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Ever since Dota 2 introduced the Battle Pass for The International, it has become the esports tournament with the greatest prize pool in the world. Every year, the winners of Dota’s very own world championships returned home with more money than the former victors. This year, apparently, will be no exception, as The International 2019’s prize pool has been breaking records ever since the first day players could contribute to it.

In 2011, when the first TI took place, the tournament boasted a $1,600,000 total prize pool. At the time, the community became crazy because of how large the quantity looked compared to that of most esports competitions. Little did they know that just seven years later, in 2018, TI8 would become the first event to surpass the $25 million threshold.

The first edition of The International already boasted a massive prize pool, with $1 million for the winners.
The first edition of The International already boasted a massive prize pool, with $1 million for the winners. Photo via: Valve.

TI has always experienced an increase in its prize pool from year to year. In TI9’s case, things seem to be following their course, as it has surpassed $15 million dollars in just under three weeks after the release of the Compendium. This number is an amazing statistic for every Dota 2 fan in the world, as it means that the game is more alive than ever and its fans are willing to support the competitive scene.

According to Dota 2 Prize Pool Tracker, the prize pool has increased 839.92% from its base quantity, which is $1,600,000. After 24 days, 2 hours, The International 2019 is approximately $2.5 million ahead of last year’s edition. This would translate to 19.83% advantage over the event that took place in Vancouver’s Rogers Arena.

The International 2019 prize pool for Dota 2 is HUGE \ TI9
As of right now, TI9 has all the chances to surpass last year edition’s prize pool, which stands at $25.5 million. Photo via: Valve.

If the rise continues as it is right now, TI9 will surely surpass the $25 million barrier. Currently, however, that even looks to some like the worst case scenario. With such a push in the first three weeks of Battle Pass, some fans are already dreaming of reaching a whole new level, concretely $30 million.

Whatever ends up happening, this demonstrates that the Dota 2 community is stronger than ever and does not want to stand being outshined by flashier titles like League of Legends or CS:GO. The International 2019 will play out from August 20 to 25 at the Mercedes-Benz Arena in Shanghai, China.

As of today, only eight teams are confirmed to participate in the most important Dota 2 event in the world. Ten more teams are still to join, four from the remaining DPC spots and six from the online regional qualifiers. Regardless of the prize pool, fans over the world will surely be able to enjoy a huge spectacle with the best teams in the scene fighting it out for the Aegis of Champions.