If you’re a gamer, the world of eSports is no secret to you. After all, it’s where professional video gamers get their start—and make millions of dollars in prize money every year. But even if you aren’t an avid gamer yourself, there’s a good chance that eSports has crossed your path at some point in the last decade or so. And that’s because the popularity and reach of eSports have exploded over the past few years thanks to streaming services like Twitch, which have enabled more people to watch competitive gaming than ever before. These days there are plenty of ways to watch these events live or on replay afterward (if they’re archived). Furthermore, the interest in betting on these tournaments using Bitcoin is becoming a hot topic. Hardcore fans can’t wait to bet on their favorite player or team.
These are the Most Popular eSports tournaments right now:
The International e-Sports Federation World Championship in Dota 2
The League of Legends World Championship (LoL)
Call of Duty World League (COD)
Dota 2
Dota 2 is a MOBA game that’s played in 5 vs. 5 matches. The International e-Sports Federation World Championship in Dota 2 is the biggest tournament in the world, with $23 million USD awarded to winners during its last year of competition.
The International 2019 begins on Aug. 20 and continues until Aug. 25; it will be held at Rogers Arena in Vancouver, Canada (you can watch it live on Twitch).
The game is played in matches that last up to an hour and a half, depending on the number of players in each match. Each team has five players who must work together to destroy their opponent’s base before they can win the match. The goal for each player is to earn gold by killing enemy characters and destroying structures and other items on the map. Gold can be used to buy items or upgrade your character’s abilities.
The International e-Sports Federation World Championship in Dota 2
The International is the most prestigious Dota 2 tournament in the world, and it’s held every year. The tournament consists of several different stages, with each stage hosted at a different location around the globe. This year’s event took place in Shanghai, China; last year’s was hosted by Vancouver (Canada); while 2015 saw Seattle host The International 4 (TI4).
The International is sponsored by Valve Corporation, which also owns and develops Dota 2. The company hosts the event in order to promote the game, as well as raise money for charity. The prize pool for TI8 was a record $25 million USD, with over $20 million going to the winning team.
The prize pool is funded by fans, as well as businesses who sponsor the event. Fans contribute by purchasing Battle Passes, which allow players to earn in-game items and unlock new features within Dota 2. The more Battle Passes that are purchased, the greater the prize pool will be at The International.
League of Legends World Championship (LoL)
League of Legends World Championship (LoL) is an annual tournament that has been held since 2011. The tournament consists of 3 stages:
- Group Stage – Teams are divided into groups and play a double round-robin format, meaning each team plays all others in their group twice. The top two teams from each group advance to the Knockout Stage.
- Knockout Stage – This stage is single elimination with all matches being best-of-5 games until the final which is best-of-3 games. Each round has its own bracket, so if you lose once you’re out; however there are consolation rounds where you can still win prizes if your team doesn’t make it past this stage.
- The finals are held in Los Angeles, California and the prize pool is $2.25 million USD. The winning team takes home a majority of this money while other teams receive smaller sums based on how far they progress in the tournament.
Call of Duty World League (COD)
The Call of Duty World League (COD) is a competitive first-person shooter video game. The game was created by Infinity Ward and Sledgehammer Games, and it’s been around since 2003. In 2016, Activision established an esports league for the COD series called the Call of Duty World League, which is now organized by Activision Blizzard Esports Leagues (ABEL).
The purpose of this league is to help develop players’ skills so they can compete in high-level tournaments like ESL Pro League or Major League Gaming events; it also allows them access to other resources such as coaches and analysts who will help them improve their performance during matches.
The Call of Duty World League has a professional division, which is part of the League Pro Division and includes teams from North America, Europe and Australia. It also has an amateur division called the Challenge Division that allows anyone to compete in online tournaments. The other divisions are comprised of young players who participate in tournaments organized by their local clubs or schools.
Conclusion
These are the eSports tournaments right now. They are three of the most popular games in the world, so if you’re looking to get into e-sports, these are some great options to start!