How does opening a case work?
A case holds a set of skins, ordered by rarity. To open it you need a key. After opening you receive a random skin from the contents — which one exactly is decided by the drop chance of each rarity. The rarer the tier, the lower the probability. The contents and odds are known in advance and publicly for each case.
Case and key
You get a case as a free random drop after playing, but to open it you need a key. Without a key the case just sits in your inventory. The key is therefore the stake of opening — which is why it pays to know the odds first.
Drop odds by rarity
The probability distribution is fixed for classic cases. Roughly, it looks like this:
| Rarity | Colour | Approximate chance |
|---|---|---|
| Mil-Spec | blau | ~79,92 % |
| Restricted | lila | ~15,98 % |
| Classified | pink | ~3,2 % |
| Covert | rot | ~0,64 % |
| Messer / Handschuhe | gold | ~0,26 % |
StatTrak™ and rare variants
Any skin that drops can also appear in the StatTrak™variant, which counts your kills with that item. The chance of StatTrak is lower than the normal variant, and for knives and gloves (Gold) the drop is the rarest of all. These are exactly the items that carry the value of a case.
Cases, upgrade or trade-up?
Opening cases is a pure random drop from fixed contents. The Upgrade lets you pick the target and see the chance in advance, the Trade-Up combines ten skins into a higher one.
- Cases: a random skin from the contents, chance by rarity.
- Upgrade: you choose the target, chance before you start.
- Trade-Up: 10 skins → one a tier higher, via float and collection.
Float and value of the skin that drops
With cases too, the Float (condition) sets the price. Two identical skins can differ sharply in value depending on wear.
| Kategorie | Float-Bereich | Value |
|---|---|---|
| Factory New | 0.00 – 0.07 | highest |
| Minimal Wear | 0.07 – 0.15 | hoch |
| Field-Tested | 0.15 – 0.38 | mittel |
| Well-Worn / Battle-Scarred | 0.38 – 1.00 | niedriger |
More on float in the Guide, and on selling and value in the Skins.
How to approach opening
Treat opening as entertainment with a fixed probability, not an investment. The rarest items sit at hundredths of a percent — realistically it is more likely to be a blue or purple skin. Set yourself a limit for the number of cases and stick to it.
Verantwortungsvoll spielen
Opening cases involves an element of chance and is strictly for people aged 18 and over. Set yourself limits, only stake what you are willing to lose. Help: BeGambleAware.org.
