There is a new champion in the competitive Counter-Strike 2 scene, at least when Season 22 of the ESL Pro League is in question. At the recently finished tournament, it was Team Vitaly, fresh from their new sponsorship with Stake, who took home the prize. The ESL Pro League Season 22 took place between September 28 and October 12, 2025, in Stockholm, Sweden. Featuring 24 of the world’s top CS 2 teams, the tournament carried a total prize pool of US $1,000,000. With high stakes and strong competition, it represented a key battleground in the 2025 esports calendar.
The team that has had the strongest 2025 season so far out of this bunch proved once again that it is their time to shine and took home the trophy. But how exactly did they do it, and what does this victory mean for their legacy in esports? Read on to learn more as we analyze Vitality’s dominant performance. This was a great chance for the fans of competitive video game wagering to prove their knowledge, so follow this exclusive esports betting guide to prepare for Vitality’s next big tournament.
Heading into the event, Team Vitality were considered the outright favorites to win. Betting markets listed them at odds of 3.00 to win outright, ahead of other contenders such as Team Spirit and The MongolZ at 4.50, and Team Falcons at 5.00, the runner up they beat in the finals. The betting reflected both Vitality’s dominant form throughout the year and the belief that while the field was strong, they remained the benchmark. They managed to justify the role of the biggest favorite and brought nice payments to everyone who bet on them early, as well as those who picked them during the stages.
Vitality’s journey to the trophy was marked by both resilience and authority. Despite an unexpected 0-2 loss to Gentle Mates in the Swiss Stage pool play, they recovered with three straight 2-0 sweeps over GamerLegion, HOTU, and G2 Esports to lock in a playoff berth. In the quarter finals, they edged past FURIA with a tight 2-1 victory, and in the semi finals defeated FaZe Clan 2-1 to reach the grand final. It was a mix of a shaky start, middle of the road dominance, and late-stage clutchness.
In the grand final, Vitality faced Team Falcons and delivered a clean sweep of 3-0 (13-10 on Inferno, 13-9 on Train, and 13-5 on Dust II) to clinch the title. The decisive nature of this win demonstrated not just their impressive pedigree but their ability to execute at the highest level under pressure. They never looked back at the early loss and commandeered a clean victory without a loss in the big final against a worthy opponent.
Key contributors included Israeli rifler Shahar “flameZ” Shushan, whose rating in the final reached 1.60 with 62 kills to 41 deaths. The legend himself, captain of the team Mathieu “ZywOo” Herbaut, also reaffirmed his status among the elite with a consistently strong showing across the event. This result ended a four month title drought for Vitality while giving them their eighth tournament win of the year. With Stake at their side since July, this first win under the new sponsorship will surely be the first of many new trophies in the coming months.
ESL Pro League tournaments are known for their immense prize pools that the teams fight for as much as for the glory, rankings, and the trophy. The esports scene is a treacherous industry where many teams operate at a loss, and only those who deliver consistently can see the fruits of their labor. From the US $1,000,000 prize pool, Vitality claimed the top prize reserved for the winners, US $100,000 in direct winnings plus a club share bonus of US $150,000. Runners-up Team Falcons earned US $50,000 plus a US $75,000 club share. The financial rewards were sizeable, but perhaps more impactful was the reaffirmation of Vitality’s position at the top of the CS2 competitive hierarchy.
FaZe Clan was second and won US $28,000 and $60,000 for the club, while the 4th place was Team Spirit, who netted US $22,000 for the players and $50,000 for the club. As for the four teams that reached the quarter finals but failed to advance, they include the 5th-8th place MongolZ, G2 Esports, FURIA Esports, and Eternal Fire. Each got US $18,000 for the players and $40,000 for the club. MOUZ, Heroic, Complexity, and NAVI were 9th-12th, and Astralis, ENCE, Monte, and BIG were 13th-16th. The 17th-19th teams were B8, ENCE, and Legacu, 20th-22nd were Fluxo, HEROIC, and M80, and the 23rd and 24th were NRG and Rooster. For the players, these placements carried $13,500, $10,500, $8,500, $6,500, $4,500, and $3,000, respectively.
By winning ESL Pro League Season 22, Vitality not only defended their EPL crown, having won Season 21 earlier, but further solidified their esports legacy. The clean 3-0 grand final, the dominant map scores, and the fact that they came into the event as favorites and delivered all reflect a level of consistency and excellence few teams achieve. For fans and analysts alike, this win reaffirmed Vitality’s status as the benchmark in CS2 for 2025. It also goes to show how you should often pick the favorites when you bet on Esports in the future. Moreover, the win acts as a statement to the wider competitive field. Vitality’s capacity to bounce back after a rare off-tournament and deliver at the highest level reasserts its psychological edge over peers and challengers alike. They should be even more dominant next time around. Speaking of their next outing.
With ESL Pro League Season 22 in the books, most top-tier teams, including Team Vitality, will next focus on competing at IEM Chengdu 2025. That will be on schedule as early as next two weeks, more precisely from November 3 to November 9. Then, they will set their sights on the prestigious StarLadder Budapest Major 2025, on schedule from November 24 to December 14. Vitality, FaZe, and Spirit will be among the heavy favorites to lift another international trophy before the year is over. The momentum of Vitality’s recent triumph provides a strong foundation to carry into these upcoming Tier 1 events.
Given the form they have already shown, many will expect nothing less than further deep runs, perhaps even more trophies, as the organization aims to extend its legacy even further in the remaining 2025 season. To remind the fans, FaZe Clan won the IEM Chengdu in 2024, defeating MOUZ in the final. If Vitality manages to win both of these tournaments, they will have had their best year ever in Counter Strike, and their dominant run would carry them over into 2026. It is more than a possibility, as they are among the leading favorites for both of them. Vitality is the favorite with +180, followed by Team Spirit with +200, MOUZ with +450, and Team Falcons with +500.
In July 2025, the global online sports betting and casino gambling platform Stake announced a landmark, multi year partnership with elite esports organization Team Vitality. They revealed Stake as the official international betting partner of Vitality’s Counter Strike 2 (CS2) roster. Vitality’s Partnership with Stake.com, reportedly a seven figure agreement, highlights both entities’ ambitions. Vitality aims to cement its status as a global esports brand, and Stake wants to deepen its reach into the esports market. With the latest big win at the ESL Pro League Season 22, it can be concluded that the partnership is off to a blistering start.
A key component of the partnership is branding, with Stake’s logo appearing on the front and left collarbone of Vitality’s CS2 team jersey. It gives the betting platform high brand visibility at major esports events where Vitality typically competes. Beyond jersey branding, the collaboration promises premium content creation, digital activation, exclusive fan access, and behind-the-scenes engagement with players across Vitality’s platforms. Stake and Vitality have committed to working together on immersive experiences aimed at bringing fans closer to the team. This includes VIP offers, digital campaigns, and co produced video content that showcases both the players’ personalities and Stake’s innovative approach to entertainment marketing.
The timing of the launch is strategically significant, too. The partnership was revealed at IEM Cologne 2025, one of the most-watched CS2 tournaments worldwide, where Vitality debuted the new jersey featuring Stake’s branding. Coming as Vitality were riding a wave of competitive success, including major titles and a dominant CS2 run, the collaboration leverages a moment of peak relevance for both sides. It also reflects how top esports organizations are increasingly aligning with global entertainment and betting platforms to expand commercial opportunities while maintaining a strong fan connection through content-driven engagement. Both industries are on the rise, so it made sense for them to intersect.
For Stake, the partnership with Team Vitality signals a clear push into esports, confirming its broader strategy in sport and entertainment. In addition to its venture into competitive gaming, Stake has forged prominent partnerships in traditional sports arenas. The platform is a partner of Everton F.C. in the English Premier League, and serves as the title partner of the Sauber F1 Team, known as Stake F1 Team, in Formula 1. Moreover, Stake maintains a strong presence in mixed martial arts through its partnership with the UFC, as well as individual fighters like Israel Adesanya, Alex Pereira, and Merab Dvalishvili.
For Team Vitality, Stake is the main betting partner, but Team Vitality also has many partners like Hummel, Magnum, Skin. Club…
The move into competitive video games on the highest level further cemented its position as a major player across global sports. Together, these deals showcase the commitment of Stake to bridging the worlds of sports, esports, and online entertainment, while establishing a powerful and recognizable brand that resonates with fans around the world.
What is Team Vitality, and when was it founded?
Team Vitality is a French esports organization founded on 5 August 2013. The club is based in Paris and has grown to field teams in many different competitive games.
What games/divisions does Team Vitality compete in?
Team Vitality has teams in a wide range of games, including Counter Strike 2, Valorant, League of Legends, Rocket League, Free Fire, and EA FC.
What are some of the major achievements of Team Vitality?
They won the Intel Extreme Masters Rio 2023 in April 2023 in Counter Strike, and in Valorant, they became the VCT 2025 EMEA Kickoff champions with a comeback 3-2 win against Team Liquid.
Who are some key figures behind the organization?
Among the founders are Fabien “Neo” Devide and Nicolas Maurer. The star player for their CS/CS2 roster, Mathieu “ZywOo” Herbaut, is often cited as a cornerstone of their competitive brand.
What is the significance of the team’s colors or mascot?
Team Vitality’s colors are black and yellow, often using a “bee” motif. The use of “Vitality” and the bee like visual identity emphasizes energy, agility, and teamwork.
Where is Team Vitality based, and what is their geographic presence?
The main base is in Paris, France, but they have expanded internationally, for example, into Asia through new divisions and acquisitions.
How does Team Vitality approach fan engagement and experiences?
The organization emphasizes immersive experiences for fans. During the Copenhagen Majors in March 2024, they organized a dedicated booth, fan meet and greets, and brand activations in collaboration with partners like JBL.
Has Team Vitality been involved in acquisitions or major organizational changes?
Yes. In May 2025, they acquired the Indonesian organization Bigetron Esports, rebranding it as Bigetron by Vitality, and thereby expanding into mobile games and Asian markets.
What sets Team Vitality apart from other esports organizations?
Several differentiators include their multi-title presence, a strong brand identity rooted in French culture, professional fan and partner initiatives, strategic global expansion, and star talent like ZywOo. Together, these factors help them stand out in a very crowded and competitive field of esports organizations.