CS2 ESL Pro League

ESL Pro League is a prestigious Counter-Strike 2 esports league and one of the most significant esports events in the world.

Watched by millions of people around the globe, ESL Pro League tournaments welcome the world’s best CS2 teams who battle it out for the coveted title, while fans get to tune in to watch the highest tier of competitive Counter-Strike.

Besides the generous selection of platforms which offer live streaming for ESL Pro League, there are also many betting platforms where esports fans can place bets on the coveted tournament series.

That includes Stake, where CS2 punters can find generous promotions, including a welcome bonus with the Stake promo code NEWBONUS.

ESL Pro League (formerly known as ESL ESEA Pro League or EPL) is a Counter-Strike 2 league which started in 2015 with the first season.

Since then, the ESL Pro League has become one of the most prestigious competitions on the CS2 esports schedule.

Throughout its history, ESL Pro League has undergone several changes to its competitive format, the most recent coming in Season 21, when ESL Pro League announced it features 24 teams instead of 32.

Along with the smaller tournament size also came an increase in prize pool, reaching $1,000,000 for seasons 21 and 22.

Alongside BLAST and Intel Extreme Masters, ESL Pro League is one of the biggest and most-watched tournaments of the Counter-Strike 2 esports scene and an event no esports fan should miss.

In ESL Pro League Season 21, the tournament organisers reduced the team size from 32 to 24, which includes squads from all over the world.

The 21st season also marked the first season in which the ESL Pro League decided to hand out invites based on the Valve Regional Standings (VRS) rather than offering direct invites to partnered teams.

Eight teams (based on VRS) receive direct invites to Stage 2, while the remaining 16 spots are filled in by squads who secure invites based on VRS and through regional ESL leagues.

The exact conditions for Stage 1 invites vary from season to season and are announced by tournament organisers beforehand.

Since the 21st season, the ESL Pro League has featured 24 Counter-Strike 2 teams from around the world.

Of the 24 participants, eight receive direct invites to Stage 2 through their VRS standings. The remaining 16 slots get filled in by the next-best teams on VRS and squads who fought through qualifiers.

The extensive field of teams of all calibres ensures that the ESL Pro League features the world’s elite squads and some smaller teams with less experienced players, offering equal opportunities to all to claim the coveted trophy.

ESL Pro League kicks off with Stage 1, a 16-team Swiss-system format with all matches played as best-of-three. The top eight teams from Stage 1 proceed to Stage 2 where they join the eight directly invited teams.

The second stage follows the same format as Stage 1, with a 16-team Swiss-style group and all matches played as best-of-three. The top eight teams from Stage 2 then advance to the playoffs.

ESL Pro League playoffs are single-elimination, with all games played as best-of-three, except for the grand finals, which are best-of-five.

As one of the most prestigious Counter-Strike 2 tournaments of the year, ESL Pro League is not only one of the most watched events of the year but also a massive hit in the online betting community.

Esports punters can find ESL Pro League betting markets on a wide range of bookmakers, including traditional betting sites and the most prominent crypto betting platforms.

The best CS2 bookmakers will have a generous selection of betting markets to explore, including pre-tournament outright markets, match markets, and in-play betting options, ensuring fans have more than enough options to wager on games as they like.

The majority of bookmakers also offer bonuses for the ESL Pro League with special odds boosts and other promotions.

Moreover, most betting sites will offer welcome bonuses, including Stake, where ESL Pro League punters can claim a bonus with the Stake promo code NEWBONUS when signing up for an account.