Bet on Intel Extreme Masters 2026
For Kiwi esports fans, Intel Extreme Masters (IEM) is the pinnacle. It's a world-renowned tournament series where pro teams battle for glory and the coveted IEM trophy. Think of it as the ultimate showdown in the esports arena.
IEM's format builds excitement, featuring smaller events leading to a massive final with huge prize pools. The 2022 and 2023 finals both boasted a cool million dollars up for grabs, making it a major event for pro gamers and fans alike.
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Everything About Intel Extreme Masters
History
The Intel Extreme Masters tournament series kicked off way back in 2006. The very first IEM finals took place from March 15th to March 18th, 2007. Since then, a grand final has been held annually.
Partnerships
The main sponsors for the Intel Extreme Masters include Intel. However, the IEM is organised and run by the Electronic Sports League, or ESL. ESL, which is owned by Turtle Entertainment, is one of the largest pro gaming leagues globally. Other sponsors for IEM include Acer Predator, GG.bet, Paysafecard, DHL, MTN, and DEW AMP Game Fuel.
Locations
The Intel Extreme Masters is a global tournament series. Because of this, IEM events are held all around the world. The grand final for the IEM is hosted in Katowice, Poland. However, the finals for qualifier tournaments or regional tournaments take place in various parts of the world, including cities like Chicago, Shanghai, and Sydney.
Games
Initially, Counter-Strike 1.6 was the sole game featured in Intel Extreme Masters. However, several other video games were added to the IEM lineup later on. Over the years, new games have been incorporated, while some have been removed.
The list of games that have been part of IEM, either historically or currently, includes Counter-Strike 1.6, Warcraft 3: Reign of Chaos, Warcraft 3": The Frozen Throne, World of Warcraft, Quake Live, and StarCraft II, and League of Legends. Currently, the primary game for IEM is Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS: GO).
All You Need to Know About CS: GO in New Zealand
CS: GO is also one of the most popular first-person shooter games, boasting over ten million active players. Even today, you can easily find over half a million concurrent players in CS: GO on Steam.
History & Development
CS: GO is the latest instalment in the popular Counter-Strike series, which began way back in 2000. CS: GO is developed by Valve and Hidden Path Entertainment, both of which are major names in the gaming industry. Valve serves as the publisher for CS: GO.
CS: GO entered its development phase in March 2010, shortly after Hidden Path Entertainment attempted to port Counter-Strike Source for consoles. The game was officially unveiled to the public on August 12th, 2011, and was finally released on August 21st, 2012.
Esports Scene
CS: GO stands out as one of the most competitive games available, thanks to its intricate ranking system that categorises players by skill level. Over the years, a substantial esports scene for CS: GO has flourished. CS: GO esports is currently one of the largest globally, with major esports events taking place annually.
Why is Intel Extreme Masters Popular for Betting?
If you're looking to get into CS: GO betting, you should definitely consider wagering on events for the Intel Extreme Masters. Esports events for the Intel Extreme Masters are some of the most popular betting events available. There are several compelling reasons for this.
The core reason is that IEM itself is one of the most popular tournament series for CS: GO. As we've already mentioned, it's also the most prestigious event, attracting all top teams competing for the grand finals.
Consequently, due to its immense popularity, almost all bookmakers cover IEM events. You won't need to search far and wide to find bookies offering betting options for IEM. Furthermore, because IEM is so prominent, bookmakers typically provide a wide array of betting markets for IEM events, allowing for greater variety in your wagers.
Given that this is the most prestigious event and all the top CS: GO teams vie for the grand final trophy, each team brings their absolute best performance to IEM events. This leads to some truly spectacular moments in IEM matches, significantly enhancing the excitement of the betting experience for players in New Zealand.
Intel Extreme Masters: Winning Teams and Iconic Moments
To date, there have been over 60 large-scale IEM events. Each of their respective finals has been held in major global locations, including Dallas, Katowice, Melbourne, and more.
Some of the most dominant CS: GO esports teams have participated in these events. The teams that have emerged victorious have cemented their status among the world's best.
We've also witnessed some truly incredible moments in these events, from unbelievable defuses to clutch plays and pinpoint headshots that left audiences stunned. Here's a rundown of the winners of all the IEM championships and some of the most memorable moments in IEM CS: GO history.
List of IEM Event Winners Through the Years
- Team Pentagram
- Fnatic
- mousesports
- SK Gaming
- Fnatic
- mousesports
- e-STRO
- mibr
- wNv Teamwork
- mTw
- Fnatic
- mousesports
- SK Gaming
- Fnatic
- Evil Geniuses
- mousesports
- WeMade FOX
- Natus Vincere
- Fnatic
- compLexity Gaming
- Fnatic
- Natus Vincere
- Fnatic
- SK Gaming
- Natus Vincere
- ESC Gaming
- Team Envy
- Natus Vincere
- The MongolZ
- Fnatic
- Ninjas in Pyjamas
- Astralis
- SK Gaming
- Ninjas in Pyjamas
- Fnatic
- FaZe Clan
- NRG Esports
- Astralis
- Astralis
- Team Liquid
- Team Liquid
- Astralis
- Natus Vincere
- FaZe Clan
- FURIA Esports
- Virtus.pro
- Team Vitality
- Chaos Esports Club
- Renegades
- ViCi Gaming
- Astralis
- Gambit Esports
- Gambit Esports
- Natus Vincere
- Renegades
- Gambit Esports
- Bravos Gaming
- Ninjas in Pyjamas
- TYLOO
- FURIA Esports
- Team Vitality
- FaZe Clan
- Cloud9
- FaZe Clan
Biggest Moments In IEM CS: GO History
IEM events are filled with insane and memorable moments where professional CS: GO players show extreme skill and game sense. Here are our top picks for the best moments in IEM CS: GO history.
180 Pistol Killshot by Hiko
In the first pistol round of Dust2 between Cloud9 and Ninjas in Pyjamas, Hiko was the only one left from Cloud9 to defend against four players from Ninjas in Pyjamas. Hiko makes his way towards double doors, not knowing that there is a player waiting for him behind the right door.
As soon as Hiko crosses the double door, the player starts shooting, and within an instant, Hiko does a 180 and shoots that player in the head. The 180 was so fast that you could miss it with just one blink. It is also one of the most replayed moments in IEM CS: GO history.
Pasha's Four Kills in Four Seconds
PashaBiceps was the only one holding the Arch at Inferno as four players from Fnatic tried to push him. However, he managed to gun down all four players in just one burst. This is arguably one of the fastest four kills ever seen in CS: GO esports history.
Where and How To Bet On Intel Extreme Masters?
To bet on Intel Extreme Masters matches, you will need to find an online bookmaker that offers betting markets for them. Fortunately for you, almost all bookmakers that cover esports offer betting markets for IEM matches.
However, not all of them are great, and some might even scam you. To avoid ending up on an untrusted betting site that might scam you, check out esportranker.com, where some of the top betting sites are reviewed thoroughly.
You can pick any site from esportranker.com without being worried about getting scammed. All platforms at esportranker.com are tested specifically for scams.
With that said, you will have to pick a platform yourself because it will greatly depend on your personal preference. Once you have picked out a platform, all you have to do is sign up to the platform and make some deposits worth the amount you wish to make bets with.
After that, check out the schedule for IEM matches and find betting markets on the platform when your preferred match is about to take place. Once that's done, simply take a look at the csgo betting odds and place your bet. You should wait for major events like the IEM grand finals, which is where most of the excitement is.
