The post Astralis fall into Last Chance Stage at ESL Pro League S20 appeared first on Esport Bet.
]]>Both teams faced challenges, but Complexity’s individual prowess carried them over the line in overtime on Vertigo (19-17) and Inferno (16-14).
Complexity now faces Imperial Esports, while Astralis battles Rooster to stay alive in the Counter-Strike 2 tournament.
Despite rebuilding their roster after failing to qualify for the PGL Major Copenhagen, Astralis has seen their form decline since notable top-four finishes at IEM Chengdu and ESL Pro League Season 19.
Their recent loss to Fnatic in the EPL opener left them hoping for a rebound against a struggling Complexity.
However, Astralis fell short, with star AWPer Nicolai “device” Reedtz underperforming, leading to an apology on social media.
Not the best time to be on SoMe, but anyways want to give some insight to the fans.
Really disappointed with myself these last 2 games, not only as the awp but also IGLing.
Doing my best to bounce back I assure you— Nicolai Reedtz (@dev1ce) September 11, 2024
Poor offensive play and bizarre mid-round decisions added to their woes.
Complexity, though far from perfect, edged out Astralis thanks to standout performances from Jonathan “EliGE” Jablonowski and H?kon “hallzerk” Fj?rli.
While Complexity may not take much pride in barely defeating an out-of-form Astralis, their better gun round performance on Inferno and individual firepower got the job done.
@imperialesports ARE IN THE #ESLProLeague XX PLAYOFFS @vini @felperaa @nowayzao@decentycs @TRYZSE1@zakkcs pic.twitter.com/oj06PR67Mj
— ESL Counter-Strike (@ESLCS) September 11, 2024
MOUZ also saw disappointment in their ESL Pro League campaign, losing to Imperial in overtime on Dust2 (16-14) and Inferno (16-13).
Despite being ranked No. 1 earlier this year and having a strong season, MOUZ faltered, with players like Ludvig “Brollan” Brolin struggling significantly, posting just six kills on Inferno.
Imperial capitalised on MOUZ��s mistakes, with standout performances from Lucas “decenty” Bacelar and Jo?o “felps” Vasconcellos, advancing them to a seeding match.
#ESLProLeague XX Playoffs secured for @M80gg! pic.twitter.com/d4rsL4y3KM
— ESL Counter-Strike (@ESLCS) September 11, 2024
M80 made headlines with a record-breaking 71-round match against fnatic on Anubis, the longest Counter-Strike 2 map on HLTV.
M80 won the epic battle in octuple overtime (37-34) before also taking Inferno in extra time (16-13).
Their victory secured a playoff spot and marked a breakthrough for North American CS, making them the first NA team outside Complexity and Liquid to reach Big Event playoffs since 2019.
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]]>The post Berlin will host LAN portion of Thunderpick World Championship appeared first on Esport Bet.
]]>The tournament will feature 16 of the best Counter-Strike 2 teams from around the world, competing for the lion’s share of the US$1,000,000 total prize pool, which includes the US$150,000 that was on offer for each of the six qualifiers.
The event kicks off with an online stage from October 21-26, where teams will battle in a single-elimination best-of-three bracket.
The top four teams will then advance to the LAN finals in Berlin.
The LAN event will follow the same format, concluding with a third-place decider match.
Six teams have already qualified for the tournament: Cloud9 and BLEED Esports from Europe, Legacy and M80 from North America, and BESTIA and Imperial from South America.
They will be joined by 10 invited teams, with Team Falcons, Heroic, Fnatic, and BIG among the first announced.
This is the second edition of the Thunderpick World Championship, with FaZe Clan winning last year��s entirely online event and claiming the $250,000 top prize.
This year’s prize pool has increased, with $500,000 reserved for the winner.
After a break following the online stage, the LAN finals promise to deliver two days of intense CS2 action.
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]]>The post ESL Pro League Season 20 betting picks �C Tuesday, September 10 appeared first on Esport Bet.
]]>
FNATIC vs ASTRALIS CS2 BETTING & MATCH DETAILS |
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Best Odds: | Fnatic $3.29 at GG Bet | Astralis $1.33 at GG Bet |
When: | September 10, 2024 | 13:30 CEST |
Watch Live: | Twitch (https://www.twitch.tv/ESLCS) |
Group C at ESL Pro League Season 20 starts with a clash between Astralis and Fnatic, who have yet to face off this season. But even with no head-to-head fixtures, it is easy to see why Astralis are expected to win.
Nicolai “dev1ce” Reedtz and co. have not won a tournament this year and didn’t make it very far at Intel Extreme Masters Cologne 2024 in August. However, Astralis have posted promising performances against the world’s elite teams over the last month, which gives hope they are slowly finding momentum.
Fnatic are 2-3 from their last five series, with those wins coming against Cloud9 and OG — hardly world-beaters. Nevertheless, they have shown improvement, and with the talent on this roster, they should be able to make some noise in Malta.
At $1.65 to take a map off Astralis, Fnatic are an obvious choice.
BIG vs IMPERIAL ESPORTS CS2 BETTING & MATCH DETAILS |
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Best Odds: | BIG $1.95 at GG Bet | Imperial $1.83 at GG Bet |
When: | September 10, 2024 | 16:30 CEST |
Watch Live: | Twitch (https://www.twitch.tv/ESLCS) |
Imperial Esports are priced as slight favourites to defeat BIG, who have failed to find much success at the top level this year. On the other side, Imperial have not won any significant titles either, so it is not like the teams’ accomplishments are the main differentiating factor.
The Brazilians are in a much better spot in terms of map pools, with a better win rate on all maps except for Ancient, which is BIG’s second-best map, but it will likely get banned. Imperial also come out ahead on individual form, with all five players averaging a 1.04 performance rating or higher.
Despite all that, we have to consider that Imperial have been playing weaker opponents than BIG of late. Expect a close affair.
TEAM LIQUID vs ENCE CS2 BETTING & MATCH DETAILS |
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Best Odds: | TL $1.30 at GG Bet | ENCE $3.47 at GG Bet |
When: | September 10, 2024 | 16:30 CEST |
Watch Live: | Twitch (https://www.twitch.tv/ESLCS) |
Team Liquid had an explosive start to IEM Cologne 2024 at the beginning of August but failed to make it past FaZe Clan (twice) and crashed out of the tournament in seventh-eighth place. Prior to that, Liquid won BLAST Premier Fall Groups 2024, and they did well at IEM Dallas 2024, so something is working for this lineup.
Since their former lineup fell apart, ENCE have not come close to winning a single big event. They’ve been particularly disappointing over the last month, with early exits from IEM Rio 2024, Perfect World Shanghai Major 2024, and ThunderPick World Championship 2024 qualifiers.
As the latest Counter-Strike esports odds suggest, this should be a one-sided affair. Anything less than a 2-0 sweep would be a major disappointment for Team Liquid.
COMPLEXITY vs M80 CS2 BETTING & MATCH DETAILS |
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Best Odds: | COL $1.29 at GG Bet | M80 $3.54 at GG Bet |
When: | September 10, 2024 | 19:30 CEST |
Watch Live: | Twitch (https://www.twitch.tv/ESLCS) |
Complexity beat M80 16-14 in the second round of the Esports World Cup 2024 in July, and they are expected to do just as well on Tuesday. This is unsurprising considering Complexity’s solid performances over the next month, which includes competitive games against the world’s elite teams.
M80 have also shown excellent form throughout August, although most of their wins have come from ESL Challenger League Season 48: North America, where Elias “s1n” Stein and co. faced lesser regional opponents.
Complexity are a more proven team at the top level. However, clashes between regional rivals are often closer than expected, which makes M80 a solid pick to take at least one map.
RED CANIDS vs VIRTUS.PRO CS2 BETTING & MATCH DETAILS |
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Best Odds: | RED $4.15 at GG Bet | VP $1.22 at GG Bet |
When: | September 10, 2024 | 19:30 CEST |
Watch Live: | Twitch (https://www.twitch.tv/ESLCS) |
RED Canids are one of the lowest-ranked Counter-Strike teams at ESL Pro League Season 20, and according to the top Counter-Strike betting sites, they are not expected to make it very far. At $4.15, RED Canids are given a 24.1% implied probability of winning, but they face a Virtus.pro outfit that is not in the best shape.
The Russians are 3-7 from their last 10 outings, with those wins coming against Zero Tenacity, BIG, and the struggling Team Falcons. While that run includes clashes with stronger teams than what RED Canids have had to face, it does not change the fact that Virtus.pro have not been playing well.
RED Canids are in stronger form and have a better win rate on six of the seven maps in the rotation. Even though VP are rightly the favourites, the underdogs should be good for one map.
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]]>The post Fnatic part ways with VALORANT roster stand-in appeared first on Esport Bet.
]]>Hiro, who previously played for Papara SuperMassive, was brought on as a temporary replacement for Leo “Leo” Jannesson.
Leo had to step down due to health issues before the start of VALORANT Champions Tour EMEA Split 2.
Hiro was scouted independently of Fnatic’s affiliate partnership with Mandatory.
Bringing in Mandatory’s Damien “HyP” Souville would have meant removing the team’s in-game leader while they were competing for an Ascension slot, so FNATIC opted for Hiro, whose team faced a much tougher path to the promotional tournament.
Hiro played throughout Stage 2 and VALORANT Champions 2024 in Leo’s place, quickly becoming a key player in Fnatic’s success.
His performance contributed to Fnatic’s VCT EMEA title victory and their journey through VALORANT Champions.
Despite Hiro’s strong individual performance, Fnatic struggled in the world championship, ultimately finishing in the top six after being eliminated by G2 Esports.
With the season ending, Hiro’s time with Fnatic has come to a close, and he is now a free agent.
This departure leaves Fnatic with only three active players: Jake “Boaster” Howlett, Emir “Alfajer” Beder, and Timofey “Chronicle” Khromov.
Nikita “Derke” Sirmitev is currently a restricted free agent, and Leo’s return for the 2025 season remains uncertain, dependent on his health.
Fnatic’s official announcement on X included a heartfelt compilation of Hiro’s best moments with the team, capturing the sentiment of the organisation and its fans.
Hiro also expressed his gratitude towards Fnatic in a post.
Thanks to @FNATIC for everything, i will always apreciate the whole experience and the opportunity that was given to me. I'm proud to have been able to lift a trophy with this team and i really enjoyed my time with FNATIC https://t.co/CAEgRerLsx
— FNATIC hiro (@hiroaims) September 3, 2024
With Hiro’s departure, it is clear that Fnatic is preparing for a significant roster overhaul.
With the recent announcement of Liquid’s trio��Elias “Jamppi” Olkkonen, James “Mistic” Orfila, and Enzo “Enzo” Mestari��also entering free agency, Fnatic has several options to consider as they rebuild their roster.
As the 2024 VALORANT offseason begins, more changes are expected, which could potentially reshape the competitive landscape.
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]]>The post G2 Esports claim LEC Season Finals 2024 title appeared first on Esport Bet.
]]>This unprecedented achievement saw them win the Winter, Spring, Summer Splits, and the Season Finals in a single year, a feat never before accomplished in the region.
G2’s latest victory came in the LEC Season Finals, where they defeated their historic rivals, Fnatic, 3-1 in the grand final held at Munich��s Olympic Hall.
@G2LEAGUE ARE THE 2024 #LEC SEASON CHAMPIONS! pic.twitter.com/E1l0NpqHoF
— LEC (@LEC) September 1, 2024
The road to the grand final wasn’t smooth for G2, as they were sent to the lower bracket after a surprising loss to MAD Lions KOI in the first round of playoffs.
However, G2 showcased their resilience, battling their way back by defeating GiantX, narrowly avoiding elimination against Team BDS, and avenging their earlier defeat by beating MAD KOI to secure a spot in the final.
In the grand final, Fnatic, the winners of the upper bracket, put up a strong fight.
The first game of the series was the longest match of the split and the longest ever between the two rivals, with G2 narrowly securing the win.
Although Fnatic bounced back in game two with a convincing victory, G2 quickly dashed any hopes of a five-game series by winning the next two games, sealing the series and their 17th regional title.
This victory marks G2’s fourth European League of Legends trophy of 2024, and the rivalry between G2 and Fnatic, nearly a decade old, once again delivered an intense and entertaining series for fans.
However, Fnatic, once the dominant force in the European League, remains far from reclaiming its former glory, with their last title dating back to 2018 before the LEC rebranding.
G2��s dominance this year also serves as a preview of what they might bring to the 2024 World Championship, set to begin in less than a month in Berlin.
Both G2 and Fnatic have qualified for the World Championship, with MAD Lions KOI also progressing to the play-ins.
Worlds will take place across Europe, with the grand final set for the O2 Arena in London.
G2��s players and staff expressed their pride and relief after the win.
Your #LEC Grand Finals MVP: @Hanssama! pic.twitter.com/z9AVszQc8Y
— LEC (@LEC) September 1, 2024
Rasmus “Caps” Borregaard Winther, G2’s mid-laner, thanked the fans for their support, while Steve “Hans Sama” Liv, who earned the finals MVP, expressed his determination to continue improving.
Mihael “Mikyx” Mehle, G2��s support, acknowledged the pressure but emphasised the team��s confidence going into the international stage.
Assistant coach Christopher “Duffman” Duff highlighted the team’s focus on raising their floor rather than reaching a ceiling, a strategy that paid off throughout the year.
Fnatic, on the other hand, continues to grapple with their shortcomings.
Fnatic founder and CEO Sam Mathews acknowledged the disappointment of finishing second to G2 once again but emphasised the importance of preparing for Worlds.
The grand final between G2 and Fnatic was a riveting back-and-forth series, with the first game lasting 51 minutes and 20 seconds, setting a record for the longest game of the year in the LEC.
With the conclusion of the LEC Season Finals, the 2024 LEC season comes to an end, and all eyes now turn to Berlin as the world��s best teams prepare for the biggest event of the year��Worlds 2024.
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]]>The post Sentinels & Heretics stay alive at VALORANT Champions 2024 appeared first on Esport Bet.
]]>This was the fourth international meeting between the two teams, with Sentinels leading the head-to-head record heading into the second round lower bracket clash.
The elimination match was played across Sunset, Bind, and Lotus.
Sentinels chose Sunset, Fnatic picked Bind, and Lotus served as the decider.
The opening map, Sunset, saw Fnatic take a commanding 8-4 lead at halftime, thanks to solid team play and superior post-plant setups.
However, Sentinels’ IGL, Mohamed “johnqt” Amine Ouarid, made pivotal mid-game adjustments, enabling a strong comeback.
They edged out Fnatic 13-11 on the back of johnqt’s standout performance, where he led the server with 23 kills.
Fnatic responded on Bind, their map pick, dominating their attack half to secure a 13-9 victory.
Their execution on the B site in Round 20 was particularly impressive, leaving Sentinels’ economy in shambles for the remainder of the map.
The decider on Lotus was a more one-sided affair, with Sentinels controlling both halves.
Their clean attack led to an 8-4 halftime lead, and they swiftly closed out the map 13-6.
Despite Fnatic’s attempts to mount a comeback, they couldn’t overcome Sentinels’ economic and strategic advantage.
Nikita “Derke” Sirmitev finished with the most kills in the series at 61, but it wasn’t enough to keep Fnatic’s Champions campaign alive.
Sentinels now advance to the lower bracket semifinals at INSPIRE Arena, where they will face Team Heretics, who stunned DRX in another intense elimination series.
THE LOWER BRACKET RUN IS ON FOR SEN CITY!
SENTINELS LOCK IN TOP 4 AT #VALORANTChampions SEOUL! pic.twitter.com/3QCr8mr0yF
— VALORANT Champions Tour (@ValorantEsports) August 18, 2024
Team Heretics vs. DRX was a clash of two teams undergoing roster turmoil throughout 2024.
Heretics entered Champions with momentum, despite their challenges, while DRX, on home soil, sought redemption.
The map veto slightly favoured Heretics, and the series began on Abyss, where DRX looked strong, winning 13-5 after a dominant defensive showing.
Heretics bounced back on Sunset, tying the series 1-1 with a commanding 13-5 victory of their own.
Their ability to suffocate DRX’s offence, combined with well-executed defensive strategies, set the stage for a thrilling decider on Icebox.
Icebox was a back-and-forth affair, but Heretics ultimately prevailed 13-10.
They capitalized on DRX’s weakened economy and used their ultimates effectively to secure the final rounds.
Heretics’ standout player, Dominykas “MiniBoo” Luka?evi?ius, topped the server in rating (1.30), kills (59), average combat score (260), and ADR (165), helping his team achieve a 2-1 victory and a top-four finish at their first Champions appearance.
TEAM HERETICS SURVIVES!
THEY ARE GOING TO THE INSPIRE AT #VALORANTChampions SEOUL! pic.twitter.com/HHy6nRYz41
— VALORANT Champions Tour (@ValorantEsports) August 18, 2024
Now, Heretics and Sentinels will face off in the lower semifinal.
Both teams have been Masters finalists this year, but only Sentinels have claimed an international title.
This rematch of their earlier clash at Masters sets the stage for a high-stakes showdown, with a spot in the lower bracket final on the line.
Meanwhile, DRX’s home tournament ended in disappointment, as they were eliminated in the top six, mirroring their previous Champions performance.
VALORANT Champions will continue on Friday, August 23, with EDward Gaming and Leviatan kicking off the day in the upper bracket final before Sentinels and Team Heretics play off for the right to take on the loser in the lower bracket final.
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]]>The post Leviatan & Heretics advance to VALORANT Champions semi-finals appeared first on Esport Bet.
]]>The series, played on Icebox and Abyss, showcased Levi��tan’s dominance.
LEVIAT��N WINS THE AMERICAS REGIONAL BATTLE TO KICK OFF THEIR PLAYOFF RUN! #VALORANTChampions pic.twitter.com/zTizXvrVEx
— VALORANT Champions Tour (@ValorantEsports) August 15, 2024
Icebox, Levi��tan’s pick and one of their strongest maps this year, saw them clinch a nail-biting 16-14 win.
Entering the match with a 12-3 record on Icebox, Levi��t��n faced a challenge from G2, who had previously handed them two of those losses.
G2 started strong on Icebox with a zero-duelist composition, putting Jacob “icy” Lange on Gekko and Nathan “leaf” Orf on Killjoy.
Their in-game leader, Jacob “valyn” Batio, orchestrated an early 5-1 lead.
However, Levi��tan’s IGL, Francisco “kiNgg” Alberto Aravena, brought his team back into the game despite being detained by icy’s Gekko Thrash.
G2 managed to avoid the gun of Levi��t��n’s star player, Erick “aspas” Santos, who ended the map with just one Operator kill.
In a tense finish, Levi��t��n clinched the map 16-14.
On Abyss, G2’s map pick, Levi��tan took control from the start.
Their defence, led by Corbin “C0M” Daniel Lee and kiNgg, dominated, ending the half 8-4 in their favour.
Levi��tan won the pistol round on attack, and G2’s puzzling decision to abandon the map didn’t pay off, allowing Levi��tan to secure an 11-4 lead.
From there, they cruised to a 13-5 victory, sweeping the series 2-0.
Despite aspas having a quiet series, his teammates shone, guiding Levi��t��n to victory.
G2’s head coach, Josh “JoshRT” Lee, attributed their performance on Abyss to the close loss on Icebox, stating, “We lost a close one. I could tell the nerves were a little high.”
No G2 player finished with a positive K/D on Abyss.
Ian “tex” Botsch, a former teammate of many G2 players, expressed satisfaction with the win, noting the friendly rivalry with his old team.
C0M led the server with 42 kills and a massive 1.42 rating across the series.
G2’s leaf followed with 38 kills, but it wasn’t enough to stop Levi��tan.
TEAM HERETICS COME OUT ON TOP IN THE EMEA REGIONAL SHOWDOWN! #VALORANTChampions #VamosHeretics pic.twitter.com/MILuGmnBBL
— VALORANT Champions Tour (@ValorantEsports) August 15, 2024
Team Heretics, in a surprising result, defeated FNATIC 2-0 in the VALORANT Champions 2024 playoffs, setting up a clash with Levi��tan in the next round.
Heretics and FNATIC had faced each other four times in 2024 before this Champions clash, with Heretics winning twice.
Fnatic picked Lotus for the first map of the series; however, it backfired in the worst way possible.
Mert “WoOt” Alkan dominated for the Heretics, recording a massive rating of 1.80, 280 average combat score (ACS), and 188 ADR in their 13-3 demolition.
Heretics continued their dominance on Abyss, defeating FNATIC 14-12 in overtime.
Although Heretics won the second map in overtime, only Enes “RieNs” Ecirli finished with a positive kill/death difference (+9) and rating over 1.0 (1.36), with Nikita “Derke” Sirmitev topping the server with a 1.38 rating and 28 kills.
RieNs and Benjy “benjyfishy” David Fish were instrumental in Heretics’ win, which marked their third victory at Champions 2024.
With this win, Team Heretics advanced to play Levi��tan, while FNATIC dropped to the lower bracket to face G2 in an elimination match.
The winner of Levi��tan vs. Team Heretics will secure a top-three finish at VALORANT Champions 2024.
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]]>The post VALORANT Champions 2024 playoffs tips – Thursday, August 15 appeared first on Esport Bet.
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G2 ESPORTS vs LEVIATAN VCT BETTING & MATCH DETAILS |
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Best Odds: | G2 $1.89 at GG Bet | LEV $1.85 at GG Bet |
When: | August 15, 2024 | 17:00 KST |
Watch Live: | Twitch (https://www.twitch.tv/VALORANT) |
G2 Esports and Leviatan will face off for the fifth time this VALORANT Champions Tour (VCT) season and the first time since Americas Stage 2 when Leviatan won 3-1. However, according to the betting odds, Leviatan will have a tougher time surpassing their regional rivals on Thursday.
The VCT Americas runners-up have looked very good this tournament, beating Paper Rex and EDward Gaming. In contrast, Leviatan managed a second-place finish in Group C with wins against Talon Esports and Team Vitality.
As with most regional derbies, head-to-head records hold a bit more weight than the teams’ form, but we have to show G2 Esports some respect for their past showings. This should be a close match.
FNATIC vs TEAM HERETICS VCT BETTING & MATCH DETAILS |
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Best Odds: | Fnatic $2.00 at GG Bet | TH $1.75 at GG Bet |
When: | August 15, 2024 | 20:00 KST |
Watch Live: | Twitch (https://www.twitch.tv/VALORANT) |
Fnatic and Team Heretics know each other very well, as they have faced off three times this season. Their meeting, however, was the VCT 2024 EMEA Stage 1 finals, when Fnatic bested the VCT 2024 Masters Shanghai runners-up 3-2. Before that, Heretics won twice, both in two maps.
Comparing season-long results, Heretics are the better team and looked stronger during the VALORANT Champions 2024 group stage. This explains why VALORANT betting sites have them priced as favourites. At the same time, Heretics’ only big victory came against Gen.G, who were not in the best shape.
It is hard to find a good reason to fade Fnatic, mainly due to their experience, high ceiling, and strong coaching staff, which makes them a scary team to face when given time to prepare. At even money, it is hard to look past Europe’s No.1 seed.
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]]>The post LEC 2024 Season Finals betting picks – Fnatic v Team BDS appeared first on Esport Bet.
]]>Fnatic and Team BDS will meet on Saturday, August 10, in the opening round of the League of Legends EMEA Championship (LEC) 2024 Season Finals. Team BDS won when these teams last clashed, but according to LoL betting odds, they are unlikely to emulate that success.
This is not surprising, considering how good Fnatic looked during the LEC 2024 Summer Playoffs — despite losing against G2 Esports in the finals. Team BDS also made a deep run, reaching the lower bracket finals, but like Fnatic, they proved no match for the defending champions.
Comparing the two LoL esports teams’ stats from the playoffs, Fnatic come out ahead in several metrics. They have some of the best numbers in the league, including 113 gold difference per minute, 18.2 average kills per game, and the second-highest first tower rate (61.5%), but also a +571 gold difference at 15 minutes. However, that number is a bit skewed due to how the finals played out.
Looking past the numbers, despite posting worse stats, Team BDS performed well in their playoff series and arguably should have beaten G2 Esports.
The main question here is whether Fnatic can get a substantial lead in the early game, considering Team BDS are pretty good at keeping their games close. Still, even if the underdogs can fight back, their mid-late game transition is terrible, which should enable the Black & Orange to put themselves in a favourable spot to win.
Fnatic can be a bit volatile, but they are a solid choice at $1.88, with the best LoL betting sites to win without dropping more than a map.
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]]>The post DRX & Heretics secure VALORANT Champions playoff berths appeared first on Esport Bet.
]]>In a rematch from VALORANT Champions Tour Masters Shanghai, Team Heretics got their revenge over their Korean opponent, as they claimed a tough 2-1 (11-13, 13-11, 13-10) series win to open the second week of competition.
Los Ni?os win the Masters Shanghai Finals rematch and move on to the Playoffs Stage! #VALORANTChampions #VamosHeretics pic.twitter.com/MmfaK1cjkS
— VALORANT Champions Tour (@ValorantEsports) August 6, 2024
Abyss was Team Heretics’s pick and a new addition to the VALORANT map pool.
Gen.G, who typically bans Abyss, showed resilience with a Breeze-like composition.
The match saw a closely contested first half, with Gen.G leading 7-5.
Off the back of a strong performance from Kim “Meteor” Tae-o (28 kills on Yoru), Gen.G narrowly secured the map after effective timeout strategies by their coaches.
Lotus, Gen.G’s pick, seemed to favour them initially, leading 10-5.
However, Team Heretics made a remarkable comeback, winning eight of the last nine rounds to claim the map.
Gen.G’s inability to convert 5v4 situations, despite having 15 first bloods, was critical.
Benjy “Benjyfishy” David Fish highlighted their aggressive post-plant strategies as a key factor in their turnaround.
The decider map, Bind, saw Heretics employing a flash-heavy composition, aiding their attacking and defensive strategies.
They led 8-4 at half-time, with effective use of flashes and coordinated attacks.
Despite a late surge from Gen.G, Team Heretics closed out the map at 13-10 and took the series from the hometown favourite.
Kim “t3xture” Na-ra��s underperformance, with zero operator kills, was notable, and external factors like smoke machines were cited by Gen.G as distractions.
Meteor led Gen.G with 76 kills across the series, while Dominykas “MiniBoo” Luka?evi?ius from Team Heretics highlighted the mental strain of the match, calling it the hardest of his career.
DRX gets the clean series win to advance to the Playoffs Stage! #VALORANTChampions #DRXWIN pic.twitter.com/wNPY4c7OD7
VALORANT Champions Tour (@ValorantEsports) August 6, 2024
DRX secured a playoff spot with a clean 2-0 (13-11, 13-6) victory over Fnatic.
On Abyss, DRX turned a small lead into a 7-5 halftime advantage, eventually winning their map pick by the same margin, thanks to key plays from Yu “BuZz” Byung-chul and defensive strength.
Lotus saw DRX take a slender lead into halftime before running away with the map by winning six of the seven rounds in the second half and claiming the series.
Despite Emir “Alfajer” Ali Beder��s (1.40 rating) standout performance for Fnatic, DRX��s consistency and home-soil advantage proved decisive.
DRX’s victory marked a significant step towards their goal, showcasing their ability to perform under pressure and signalling their potential to go far in the tournament.
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