After a demanding first year of competition, DOTA 2 returns to the 2025 Esports World Cup (EWC). The tournament will feature 16 teams battling for a share of the $3 million prize pool. Can top favorites secure the title, or will it be an unpredictable fight? Our 2025 EWC Dota 2 betting guide previews this event, offering insights into likely outcomes.
This competition marks the final championship of the third season of the ESL Pro Tour. In previous years, the Riyadh Masters served as the concluding event for the ESL Pro Tour. The tournament spans two weeks, starting on July 8 and ending on July 19. Alongside its substantial prize pool, organizers will also award a $10,000 bonus to the MVP of the event.
| ℹ️ Tournament: | Dota 2 Esports World Cup 2025 |
| 🧾 Format: | S-tier LAN tournament with 16 teams and a few stages |
| 🎮 Venue: | Boulevard Riyadh City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia |
| 🗓️ Dates: | Tuesday, July 8 – Monday, July 14, 2025 |
Sixteen partnered elite Dota 2 teams have reached the group stage of this event. The 2024 Dota 2 EWC champions, Gaimin Gladiators, return with automatic qualification. The top eight teams from the EPT tour also earned direct entry. Xtreme Gaming, winners of the Asian Champions League (ACL), also received a direct invitation. The remaining six teams advanced to Riyadh after topping their online qualification matches.
At the start, there will be four groups with four teams each. In this stage, they compete in a round-robin format with best-of-2 matches. Each group winner moves directly to the Playoffs, while the remaining 12 teams enter the Gauntlet Bracket.
The Gauntlet Bracket follows a single-elimination format, with only four teams progressing. The eight remaining teams compete in a single-elimination bracket in the Finals, featuring quarterfinals, semifinals, and the Grand Final. The last team standing will be crowned the 2025 EWC Dota 2 Champions.
As previously noted, the tournament offers a $3 million prize pool. In addition, the top eight teams will earn EPT points for their performances.
Websites with betting options for Esports have released Dota 2 EWC 2025 odds for this competition. Here, take a look at the top five 2025 Esports World Cup Dota 2 favorites competing at Riyadh:
Despite having just one tournament win this year, Spirit enters this contest as the top team according to odds from bookmakers. Their sole title win this season came at DreamLeague Season 25 in January. Since then, coach Airat Gaziev’s side has reached four semifinals, finishing second in the ESL One Raleigh 2025 tournament. Now, they will look to secure their second tournament win of the year by turning up the style at Riyadh.
Despite winning the DreamLeague Season 26 last month, PARIVISION is ranked second among the top favorites to win this competition. Coach Filipe Astini’s side has been imposing over the past three months, securing two tournament wins and a second-place finish. They defeated Team Spirit 3:1 to win the ESL One Raleigh 2025. Next, they lost 3:2 to Team Liquid at PGL Wallachia Season 4 before securing the title at DreamLeague Season 26. With three final appearances in four consecutive tournaments, PARIVISION is a strong contender to win this tournament.
Like PARIVISION, Team Liquid has also claimed two tournament victories this year. The European organisation secured back-to-back titles at PGL Wallachia Seasons 3 and 4, and reached the semifinals in Season 5. m1CKe and Nisha were instrumental in Liquid’s success at both events and will be vital to the team’s pursuit of top honors in Riyadh. Their performances at both events gave a clear indication of their abilities. Team Liquid has 5.00 (4/1) odds to win the Dota 2 Esports World Cup.
BLAST Slam II and III winners are another team capable of causing an upset in Riyadh. The European team opened the year strongly with first-place finishes at FISSURE PLAYGROUND 1 and BLAST Slam II. Since then, they have reached three more finals, securing two runner-up spots and claiming the title at BLAST Slam III. With standout players like bzm, Crystallis, and 33, Tundra has the skill and momentum to challenge for the championship.
BetBoom’s recent victory at PGL Wallachia Season 5 should see them higher on this list. However, their placement among the favorites shows the quality of teams above them. The organization has been impressive in their last two tournament outings, securing a title and finishing second at DreamLeague Season 26. They will be keen to continue that run by claiming a second consecutive tournament win in Saudi Arabia.
Here are our EWC 2025 Valorant betting tips:
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Based on their recent performances, we rate PARIVISION as the leading team among the top five contenders. The organization has reached three finals in four tournament appearances over the past two months. They secured two titles during this period and finished as runners-up at PGL Wallachia Season 4. Their dominant victory at DreamLeague Season 26 was imposing, sweeping BetBoom Team 3:0 in the grand finals. If they can maintain this momentum in Riyadh, they stand a strong chance of claiming the championship.
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Based on their performances this year, we are backing Tundra to reach the final. The European organization has recorded the highest final appearances among the top five Dota 2 teams, reaching five finals and winning three titles. While their recent results have been uneven, they have consistently advanced to seven semi-finals this year. With such a track record and the quality of players on their roster, we view this prediction as a solid choice.
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This opening matchup features number three (Spirit) on the EPT Leaderboard facing number 19 (Xtreme). Despite the wide gap in rankings, we still anticipate a competitive clash. Both teams have shown consistency at S-tier tournaments, often reaching the quarterfinals. However, Spirit delivered stronger performances at these events, which led us to back them for a win in this encounter. In their latest meeting at PGL Wallachia Season 5 in June, Spirit secured a 2:0 victory. Little has changed since then, and Spirit will be confident of repeating that result.
Here are our 2025 Dota 2 EWC tips:
PARIVISION are the team to beat in Riyadh. Yet, their recent form may present a serious challenge for any opponent looking to take them down. Ensure you use information from this guide to wager at Dota 2 sites for betting.
