DreamLeague Season 28 - Bet on Dota 2 Esports with Expert Picks & Predictions

Here at Stake, we offer the best odds on all Esports events, including professional Dota 2 tournaments like DreamLeague Season 28. Sign up to Stake Sportsbook to start betting today, or read on to discover our expert analysis, picks and predictions of this upcoming tournament.

What is Dota 2's DreamLeague Tournament?

The DreamLeague Season 28 tournament is part of the ESL Pro Tour (EPT). 16 teams from around the world receive invites based on their EPT points or enter thanks to their performance in regional qualifiers. A $1 million prize pool is shared between the top teams, which progress through two opening stages and a playoff round. By taking part in DreamLeague, Esports teams also earn EPT points, which are used for rankings and invitations for future tournaments.

Format & Structure

16-19 February - Group Stage 1

All teams are drawn into one of 2 groups, with each team playing a 2-game series against every other opponent in their group. The top 4 teams from each group advance.

20-27 February - Group Stage 2

All 8 teams compete in a single round-robin group. Matches are played to the best of 3 games, and the top 4 teams progress to the playoffs.

28 February - 1 March - Playoffs

The top 2 teams from the previous round advance to the upper bracket of this double-elimination bracket playoff. Meanwhile, the 3rd and 4th-placed teams from the previous round advance to the lower bracket. All matches except for the Grand Final are played to the best of 3 games. The Grand Final determines the champion in a best-of-5 series.

DreamLeague Season 28 Predictions

Players & Teams to Watch

• Team Yandex - Team Yandex won DreamLeague Season 27, beating Virtus.pro, Tundra Esports and Team Spirit in the playoffs. They were a big underdog, having qualified by winning DreamLeague Division 2 Season 1.

• PARIVISION - After winning DreamLeague Season 26 in 2025, PARIVISION went on to finish 3rd at the Esports World Cup, The International and DreamLeague Season 27.

• Team Spirit - In 2025, Team Spirit won the Esports World Cup and DreamLeague Season 25.

• Team Falcons - Team Falcons finished runners-up at the 2025 Esports World Cup, but were victorious at The International and FISSURE Playground 2.

Current Meta Picks

The latest Dota 2 gameplay patch was released at the start of the year, but it mostly dealt with big fixes and small issues. The latest meta is still affected by the new Madstone currency from neutral camps, as well as map changes with relocated Shrines, Tormentor and Roshan, as well as evolving neutral creeps. This mostly influences how teams utilise the jungle.

The current Dota 2 meta sees professional teams prioritising picks that offer high strength laning, early-to-mid game control and survivability. Pudge, Lion, Razor and Invoker are among the highest picked heroes in the Esports scene right now. These heroes offer high utility which makes them ideal for controlling the map and gives teams the option of changing strategies quickly.

At DreamLeague Season 27, Dragon Knight had the highest pick rate, followed by Tusk, Centaur Warrunner and Warlock. Meanwhile, Timbersaw, Jakiro, Marci and Shadow Demon had the highest ban rate.

Types of Bets & How to Bet on Dota 2

It’s really easy to start betting on Dota 2 at Stake Sportsbook. Before you jump in, we recommend checking out our Esports betting guide and our how to bet on Dota 2 guide. You can also follow these steps to get started:

1. Log in to your Stake.com account using your secure passkey .

2. Search for Dota 2 or open the menu and look for Esports > Dota 2 > International > DreamLeague Season 28.

3. Check the outright betting markets or select a live or upcoming match to see the available betting markets.

4. Add a bet to your bet slip, then enter your stake before checking your potential payout and confirming to place it.

There are many different ways to bet on Dota 2 at Stake. Popular betting markets include:

• Match Winner - Twoway (moneyline bet)

• Map handicap

• Total Maps

• Wins at Least One Map

• Correct Score

• Map Betting (Map Winner, Total Kills, Kills Handicap, Map Duration, etc.)

• Prop Bets (First Blood, First Tower, First Roshan, etc.)

Dota Betting Tips & Strategies

1. Analyse the drafting tendencies of each team - The hero draft at the start of each game has a big impact on match results. While some teams will stick to specific heroes, those with flexible strategies will typically have the best chance of success. You can also make the most of live betting after seeing the initial picks and bans of the draft.

2. Make the most of our betting guides - We’ve got lots of guides to help you get to grips with Dota 2 betting, including a full MOBA betting guide. You can also read through our MOBA terminology guide to learn more about common terms used at the tournament.

3. Look at both form and experience - Recent form, especially at Tier 1 tournaments such as BLAST Slam VI andThe International, can give a good indicator of how successful a team will be at the DreamLeague. However, you should also look at experience at the event, as teams that have a long history of playing in this format will generally have a better chance of success.

Free Esports & Dota 2 Online Live Streaming

While betting on the DreamLeague Season 27 at Stake, you’ll find both pre-match and live betting options available. To see live odds for Esports matches, just log in to your account and check the live page. We’re also live streaming every match, so you don’t have to worry about missing out on the action. If you’re logged in, you’ll be able to watch the Dota 2 free live streams.

Deposit & Withdrawal Methods for Betting on Esports

Deposit

1. Log in to your Stake account and open your wallet to check your current balance.

2. Select the deposit option and choose an available payment method and any of the local currency options, such as Canadian Dollars, Turkish Lira, Vietnamese Dong, Argentine Pesos, Chilean Pesos, Mexican Pesos, USD in Ecuador, and Indian Rupees.

3. You can deposit with crypto at Stake too. Lots of cryptocurrencies are available to bet with, including BTC, ETH, USDT, EOS, DOGE, LTC, TRX, and SOL.

4. Send your crypto to the deposit address, or set up your deposit with Mesh. It’s also possible to buy crypto using Swapped.com or MoonPay before transferring it.

5. Once your deposit arrives, you can store your crypto safely in the Stake vault for additional security, and you can also use the crypto swap feature to swap between supported cryptocurrencies.

Withdraw

1. Open your Stake wallet and select the option to withdraw.

2. Choose your payment method and enter the amount you’d like to withdraw.

3. If you’re withdrawing crypto, check that the right network is selected .

4. Confirm the details are correct before completing the payment.

Stake Sportsbook Promotions, VIP Club, & Responsible Betting

Stake makes betting on Esports even more exciting thanks to great odds and live streams. What’s more, you can also benefit from our excellent betting promotions, including the VIP Club. Place bets to level up your account and unlock exclusive rewards such as regular rakeback, reload bonuses, and your own personal VIP host. Find out more about how it works on the VIP FAQ page.

Remember to stay within your limits while betting on Esports at Stake. It’s important to set a budget using our budget calculatorand bet responsibly to avoid getting carried away. Follow our Stake Smart guidelines to have fun while staying safe.