in bookmaker bet365’s odds ahead of The International. The Russian team pays just 3.50 for a win in Seattle, ahead of the Gaimin Gladiator’s odds of 5.00.
Behind these two favourites, five-time 2023 tier one finalists Team Liquid sits at 6.00, while in fourth spot it’s a tie between Tundra Esports and BB Team, both paying 8.00 to win. In terms of who’s most likely to make the final, bet365 follows a similar line of thinking to the outright odds with Team Spirit leading at 2.20, through to Tundra Esports and BB Team joint on 4.00.
※ Current Odds Date & Time: October 12th, 1:30 A.M. (GMT)
Given that only two teams have won a tier one event in Dota 2 this season, there are two clear options to bet on ahead of The International 2023 – Team Spirit and the Gaimin Gladiators. Each have a good argument for winning.
The Gaimin Gladiators won the first five tier one events of the season and have claimed six out of eight overall in 2023. Team Spirit, on the other hand, won the biggest title—the Riyadh Masters 2023—and the most recent title, just weeks ago in DreamLeague Season 21. Considering that the Gaimin Gladiators looked woeful and fell in 7th-8th place, it’s hard to comfortably recommend betting on them to win here in Seattle.
We suggest betting on Team Spirit to win outright here at The International 2023, and for those wanting another option, wager on Team Liquid to make the final at 2.75. While Team Liquid also had a poor DreamLeague, they’ve made five of eight tier one finals in 2023, and it would be no surprise if they yet again featured in the deciding match at The International as well.
