eSports
Champions crowned as Riyadh Masters 2023 wraps up Dota 2 action at Gamers8
The Dota 2 Riyadh Masters 2023 competition wrapped up yesterday after 12 days of thrilling matches featuring 20 elite teams vying for victory and taking home a share of the $15,000,000 prize pool. As one of the premier tournaments in the Dota 2 calendar, Riyadh Masters 2023 ran the globe’s greatest teams through a round-robin group stage and then double-elimination playoffs in the popular multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA).
Among the teams competing for the top prize was Dota 2 powerhouse Team OG, the first team in Dota 2 history to win four Dota Major Championships. Team Tundra Esports, reigning champions of Dota’s iconic “The International” tournament, also headed into the 2023 Masters amongst the favorites. Of course, there could only be one winner, and this achievement went to Team Spirit, who triumphed in the final, beating Team Liquid in an encounter for the ages.
The $15,000,000 prize pool is the largest available of any Dota 2 competition this season, and the action did not disappoint, with the stakes being so high. Over 120,000 fans tuned in to the official broadcast on Twitch to witness the epic showdown. Team Spirit reached the Grand Final for the second year in a row, knocking out the season’s most dominant performer, Team Gaimin Gladiators, along the way and beating Team Liquid 2-1 in the upper-bracket final as the team looked to banish last years demons and finish in first place rather than second. Team Liquid earned a shot at their redemption by crushing Team Talon 2-0 in the lower bracket final. But the result of this eagerly anticipated rematch in the five-game Grand Final went to Team Spirit, an unassailable 3-1. As champions, Team Spirit left Gamers8 and Boulevard Riyadh City $5,000,000 richer, the runners-up collecting $2,500,000 from the overall prize pool.
Faisal bin Homran, Chief Esports Officer at the Saudi Esports Federation, said: “The Dota 2 Riyadh Masters tournament at Gamers8: The Land of Heroes has captured the imagination of the thousands in attendance at Boulevard Riyadh City’s Esports Arena and the tens of millions watching avidly across the globe. Since July 19th, the global gaming and esports scene has been captivated by the exploits of the best Dota 2 teams and players in the world. Competing for a $15 million prize pool – the biggest third-party prize pool for a tournament ever – the action has been even more dramatic than anticipated and epitomizes the level of standard for which Gamers8 has become renowned. We congratulate Team Spirit on their success and thank all the teams, players, fans, sponsors, and partners at the Dota 2 Riyadh Masters for being part of a special moment in Saudi Arabian gaming history.”
Although the Riyadh Masters may have finished, there’s plenty more action on offer as part of Gamers8: The Land of Heroes in its 2023 edition. Esports athletes from around the world are competing in a 12-tournament lineup with a prize pool of $45 million to the soundtrack of musical superstars like Imagine Dragons, Alan Walker, and Metro Boomin’, who are putting on a show for the crowds at Gamers8. The festival, the world’s largest for gaming and esports, has been full of action since it kicked off in July, with seismic impacts such as Pakistan winning the Nations Cup in Tekken against a well-favored Korean team. Among the other titles taking center stage at Gamers8’s home in Boulevard Riyadh City are Rocket League, PUBG Mobile, FIFA, and Counterstrike.
Fans can enjoy further exciting events as the festival continues through August 27th, following which the Gamers8 festival will conclude with a gaming and esports forum. Known as the ‘Next World Forum,’ it brings together sector leaders and experts from around the world to Saudi Arabia. Gamers8 is playing a key role in developing the grassroots esports scene in Saudi Arabia and providing opportunities for esports athletes around the world. Over 67% of Saudi citizens are gamers, and multiple world champions have come from the Kingdom already to win on the world’s largest stages.
Berlin-based initiative will embed researchers with teams and publish findings with partners including German Sport University Cologne.
G2 on 5 June 2026 announced the G2 Performance Lab, an applied research and innovation platform focused on performance development for its competitive rosters. The initiative is based in Berlin and has a dedicated site at.
The lab is launching with support from Red Bull and is designed to combine scientific research with day-to-day performance work across G2 teams. G2 said it intends to share outputs beyond the organisation through scientific publications and academic work with institutions including the German Sport University Cologne.
Launched earlier this year, the Performance Lab is led by PhD candidate and G2 Performance Coach Ismael Pedraza-Ramirez. Its first project, “A Space for Leaders”, focuses on leadership development across G2 staff and sits under one of four stated pillars: coaching and coach development. The other pillars are training design & delivery, player development, and performance health & support systems, with projects planned for 2026 involving academic contributors including German Sport University Cologne and Vrije Universiteit Brussel.
“As a long-standing partner of G2, Red Bull has played a central role in supporting the vision behind the G2 Performance Lab,” said Alban Dechelotte, G2 CEO. “Red Bull’s track record of investing in athlete performance and high-performance environments speaks for itself. Across traditional sports and esports alike, they share our ambition to build something truly impactful. When you have partners around the table who have that same mindset, it pushes ideas further, raises the standard, and helps challenge what’s possible.”
”The work we’re doing at the G2 Performance Lab is truly innovative for esports and sports, and is going to revolutionise how we approach performance improvement at G2 and beyond,” said Ismael Pedraza, Performance Lab Director and Performance Coach at G2. ”Elite esports competitors are incredible at what they do, yet they have the potential to go even further. Little is still known about how to properly develop them into world-class competitors, and we’re taking steps to change that with Red Bull’s support. Through robust scientific research and practical work, we’re designing the tools and building the infrastructure to bring out the best in our competitors, while also sharing our findings with the world to support the entire esports scene.”
The post G2 launches Performance Lab research unit backed by Red Bull appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
BETER has won the Esports Betting Supplier award at the EGR B2B Awards 2026, securing the category for the second consecutive year.
The company said the win is its fifth industry accolade of 2026. The EGR B2B Awards recognise suppliers serving the global iGaming sector across product quality, innovation, reliability and service.
BETER’s esports offering includes its exclusive ESportsBattle content, which it says delivers more than 550,000 events annually across eFootball, eBasketball, eHockey and eTennis, with up to 50 markets per event and an average operator margin of 7.5%+. The company also said ESportsBattle received ESIC Gold Standard Accreditation in 2025 and is now available in several US states, including Kentucky, New Jersey, Arizona, Florida and Colorado.
Separately, BETER said it has expanded its eFootball schedule with more than 4,200 monthly events “tailored to key US betting hours”. It also highlighted its Esports Odds Feed, which it says covers more than 450 tournaments globally and more than 40,000 pre-match and live events annually across titles including CS2, Dota 2, League of Legends and Valorant.
Adam Conway, General Manager of the Esports Business Unit at BETER, said: “Winning this award for the second year in a row is a proud moment for our team and a strong sign that operators continue to see the value of our esports products.
“Our products are built to give operators fast, reliable content that performs around the clock, not only during peak betting hours, while complementing traditional sports. That consistency is what makes the product so important in today’s sportsbook environment.
“We have continued to expand the portfolio, strengthen our US presence, and enhance our eFootball offering. Winning this category again reflects the trust that operators, partners, and the wider industry place in our products and people.
“This recognition reflects the dedication and expertise of teams across the business, including product development, trading, technology, integrity, operations, legal, commercial, marketing, and many others who contribute to our success every day. While we are proud of this achievement, it also motivates us to keep raising the bar, expanding further in regulated markets, and maintaining the high standards that have made BETER one of the industry’s leading providers of fast-paced betting content.”
The post BETER wins Esports Betting Supplier at EGR B2B Awards for second year appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
Esportes Gaming Brasil director Hugo Baungartner used a panel appearance at BiS Brasília (Brazilian iGaming Summit) to argue that sports and cultural sponsorships should be measured by their long-term impact, not just brand visibility. Baungartner spoke during the session “A Importância dos Patrocínios e das Leis de Incentivo para a Sustentabilidade do Esporte e da Cultura.”
During the debate, Baungartner said sector maturity requires a long-term approach that turns sponsorships into platforms for relationship-building and local ecosystem development, connecting with fans, consumers and communities.
He highlighted the group’s sports partnerships with Corinthians, Ceará, Náutico and Ferroviária, as well as support for Brazilian cultural events including Carnaval, São João and the Festival de Parintins. Baungartner said major events can move entire supply chains by boosting tourism, commerce and job opportunities, and pointed to the importance of working with local suppliers and professionals in Parintins to expand the positive impacts of sponsorship spending.
Baungartner also addressed challenges in Brazil’s regulated betting market, saying consolidation depends on governance, integrity and consumer protection, alongside efforts to combat illegal operators. He said advances in provider regulation and stronger financial traceability mechanisms are important steps to limit unauthorized activity and improve user security.
“Patrocínio responsável é aquele que cria conexão real com o público e deixa legado no território. No esporte e na cultura, isso significa investir com governança, transparência e propósito, fortalecendo um ecossistema que gera renda, emprego e oportunidades”, afirmou.
The post Esportes Gaming Brasil exec calls for ‘responsible sponsorship’ at BiS Brasília appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.
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