$5,000 First Prize Goes to Vitorin777

In the wake of the recently concluded StarLadder Budapest Major 2025, the latest season of HLTV’s official Fantasy competition came to a dramatic close on December 17, with several players taking home substantial prizes and one prominent streamer claiming the top spot in the Celebrity League leaderboard. 

The Fantasy season ran alongside CS2’s final Major of the year, the StarLadder Budapest Major, which featured 32 teams competing for a $1.25 million prize pool in Budapest, Hungary, from November 24 to December 14. Team Vitality emerged victorious over FaZe Clan in the Grand Final, marking their second consecutive Major title, with Mathieu “ZywOo” Herbaut earning his third Major MVP award — the most of any player in CS2 history. 

🎯 $5,000 First Prize Goes to Vitorin777

The top HLTV Fantasy prize of $5,000 was claimed by user Vitorin777, a German Fantasy player who significantly improved his performance this season by adopting a more analytical approach. Vitorin777’s decisive move came in the Fantasy game tied to the Major playoffs, where he selected a bold combination of Vitality and FaZe players — teams that outperformed many expectations during the event. This strategic pick propelled him into first place overall. 

Reflecting on the moment of triumph, Vitorin777 explained that the Vitality vs. Spirit match was the turning point: if Vitality won — as they ultimately did — it secured his lead in the Fantasy standings. He described a mixture of relief and excitement after seeing the results, saying the pressure was “unreal” as he awaited confirmation of his win. 

🥈 Runner-Ups and Their Journeys

Behind Vitorin777, the second-place prize of $2,000 was awarded to Fakirito, a Portuguese Fantasy player residing in Ireland. Unlike his German counterpart, Fakirito had played Fantasy casually for some time, previously finishing between 300th and 500th in prior seasons. But this year he committed more focus toward optimizing his picks — a shift he may carry into future seasons. 

The third-place spot was taken by Guidodilu, a political science student from Argentina. He became serious about Fantasy after finishing in the top 1 % during the Stage 1 segment of IEM Cologne earlier in the year, and from that point focused intensely on research and lineup selection. 

⭐ Celebrity League Champion: Mauisnake

In the Celebrity division — a separate leaderboard where broadcasters, content creators, and community figures compete — Alex “Mauisnake” Ellenberg finished first with 216 points, narrowly edging out HLTV content creator Harry “NER0” Richards, who finished on 202 points. Vince “Vince” Hill ranked third in this celebrity race with 184 points. 

Mauisnake’s victory was particularly notable for the unconventional tactic he employed in the final Fantasy game of the season: rather than try a unique lineup, he replicated the Fantasy team of his closest challenger NER0. By matching NER0’s picks, he ensured they would score the same number of points in that last slate — but because Mauisnake already held a slight points advantage, this tactic locked in his overall Celebrity League win. He credited his Twitch community for helping with creative lineup ideas over the course of the season.

Mauisnake, a 32-year-old from the United States with a longstanding presence in the CS:GO and CS2 community, often participates in HLTV Fantasy contests and other community events. While he doesn’t compete professionally, his engagement with Fantasy strategy and community content has made him a recognizable figure in the scene. 

📈 Fantasy Strategy and Broader Context

Fantasy contests have become a major point of engagement for Counter-Strike fans, providing an alternative way to interact with the competitive season outside of simply watching matches. Unlike third-party betting, HLTV’s Fantasy system requires users to draft lineups from actual pro players and earn points based on those players’ real tournament performances. This year’s format included boosters and strategy options that rewarded both deep statistical research and bold player selection. 

The Fantasy competition’s alignment with the StarLadder Budapest Major amplified interest, as the Major’s high stakes and unexpected results created dramatic swings in Fantasy points. Vitality’s championship run, unexpected standout performances from certain teams, and the sheer number of matches provided plenty of data for participants to analyze when setting their final rosters. 

📅 What This Season Means

With the conclusion of both the Major and the Fantasy league, many participants and content creators are already discussing strategies for future seasons. Winners like Vitorin777 and Mauisnake have shared that they’ll continue refining their approaches next year, and the community response — visible in social forums and HLTV comment sections — suggests a growing appetite for competitive Fantasy play alongside top-tier CS2 events.