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    Top 5 Tournaments in Counter-Strike: Global Offensive That Have the Largest Prize Pools
Top 5 Tournaments in Counter-Strike: Global Offensive That Have the Largest Prize Pools
Professional gamer. Source: Midjourney

Top 5 Tournaments in Counter-Strike: Global Offensive That Have the Largest Prize Pools

Professional players and teams go to extraordinary lengths to achieve success and fame in the very competitive world of Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO). For as long as these players have been competing, the cash incentive that tournaments provide has been one of the primary motivating factors. Throughout the years, tournaments that have offered the most prize money have consistently made a notable impression on the minds of both supporters and observers.

A Breakdown of the Tournament Format in CS:GO

An open tournament circuit is available for CS:GO. As opposed to a Franchised league system, in which a single organizer, typically the game publisher, is responsible for hosting all the professional competitions, a Competitive Strategy Game (CS:GO) event can be organized by anyone.

The fact that there are so many different organizers in CS:GO is exciting because each has its own unique style and structure, but it is more difficult to keep track of the upcoming tournaments.

The CS:GO Major, the game's world championship, is held twice a year, and all of these organizers gather to host it. For this event, CS:GO will now include a fantasy game, as well as team stickers and signatures.

The following are the various categories of CS:GO tournaments:

  • Online tournaments
  • Studio LAN tournaments
  • Stadium LAN tournaments
  • Major tournaments
Shooter game. Source: Midjourney
Shooter game. Source: Midjourney

5 Most Important Tournaments in the History of CS

5. ELEAGUE Season 2

  • Jackpt: $1,100,000 in Prizes
  • Victory goes to OpTic Gaming.
  • A prize of $400,000 was awarded.

The second season continued the tradition of high-stakes competition established in the first season of ELEAGUE. A total of sixteen teams were selected to participate in the event, which resulted in heated matches and strong competition. Following their victory over Astralis in the Grand Finals, OpTic Gaming was awarded a prize pool of $400,000 and emerged victorious.

Tournament hall. Source: Midjourney
Tournament hall. Source: Midjourney

4. BLAST.tv Paris Major 2023 and IEM Rio Major 2022

  • $1,250,000 (each) is the total prize pool.
  • Both Vitality (Paris) and Outsiders (Rio) emerged victorious.
  • Each winner will receive a prize of $500,000

These two significant tournaments stood out from others because, in comparison to earlier competitions, they offered larger prize pools. A considerable amount of money was awarded to the winners of each event, with Vitality and Outsiders both receiving a half-million-dollar prize. It was the prestige of being Major winners that served as the primary motive for teams, notwithstanding the cash incentives that were offered.

3. ELEAGUE Season 1

  • The total prize pool is $1,410,000.
  • Victory goes to Virtus.pro
  • Taking home the prize is $400,000

The goal of the first season of ELEAGUE, produced by Turner Sports and WME|IMG, was to establish itself as a big show on American television. Four hundred thousand dollars was awarded to the Golden Polish Virtus.pro lineup, which emerged triumphant after a complicated system that involved twenty-four teams and two months of play. Significant expenditures were made in the system.

PC gamer. Source: Midjourney
PC gamer. Source: Midjourney

2. WESG 2016 and WESG 2017

  • $1,500,000 (each) is the total prize pool.
  • Both Team EnVyUs (2016) and Fnatic (2017) emerged victorious.
  • Those who win will receive $800,000 each.

With the intention of reviving national team competitions, the Chinese WESG event series demonstrated a high level of ambition. During that period, the organizers of a CS:GO competition gave the highest prize pool possible in order to entice the most talented players. Even though the stakes were relatively high, WESG needed help to become a Tier-1 event. Despite this, Team EnVyUs and Fnatic achieved victory, which resulted in each of them receiving $800,000.

1. PGL Major Stockholm, 2021

  • Prize Pool: Two Million Dollars
  • Natus Vincere comes out on top.
  • $100,000 is the prize that was won.

PGL Major Stockholm 2021 was the first Major CS:GO competition to take place after COVID, and it established a new benchmark by doubling the amount of money that was up for grabs. Natus Vincere reigned supreme throughout the competition, claiming victory without suffering a single defeat and receiving a reward worth one million dollars.

PC game tournament hall. Source: Midjourney
PC game tournament hall. Source: Midjourney

These tournaments not only raise the level of competition and motivate players to seek high-level success, but also provide financial benefits to the teams and individuals that participate in them. Despite the fact that the monetary incentives have always been a significant driving element, the prestige that comes with winning these major events and the legacy that is left behind are equally essential. As CS:GO makes the transition to CS2, we anticipate even more intriguing events and even greater prize pools, which will continue to push the frontiers of competitive esports.

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