Stake August 2026 recap: nine years of Stake, a Vitality podium at the Esports World Cup, and the biggest events to bet on in September

August was a huge month for Stake as we celebrated the platform’s 9th birthday. Players got to join in the festivities with exciting celebrations and bonuses, including a live-streamed event from none other than Drake.

Meanwhile, we also welcomed new sponsored athletes to Stake’s roster in August, and saw the highly anticipated return of European soccer. More than 70 million bets were placed at Stake Sportsbook last month, with over 44 million placed on soccer. What’s more, last month was the finale of two of the biggest events in Esports, the Esports World Cup and The International.

Now, we’re looking ahead to September and preparing for exciting events in Formula 1, UFC and Esports.

Stake news from the month - August's biggest events

Stake turned 9 in August, and we celebrated in style with major promotions, events, and wins. In total, we gave away more than $1 million in prizes and witnessed a special celebration headlined by Drake.

Last month, Justinas “jL” Lekavičius joined the Team Vitality CS2 roster as a substitute. He’ll take the place of mezii and apEX in upcoming tournaments, and Stake caught up with him for an exclusive interview. Team Vitality were in action at the Esports World Cup in Paris, which concluded in August.

The Esports World Cup (EWC) saw AG.AL International clinch the prestigious Club Championship award for the first time. Team Vitality finished 3rd in the Club Championship standings, behind Team Falcons. The CS2 tournament was one of the biggest events of the EWC, with Team Spirit declared champions.

Elsewhere in the world of Esports, Team Spirit became the first team to ever win a third Aegis at The International. They beat PARIVISION in the Grand Final to take home over $1 million in prize money.

Meanwhile, the UFC’s welterweight champion and current pound-for-pound best fighter, Islam Makhachev, set a new record. He defended his title against Ian Garry at UFC 330 to secure a 17th straight win.

F1 returned following a short break in August, with McLaren driver Lando Norris winning his 2nd race of the season at the Dutch Grand Prix. He finished ahead of the two Mercedes drivers, current title leader Kimi Antonelli and George Russell.

Stake August 2026 stats: bets, biggest wins, and most-played games

Stake recorded more than 8.8 billion casino bets in August, continuing a busy season for our online casino. Online slots led the way and were part of this month’s biggest casino payout.

The top win at Stake for August totalled 18,643,524.45 and landed on 5 Lions Megaways 2 by Pragmatic Play.

Stake Originals continued to dominate platform activity in the most-played casino category during August, recording more than 5.9 billion wagers. Dice accounted for 2,585,607,512 of those bets, thanks to its quick game rounds and provably fair results.

The biggest single casino bet was 3,251,030.76 on Privé Lounge Baccarat, another popular Pragmatic Play title that high rollers frequent.

These stats provide a quick snapshot of activity at Stake Casino in August, but they don’t guarantee winning outcomes. Gambling is unpredictable and should always be treated as entertainment. Use our Stake Smart guidelines to learn more and always play responsibly.

The biggest new casino games at Stake in August

Odin’s Vault

Odin’s Vault was August’s most-played new slot game as it received more than 119 million wagers. This new Valkyrie slot merges Norse mythology with a blustering winter theme. It includes features like a global multiplier, enhanced bonus buy modes, and free spins for a chance to win up to 500,000x.

The special symbols add additional ways to win, while coin multipliers can boost outcomes by 50,000x. This slot helped continue Valkyrie’s strong momentum on Stake, with multiple titles appearing in August’s rankings.

Created exclusively for Stake Casino, Valkyrie is the software provider behind Odin’s Vault and Snake Temple. The studio often releases casino games with fantasy settings, multipliers, and high maximum wins.

Snake Temple

Snake Temple ranked in the second spot for top new releases in August after receiving more than 22 million bets. This Valkyrie creation has a vibrant Aztec theme, with free spins and bonus buys, and a max win potential of up to 20,000x.

LIT City

LIT City by Hacksaw Gaming is our third top new slot for August, as it received more than 15 million wagers. While mythology-themed releases dominated in August, LIT City brought a darker horror-inspired style to the month’s most-played new games.

August's most-played Only on Stake games

Our Only on Stake game collection grows each month with titles that are exclusive to Stake Casino. Many of our most-played games were created using our Stake Engine, which you can learn more about in our explainer blog.

Waylanders Forge led the Only on Stake rankings with more than 103 million bets during August.

Big Bass Rock and Roll followed with a total of 72,432,321 wagers, and continued the success of Pragmatic Play’s long-running Big Bass series.

Big Bass BOOM helped extend the Big Bass franchise’s strong presence among August’s most-played exclusives, recording 35,821,189 bets.

Ganja Snail demonstrated continued player interest in unconventional game themes in August, with 31,207,814 bets.

The biggest sporting events to bet on in September

The US Open began in August and continues into this month. 4-time winner Novak Djokovic suffered a shock early exit, leaving Alcaraz as the clear favourite for the men’s singles title. Meanwhile, the WTA number 1, Aryna Sabalenka, is the favourite to win the women’s singles title. Outright and match betting is available on every match throughout the tournament, including both pre-live and live betting markets. Our US Open picks page has more information about the title challengers and predictions.

Premier League fans were treated to an exciting season opener last month, and the world’s most popular soccer league continues in September. Defending champions Arsenal and challengers Manchester City both got off to perfect starts in their first 2 league matches. Now that the transfer window has slammed shut, September will be the first full month of fixtures. Stake offers outright betting, 1x2 betting, Asian totals and more. Check out our EPL picks and predictions for more information.

Over in the US, it’s also the start of the football season. The NFL returns this month, as the biggest American Football franchises compete for a spot in the Super Bowl. The season kicks off with the Patriots vs the Seahawks on 10 September. You can bet on the Super Bowl winner, moneyline, point spread and totals at Stake.

Formula 1 fans can look forward to three high-octane races this September. Teams head to the Temple of Speed in Monza, Italy, in the first weekend of the month for the Italian GP before the Spanish GP the following week. The Spanish GP takes place on the brand-new Madring circuit, making its debut this season. Later in the month, F1 returns to Baku for the Azerbaijan GP as Kimi Antonelli battles the challengers to win his first F1 World Championship. Race winner, podium finish, fastest lap and head-to-head betting markets are available at Stake. We’ve got analysis and predictions for all F1 races on our F1 picks blog.

The UFC arrives in Los Angeles for UFC 331, as Stake-sponsored athlete Alexandre Pantoja returns to the cage following his injury. He’ll be rematching Joshua Van for the belt, after losing it when they first faced each other last year. This card takes place on 19 September, and you’ll be able to watch it live at Stake thanks to our free live streams. There’s also a lightweight title contender clash between Arman Tsarukyan and Mauricio Ruffy, plus lots more exciting fights to look forward to. You can bet on every fight with markets such as winner, method of victory and Asian totals. The UFC picks page has our expert predictions of each fight, including a detailed analysis of the main and co-main events.

If you’re looking for a variety of sports betting options, the 2026 Asian Games is one to look out for between 19 September and 4 October. The competition gets underway this September in the Aichi Prefecture, Japan. Featuring over 40 sports, the games include Athletics, Boxing, Esports, Football, Handball, and more.

The StarLadder StarSeries Fall 2026 tournament is a Stake-sponsored CS2 event featuring 8 top teams from around the world and a $500,000 prize pool. It kicks off on 17 September, with the Grand Final held on 20 September. A whole range of betting options is offered on this tournament at Stake, including match winner, totals and more. You can also follow every match with our free live streams.

We’re also looking forward to the return of the Stake Pulse series. Following a successful debut tournament that concluded in August, Stake Pulse Beat II takes place between 21 and 26 September. The current champions, Apogee Esports, will be welcomed back, along with top teams like 100 Thieves, Astralis and Virtus.pro. Get odds on every match, including match winner, handicaps and totals. The Stake Pulse picks blog has all the latest analysis of teams and their winning chances.

Best Stake.com promos and community challenges for September

While you’re betting on your favourite sports during September, be sure to refer to the Stake Promotions page for the most up-to-date list.

As you’re betting on the US Open this month, you’ll also be able to enjoy the final set tiebreaker refund promo. On qualifying markets, you’ll be refunded your stake if your pick loses in the deciding set due to a tiebreak.

During selected major soccer tournaments such as the Premier League, you can claim a 90th-minute payout on qualifying bets if your team is leading in the 90th minute but doesn’t win.

If you’re looking to place a futures bet on the Super Bowl winners, you’ll be able to make the most of the NFL winner boost promo at Stake. To celebrate the start of the new NFL season, you’ll get boosted odds on the 3 Super Bowl outright betting favourites.

The UFC split decision insurance will also be active during this month, meaning if you place a qualifying bet on any fighter and they lose by split decision, you’ll have your stake refunded. This promo is available on all fights, including UFC 331.

Stake vs Eddie runs each week and offers a $50,000 prize pool. You can enter simply by placing a minimum bet on the selected game for that week. If you beat Eddie’s highest win multiplier, you’ll win a share of the prize pool.

As you enjoy betting on sports and watching the free live streams at Stake, be sure to make the most of the latest offers and promotions. Follow our responsible betting guidelines to stay Stake Smart.