One of the most anticipated StarCraft 2 tournaments is just around the corner, with the world's best players getting ready to fight for their share of $500,000 in prize money.
A legendary esports event, the Intel Extreme Masters (IEM) Katowice is a CS:GO tournament held in Poland. In this guide, we'll go over all the participating teams, details about the schedule, as well as everything you need to know about IEM CS:GO betting!
The Dota Pro Circuit is in full flow. The next big tournament in this seasonal circuit is the PGL Arlington Major. Texas is the location, Esports Stadium Arlington is the venue of choice, and seventeen brilliant Dota 2 teams will be eyeing their chances here.
The LEC (League of Legends European Championship) is entering a new decade starting with the inaugural Winter split. From team rosters to an all-new tournament format, the league will be seeing much more competition.
Dota 2 is one of the most popular esports games in the world. In this piece, we will bring you closer to Dota 2 skin betting. Here, you can find all there is about dota 2 skin betting sites, the types of Dota 2 skins there are available, and much more!
Latest offer
Register Now to Instantly Unlock Ace’s Rewards - Up To 50% Rakeback
Get one Free Chest by registering an account on the website
Free €0,65 with code: esbpro
15% Instant Rakeback for the first 7 days
Duelbits have made a name for themselves in the entire Dota 2 skin betting industry. This Dota 2 skin betting site provides a range of payment methods, alongside skins. Starting with credit cards, cryptocurrencies, all the way to e-wallets like PayPal, Duelbits is really covering it all.
Peer-to-peer transactions are in place with strict policies and trading penalties for parties involved in the trading.
When it comes to reputation, we believe that you will have a hard time finding a more reputable Dota 2 skin betting site out there. First and foremost, the site itself is a holder of a Curaçao gambling licence, which is there for user security and to prevent illegal activity.
Moreover, alongside sponsoring AFA (Argentine Football Association), Duelbits is also a betting partner to Premiership giants, Aston Villa. They are also invested in esports by sponsoring Pain Gaming.
There are quite a few options for gambling and betting on this site. With nine casino games in total, you will have plenty of fun while skin betting on Dota.
CSGOEmpire has been around since 2016. Even though it primarily accepted CS:GO skins, ever since the tides have turned and major cease and desist letters were issued against popular sites, CSGOEmpire started to accept Dota 2 skin betting as well.
Bear in mind that this operator is licensed and regulated by the Curaçao government. Apart from popular casino games such as roulette and coinflip, you can also enjoy esports betting on matches here.
It is worth noting that on top of Dota 2 skins, you can also use traditional methods like credit cards to fund your account; however, it is not possible to withdraw real money to your account.
The site itself is translated into 17 different languages, catering for countries that speak English, German, Spanish, Italian, Russian, and more. Moreover, customer support is available 24/7, which makes CSGOEmpire one of the best Dota 2 skin betting sites.
HellCase set pillars to Dota 2 skins gambling and case opening that is not affiliated with Valve. There are plenty of cheaper simulations of popular games like Upgrade, Contract, and Case Battles found at HellCase.
Alongside Dota 2 skin betting, you can also deposit and wager Rust and CS:GO skins. Bear in mind that these are not the only payment methods you can use — cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin, Ethereum, or Tether are also available. Moreover, credit cards, SOFORT, Skrill, and Trustly deposits are also accepted here.
This operator will provide you with premium service that is available in three different formats: Silver, Gold, and Diamond. For each of these, you get free cases, personalised customer support, and access to premium cases. Last but not least, you can visit the site every day to claim your “Daily Free” bonus.
Gamdom has become a go-to platform for many punter and skin betting Dota enthusiasts, and there is a good reason for that. Alongside popular skins gambling titles like Crash, Roulette, and Hilo, you can also place bets on traditional sports and esports matches. Casino is also available.
One of the best aspects Gamdom offers is King of the Hill, where customers fight for their share of $200,000. Alongside Dota 2 skin betting, you can also wager CS:GO and Rust skins through peer-to-peer transactions. Other transactional methods include cryptocurrencies (Bitcoin, Ethereum, Litecoin, and Tether), and credit cards (Visa, Mastercard).
There are a couple of ways to sign up for an account with Gamdom. You can use your Steam account or sign up quicker with a Google account. Otherwise, you can use the old-fashioned method by choosing a username, and typing in the password and email.
In 2013, skins were introduced to the ever-so-popular gaming platform Steam. There is no denying that CS:GO made the skin gambling industry so popular — the same thing happened to Dota 2 skin betting as well.
Punters and esports fans use the value of their Dota 2 skins in order to place wagers directly, and by doing this, they avoid using real-money currency. On the other hand, some Dota 2 operators will allow you to deposit the most expensive Dota 2 skins and in return, you get an equivalent of the site currency that you can use in order to gamble and place wagers.
Before you start Dota 2 skin betting, you need to be aware of eight categories within the game:
It is important to know that Arcana, Immortal, and Legendary skins add extra effects that usually change the way abilities look, and they add a variety of other touches to the hero itself.
It is therefore logical to expect that Ancient, Arcana, and Immortal skins are the most expensive ones. So, beware of that when depositing and withdrawing Dota 2 skins so you do not get scammed out of the original worth of your goods.
Skins are nothing more than special cosmetics that customise not only the game but the heroes as well. It is important to mention that skins don't change how the game works — everything is purely aesthetic.
Many players invest a lot of money in order to claim the best and rarest skins in the market, which has led to the popularity and price increase of certain Dota 2 skins.
Dota 2 skin betting requires you to do a lot of things, hence why it is much more complicated than regular esports betting. While they are only used to change the looks of your character, these skins have a certain monetary value added to them that is mainly determined by rarity and the price tag set by the community.
First and foremost, you will need a Steam account, where you can either purchase Dota 2 skins or collect them by playing the game. It is important for you to know that the chances of getting a very expensive item while playing the game are slim.
We suggest investing in Dota 2 events. You can buy the Pass in order to support upcoming TI, which will allow you to claim more better-quality skins that are much more expensive.
Now that you have Steam and have acquired some Dota 2 skins, you need to find a betting site for yourself and deposit those skins by trading via Steam. Once the trade goes through, you can start Dota 2 skin betting.
There are a couple of reasons why someone would want to bet their in-game skins. First and foremost, the skin gambling industry helps expand the community and make the game more popular overall. If you are wondering how that works, let us explain.
Once gambling appears in a competitive game with skins available, the price of certain skins and other cosmetics increases. This attracts more and more players who are willing to invest hours into the game in order to acquire some skins that they could sell to make a profit.
Take a look at the CS:GO gambling industry as an example — the game itself grew massively due to the fact that you could actually gamble and sell skins.
Some punters do not like the idea of placing real-money currency on a game of chance, and that is exactly what gambling is. This is why most newcomers turned their heads toward Dota 2 skin betting sites as they allow you to take a first step by not depositing real money.
Before we provide you with a couple of Dota 2 betting tips, you need to be aware that most scams in gambling happen in the skin betting industry. Without further ado, let’s get straight into the betting tips.
Find a legit operator for yourself — This is by far the best advice we have for you. On top of this article, we listed Dota 2 skin betting sites that are trustworthy, reputable, and safe to gamble on. If you ever stumble upon an operator that you have never heard of, there is a high chance that you could not only lose your Dota 2 skins but also lose your entire Steam account as well.
Be aware of devaluation — The harsh reality when it comes to the best Dota 2 skin betting site is the fact that they all take their share of the skins you deposit. For instance, 3%-5% devaluation for every skin you deposit is common, and that became standard practice for every operator out there. You need to pay attention to sites that take more than 10% of your value on the deposit. In order to avoid this, find a couple of Dota 2 betting sites and see who provides you with the most value for the skins you are interested in depositing.
When determining the price of the most expensive Dota 2 skins, there are a couple of factors that need to be addressed. Firstly, we've already mentioned that there are certain types/categories of Dota 2 skins, with Immortal, Arcana, and Ancient being the ones with the heaviest price tag.
On top of that, certain skins such as Pudge’s Dragonclaw Hook usually cost around $200-$300. However, Dendi had a couple of insane games with Pudge in the past, especially at The International, hence why this skin with Dendi’s signature goes for over $1500.
Below, you can find some of the most expensive Dota 2 skins with a stable price that is not constantly changing.
This skin is nothing more than a Mirana’s mount. To be honest, we have seen some impressive mounts created for this hero that is used by both Dota 2 newcomers and esports professionals. However, neither of these skins reached this. Genuino Tsukumo is a very rare drop, which is why it comes with such a price tag.
The Tsukumo the Moon Cloud mount that is included with the limited edition Mirana statue is now in game. pic.twitter.com/LnKFjHoy6o — Matthew Bailey (@Cyborgmatt) January 28, 2017
The Tsukumo the Moon Cloud mount that is included with the limited edition Mirana statue is now in game. pic.twitter.com/LnKFjHoy6o
— Matthew Bailey (@Cyborgmatt) January 28, 2017
There is no denying that Axe of Phractos makes Axe looks like a complete beast. With flames coming from both edges of the weapon, the amount of detail that is added to this skin is unbelievable. Moreover, once Axe starts to spin his weapon, this skin and overall graphics look even better.
It is not a surprise that we are seeing more and more professional Dota 2 esports players use exactly this skin. Once it was released, this skin was available for everyone free of charge. However, the only condition to get it was to actually buy a figurine of Axe. Once all of the figurines were sold out, the price started to increase massively.
今日紹介するアイテムはー人気が高いhero Axeの斧です。2012年ValveはWeta Workshopと協力し、dota2の彫像を販売した。このAXE OF PHRACTOSは一つの彫像の中に含まれたアイテムです。現在はすでに13万円を超えています。大変貴重なアイテムです。幸いですが、筆者である私は一個を持っています。😃 pic.twitter.com/1frcYQ6Jx1 — bobobao (@BAutochess) May 15, 2019
今日紹介するアイテムはー人気が高いhero Axeの斧です。2012年ValveはWeta Workshopと協力し、dota2の彫像を販売した。このAXE OF PHRACTOSは一つの彫像の中に含まれたアイテムです。現在はすでに13万円を超えています。大変貴重なアイテムです。幸いですが、筆者である私は一個を持っています。😃 pic.twitter.com/1frcYQ6Jx1
— bobobao (@BAutochess) May 15, 2019
The story behind Soul of the Crimson Witness is fantastic. The only way for Dota 2 fans and collectors to obtain this item is to actually watch the first kills at The International 2017. The fact is, this is a very rare skin and it is extremely hard to find it on the Steam market or third-party sites that are selling Dota 2 skins.
Good luck son 🙌 pic.twitter.com/mkIaWpqACt — Rei naldi (@godmomoshi29) September 12, 2021
Good luck son 🙌 pic.twitter.com/mkIaWpqACt
— Rei naldi (@godmomoshi29) September 12, 2021
Baby Roshan courier skins were released way back in 2012. It is important to mention that the valuation of this skin ranges from just a couple of dollars to $2100.
Dark Moon Baby Roshan pic.twitter.com/70gOV3pDm1 — Matthew Bailey (@Cyborgmatt) January 27, 2017
Dark Moon Baby Roshan pic.twitter.com/70gOV3pDm1
— Matthew Bailey (@Cyborgmatt) January 27, 2017
In order to get their Baby Roshan courier, players will have to reach level 2000 in both TI 2017 and TI 2018. The catch with Baby Roshan courier is the fact that the Dark Moon version is very rare, hence why it is on the bucket list of every skin collector.
As you can see from the breakdown above, all of the Dota 2 skin betting sites are licensed and regulated by a commission, mostly in Curaçao. This means that they have to follow certain rules put in place by the government of the mentioned commission.
However, back in the day, new skin gambling sites appeared on a daily basis and this brought a lot of problems with it. While some of them were actually legit, others have a proven record of scamming customers out of their hard-earned skins.
Once again, we urge you to stick with reputable sites that treat their customers fairly. The fact is, they will provide you with everything you need in order to accumulate an even bigger Dota 2 inventory.
There is no denying that the skin betting industry has a lot of pros, which is why a lot of punters use this type of method to not only wager on esports, but also to place bets in online casinos. So, other than depositing skins, what are the alternatives related to real-money bets?
First and foremost, established esports betting sites will definitely provide much better coverage and extensive betting markets for all available esports matches. On top of that, you will have plenty of esports to bet on including Dota 2, LoL, CS:GO, Overwatch, CoD, and other esports games.
When it comes to payments, the fact that you can deposit a particular amount of money is a great added bonus. This is not available if you place bets with skins as you are getting the value of Dota 2 skins that are often much higher or lower than the amount of real money you want to deposit.
It is also worth mentioning that certain betting sites provide SkinPay as a way of depositing and withdrawing skins. Even though this method does devaluate your Dota 2 skins for around 5%, you are able to claim skins to your Steam inventory if you want to do so.
In most cases, Dota 2 skin betting works the same way as real-money gambling does. However, with skin betting, you are not depositing fiat currency; rather, you are staking your in-game cosmetics.
This is the preferred method for punters not interested in depositing real money on a game of chance. However, for others, this provides a chance to expand their collection by withdrawing winnings via peer-to-peer transactions, where they can get the skins they desire.
Alongside traditional skins gambling games — such as roulette, HILO, Coinflip, and Crash, esports fans can also bet on their favourite esports teams and tournaments. However, do be aware that there are a lot of scam skin gambling sites out there, so we urge you to be careful when choosing Dota 2 skin betting sites.
Dota 2 skins can be acquired in many ways. You can buy them in the Steam marketplace, Dota 2 in-game store, The Shard Store, by opening treasure packs, getting random drops while playing ranked games, taking part in TI Battle Pass, promo codes, trading, and gifts.
Betting with skins is safe if you do it with a skin gambling site that is reputable, licensed, and regulated.
The best Dota 2 skin betting sites are Duelbits, CSGOEmpire, HellCase, and Gamdom.
Yes, it is. Despite cease and desist letters that were sent out a couple of years ago, operators found a way around it and are now offering peer-to-peer transactions, which means deposits and withdrawals are instant.
In most countries, Dota 2 skin betting is legal. Keep in mind that you need to obey the law that has been put in place in your country regarding online gambling. On top of that, you need to be 18+ in order to gamble.
Mario has been involved into the esports scene ever since the first CS:GO tournament. His passion is betting on Dota 2, League of Legends, CS:GO and Valorant. He enjoys creating tournament previews and he found success with his tips and predictions.