The International 2026: How to Monetize Interest in Dota 2
23 July 2026
The International is an iconic esports event that draws millions of viewers worldwide every single year. At the climax of the tournament season, the audience actively searches for content, analytics, and predictions — giving you a prime opportunity to work with high-intent, warm traffic.
Key Features of the Dota 2 Audience
The Dota 2 community is one of the largest and most engaged gaming audiences globally.
Daily peak online regularly exceeds 800,000 users, with a total active Dota 2 player base of over 7 million. Official broadcasts of The International have even higher numbers — peak viewership in 2025 hit 1.7 million concurrent viewers.
However, even more important than the numbers is the nature of the audience. A Dota player constantly lives inside game analytics: breaking down patches (regular updates), studying the meta (the most effective current strategies, characters, and items), and tracking drafts (character selection before matches).
As a result, analytical content and match predictions are perceived not as intrusive advertising, but as an organic part of the information ecosystem, making user acquisition and retention significantly easier.
This audience profile makes the Revenue Share model optimal for driving traffic during The International 2026. Acquired players remain active long after the finals, building a player base that generates maximum profit over time.
The International 2026: About the Tournament
The International 2026 marks the 15th world championship for Dota 2. Its starting prize pool is $1.6 million, and this amount will grow through in-game content sales.
The group stage kicks off on August 13, while the playoff stage will take place from August 20 to 23.
An important feature of the tournament is a rule strictly prohibiting direct or indirect bookmaker advertising on official broadcasts, including in team names.
Official broadcasts would lack standard odds overlays and interactive betting features. However, the existing demand for betting among the audience does not disappear: bettors actively hunt for this data across outside sources, while mainstream viewers stay super open to native integrations since they aren't burnt out by ads and banners on the main stream.
Teams List
A total of 16 teams will compete in the tournament — 7 received direct invites, while 9 secured their spots through regional qualifiers.
1w Team as a Base for Native Content
Having our own roster compete under the 1w Team tag serves as a powerful tool for native integrations. You can build content around the team's matches and naturally lead your audience toward target actions.
We actively cover the team's games, share content and post extra updates in the 1win Dota 2 social media accounts—feel free to use these assets directly in your work.
Top Target GEOs
Interest in The International is spread worldwide, but the content that works best in each region is built around local players and teams: personal stories, intense rivalries, the return of former champions, and the struggles of familiar rosters.
CIS
The CIS region should be treated as a primary target due to Dota 2's massive popularity here, high player recognition, and the audience's habit of consuming content via Telegram. An additional engagement driver is the presence of five Russian-speaking teams at the tournament.
The core audience consists of tech-savvy males aged 18–34. They know the history of team rivalries, have been following the rosters since the regional qualifiers, and respond very well to expert-style presentations.
Key social medias: Telegram, YouTube, TikTok, VK.
LATAM
Dota 2 took root in the region over a decade ago and remains one of the top esports disciplines to this day. Peru and Brazil are among the most active hubs.
Legendary Chinese org LGD Gaming enters TI with a Latin American roster. The team features the region's top stars — TaiLung (Peru), Wisper (Bolivia), Yuma (Nicaragua), alongside Brazilian duo Thiolicor and KJ.
For the region, this is a major reason to follow the event and root for local talent on the global stage. Content should focus on individual player journeys and the LATAM roster's clashes against top international powerhouses.
Key social medias: WhatsApp, YouTube, Instagram, TikTok.
Southeast Asia
The Philippines, Malaysia, and Indonesia remain some of the largest hubs for the Dota 2 community.
Two-time The International champions OG will enter the tournament with an all-Filipino roster. The return of this legendary tag under the Philippine flag is generating massive regional interest.
Key content topics: OG's return to TI, the Filipino squad's chance to carry on the iconic tag's legacy, comparisons between the new roster and past championship lineups, and local community reactions.
Key social medias: Facebook, YouTube, Telegram, TikTok, Instagram.
Campaign Strategy
The International 2026 spans just under two weeks. To maximize efficiency during this period, you need to stick to core content principles while adapting your messaging based on the current tournament phase: pre-tournament build-up, group stage, playoffs, and finals.
Core Content Strategy Principle
The International shouldn't be treated as a simple list of individual matches. For the audience, the tournament is like a drama series. First, introduce the viewers to the main characters: teams, legends, rookies, and tournament favorites. Then, build tension around key rivalries, highlight unexpected upsets, and track storylines.
Audience engagement grows step by step: from initial interest in early group matches, through deep immersion into key moments and storylines, to peak excitement during the deciding series.
Key TI 2026 Storylines to Capture Attention
Even before the tournament starts, it's crucial to build personal engagement triggers for your audience and help them pick teams and players to root for. You can achieve this by creating content around the key storylines and burning questions driving community discussions.
1. Return of the Legends:
- y` and Bach back at TI with Vici Gaming. 10 years after Wings Gaming's legendary TI6 victory, these iconic players return to chase another trophy. This is a massive nostalgia trigger for the old-school audience: can they pull off a repeat triumph a decade later?
- SumaiL (Nigma Galaxy) — the youngest champion in TI history and the first player to become a millionaire before turning 18. What kind of shape is he in, and can he make it to the finals once again?
- Collapse & Yatoro (Team Spirit) — the TI10 champions. What is keeping these winners motivated, and will they live up to the sky-high expectations?
2. Breakdown of Playstyles by Team and Region
Teams from Southeast Asia and China force aggressive map clashes from the very first minutes, disrupting their opponents' usual tempo. This serves as the perfect hook for in-game prop betting — live odds on kill counts before the 15-minute mark, total kills, or First Blood.
Show your audience how the favorites plan to win. For instance, Team Spirit fans know their strategy inside out: Yatoro greedily farms resources while his team keeps the enemy occupied with skirmishes, while Collapse picks playmaking heroes capable of single-handedly turning the tide of any game.
Run debate posts and interactive polls: "Will the opposition ban out Yatoro early?", "Can Collapse outplay the enemy carry?". Topics like these boost ER engagement rate significantly and naturally prime the audience for match predictions.
3. Dark Horses and Debutants
- HULIGANI. The biggest surprise of the qualifiers: ran the open qualifier and then knocked out both Virtus.pro and NaVi in the lower bracket. How far can they push their tournament run?
- Reimagined OG. The return of this iconic tag to The International after a 4-year hiatus — now featuring an all-Filipino roster. Does this young squad have what it takes to bring OG back to the top?
- Team Resilience (China). A fresh squad ready to upset tournament favorites on home turf in Shanghai. Will the local crowd act as the main catalyst for a breakout performance from these Chinese rookies?
August 13 – 16: Group Stage
The period of peak content volume and the first big upsets. This is where the standard meta breaks, new strategies emerge, and true championship contenders separate themselves from the rest.
During this phase, focus on high dynamic pacing: quick daily roundups, match MVPs, key series breakdowns, reactions to major events, and memes.
August 17 – 19: Pre-Playoff Break
A short three-day window for deep analytics.
To keep your channel from feeling "dead" between match days, leverage formats that retain reach and drive shares:
- Past Series Breakdowns: Analyzing key drafts, fatal mistakes, and high-level macro decisions.
- Upcoming Match Previews: Team head-to-head history, personal rivalries, and pre-match odds. This keeps the conversation going and keeps the audience engaged even when there are no live streams.
- Infographics & Stats: Group standings, playoff brackets, and teams on the verge of elimination. Digestible info that users actively seek out on their own.
- Interactive Content & Polls: MVP of the day votes, predictions on who advances to the next stage. This boosts engagement rate (ER) and expands organic reach.
- Lifestyle & Creator Perspectives: Personal emotions from watching matches, live reactions. This builds trust — people see a real person behind the expert analysis.
The optimal posting cadence during breaks is 2–3 quality posts per day to stay relevant in the feed without overwhelming your audience.
August 20 – 23: Main Stage
The tournament's climax and the most emotional part of TI.
At this phase, the focus shifts to match previews, highlights, crazy comebacks, post-series reactions, and predictions right before deciding games.
This is also the time to lean into high-profile player narratives, iconic quotes, and memes. Alongside analysis, tap into the pure drama that can be highlighted: "the veteran's last dance," "underdogs vs. former TI champions," and the ultimate question — "who will lift the Aegis?" (The Aegis is the iconic shield trophy awarded to The International champions).
The closer you get to the Grand Final, the less "explanatory" content you should use — shift your energy toward raw hype, thrill, and direct calls to action.
High-Performing Formats and Funnels
Several funnels work exceptionally well for The International.
Funnel 1: Organic Traffic. Instagram / TikTok / YouTube Shorts → Telegram → Offer
The most accessible tool for capturing esports audiences due to high organic reach.
Short-form video acts as the initial touchpoint: an express match breakdown, highlight reaction, strategy breakdown, or odds comparison. The content should feel like an authoritative expert opinion rather than a hard sell.
Wrap up the video with a soft call to action: "More of this in my channel."
Funnel 2: Tipster Approach. Telegram Channel → Bot → Direct Messaging Closing
This setup leverages the audience's interest for in-depth analysis and match breakdowns.
The channel operates in real-time, delivering pre-match and in-between map predictions, post-match breakdowns, and daily summaries.
Direct messaging dramatically boosts conversions during the playoffs, when the stakes of every Best-of-5 series skyrocket. An engaged user visits your DMs looking for insights before crucial games, where you greet them with a tailored solution.
How to Natively Integrate Odds into Content
A common mistake is dropping odds into a standalone ad block. The winning approach is weaving them seamlessly into your analytical narrative as a natural takeaway.
Winning structure: Match thesis → Argument backed by team stats or current meta → Odds as a logical conclusion → Soft CTA.
Example: "Semifinals. 1w vs Liquid — the fight for the Grand Final spot. 1w have won their last three Bo3s during this tournament, while Liquid traditionally choke on game three. 1w to win sits at 1.85 — based on current form, they are clear favorites. Full breakdown in the bot."
You can also automate betting content creation using AI tools — we covered this in detail in a separate article.
Funnel 3: Facebook Ads → Telegram Channel → Offer
A fast scaling tool independent of social media algorithms.
During TI, conversion cost drops noticeably: Facebook's algorithms optimize and pinpoint target audiences much faster because overall interest in the topic is at its absolute peak.
Targeting: set up around interest clusters (Esports, Dota 2, Online Gaming) and behavioral triggers (stream viewers, followers of gaming media). To maximize conversions, narrow your sample down to users who have interacted with Dota 2 content over the last 30 days.
Creatives. A combination of two formats works best here:
- Dynamic (Video). A fast-paced 10–15 second clip featuring a highlight reel of TI moments, a quick match prediction, or a game reaction. Hooks users in the feed within the first 2–3 seconds — after that, they either click or scroll. Avoid logos on screen and explicit gambling CTAs to prevent ad account bans from Facebook.
- Static. An infographic card with a key takeaway: a short match prediction, predicted series score, or a team stat. Acts as a backup in rotation — when video creative fatigue sets in, static ads maintain reach and lower your CPM.
Traffic is directed straight to a public Telegram channel. This is crucial, as Facebook algorithms are significantly more forgiving toward Telegram links than direct links to gaming or betting platforms.
Why a Telegram Channel Is the Core of Every Funnel
Driving cold traffic directly to the gaming website is highly inefficient: only a fraction converts on impulse, while the rest of the audience is lost forever.
Telegram solves the main issue — retaining users over time. Once inside your channel, users enter an active community packed with live predictions and match breakdowns. Subscribers remain in your pool for warm-up content, converting into registrations and deposits.
The Telegram post format is also ideal for sharing bet codes — which you can seamlessly integrate using the Share Bet feature.
Post Timings
To squeeze maximum value out of your gathered audience, maintain a strict and consistent content publishing schedule:
- 2–3 hours before match start: pre-match announcement with form analysis and head-to-head history from the current season.
- 15–20 minutes before match start: final prediction featuring odds alongside a link or code. This is your hottest window, right when viewers sit down to watch the broadcast and are most inclined to place a bet.
- Right after draft phase: instant pick/ban evaluation identifying the favorite for the upcoming map.
- Immediately after a map ends: real-time reaction to intermediate results with a quick pitch for the next game at the peak of user emotions.
- Immediately after a series concludes: series recap, breakdown of the deciding play, and a preview of upcoming games for the day to keep user attention locked in.
Traffic Retention: Working with Players Post-TI
A common mistake is running a channel strictly during the tournament and stopping all activity right after the Grand Final. When that happens, your user base quickly burns out, unsubscribe rates spike, and you are forced to start from scratch for the next event.
To maximize lifetime Revenue Share earnings, it is crucial to establish a systematic, long-term audience engagement strategy beyond the tournament's conclusion.
1win Partners offers a fixed 50% GGR Revenue Share rate with lifetime player attribution. Reach out to us on Telegram @partners_1w — we'll tailor the best funnels and strategies for you. "Equal shares!" — Bounty Hunter.
A post-tournament dip in hype is inevitable, but it doesn't mean losing your entire audience and revenue. Users are simply waiting for the next narrative hook, and your job is to serve it up at the right time.
Pivoting to the Next Tournament Cycle. Esports never sleeps after The International. Immediately following TI, other major events from operators like ESL and PGL kick off:
Tournament | Dates | Prize Pool |
PGL Wallachia Season 9 | September 17–27, Bucharest | $1,000,000 |
BLAST Slam VIII | September 29 – October 11, Malta | $750,000 |
BLAST Slam IX | November 17–29 | $750,000 |
During breaks between tournaments, leverage organic news hooks: transfer rumors, high-profile roster reshuffles, and Valve's traditional massive post-TI in-game patch.
This approach lets you continuously convert registered 1win users into first-time depositors while also reactivating existing players.
Adjusting Your Content Strategy. Outside of major tournaments, the audience interest naturally cools down. During this period, reduce direct sales posts and increase informative, high-value content (tier lists, season recaps, previews for upcoming leagues). This keeps your community engaged and ready for the next big event.
Your Window of Opportunity
The International is the crown jewel of the esports calendar. For you, it is a ready-made narrative catalyst with a multi-million audience, fixed event dates, and peak organic demand for analysis.
Launching your funnel weeks before the tournament kicks off allows you to capture the most engaged, high-converting traffic with minimal competition. The best time to start is right now.
Everything outlined in this guide is your step-by-step playbook for TI 2026. Reach out to your personal manager, set up your funnels, and claim your share of the biggest esports event of the year!
To make sure you don’t miss more great content and ideas from us, follow 1win Partners on Telegram!
You can also read
How to Maximize the Value of Your Post-Tournament Audience: Life After the 2026 FIFA World Cup
Learn how to retain players after the FIFA World Cup 2026, increase LTV, maximize RevShare revenue, and improve CPA traffic quality through sports, casino cross-selling, and audience segmentation.
20 July 2026
FIFA World Cup 2026: The Epicenter of Sports and Traffic
The World Cup is the biggest event in sports — here’s how to make the most out of it.
10 June 2026
13.7K
18
1win Partners Advertising Tools: Referral Link and Promo Code
We explain how to create and set up a referral link and promo code in the personal account of the 1win Partners program.
19 November 2025
61.5K
56