Dota 2 is currently one of the top esports titles, standing strong from ten years ago up till this very day. Though the MOBA game is quite complicated and complex to get into, Dota 2 has incredibly popular tournaments due to their tournaments’ volume of prize money. Within these tournaments lie some legendary matches that Dota fans worldwide will never forget. Huge plays, epic comebacks, and hype caster moments are present in these matches. The players receive heavy pressure due to the game’s stakes, where millions of dollars are on the line. This article will cover a list of five of the greatest Dota 2 matches in history.
1. OG vs. PSG.LGD – Game 4 – The International 2018 – Grand Final
OG had their backs against the wall. The Grand Final, the last series of Dota left in the event. Going into Game 4, OG were down in the series 1 – 2, meaning that if they were to lose the 4th game, they would have their miracle run ended.
The game was already incredibly back and forth, with both teams winning their fair share of team fights, buybacks coming from the left and right. It was already an incredible showing from both teams, despite the immense pressure they are facing. This action led to a critical fight at the 61st minute.
The team fight looked grim for OG, with Topson, N0tail, and JerAx dying while PSG.LGD still had four heroes alive. The four LGD heroes surrounded OG’s carry player, ana, and it looked like they had what they needed to kill him off. However, one of the most legendary Dota 2 plays up to this day happened. Ceb was able to land a call on all four LGD heroes, saving ana and securing the team fight victory for OG.
That team fight win propelled OG to winning the hour-long game to keep their TI dreams alive. OG went on to win the entire series, allowing them to win their first-ever TI title.
2. EHOME vs. EG – Game 1 – The International 2016 – Upper Bracket Semifinals
Though the stakes of this match weren’t as high as a Grand Final, every game in TI has its importance. EHOME took on EG to see who would move on in the Upper Bracket to receive an easier path to the Grand Final.
The game had its fair share of epic team fights. Still, EHOME slowly took control over the game, finally securing themselves Mega Creeps at the 71st minute. It is challenging for teams to come back once the enemy has Mega Creeps, so it was a tough ask for the players on EG. However, the next 4 minutes of breathtaking gameplay ended up being one of the most memorable 4 minutes in Dota history.
A series of insane plays, team coordination, and multiple occurrences of the Ethereal Blade and Dagon combo led EG to win crucial team fights. With the American crowd chanting and cheering for EG, Universe, EG’s offlaner, went on to buy a Divine Rapier and headed over to end this game.
EG went on to win one of the only Mega Creep comebacks in TI history, then proceeded to win out the series 2 – 0 to move on through the Upper Bracket.
3. Alliance vs. Natus Vincere – Game 5 – The International 2013 – Grand Final
It’s Game 5 of the Grand Finals of The International. You’ve worked hard this entire year for this moment—all or nothing. Alliance faced Natus Vincere, a previous TI Winner, to fight for the title in a grueling series. The score is tied up now, and this last game decides it all.
A lot of team fight action, sprinkled with some “Rat Dota,” made this game an intense decider for the title. In the 43rd minute of the match, Natus Vincere had lost both of their Tier 4 towers, meaning that their Ancient is exposed.
Loda and AdmiralBulldog from Alliance used this opportunity to go for the throne while the Na’Vi members were outside their base. Dendi and Puppey from Na’Vi were teleporting back to their base to defend the push. Still, Alliance’s s4 on Puck canceled Puppey’s teleport, then went on to also cancel Dendi’s teleport. S4’s play bought enough time for Loda and AdmiralBulldog to end the game by destroying the Ancient, crowning Alliance as the winners of The International 2013.
4. Team Spirit vs. PSG.LGD – Game 5 – The International 2021 – Grand Final
The series did not have many insane team fights, comebacks, or base defenses, Spirit vs. PSG. LGD’s Grand Final match showed Team Spirit’s incredible underdog run. Everybody thought that PSG.LGD, the undisputed best team of 2021, was going to 3 – 0 Team Spirit in this final, but Spirit quickly proved their worth and shocked the world.
This series was a memorable match for Dota 2 betting, as the odds on Team Spirit were insanely high, at 4.02 odds. The upset allowed many people in the Dota 2 match betting community who knew how to bet on Dota 2 matches, to have large amounts of winnings. Success stories like Team Spirit show that Dota 2 betting on matches can be worth the risk, with incredibly high odds of winning at the Grand Final of TI. Nobody had Team Spirit on their radars to win TI, as the entire community thought PSG.LGD will finally take a TI title home. So for Team Spirit to reach such a fantastic achievement, the young boys have inspired many aspiring players and people who bet on Dota 2 matches that nothing is impossible.
5. OG vs. PSG.LGD – Game 3 – The International 2018 – Upper Bracket Final
OG and PSG.LGD had to face each other off in the Upper Bracket Final before both teams met again for the legendary Grand Final series discussed previously.
In Game 3, LGD had the lead, and we’re looking for a clean finish to the match to qualify themselves for the Grand Final. With a comfortable net worth lead built up, LGD decided to try to knock on OG’s front door in the 53rd minute. A massive team fight broke out, with 3 OG heroes dying without buyback, while LGD stood firm with all five heroes alive. What fans witnessed next was an incredible 2v5 base defense by OG’s carry ana and mid-laner Topson.
Ana and Topson used all of their limited resources very carefully to hold out against the full push of the LGD side. Though the defense wasn’t perfect, both players managed to stall the push long enough for the OG cavalry to respawn.
The respawned members of OG made some crazy plays that allowed the team to fend off LGD’s push by killing their heroes. OG immediately used this opportunity to quickly end the game and pull off the comeback, taking them straight to the Grand Final.
Conclusion
In conclusion, most of the legendary Dota 2 matches occurred on the stage of The International. These matches can happen because millions of fans are watching, and winning each game can earn players millions of dollars. These significant stakes bring out the best players’ abilities leading to legendary matches. The annual event creates an excellent opportunity for Dota 2 match betting.
