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Will the 2026 VCT Kickoff triple-elimination format be a hit or miss?

Image Credits: Adela Sznajder, Riot Games Riot Games has introduced a brand-new triple-elimination format for its 2026 VCT Kickoff events, which will be utilised across every international league. A total of 12 teams in each International League will begin their 2026 campaign in the upper bracket, with each team needing to lose three matches before … Continued The post Will the 2026 VCT Kickoff triple-elimination format be a hit or miss? appeared first on Esports Insider.

Esports Insider 15.01.2026 12:41 Uhr

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FURIA and Team Spirit headline ESL Pro League Season 23 invites

Image credit: Helena Kristiansson, ESL FURIA and Team Spirit are among the teams that have accepted invitations to compete at ESL Pro League Season 23. Most notably, ESL Pro League Season 22 champion Team Vitality will not defend its title after the organisation declined its invitation, along with Team Falcons. As a result of Team … Continued The post FURIA and Team Spirit headline ESL Pro League Season 23 invites appeared first on Esports Insider.

Esports Insider 15.01.2026 11:18 Uhr

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Five rising players to look out for in LCK Challengers 2026

T1 Sim ‘Haetae’ Su-hyeon. Image credit: Riot Games, LCK The LCK might be League of Legends’ headline act, but the esports scene’s new wave of generational talent usually lies one tier below it. The LCK Challengers League (LCK CL) has established itself as the premier proving ground for young players seeking to become the next … Continued The post Five rising players to look out for in LCK Challengers 2026 appeared first on Esports Insider.

Esports Insider 15.01.2026 10:58 Uhr

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BETBY expands betting tips Coverage ahead of ICE Barcelona

Image Credit: BETBY In the lead-up to ICE Barcelona 2026, BETBY has significantly expanded its AI-powered Betting Tips product, increasing coverage of both sports and esports. With tips available in over 30 languages and the ability to add new competitions within one business day upon request, the most recent update expands the service’s scope to … Continued The post BETBY expands betting tips Coverage ahead of ICE Barcelona appeared first on Esports Insider.

Esports Insider 15.01.2026 10:57 Uhr

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Virginia lawmakers advance bill to prohibit credit card use for sports betting

Image credit: Shutterstock A bill that would forbid using credit cards to finance sports betting accounts in Virginia is being considered by lawmakers. Introduced in a 2026 session, HB515 would amend the current sports wagering legislation to prohibit licensed operators from taking bettor deposits or credit card payments. Deposits into online sports betting accounts are … Continued The post Virginia lawmakers advance bill to prohibit credit card use for sports betting appeared first on Esp

Esports Insider 15.01.2026 10:46 Uhr

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Super Group confirms Betway withdrawal from Portugal market

Image Credit: Super Group Super Group has verified that its Betway sports betting brand has left Portugal’s regulated online gambling market. The departure occurs in the same year that Betway’s local license was due to be renewed and is the result of a formal request made by the operator to the Portuguese regulator, which was … Continued The post Super Group confirms Betway withdrawal from Portugal market appeared first on Esports Insider.

Esports Insider 15.01.2026 10:40 Uhr

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BIG EQUIPA tops final ESL Impact club incentive programme

Image credit: ESL BIG EQUIPA has topped the final club incentive standings for women’s Counter-Strike circuit ESL Impact. The ESL Impact Season 8 champion took home a lion’s share of the $100,000 (~£74,383) club reward. This was split between the eight best teams throughout Season 8. ESL reveals that BIG EQUIPA took home $25,000 (~£18,595) … Continued The post BIG EQUIPA tops final ESL Impact club incentive programme appeared first on Esports Insider.

Esports Insider 15.01.2026 10:32 Uhr

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ALGS bans ImperialHal’s controller for Year 5 Championship

Image credit: Joe Brady, Electronic Arts via smugmug Team Falcons player Phillip ‘ImperialHal‘ Dosen has shared that his go-to controller has been banned ahead of the Apex Legends Global Series (ALGS) Year 5 Championship. ALGS organisers passed the decision a day before the world championship event takes place in Japan, which the player called ‘a … Continued The post ALGS bans ImperialHal’s controller for Year 5 Championship appeared first on Esports Insider.

Esports Insider 14.01.2026 18:31 Uhr

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VALORANT weapons tier list: Best options for your playstyle

Sidearm and agents in official VALORANT art / Image credit: VALORANT VALORANT offers 20 distinct weapons, which can be purchased at the beginning of a round during the Buy phase. Rifles and pistols offer versatile options, while shotguns and SMGs are particularly useful for close-range encounters. Some VALORANT guns are better suited for certain agents, … Continued The post VALORANT weapons tier list: Best options for your playstyle appeared first on Esports Insider.

Esports Insider 14.01.2026 18:21 Uhr

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EpikWhale net worth: How much money has Shane “EpikWhale” Cotton made in his esports career?

Image credit: Liquipedia Shane “EpikWhale” Cotton became a millionaire at 16 years old after placing third in the 2019 Fortnite Solo World Cup. As of January 2026, he has earned $1.85 million from competitive Fortnite and represented teams such as NRG. EpikWhale and his brother, Trever, established The Mousepad Company in December 2019 after being … Continued The post EpikWhale net worth: How much money has Shane “EpikWhale” Cotton made in his esports career? appeared first on Esports Insi

Esports Insider 14.01.2026 17:19 Uhr

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Singapore parliament passes bill recognising esports as a sport

Image credit: Shaun Lee, BLAST Singapore‘s Parliament has passed a bill that formally recognises esports and mind sports, such as chess, as a sport after passing a bill on January 14th, 2026. The amendments to the Singapore Sports Council Bill formally updated the Singapore Sports Council Act from 1973 to include esports and mind sports … Continued The post Singapore parliament passes bill recognising esports as a sport appeared first on Esports Insider.

Esports Insider 14.01.2026 16:48 Uhr

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Committee applications for Overwatch World Cup 2026 due on February 6th

Image credit: Blizzard Entertainment Blizzard Entertainment has extended its competition committee application deadline for the upcoming Overwatch World Cup 2026. Applicants are now open until February 6th to potentially be part of the esports series and can be submitted through a Google Form. The Overwatch World Cup is an international esports tournament for the hero … Continued The post Committee applications for Overwatch World Cup 2026 due on February 6th appeared first on Esports Insi

Esports Insider 14.01.2026 16:05 Uhr

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Our 90/50/10 predictions for LoL esports in 2026

Image credit: Riot Games The LCK is likely to win Worlds 2026, according to our predictions. There’s a good chance Europe regains its dominance over North America again, with teams like Team Liquid and FlyQuest falling off. There’s a slight chance a non-Eastern team will make it to the finals of Final Stand this year, … Continued The post Our 90/50/10 predictions for LoL esports in 2026 appeared first on Esports Insider.

Esports Insider 14.01.2026 15:19 Uhr

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RLCS renews partnership with Progressive Insurance for 2026 season

Image credit: BLAST The Rocket League Championship Series (RLCS) has renewed its partnership with car insurance company Progressive Insurance for the 2026 season. As a result of the renewal, Progressive will continue its role as the official presenting partner of Rocket League‘s esports circuit. The collaboration between the two parties will see Progressive Insurance secure … Continued The post RLCS renews partnership with Progressive Insurance for 2026 season appeared first on Espor

Esports Insider 14.01.2026 14:23 Uhr

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How will Marvel Rivals Season 6 affect esports?

Image credit: NetEase Games NetEase has revealed everything that fans can expect from Marvel Rivals Season 6: Night at the Museum, which begins on January 16th. According to the latest developer vision, the upcoming season will bring new heroes, balance changes, and updates to the esports scene, which will impact both casual and professional players. … Continued The post How will Marvel Rivals Season 6 affect esports? appeared first on Esports Insider.

Esports Insider 14.01.2026 14:12 Uhr

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“I have to smoke Falcons”: Zer0 discusses ALGS Championship goals and joining Team Liquid

Rhys ‘Zer0’ Perry at Team Falcons. Image credit: Joe Brady, Electronic Arts Team Liquid’s Rhys ‘Zer0’ Perry is one of the players to watch at the ALGS Year 5 Championship.  He won the title in 2022 with DarkZero and got in the top 10 of almost every LAN event in the history of the ALGS. … Continued The post “I have to smoke Falcons”: Zer0 discusses ALGS Championship goals and joining Team Liquid appeared first on Esports Insider.

Esports Insider 14.01.2026 14:03 Uhr

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Best VALORANT agent duos in 2026

Image credit: Riot Games The 2026 VALORANT meta rewards coordination and fast utility combos more than solo plays. A strong duo can take space, secure kills, and swing rounds even with an inconsistent team. Top agent pairings like Waylay-Yoru, Raze-Fade, Sage-Omen, Veto-Breach, and Jett-Neon offer powerful synergy. Duelist-initiator combos are especially effective for creating openings … Continued The post Best VALORANT agent duos in 2026 appeared first on Esports Insider.

Esports Insider 14.01.2026 13:46 Uhr

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LYON adds Dhokla to 2026 LCS roster

Image Credits: LYON LYON has announced the addition of Niship ‘Dhokla’ Doshi to its League of Legends roster following the visa issues of Frankie ‘Zamudo‘ Lin. The North American veteran will take over as the team’s top laner heading into the LCS 2026 Lock-In tournament. With Dhokla’s signing, here is the full active roster for … Continued The post LYON adds Dhokla to 2026 LCS roster appeared first on Esports Insider.

Esports Insider 14.01.2026 13:44 Uhr

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Twitch subscriptions return for select League of Legends esports broadcasts

Image Credit: Riot Games Riot Games has announced the return of Twitch subscriptions for the 2026 League of Legends esports season. Fans will be able to support their favourite teams by subscribing to selected LoL Esports broadcast channels, gaining access to ad-free viewing and specific Twitch Chat emotes. Riot Games has yet to be announced … Continued The post Twitch subscriptions return for select League of Legends esports broadcasts appeared first on Esports Insider.

Esports Insider 14.01.2026 13:36 Uhr

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VCT Pacific to use 1v1 skirmishes to determine map priority

Image Credits: Riot Games [ESI Illustration] VCT Pacific has unveiled a new system to determine which team receives priority for map and side selection in matches with equal seeding. For Pacific’s upcoming 2026 VALORANT Champions Tour (VCT), equally seeded teams will select one player each to fight for map veto advantage in a 1v1 skirmish. … Continued The post VCT Pacific to use 1v1 skirmishes to determine map priority appeared first on Esports Insider.

Esports Insider 14.01.2026 13:27 Uhr

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Red Bull, Razer, and Google Play among ALGS Year 5 Championship partners

Image credit: EA The Apex Legends Global Series (ALGS) has unveiled an extensive slate of new and returning partners for the ALGS Year 5 Championship, the season-ending esports event for Apex Legends. Among the partners are energy drink brand Red Bull, peripherals brand Razer, and app store Google Play. A total of 12 partners will … Continued The post Red Bull, Razer, and Google Play among ALGS Year 5 Championship partners appeared first on Esports Insider.

Esports Insider 14.01.2026 12:58 Uhr

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CS2 economy guide: How to play Counter-Strike 2 properly

Image credit: Valve CS2 economy is an essential part of the game You earn money for winning and losing consecutive rounds, with a maximum payout of $3,400 You can maximise your economy by buying high kill award guns against an eco buy You should consider eco-friendly options if you can’t afford a full buy. Counter-Strike … Continued The post CS2 economy guide: How to play Counter-Strike 2 properly appeared first on Esports Insider.

Esports Insider 14.01.2026 12:56 Uhr

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How will Call of Duty Black Ops 7’s new patch affect esports?

Image credit: Activision Treyarch has introduced a wave of balancing changes as part of the latest Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 update. The new patch includes nerfs to the M15 MOD 0 assault rifle and the Dravec 45 submachine gun, two weapons that frequently appear in Call of Duty’s esports circuit. M15 MOD 0 … Continued The post How will Call of Duty Black Ops 7’s new patch affect esports? appeared first on Esports Insider.

Esports Insider 14.01.2026 12:04 Uhr

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NRG unveils VALORANT academy with Maryville University

Image Credit: NRG North American esports organisation NRG has announced a new VALORANT development programme in partnership with Maryville University. Announced through a post on social media, the team will launch an NRG Academy team in the North American VALORANT Challengers League (VCL). The new academy initiative is set to create more pathways for players … Continued The post NRG unveils VALORANT academy with Maryville University appeared first on Esports Insider.

Esports Insider 14.01.2026 11:54 Uhr

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