We are equally proud and excited to discuss the Thunderpick World Championship Finals with Counter-Strike 2 (CS2) esports fans! The first Thunderpick World Championship will set your senses ablaze from Oct. 27 to Nov. 5 as 16 teams fight for a share of the $500,000 prize pool.
Join us as we discuss all the competing teams, their world rankings heading into the event, the tournament format, the schedule, and the best way to watch Thunderpick World Championship 2023.
Thunderpick World Championship Teams & Rankings
Some of your favorite top-tier CS2 teams, such as FaZe Clan, MOUZ, Heroic, Cloud9, and Virtus.pro, are competing at the Thunderpick World Championship.
Below, you’ll find the important information about the teams taking part in this event. Details include their current HLTV World Ranking (Oct. 23 update) and if they were invited or made it through one of the four online qualifiers played in Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO). For CS2 bettors, we’ve also shared the tournament winner (Outright) odds for each team in Decimal format.
| Team | World Ranking | Qualification Status | Outright Odds |
| MOUZ | 4 | Europe Series 1 winner | 5.50 |
| FaZe Clan | 5 | Invited | 4.00 |
| Heroic | 7 | Invited | 8.00 |
| Complexity | 8 | North America Series 2 winner | 9.00 |
| Monte | 9 | Invited | 15.00 |
| Cloud9 | 11 | Invited | 7.00 |
| Virtus.pro | 14 | Invited | 8.00 |
| fnatic | 15 | Invited | 17.00 |
| BIG | 17 | Europe Series 1 runner-up | 26.00 |
| FURIA | 18 | Invited | 19.00 |
| NIP | 21 | Invited | 19.00 |
| Team Spirit | 25 | Europe Series 2 winner | 7.00 |
| SAW | 32 | Europe Series 2 runner-up | 26.00 |
| Nouns | 37 | North America Series 2 runner-up | 251.00 |
| M80 | 51 | North America Series 1 runner-up | 151.00 |
| Wildcard Gaming | 72 | North America Series 1 winner | 501.00 |
Following their win at IEM Sydney 2023, FaZe Clan is the team to beat according to our odds. As always, the odds in the table above are subject to change.
Please note: Odds represent the confidence in an outcome occurring but do not guarantee a specific result.
Remember, anything can happen in a big CS2 esports event, and even the underdogs have a chance to become champions. Who will have the best underdog run at the Thunderpick World Championship?
We have some news to share if you are wondering where Team Liquid is. Unfortunately, Team Liquid won’t be able to compete. In their place, we welcome the Ukrainian powerhouse, Monte, currently ranked ninth globally.
Place your Thunderpick World Championship 2023 tournament winner bet today, alongside special bets such as the most-played map, a map ending 13-0 in the event, and the most kills in a single map by one player! Tournament winner and special bet options close just before matches start on Oct. 27.
Thunderpick World Championship Format & Schedule
The Thunderpick World Championship 2023 runs from Oct. 27 to Nov. 5, with dozens of CS2 esports matches for fans to devour. This is an online event, and all of the matches will occur on European servers. The group stage matches start at 10 a.m. CEST. For those in North America, that’s 4 a.m. EST.
It all begins with a GSL-style (double-elimination format) group stage. The 16 teams are divided into groups of four teams each. Teams who end in the top two of their respective groups (Group A, Group B, Group C, and Group D) will qualify for the playoffs bracket, while the rest are eliminated.
The playoffs feature a single-elimination bracket where all matches, including the grand final, are best-of-three (BO3). This leaves no room for error, and it creates a thrilling and intense atmosphere for viewers and teams alike. The grand finale of the Thunderpick World Championship is scheduled to begin Nov. 5 at 8:30 p.m. CEST / 2:30 EST.
Prize Pool Distribution
The total prize pool for the Thunderpick World Championship 2023 is $600,000. Teams in the Europe and North America online qualifier series have already earned a combined $100,000 for their efforts.
You’ll find the Thunderpick World Championship 2023 playoffs prize pool distribution for the remaining pot of $500,000 below.
- 1st place wins $250,000
- 2nd place wins $100,000
- 3rd & 4th place win $50,000
- 5th to 8th place win $25,000
The top eight teams get a piece of the huge prize pool, with the lion’s share going to the winner. We wish all the teams competing the best of luck as they fight for a piece of the pie.
How To Watch The Thunderpick World Championship Finals
From the group stage to the quarterfinals, semifinals, and grand final, the best place to watch all the matches is right here at Thunderpick! Head to our dedicated Thunderpick World Championship event page to watch the stream, explore the schedule, participate in promotions, and check the current team standings.
You can also navigate to our CS2 Betting section and select a Thunderpick World Championship 2023 match. The stream will automatically appear on the left side, with the betslip on the right side, featuring live score updates, odds updates, and match stats. You can click the “Live Mode” button just above the stream to significantly increase the window’s size so you can watch all the CS2 action in detail.
You can watch the Thunderpick World Championship 2023 playoffs by tuning in directly to the GRIDesports Twitch channel, too. Those unable to watch the CS2 action live can also follow the official Thunderpick Twitter (X) account and HLTV’s Twitter as our official social media partners so you can stay in the loop. Lastly, you can join the conversation on social media by using the #ThunderpickWC hashtag.
Bet On The Thunderpick World Championship Group Stage
At Thunderpick, we strive to bring you the best odds and margins as a top esports betting platform. Gamers can bet on all the CS2 matches using cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin, Litecoin, and Ethereum. For all the Thunderpick World Championship 2023 matches, you’ll find match-winner bets alongside a host of betting lines (special bets), including Correct Map Score, Over/Under options, Map Winner, Handicap, and Round Score.
For betting tips, check out our in-depth CS2 guide and learn more about Valve’s new tactical team-based shooter on our ever-expanding CS2 blog.
