ESL Pro League Season 23 Predictions - CS2 Betting Picks
ESL Pro League Season 23 - Bet on Counter-Strike 2 Esports with Expert Picks & Predictions
Over the coming weeks, the best Counter-Strike teams in the world will go head to head as they compete to be crowned champions of the ESL Pro League Season 23. Find the latest ESL Pro League odds at Stake Sportsbook, and read our expert predictions and analysis right here on Stake.
What is the ESL Pro League Tournament?
The ESL Pro League is the biggest Counter-Strike 2 tournament, featuring the best CS2 teams competing across multiple stages for a $1 million prize pool. Teams are invited to the event based on their Valve regional standings. The tournament is split into 3 stages, with 16 teams invited to compete in Stage 1, while 8 teams will receive a direct invite to Stage 2. Top teams advance to the playoffs, where they’ll compete for the title of ESL Pro League champion and the ESL Grand Slam in front of a live audience.
ESL Pro League Season 22 Recap
Our Stake Esports partner, Team Vitality, were crowned champions of ESL Pro League Season 22, adding to their dominant year, which saw them declared ESL Grand Slam champions. Despite losing 2-0 to Gentle Mates in Stage 2, Team Vitality had a strong showing in the tournament, beating FURIA and FaZe Clan in the playoffs before crushing Team Falcons 3-0 in the Grand Final. FlameZ’s performances in the Grand Final stood out, but the whole team executed their strategies perfectly.
Format & Structure
The tournament is split into 3 stages, with teams invited to the first 2 stages based on their ranking and performances. The first 2 stages are online, while the playoffs will be an offline LAN event. The following maps will be part of the map pool for the entire tournament:
Ancient
Anubis
Dust II
Inferno
Mirage
Nuke
Overpass
March 1-5 - Stage 1
16 teams take part in Stage 1 of the ESL Pro League Season 23. 9 teams are directly invited, while 5 qualify through the ESL Challenger League, and the remaining 2 qualify through qualifiers. This stage is online and uses a Swiss System format, with random opponent draws for the 1st round. All matches are played to the best of 3 games, and the top 8 teams advance to Stage 2.
March 6-10 - Stage 2
The 8 best teams from Stage 1 are joined by 8 teams directly invited. Once again, teams compete over 5 rounds of a Swiss System, with matches played to the best of 3 games.
March 13-15 - Playoffs
The best 8 teams from Stage 2 progress to the playoffs, which are held in front of a live audience at the Annexet in Stockholm, Sweden. Matches are played to the best of 3 games in a single elimination bracket, while the Grand Final is decided by a best-of-5 games series.
Predictions & Players and Teams to Watch
Defending champions Team Vitality declined their invitation to the tournament, but there are lots of top teams taking part, including:
MOUZ - Sporting an impressive 5 win-streak against favourites including The MongolZ, MOUZ has been performing flawlessly through Stage 2. With amazing team efforts to keep their late game up and key players including brollan and spinx putting on a showstopping display so far, MOUZ looks to be on a great trajectory this event.
Team Spirit - Another top favourite thanks to their Stage 2 invite and the fact that they finished 3rd at IEM Kraków 2026. Team Spirit uses late-round reads and methodical play to their advantage, and particularly excel in best-of-5 series as shown by 2025 wins at PGL Astana and IEM Cologne. Top players on their roster, such as sh1ro, donk, and zont1x, have the potential to make the difference in big moments.
Astralis - Team Astralis received a Stage 1 invite based on their Valve Regional Standings with the 2-time winners featuring a strong current roster, recently placing in the top 10 at IEM Kraków 2026. Astralis is known for slow-paced control and efficient use of utilities, but their consistency is a weak point. Their team roster features phzy and ryu as standout talents who could be key to their success in this tournament.
Types of Bets & How to Bet on Counter-Strike 2
Betting on CS2 matches at Stake is simple enough. You can read our guide to Counter-Strike betting for more information, and we also have a sports betting guide and an Esports betting guide if you’re a beginner. Follow these steps to get started quickly:
Log in and search for Counter-Strike to see all live and upcoming matches.
Alternatively, use the menu to look up Esports > Counter-Strike > International > ESL Pro League Season 23.
Open any match to see all the available bet types.
Select a bet to add to your bet slip, then enter your stake and confirm to place your bet.
FPS games like Counter-Strike offer lots of betting opportunities. Here are some of the most popular CS2 betting markets:
Match Winner - Twoway (Moneyline)
Match Total Rounds
Map Winner - Threeways (1x2)
Total Maps (Over/Under)
Duel of Player Kills Draw No Bet
Match Round Handicap
Player Props (total kills, total headshots, etc.)
ESL Pro League Betting Tips & Strategies
Pay attention to the latest form - Before making betting predictions, consider the form of each team coming into the ESL Pro League, including performances at Majors and qualifying. Bear in mind that form can vary depending on LAN and online tournaments, where the level of competition is very different.
Use our guides - We’ve got lots of helpful betting guides which provide you with all the details you need to know about making match predictions and placing bets on our Sportsbook. Our FPS betting guide explains betting strategies, while our FPS glossary explains common terms that will help you navigate tactical first-person shooter Esports and get the best online betting odds on the ESL Pro League.
Strategy and adaptability - Counter-Strike 2 is a fast-paced shooter, but strategy is a critical part of any team’s success. The best teams can execute their strategies effectively, while also being able to adapt and make mid-match changes if necessary. Pay attention to how a team performs when faced with challenges and how they counteract the strategy of their opponents.
Follow the data - There’s a lot of helpful statistical data, team performance stats and player metrics to help you make accurate predictions on competitive Counter-Strike. For example, map-specific win rates, as well as map ban and pick rates. The pistol round win percentage is another key team performance metric that will show you which teams are best at building early momentum.
Free Esports & Counter-Strike 2 Online Live Streaming
All ESL Pro League matches are covered at Stake Sportsbook, with pre-match and live betting options available. To see the latest live odds, you just need to log in and open the event while it’s happening. Free live streams are also offered on every match, so you never have to worry about missing the action.
Deposit & Withdrawal Methods for Betting on Esports
Deposit
Use your secure passkey to log in to your Stake.com account and check your current balance.
Open your wallet and select the deposit option to see the available payment methods and local currency options such as Canadian Dollars,Turkish Lira, Vietnamese Dong, Argentine Pesos, Chilean Pesos, Mexican Pesos, USD in Ecuador, and Indian Rupees.
It’s also possible to deposit and bet with crypto at Stake. A wide range of cryptocurrencies is supported, like BTC, ETH, USDT, EOS, DOGE, LTC, TRX, SOL, and more.
Use the deposit address to send your coins, or transfer with Mesh from your wallet or a trusted exchange. You can also use Swapped.com or MoonPay to buy crypto and transfer it.
Once your funds arrive,store your coins safely in the Stake vault.
Withdraw
Log in to your account and open your Stake wallet.
Check your balance and then choose the withdraw option.
Select a payment method, then enter your details and the amount you want to withdraw.
If you’re withdrawing crypto, ensure you have the right crypto network selected .
Double-check all the details before confirming the transfer.
Stake Sportsbook Promotions, VIP Club, & Responsible Betting
Don’t forget to take advantage of our sports betting promotions as you’re placing CS2 bets. Thanks to the VIP Club, you’ll even be able to level up your account and earn rewards just for placing bets. As you gain levels, you can unlock regular rakeback, reload bonuses, and even your own personal VIP host. All the details on how it works are available on the VIP FAQ page.
While enjoying the ESL Pro League at Stake, make sure you’re betting responsibly. Follow our Stake Smart guidelines and use our budget calculator to set a sensible budget while avoiding betting more than you can afford to lose.
