It’s been awhile since eSports burst into the mainstream, but its status as a legitimate sporting event was solidified when eSports betting was legalized. Nowadays, there is no shortage of sportsbooks that will offer wagering options on some of the most popular eSports titles, like League of Legends and Defense of the Ancients (Dota) 2.
Dota 2 has become a massively popular spectator sport. As is the case with other, more traditional popular spectator sports like football or basketball, you can find betting odds on Dota 2 matches and tournaments on most of the web’s most well-known sportsbooks.
If you are looking to bet on Dota 2, a book like William Hill, BetOnline or SportsBetting.ag will have you covered. If you think a powerhouse team like The Final Tribe is a lock to get the best of 5 Anchors No Captain in a tournament, it’s easy to find betting odds on the internet.
The Dota 2 Asian Championship 2018 is coming up in late March. The tournament, which will take place offline in Shanghai, features 16 of the world’s best teams. The tourney features teams that qualified out of Europe, China, North America, South America and Southeast Asia.
The first edition of the Dota 2 Asian Championship (DAC) was played in 2015 with a guaranteed prize pool of $250,000. Evil Geniuses won the inaugural tournament by sweeping Vici Gaming in a best-of-five series in the final. The second iteration of the tournament was played last year, and it featured 12 teams and a prize pool of $612,000. Invictus Gaming were the victors this time after sweeping OG in the best-of-five final.
The stakes for the upcoming DAC are the highest they’ve ever been. The 2018 edition will have a prize pool of $1,000,000. Below is the list of teams set to participate:
Qualifiers: Mineski, LGD Gaming, TNC, KG, EG, OpTic Gaming, paiN Gaming, VGJ.T, Effect, OG.
Invited teams: Team Secret, VG, VP, iG, Team Liquid, Newbee.
6 of the 16 teams, including last year’s winners, IG, are from China.
According to Bet365 and Unibet, Virtus Pro (VP) are tipped to win, though not by much. VP is listed at +450 on both sites to take home the competition’s top prize, though Team Liquid and Team Secret are right on their heels at +500 apiece.
IG are way down at +2100 to repeat as champions this time around. Vici Gaming, who lost in the final of the first DAC, are also at +2100. Effect and paiN Gaming are bringing up the rear as massive longshots. Effect is down at +21000, while paiN is at +25100.
The tournament will get underway from the Shanghai Oriental Sports Center on March 29, with the final going down on April 7.
