Hero Prominence: The Most Popular Hero in Dota 2

The Science of Selecting a Dota 2 Hero

As of update 7.38, there has been a total of 126 heroes in the pool for players to choose from, and it cannot be denied that the list keeps on getting longer and longer as time goes by, considering the fact that it began with just 112 heroes when it was just a mod in Warcraft III back in the day.

But selecting a hero for a single match can be the difference between winning and losing. For that, many players need to understand the value of team composition, countering the opposing side, and utilizing overall team strength. On top of that, there’s the recognition of roles in the game, which says a lot about the advantage and disadvantage that comes with playing in a competitive scene.

However, no one can really, truly choose the “right” hero in a single game. While the success of a winning team highly depends on the personal contribution of each player, it is also worth noting that Dota 2 highlights the principle of team building – and selecting heroes plays a huge role in coming up with a win in a single game, let alone in a whole tournament that has a huge prize pool.

With the help of modern technology, there are arguably many ways to come up with a proper hero selection. Thanks to existing services such as DotaBuff and DotaPicker, the use of statistical information from many played matches over the years have allowed machine learning to deviate data and come up with recommended picks. But of course, these are just mere speculations – which means that there’s no more accurate selection than what most players come up with when they play their games.

How Dota 2 Heroes are Selected

With Dota 2 having a wide array of playable heroes and being able to pick on the best options that they deem to be a perfect fit within a single match, one can say that every single update and patch from the developers plays a huge role in a hero’s effectiveness in a single game. However, one can deduce easily that the frequency of selection and winning rates come into play in selecting a hero for a match.

The Most Popular Dota 2 Heroes in 2024 (By Matches Played)

Entering 2025, it seems that Pudge, a melee character, stands out as the most selected Dota 2 hero for over 12 months – being picked as a hero across over 83 million matches. It is also worth noting that Pudge also boasts the highest pick rate in 2024 with a whopping 26.54%. What is surprising on this list is that Juggernaut, who is arguably the top pick among many Dota players over the years, isn’t actually at the top of the list – and is the only hero to be selected in less than 50 million matches.

It is also worth noting that Sniper, who is often regarded as a squishy hero meant for newbies, ranks third overall in most selected heroes in the game for 2024. It cannot be denied that the new meta in the game has significantly affected player choice to the point that Sniper – a considerable baby hero – ranks high on this list. Sniper is also the second highest-ranged hero to be ranked on this list, with Lion being ahead by nearly 10 million.

Well, that’s the popularity factor, but it is also worth noting that winning comes as a massive consideration for many players. After all, you don’t simply select a hero that is a popular choice but does not correlate into winning at all, which would make it quite a nuisance in the games played considering that it also comes as a crucial choice that can either lead to a win or a loss

For that, we can refer to the data below:

Winningest Dota 2 Heroes in 2024 (By Win Rate)

Based on this data, Abaddon, a melee hero, also ranks as the best-winning hero in Dota 2 for 2024 at a whopping 55.34%. Wraith King, another melee hero, ranks second at 54.36%. It is worth noting that despite the popularity, players selecting Pudge has not actually led to a lot of wins to make it to the top 10 of the winningest heroes so far.

Looking deeper into the list, however, we can spot Axe at the top six – who also ranks the same among the most popular Dota 2 heroes. This means that Axe is the only hero whose selection actually translates into winning at all. No other hero in the most popular ones have made it into the winning list aside from Axe based on these findings.

Which Hero is the Best in Winning Dota 2 Games?

Based on our 2024 findings, it seems that Axe, which is sixth most-popular hero and sixth winningest hero in Dota 2 last year, could well be a promising choice in competitive Dota 2 games, which can give you a promising advantage in winning in the long run. Pudge can be quite a good selection, but is not that guaranteed to lead to high winnings in the game, on the other hand, Abaddon may well be a great choice in winning games. But not everyone selects him – either due to popularity bias or the lack of knowledge of a proper build for him.

Selecting a hero in Dota 2 is a multifaceted decision that requires careful consideration of several key factors. Players must take into account their team's overall composition, the roles needed, and the synergy between heroes. Understanding the strengths and weaknesses of potential heroes in the context of the draft is crucial, as well as adapting to the enemy's picks and potential strategies.

Additionally, individual playstyle and comfort with certain heroes can make a significant difference, as proficiency and familiarity can enhance performance. Ultimately, selecting the right hero is a blend of strategic thinking, team coordination, and personal expertise, all of which contribute to achieving success in the game.

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