Dota 2 is one of the most popular esports titles in the world; not only is it one of the most played and watched esports but Dota 2 is also a massive hit in the online esports betting world.
As one of the “Big Three” esports games alongside League of Legends and Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, Dota 2 regularly finds itself on the list of the most bet-on esports, which explains why all bookmakers cover Dota 2 and offer esports markets for it.
Most of that has to do with Dota 2’s well-developed esports scene, which revolves around the Dota Pro Circuit (DPC). In this article, we will cover everything you need to know about the Dota Pro Circuit, what it is, and, most importantly, how to bet on it.
History Of The Competition
Dota Pro Circuit (DPC) is an official tournament system of Dota 2, which started in 2017 when Valve announced significant changes to its predecessor, the Major Championship Circuit. The new system was unveiled following The International 2017 announcing that Major Championship other than The International will now be third-party tournaments rather than Valve-hosted events, even though Valve would still provide sponsorship and contribute to the prize pool.
All third-party tournaments included in DPC would also have to have a minimum prize pool of $500,000. Moreover, they had to host regional qualifiers for each of the six primary regions, including North America, South America, Southeast Asia, China, Europe, and CIS, as well as a LAN final.
Another major change for DPC came ahead of the 2021/22 season when a DPC season moved away from hosting two Tours and got split into three Tours, dividing a competitive season into three parts, with a Major held at the end of each of the three Tours.
Despite adding another Tour, the format has remained mostly untouched, awarding the teams DPC points through regional leagues and Majors, which were then used to determine the seeding for the top twelve teams who directly qualify for The International and compete for the multi-million dollar prize pool.
Notably, the DPC format is rarely the same as last season since it changes yearly, so it’s highly likely that Valve will introduce new rules for the upcoming season. Granted, given the stability of the current format, it’s unlikely that we’ll see any major shifts in how a DPC season plays out.
DPC Regions
The DPC revolves around six regional leagues, divided into Division I and Division II of eight teams. Each league lasts for six weeks, and at the end of each league, the bottom two teams from Division I get demoted to Division II, while the top two teams from Division II get promoted to Division I.
Meanwhile, the bottom two teams from Division II are eliminated from the league and replaced with the winners of open qualifiers, which are held within the regional leagues.
Each regional league is operated by a different tournament organizer, which gets announced ahead of the next season. DreamHack, ESL, Perfect World, Beyond the Summit, and PGL are some of the most notable TOs in the DPC.
Each regional league has a predetermined prize pool split between the divisions, with Division I getting a larger portion. Moreover, only the top division awards DPC points and spots at the Major Championships, which are held at the end of each Tour.
The Best Dota Pro Circuit Betting Sites
If you intend to bet on Dota 2, there’s a good chance you’ll wager on Dota Pro Circuit matches since the DPC comprises most of the Dota 2 competitive scene. Although other minor tournaments offer great betting opportunities, most of the Dota 2 betting action is done on DPC as the biggest and most important tournament cycle in the Dota 2 competitive scene.
Due to its importance and the fact that it welcomes notable teams (such as Team Liquid, Evil Geniuses, and Team Secret), DPC is generally extremely well-covered by all bookmakers. So if you wish to bet on DPC, there’s a good chance you’ll find markets for it on any bookmaker, no matter where you live, and that applies to everyone, even UK customers.
However, while it’s easy to find a bookmaker that will give you betting options, not every bookmaker is a good choice, so make sure you pick the right one. When looking for a solid betting site, you have to keep an eye on a few things.
Most importantly, the bookmaker you choose needs to be legit, safe, and licensed, as only this way can you ensure the safety of your personal information and your money. So even though you should focus on the quality of the service esports bookies can provide, it must own a valid betting license.
Moreover, a good betting site will have competitive betting odds and enough betting markets, allowing you to bet on any game you wish, the way you like. Notably, no betting site will always have the best odds, but there are a handful of Dota 2 bookmakers that will have fair prices.
You should also look for other betting features like the accessibility of live streaming and in-play esports markets. Even though you might not intend to bet on Dota 2 matches live from the start, it helps to have that option available for later.
Lastly, it is beneficial if online sportsbooks have esports promotions, bonuses, free bets, and other offers. Although not as important as the odds quality or its coverage of Dota 2 betting options, top betting sites will have an occasional promotion, especially for TI events, third Tour, Majors, or other important competitions.
Dota Pro Circuit Betting Markets
When betting on Dota Pro Circuit, you will be presented with plenty of bet types, ensuring that you’ll have more than enough betting opportunities to find the right bet. From moneyline bets to outrights and everything in between, you won’t be deprived of options.
In this part of our betting guide, we will take a look at some of the most popular bet types you’ll come across while betting on Dota 2 teams and competitions.
Outrights
Outrights are one of the simplest bet types you can use to bet on events and one of the most commonly used bets among Dota bettors. With outrights, you’re predicting which Dota 2 teams will win a given event, including region tours, The International, or other Dota 2 events.
Match Winner
Match winner or moneyline is a very straightforward wager you’ll make on a team to win the next game. It works the same way as a moneyline wager on any other esport or traditional sport, where you simply have to predict which team will win the next game, and it doesn’t matter how they do it or how long it takes them – the only thing that matters is the final outcome.
Totals (Over/Under)
Totals (or over/under) betting in Dota 2 is no different from totals in sports or esports. With this bet, you’re predicting whether a certain statistic in games will exceed the predetermined amount.
Most commonly, totals are used to predict the number of kills in games, but they can also be used to predict the number of maps; however, only in best-of games. Notably, totals can include any statistic in a game, from kills, tower destroyed, game length, the number of maps played, and anything in between.
Handicaps
Handicap betting involves giving one team a virtual deficit or a virtual advantage, depending on the team’s perceived strength. If, for example, PSG.LGD is expected to defeat Fnatic; bookmakers will handicap PSG.LGD by giving it a disadvantage either in kills or maps.
For example, you will be able to bet on PSG.LGD -5.5 kills or Fnatic +5.5 kills, in which case you either wager on PSG.LGD to win with at least six kills to spare or Fnatic to not lose by more than five kills by the end of the match.
Proposition Bets
Proposition bets are special wagers you can make on Dota 2 games that are not directly related to the game’s final outcome. With propositions, you’re wagering on an occurrence or non-occurrence of a specific event, such as which team will destroy the first tower, which team will get the first kill or Roshan, or will a player score a Rampage.
How To Start Betting on Dota Pro Circuit
Anyone can bet on Dota Pro Circuit, and it’s not hard to learn the basics and start placing bets. However, you can’t start betting on Dota blindly without a plan, but rather know what’s the right approach and how you can set yourself up for success.
The first and most important thing you need to do before you start betting on Dota Pro Circuit is to find a reliable esports bookmaker which is legit, safe, and can offer you competitive betting odds and enough betting options.
It is advisable that you register with multiple Dota betting sites, so you can always bet with the best odds and have solid coverage of any event or Majors you want to bet on.
Familiarize yourself with all the available betting options and learn how to read Dota 2 odds. Although it will take some time investment for those who this will be their first Dota 2 betting journey, understanding the odds and learning the bet types is a pretty straightforward process.
Before you start wagering, have a plan, a strategy that suits you. Most importantly, you need to learn how to manage your bankroll and never chase losses or mix emotions into your betting journey.
Before you can start betting on Dota, you have to familiarize yourself with the game and know what you’re betting on and why. Follow the professional scene and focus on more than just your favorite team.
Dota Pro Circuit Betting Tips And Strategies
There is no hidden strategy that will guarantee you profits when betting on Dota Pro Circuit. Rather there are steps you can take to improve your chances of winning, and here we have a few tips and strategies that will help you on your journey.
Specialize
Although you can bet on every Dota Pro Circuit match you want, doing so is rarely a good idea, especially if you’re new to betting on Dota 2. Instead, you should focus on specializing in one region and slowly move to the next.
Since Dota 2 esports scene is fairly healthy, it doesn’t matter which of the six regional leagues you choose to begin your betting endeavor. So you can either start betting on South America, Southeast Asia, NA, EU, or any other region you desire.
Notably, if you want to follow the best teams, you might want to start with Chinese or European regions. But know that while those are the strongest Dota Pro Circuit Regions, they don’t necessarily field all of the top teams in the world.
By focusing on only one region, you will better understand how the teams in the region like to play and get familiar with the players and the teams, which will ultimately help you find smart wagers.
Always Bet With The Best Bookmakers
Every betting guide will tell you that it is essential that you bet only with the best esports betting sites that can offer you competitive odds and enough betting options so you can bet on your favorite teams any way you like.
Moreover, it’s critical that you only pick between legit and licensed bookmakers as only this way can you ensure that your money and personal information are in safe hands, and it can’t be overstated how important that is.
Keep Emotions Out
If you want to succeed at betting on Dota 2, you have to have a clear mind and stay cool. Although not many are prepared for it, you will endure losing streaks, and it doesn’t matter how good you are at betting on Dota, the only thing that matter is that you can fight through them and keep a clear mind.
It’s very easy to get frustrated, sad, or angry when your bets aren’t going your way, but you shouldn’t let emotions get in your way. Try to avoid getting overwhelmed by emotions and never chase your losses. Stay cool, stick with the plan, and you’ll come out on top eventually.
Conclusion
That concludes our Dota Pro Circuit betting guide, where we have covered everything you need to know about betting on Dota and how to succeed at it. So now you’re ready to pick your favorite esports bookmaker and start betting on one of the most popular esports games in the world!
FAQ
How do I bet on Dota games?
You can bet on Dota 2 games on essentially all bookmakers and even on traditional sportsbooks. Since Dota is one of the most popular esports games, boasting millions of fans, it’s extremely well covered by all online bookmakers, making it very easy to find a website where you’ll be able to wager on it.
How does the Dota Pro Circuit work?
Dota Pro Circuit is an official tournament format system for Dota 2 and consists of yearly Major tournaments and regional leagues in North America, South America, Eastern Europe, Western Europe, China, and Southeast Asia.
Where can I bet on Dota 2?
You can bet on Dota 2 on all esports bookmakers and on a plethora of traditional sportsbooks. Some of the best bookmakers for Dota 2 betting are Bet365, Pinnacle, Unibet, and Midnite.
How do you read Dota 2 odds?
Dota 2 odds work the same way as odds of any other esport or traditional sport, making it very easy to understand them. But you need to know that there are American, Decimal, and Fractional odds, which display the same thing, albeit differently.
How do you calculate the odds of winning?
To get the odds of winning, you need to calculate the implied probability, so dividing the chances of winning by the total number of chances available. In betting, you have to use the formula (1/decimal odds) * 100, which will give you the implied probability of an event happening.
