ESL One Stockholm Major Kicks Off On Thursday, May 12

The ESL One Stockholm Major is the first Dota 2 Major tournament of the Dota Pro Circuit (DPC) season. It will feature 14 of the best Dota 2 teams who will fight for the lion’s share of the $500,000 prize pool and the glory that comes with winning a Major.

The ESL One Stockholm Major will mark the first Major LAN event of the 2021/22 DPC season and a tournament every Dota 2 team will want to win. Not only will there be $500,000 on the line, but also 3.650 DPC points, which count towards an invite for The International 10.

With a healthy prize pool and DPC points on the table, it’s fair to say that there is a lot on the line for Dota 2 teams as they travel to Hovet Arena.

A good run at the Major will not guarantee any team an invite for the season-culminating TI11, albeit winning it would be a big step towards securing a ticket and a shot at a multi-million dollar prize pool.

So whether you’re a die-hard Dota 2 fan or just a casual watcher of the Dota 2 esports scene, ESL One Stockholm is a tournament you shouldn’t miss.

The Stockholm Major will be held from May 12 to May 22 in Stockholm, Sweden, at Hovet Arena. And the tournament will be split into two stages – the Group Stage and the Main Event.

The Group Stage will take place from May 12-15, followed by the Main Event on May 16-22, which will be held in front of a live audience at the Stockholm arena.

Group Stage will welcome all 14 teams, which got split into two groups of seven. The group stage will use a single round-robin format, with all matches played as best-of-two (Bo2).

Top two teams from each group will advance to the Mian Event and receive a direct bye into the upper bracket of the playoffs. The fifth and sixth-placed teams from each group will advance into the lower bracket, whereas the last-placed teams get eliminated in 14th-13th place.

The Main Event (or Playoffs) will kick off on May 16, with the opening matches of the upper bracket. The playoffs will use a double-elimination bracket with all matches played as Bo3, except for the finals, which will be best-of-five (Bo5).

ESL One Stockholm Major will offer a $500,000 prize pool and 3,530 DPC points, which will be divided between the top eight teams based on their placement.

• 1st – $200,000 + 680 DPC Points
• 2nd – $100,000 + 610 DPC Points
• 3rd – $75,000 + 530 DPC Points
• 4th – $50,000 + 460 DPC Points
• 5th-6th – $25,000 + 285 Points
• 7th-8th – $12,500 + 240 DPC Points

ESL One Stockholm Major will welcome 14 of the world’s best Dota 2 teams from North America, Western Europe, South America, Eastern Europe, and Southeast Asia. Unfortunately, the Chinese teams weren’t able to travel to Sweden due to travel restrictions, resulting in a much more open field and an easier road to the trophy for the remaining squads.

Of all the regions, Western Europe has the most teams in the event, including Team Liquid, Gamin Gladiators, Tundra Esports, and OG.

Meanwhile, Eastern Europe and Southeast Asia each have three – Team Spirit, BetBoom and Mind Games and BOOM Esports, T1, and Fnatic, respectively.

North American and South America have sent just two teams to Sweden. Carrying the NA flag are Evil Geniuses and TSM, while Thunder Awaken and beastcoast will represent the South American region.

According to the latest Dota 2 esports betting odds, Western Europe (-125) has the best chance of winning the Major, followed by Eastern Europe (+350), SEA (+450), North America (+500), and South America (+1200).

However, on the team outright markets, it’s TI10 champions, Team Spirit (+450), who lead the way, followed by three Western Europe teams in Tundra (+550), Liquid (+550), and Gladiators (+600).

With so much talent in the tournament, it’s tough to say which squad will come out on top. But if the offered outright betting odds are correct, we should be in for a tight battle for the crown between five strong contenders.