In the last couple of years, ESL has been one of the main organizers for the most Dota 2 events. Their tournaments are always really fun to watch because they are attended by some of the best teams in the world. Most of them are held in Europe, however, it seems like ESL wants to change that.
“ESL, the world’s largest esports company, is proud to announce the ESL National Championship 2019 for Dota 2 in Thailand, Vietnam & Malaysia/Singapore.” It is clear that ESL continues to expand its support and coverage for Southeast Asia.
In order to get to those National Championships, the teams would have to go through online qualifiers. The online season of the respective ESL National Championships will begin in April and continue in May. The top 4 teams will play in the offline finals in June.
Each of the ESL National Championships will feature 8 of the best Dota 2 teams from the respective regions. They will compete for a prize pool of $12,000 per region. Even though the prize pool might not seem too big, it’s a good opportunity for someone to get into the professional scene.
Here are the official dates of the qualifiers
- Qualifier #1: Mar 13th
- Qualifier #2: Mar 16th
- Qualifier #3: Mar 20th
- Qualifier #4: Mar 23rd
One of the main purposes of doing those events in SEA is to expand the scene there. SEA definitely has a lot of potential because there are still many good players who have not played in any semi-pro tournaments yet.
After the end of ESL One Katowice, the next big ESL tournament will be in April. ESL One Mumbai will be the first big event in India. Eleven of the best teams from around the world will be joined by one local team. The goal? A lucrative $300,000 prize pool.
So far we only know four of the direct invites and every team from each qualifier. This tournament will definitely provide big opportunities for betting. Make sure to follow our prediction page and expect more information about it soon.
The twelve teams will be divided into two groups consisted of six teams each. While the format has not yet been confirmed, it will most likely be a round-robin.
NiP
One of the biggest favourite to win the event has to be Ninjas in Pyjamas. Following PPD’s lead, the team has managed to win the WePlay! Dota 2 Tug of War. They have shown an impressive performance during the Grand Final against Nemiga gaming. NiP is one of the best betting options here, especially if they manage to bring the same level of play
Gambit Esports
The CIS powerhouse is also one of the most promising squads. They have been on the rise recently. Despite the loss against Secret at ESL One Katowice, they have proved themselves to be a worthy foe. Be careful when you decide to bet against them.
TNC Predator
The SEA team has been one of the most consistent in their region. Despite all the drama with Kuku, they were able to pick themselves up and bring on their A game. That’s why we believe that they will make a good betting option. However, keep in mind that sometimes they tend to underperform.
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