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Intel Extreme Masters Melbourne 2025 - Tournament Preview & Guide

tit-krajnik
15 Apr 2025
Tit Krajnik 15 Apr 2025
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  • Intel Extreme Masters Melbourne 2025 is scheduled to begin on Monday, April 21
  • 16 Counter-Strike 2 teams vie for the lion’s share of the $300,000 prize pool
  • IEM returns to Australia for the first time in two years
Intel Extreme Masters
Intel Extreme Masters (Getty Images)
The dust has barely settled on PGL Bucharest 2025, and the focus has already shifted towards the next S-Tier Counter-Strike 2 tournament – the Intel Extreme Masters Melbourne 2025.
  • When Does IEM Melbourne 2025 Start?
  • IEM Melbourne 2025 Format
  • Group Stage
  • Playoffs
  • IEM Melbourne 2025 Teams
  • What is the IEM Melbourne 2025 Prize Pool?
  • IEM Melbourne 2025 Betting Odds
  • Where to Watch IEM Melbourne 2025?
  • Where To Bet on IEM Melbourne 2025?

Hosted at Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne, Australia, IEM Melbourne 2025 will feature 16 of the world’s best Counter-Strike 2 teams who will vie for the coveted trophy and the lion’s share of the $300,000 prize pool in front of the Australian esports fans.

Set to begin on April 21 and conclude on April 27, IEM Melbourne 2025 promises to provide a week of exciting CS2 esports action for fans to enjoy and bet on with the best esports betting sites and crypto bookmakers – including Stake, where new users can claim a welcome bonus with Stake promo code NEWBONUS.

Here is everything you need to know about IEM Melbourne 2025 and how to bet on the tournament.

When Does IEM Melbourne 2025 Start?


IEM Melbourne 2025 is scheduled to begin on Monday, April 21, with the first games of the group stage. The tournament will run for one week and culminate with the grand finals on Sunday, April 27.

IEM Melbourne 2025 Format


Intel Extreme Masters Melbourne 2025 is divided into two stages – the group stage and the playoffs.

Sixteen participating Counter-Strike 2 teams will first be seeded into two double-elimination (GSL) groups of eight. All group stage fixtures are played as best-of-three (BO3), with the top three teams advancing to the playoffs.

In the group stage, the squads will fight for favourable seeding in the knockout stage. The group stage winners receive a direct bye to the semifinals, while the second and third-placed teams will proceed to the quarterfinals.

Playoffs are single-elimination with the quarterfinals and semifinals played as best-of-three (BO3). The grand finals are best-of-five (BO5).

Group Stage

  • 16 Counter-Strike 2 esports teams
  • Two double-elimination (GSL) groups of eight
  • All games are played as best-of-three (BO3)
  • Group stage winners secure a direct bye to the semifinals
  • Second- and third-placed teams proceed to the quarterfinals

Playoffs

  • Six Counter-Strike 2 teams
  • Single-elimination
  • Quarterfinals and semifinals are best-of-three (BO3)
  • Grand final is best-of-five (BO5)

IEM Melbourne 2025 Teams


Intel Extreme Masters Melbourne 2025 is one of many Counter-Strike 2 tournaments that sent out invites to teams based on the Valve Regional Standings (VRS) alone with no open qualifiers.

The list of participating teams included Eternal Fire (Aurora Gaming) and Team Spirit, but the two squads decided to withdraw and were replaced by SAW and Complexity.

All 16 teams were divided into two groups of eight based on their ranking to create balanced groups.

Group A
  • MOUZ
  • BIG
  • GamerLegion
  • FaZe Clan
  • PaiN Gaming
  • Complexity
  • The MongolZ

Group B
  • Team Vitality
  • FlyQuest
  • Virtus.pro
  • Team Liquid
  • Team Falcons
  • SAW
  • MIBR
  • Natus Vincere

What is the IEM Melbourne 2025 Prize Pool?


Intel Extreme Masters Melbourne 2025 will offer a $300,000 prize pool, which will be divided among all 16 participating squads. The champions will take home the largest slice of $125,000.

  • Champions - $125,000
  • Runners-up - $50,000
  • 3rd-4th-place - $25,000
  • 5th-6th-place - $12,500
  • 7th-8th-place - $7,000
  • 9th-12th-place - $5,000
  • 13th-16th-place - $4,000

IEM Melbourne 2025 Betting Odds


According to the latest IEM Melbourne 2025 betting odds, there are just two Counter-Strike 2 teams who are considered a serious threat to the title, including Team Vitality (1.80) and MOUZ (3.00).

Natus Vincere are priced as the third-favourites at 8.00 and are the only remaining squad priced at single digits, suggesting the IEM Melbourne 2025 will be a very top-heavy tournament.

However, despite what the odds suggest, The MongolZ (12.00), FaZe Clan (12-00), and Team Falcons (19.00) deserve some respect as they have proven their worth in recent tournaments and will be a threat to derail the top dogs.

With the absence of Aurora Gaming (Eternal Fire) and Team Spirit, the gap between the top contenders and the rest is, however, quite significant.

Virtus.pro (28.00), Team Liquid (34.00), Complexity (34.00), and 3DMAX (51.00) already fall into the category of outsiders who likely will not make it to the playoffs and the same applies for the tournament’s lowest-rated teams in paiN Gaming (76.00), GamerLegion (76.00), MIBR (101.00), SAW (101.00), BIG (151.00), and FlyQuest (501.00).

Considering Vitality’s dominance over the last few months, IEM Melbourne 2025 is their tournament to lose and there is not much to suggest they can not do it. MOUZ will be a threat nonetheless, and if NaVi, MongolZ, FaZe Clan, or Falcons find their rhythm, neither of the five outsiders should be written off entirely.

Where to Watch IEM Melbourne 2025?


IEM Melbourne 2025 live streams are available on the official Intel Extreme Masters YouTube and Twitch channels.

Fans can also tune in to watch the games via live streaming services offered by the best betting sites, including Stake, PickleBet, and 1xBet, which offer live streams and in-play IEM Melbourne 2025 betting markets.

Where To Bet on IEM Melbourne 2025?


As a part of the Intel Extreme Masters tournament series, IEM Melbourne 2025 is one of the biggest and most prestigious Counter-Strike 2 events of the year – and as such, it is well-covered by all online bookmakers with esports markets.

Punters can find IEM Melbourne 2025 betting markets on traditional and crypto betting sites, including Stake, where new users can claim a welcome bonus with Stake promo code NEWBONUS.

Verdict

Team Vitality have solidified themselves as the world’s most dominant team with three back-to-back titles from IEM Katowice 2025, ESL Pro League Season 21, and BLAST Open Spring 2025. While their reign will come to a stop at one point, Vitality have yet to show signs of slowing down.

One of the outsiders who can impress are Team Falcons. While widely inconsistent, the Falcons have shown they have a high ceiling, and if the stars align with the new AWPer m0NESY, we could see another dominant display from the Saudi team, who recently won PGL Bucharest 2025.

Best Bet1: Team Vitality To Win Outright @-125.00 at Stake.com - 3 Units
Best Bet2: Falcons To Reach Final To Reach The Final @850.00 at Stake.com - 1 Unit
Team Vitality To Win
Outright
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Falcons To Reach Final
To Reach The Final
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