Stake Ranked

Our Esports Commitment

Stake is proud to sponsor and co-organise Stake Ranked, the premier Counter-Strike 2 Tier 2 LAN tournament circuit, launched in partnership with leading esports organiser StarLadder. Stake Ranked represents our continued commitment to the growth, integrity, and future of competitive Counter-Strike 2 - giving rising teams a clear pathway to the highest tier of professional play.

Across six episodes throughout 2026, we're investing over $600,000 in prize money to back the teams shaping the future of the game, with LAN Finals running 1-4 April (Episode 1), 27-30 May (Episode 2), 15-18 July (Episode 3), 1-4 October (Episode 4), 27-30 October (Episode 5), and 17-20 November (Episode 6).

A Competitive League

Stake Ranked operates fully in line with Valve's tournament framework and is integrated with the Global Valve Regional Standings (VRS), with invitations and seeding determined by VRS rankings to ensure transparency and competitive integrity at every stage. Each episode runs through three stages: Open Qualifiers on FACEIT, a 16-team Closed Qualifier (14 VRS invitees plus two Open Qualifier winners), and an 8-team LAN Finals played out in a double-elimination, best-of-three format in Europe's Schengen region.

Every event offers a minimum $100,000 prize pool that breaks down to $25,000 for the champion, $17,500 for the runner-up, $13,500 for third, $11,000 for fourth, $9,000 each for fifth and sixth, and $7,500 each for seventh and eighth - alongside meaningful VRS points awarded all the way down the bracket that feed directly into Valve Major qualification.

Stake Ranked Episode 2 - LAN Finals This Month

Following G2's title-winning run at Episode 1 in Barcelona, Stake Ranked Episode 2 reaches its climax with the LAN Finals from 27-30 May 2026 in the Schengen region, where eight teams will battle through a Double Elimination, Best-of-Three bracket for a share of the $100,000 prize pool and the $25,000 winner's cheque. Six sides earned their spot via direct Global VRS invites - FaZe Clan, 9z Team, HEROIC, Alliance, 3DMAX, and Ninjas in Pyjamas - joined by Closed Qualifier graduates Magic and Sharks, who battled through a 16-team online gauntlet from 29 April to 3 May to claim the final two slots. Full brackets, match schedules, and live odds are available now on the Stake Ranked EP2 Finals betting market page, with every Closed Qualifier match still archived on the Stake Ranked EP2 Qualifiers page.

Bet on Every Stage of the Action

Watch aspiring CS2 teams battle it out live with free streams and real-time odds on Stake Sportsbook, and explore the full range of markets across every Stake Ranked match and the wider CS2 calendar. Sharpening your picks? Our CS2 Stake Ranked predictions break down every episode stage by stage, while our Esports betting guide, how to bet on CS2 walkthrough, and FPS terminology explained cheat sheet have you covered whether you're new to esports or a seasoned punter. For everything else across the scene, our esports blog tracks news, previews, and results as they happen.