The 2023 International Main Event Starts Friday

Every year, the game company Valve puts on one of Esports’ largest events of the year to crown the year’s Dota 2 World Champions.

Esports fans around the world have to wait no longer as it’s finally time for the Main Event of The International 2023 as sixteen teams compete in the double elimination bracket that will determine who will be taking home at least $1.37 M and the title of World Champions.

Who will be the winner of the latest iteration of one of Esports’ most historied tournaments? We are about to find out.

Main Event

Twenty teams arrived in Seattle, Washington, in the USA, all with the hopes of being named Dota 2 World Champions.

It’s been less than a week since the first match took place, and already, Team SMG, Thunder Awaken, beastcoast, and PSG Quest have been eliminated, being sent home with less than 1% of the prize pool currently sitting just over $3.05 M.

The other 16 teams played a round of matches for the seeding of the double elimination bracket that the rest of the tournament consists of.

The bracket will start on Friday, October 20th, and will consist of all the Upper Bracket Quarterfinalists duking it out. The four matches in the Upper Bracket are Team Spirit vs. Virtus.Pro, Team Liquid vs. Talon Esports, LGD Gaming vs. 9Pandas, and Nouns vs. Azure Ray.

Though these eight teams will be taking the stage earlier, their path to the finals is still much easier than the other eight teams (Shopify Rebellion, TSM, Evil Geniuses, Gaimin Gladiators, Keyd Stars, BetBoom Team, Tundra Esports, and Entity) all will start out the next stage of the tournament in the Loser’s Bracket giving them no room for error.

Must Watch Matches

Not everyone has the time to check out every match of the tournament but still may want to keep up with the action; if you find yourself in that situation, my match of the week that you’ll want to tune in to is Team Liquid vs. Talon Esports.

Team Liquid and Talon Esports both had solid Group Stages and will be looking to build off the few wins they have found early on in the tournament.

Team Liquid was able to net more wins, ending Groups with a 3-1-0 record, while Talon Esports didn’t lose a match, instead finding a couple of draws in their 2-0-2 run through Group D. Will this be when Talon finally loses? Fans will be able to watch all of the action live on both Twitch and YouTube.

Team Futures Odds

Lines are subject to change. Check with your sportsbook for updated odds.

To Win The International 2023

Team Spirit (+180)
Team Liquid (+500)
Azure Ray (+800)
LGD Gaming (+800)
BetBoom Team (+1000)
Gaimin Gladiators (+1000)
Talon Esports (+1000)
Tundra Esports (+1000)
Entity (+2000)
Shopify Rebellion (+2500)
9Pandas (+3000)
Virtus.Pro (+3000)
Evil Geniuses (+5000)
TSM (+5000)
Nouns (+5000)
Keyd Stars (+20000)

The International Main Event Round 1 Schedule

All times listed are from the Eastern Time Zone.

Friday, October 20th

Team Spirit (-1000) vs. Virtus.Pro (+550) – 1 PM
Team Liquid (-300) vs. Talon Esports (+225) – 4 PM
LGD Gaming (-275) vs. 9 Pandas (+200) – 7 PM
Nouns (+235) vs. Azure Ray (-310) – 10 PM

Saturday, October 21st

Shopify Rebellion (-176) vs. TSM (+135) – 1 PM
Evil Geniuses (+325) vs. Gaimin Gladiators (-400) – 4 PM

Sunday, October 22nd

Keyd Stars (+450) vs. Betboom Team (-750) – 1 PM
Tundra Esports (-186) vs. Entity Gaming (+150) – 4 PM