BLAST have announced the lineups for BLAST Bounty Summer 2026 — a CS2 tournament where lower-seeded teams pick their own opponents among the elite, and prize money is literally placed on top rosters’ heads. Online qualifiers start July 21, with the LAN finals in Malta running July 30 – August 2.
The Bounty format: the elite don’t choose their opponents — they get chosen
The defining feature of the Bounty format is that lower-ranked teams get to decide which top-tier roster they face — flipping the usual seeding logic on its head. A cash “bounty” is attached to every top team: the higher a team’s ranking, the bigger the reward for beating them. The LAN playoffs run Single Elimination Best-of-Three, with a Best-of-Five grand final.
Lineup: from the world’s top team to wildcard invites
The field covers most of the world’s top-ranked rosters: Vitality, Team Spirit, Falcons, FURIA, Aurora, MOUZ, The MongolZ, GamerLegion, G2, FUT Esports, 9z, Astralis, FaZe Clan, and others. Four wildcard invites went to Liquid, 100 Thieves, EYEBALLERS, and OG — teams that didn’t qualify directly by ranking but earned a shot through the wildcard route.
Tournament schedule
| Stage | Dates | Format |
|---|---|---|
| Online qualifier | July 21-26, 2026 | Narrows field to top 8 |
| LAN playoffs | July 30 – August 2, 2026 | Single Elimination Bo3, Bo5 final |
The LAN stage takes place in Malta — the eight strongest teams from the online qualifier meet in person for the tournament’s prize pool.
What it means for betting
The Bounty format traditionally produces more volatile lines than a classic seeded event: a team choosing its own opponent is usually doing so deliberately — targeting a specific map veto or a weak spot in a top roster’s play, which cuts down on the predictability you’d get from a standard Swiss or group format.
Where to watch and bet on CS2
Lines on BLAST Bounty Summer 2026 and other CS2 tournaments are available at:
- 1xBet — a wide esports betting line / visit site →
- 1Win Casino — live betting on CS2 and Dota 2 / visit site →
- BC.Game — crypto esports betting / visit site →
