If you want to bolster your betting prowess for Valve’s first-person shooter (FPS), Counter-Strike, you need solid knowledge of the CS2 betting maps system. And we’re here to guide you through the way maps work!
Competitive CS2 maps are virtual battlegrounds for the best teams competing for the biggest prize pools. Join us as we discuss CS2 betting and its relation to maps, including the veto process (pick/ban), the most-picked maps, win percentages, the betting lines affected by map picks, and live betting.
Check out our CS2 betting guide or head over to Thunderpick to have a look at the latest CS2 betting odds.
CS2 Map Veto & Active Duty Pool Explained
The first step to using map knowledge in CS2 betting is understanding how the veto (pick/ban phase) works.
The team that goes first is selected either via coin toss or determined by previous results in a tournament, as decided by the organizers. For example, in a playoff match, Team A gets first choice after ending at the top of their group, compared to Team B, who placed second.
The pick/ban phase occurs in every professional CS2 match, from best-of-one to best-of-five, with the latter occurring almost exclusively in grand finals. Below is an example of how the map veto process happens in a best-of-three match.
- Team A bans Vertigo
- Team B bans Nuke
- Team A picks Overpass (the first map to play in BO3)
- Team B picks Anubis (the second map to play in BO3)
- Team A bans Mirage
- Team B bans Inferno
- Ancient is left over as the third map
Bookmakers consider a match “live” or “in-play” once the veto process begins. The pick/ban phase always uses the Active Duty map pool.
CS2 Active Duty Map Pool
The Active Duty map pool is used in CS2 Major Championships and all the biggest tournaments or leagues.
- Inferno
- Mirage
- Ancient
- Overpass
- Nuke
- Vertigo
- Anubis
Dust II fans may see the iconic map return to Active Duty in CS2 sometime next year, as it is currently part of the Reserves Group.
Most Played CS2 Maps So Far
We’ve pulled the latest CS2 map statistics from HLTV as of Nov. 15, 2023 to provide the most up-to-date and accurate information. The most played map details in CS2’s first month of release reflect matches featuring the top 30 teams in esports events.
- Ancient (50)
- Overpass (41)
- Nuke (36)
- Anubis (30)
- Mirage (27)
- Vertigo (22)
- Inferno (19)
Inferno finds itself in last place at the time of writing. This could be because it is historically used as a deciding third map, which means the third map isn’t played if a match ends 2-0.
Bettors can watch matches and follow teams, learning if a specific team performs better or worse on the most-picked CS2 maps for a possible betting advantage.
At the Thunderpick World Championship 2023 online event, we saw Ancient as the top pick, followed by Vertigo and Nuke. Below is a list of CS2 maps and how many times each was picked at the Thunderpick World Championship.
- Ancient (14)
- Vertigo (12)
- Nuke (11)
- Overpass (10)
- Anubis (8)
- Inferno (6)
- Mirage (5)
Be sure to check out our Thunderpick World Championship 2023 review and highlights if you missed it!
Win Percentages On CS2 Competitive Maps
You’ll often hear casters or analysts discuss if a map is T or CT-sided. CS2 fans will argue non-stop about which side a map’s layout favors. We’ve pulled stats from HLTV for the first month of competitive CS2 to showcase how round-win percentages for the T and CT sides differ.
| CS2 Map | Percentage Rounds won by Ts | Percentage Rounds won by CTs |
| Ancient | 47% | 53% |
| Vertigo | 43.6% | 55.4% |
| Anubis | 54.4% | 45.6% |
| Inferno | 48.7% | 51.3% |
| Mirage | 53.6% | 46.4% |
| Nuke | 45.5% | 54.5% |
| Overpass | 46.1% | 53.9% |
Please note: The stats above reflect matches played where a top 30 team is present for online and offline events. These stats were pulled on Nov. 15, 2023 and will fluctuate with time.
Live Betting Using CS2 Map Knowledge
You can use your map knowledge for possible advantages in CS2 live betting. You can start by listening closely to caster feedback and analyst discussions to determine where a match is headed. The most discussed topics are comebacks and how a map will unfold when teams switch sides.
Using your map knowledge of win percentages on the CT and T sides, you may be able to more accurately predict the outcome of a map. The example below showcases how this is accomplished.
- On Anubis, Team A is 7-5 ahead on the T-side when the first half ends.
- The bettor determines that a two-round lead may not be enough, because Anubis is considered T-favored.
- A wager is placed on Team B to win the first map.
- Teams switch sides in the second half, and with the T-side advantage, Team B wins the pistol round.
- Team B closes the previous two-round gap, winning eight rounds, while Team A manages to win three.
- The map ends 13-10 in Team B’s favor.
Utilizing the Live Betting feature can help gamers make informed decisions while a match is underway. At the same time, you can use your map knowledge as an advantage. Remember that odds update constantly, depending on what is happening on a specific CS2 map during a match.
CS2 Betting Lines With Map Implications
We feature several CS2 betting lines on every big match where maps picked during the pick/ban phase can have an impact. These betting lines include:
- Total Maps Played (Over/Under)
- Match Handicap
- Correct Match Score
- Match Winner
- Map 1 1X2
- Team X to Win At Least One Map
- Map Winner (1, 2 or 3)
- Second Half Winner (for each map)
- First Half Winner (for each map)
So, how does map knowledge help you with these bets? Let’s explain with an example:
The maps picked are Ancient, Nuke, and Overpass. Team A is ahead on the first map, Ancient. A bettor researches both teams and believes that Team B has a higher win percentage on Nuke than Team A. Statistically, therefore, selecting Over 2.5 for Total Maps Played is more likely to occur, because based on previous map stats, Team A has a good chance of pushing the match to a third, deciding map.
Taking the same map veto as the example above, for the First Half Winner betting line, the team on the CT side on Ancient has roughly a 3% higher chance of success if both teams are evenly matched.
Enjoy CS2 Betting
You can use your map knowledge to bet on CS2 esports matches. When you know if a map is CT or T-sided, it may help you better determine how likely it is for a comeback to occur. You can go even deeper down the rabbit hole of exciting stats by researching specific teams or professional players and their strongest maps in the Active Duty pool.
Don’t forget to enjoy CS2 gameplay via matchmaking and practice on all the maps to experience what Valve has changed through Source 2 upgrades, overhauls of classics, and enhanced visuals. First-hand experience will only help you get better acquainted with the game!
Please note: Thunderpick is not responsible for any losses incurred. The examples and stats in this guide share general knowledge and do not guarantee success. Remember to practice Responsible Gambling and check out our latest promo offers. T&Cs apply.
