The drought season is almost over guys! Bear with us – there’s just a few more days until the Katowice Minors start… and roughly two weeks before the newly announced ELEAGUE Invitational. The latter is going to be our focal point for the day. ELEAGUE, the North American professional esports league, announced their brand new Invitational tournament in CS:GO. It’s not to be mistaken with their Premier series, that’s a different ball game altogether…

Needless to say, ELEAGUE invitational is going to serve as a proper training for all participating teams. Even more so, considering they’re all going to compete in Poland next month. Furthermore, ELEAGUE Invitational will also serve as a filler for all esports bettors out there. It’s set to be held between the iBUYPOWER Masters IV and IEM XIII Katowice Major – a great opportunity to get some betting funds rolling. If you find yourself in this lot, here’s a quick look at the best ELEAGUE Invitational betting sites currently available. It’s a short list, but might do you a world of good prior to the Polish spectacle!

Where to Bet | Best ELEAGUE Invitational Betting Sites

Why These Bookies?

We often get asked why are we so fond of these particular bookies. Why are these six bookies labeled as the best ELEAGUE Invitational betting sites? Well, for starts – they’re legit! I know it might sound silly at first but legit websites are dropping down in numbers nowadays with so many fishy websites appearing out of thin air.

Furthermore, all of these bookies have low profit margins, allowing them to provide their users with higher betting odds. And don’t even get me started on the variety of esports bets they have…

Let’s not forget the fact all six of our picks are fast, fluid and don’t waste your precious time with payout processing. Their customer services are top noth too, paving the way for impeccable customer satisfaction.

Tournament Facts

• ELEAGUE Invitational has announced a prize pool of $150,000 which is not half bad considering there are just four teams up for it. That said, we can assume the winner will take home anywhere from $70,000 to $100,000; which is a pretty hefty sum of money, if I may add.
• The tournament will be played across three days – starting on January 25^th and ending on January 27^th. The last two days will be available for watching live at the mesmerizing ELEAGUE Arena in Atlanta, GA. You can order your tickets here.
• ELEAGUE Invitational will feature a total of six matches in a double-elimination bracket format. This ensures the quality of the matches is at a desirable level, but at the same time allows teams to make one mistake along the road without getting eliminated.
• The best ELEAGUE Invitational betting sites are already preparing themselves for this tournament. At the time of writing this article, we couldn’t find any betting options available on our picks… but that’s bound to change in the coming days.

Participating Teams | Just Four?

Yup, there are just four teams that are set to compete at ELEAGUE Invitational. Once again, all of them will be competing in Poland (at the IEM XIII Katowice Major), so there won’t be any competitiveness lacking here, that’s for sure! As for the actual teams, here’s what ELEAGUE Invitational has in store for you:

• Cloud9
• FaZe Clan
• BIG
• CompLexity

Needless to say, FaZe Clan is the biggest name on the list. By far, actually. However, judging by their recent track record, they might show off another sloppy performance here…

Who Should I Bet On?

At the moment, I’d say it’s too early for giving out any concrete ELEAGUE Invitational betting predictions. After all, there’s still a lot of time to go before the tournament starts. In fact, iBUYPOWER Masters IV will feature some of these teams (all except BIG) so you should all wait and see how that tournament pans out first.

Where to Watch ELEAGUE Invitational?

As far as watching this tournament is concerned, ELEAGUE announced it will be available on their website, on Twitch and on B/R Live. You can pick any of them, really – it all comes down to your personal preference. I for one enjoy watching my esports dose on Twitch – nothing beats that good old Twitch chat banter!

With those words, I’m afraid we’ve come to the end of our Best ELEAGUE Invitational Betting Sites article. It’s been a short and concise one, but I believe we addressed all important matters.

Until next time…

Thank you for reading!

With PLG Masters, Blast Pro Series Lisbon and ESL Pro League Season 8 Finals coming to a close, we’ve officially wrapped up 2018 in terms of CSGO competitions. Right now, we are in the so-called transition period where players rest but teams are doing their best to improve their rosters for the upcoming season.

And, during the last few weeks or so, we’ve experienced exactly that. There were several moves all across the board with the most recent one being FaZe Clan’s karrigan. While he isn’t out of the team just yet (he is benched at the moment), according to one of his latest tweets, Finn “karrigan” Andersen is already on the lookout for a new team.

Benched. Will write a longer statement at another point. ❤️ if any orgs are interested contact FaZe. pic.twitter.com/wsQVp5Q3kp

— FaZe karrigan (@karriganCSGO) December 16, 2018

The transition period will last for several more weeks so there will definitely be more moves to talk about. But, for now, let’s check out the most anticipated CSGO tournaments in early 2019. There are three major events and three notable ones. But, before we jump straight to the list, let’s take a closer look at the betting websites set to feature the most betting options during these events!

Where to Bet on CSGO Tournaments in Early 2019

There is an abundance of CSGO betting websites at the moment, despite Valve’s recent trade hold update which made most of skin betting websites’ business impossible. That said, if you’re keen on betting on CSGO matches, you might as well do yourself justice and opt for a highly reputable betting website. No worries, I got several options right down below:

Most Important CSGO Tournaments in Early 2019

Now we’ve come to the important part, the actual tournaments! As mentioned earlier, there are six announced tournaments at the moment, half of them being top-tier events with worldwide recognition. So, why don’t we start off with the most important of them all?

Intel Extreme Masters XIII Katowice Major 2019

• Start date: 2019-02-13
• End date: 2019-03-03
• Location and Venue: Several Venues in Katowice, Poland
• Prize Pool: $1,000,000
• Number of Competing Teams: 24

This is it, guys! This is the tournament we’ve all been waiting for ever since Astralis took the double trophy in Odense. IEM XIII Katowice Major 2019!!! Oh, what a spectacle this one will be. The first major of the year set to take place in the gaming capital of eastern Europe – Katowice!

Since this is one of Valve’s Majors, it will feature the usual 3 phase format consisting of:

• The New Challengers Stage
• The New Legends Stage
• The New Champions Stage

As usual, there will be 16 teams competing for the grand prize of whopping $1,000,000. The Minors’ spots (10 in total) are still up for grabs since they’re starting in mid-January. There’s still a whole bunch of good teams without a ticket so we’ll see some wicked Minors action for sure!

World Electronic Sports Games 2018

• Start date: 2019-03-10
• End date: 2019-03-16
• Location: Chongqing, China
• Prize Pool: $890,000
• Number of Competing Teams: 32

Yes, you read that correctly – despite this tournament is set for March 2019, it has 2018 in its name. Pretty weird, right? For those of you not in the know – World Electronic Sports Games (WESG in short) is a nation-based tournament. Sort of like the World Cup of CSGO. There are 32 participating teams, all fighting to take home that $500,000 grand prize.

In addition to this tournament, there will be a female version of the tournament as well. A total of 8 teams will be competing with $105,000 in the official prize pool. Just one more team is missing from the lineup with more than three months to go until the tournament starts. That said, it’s safe to assume Rest of Asia-Pacific region has enough time to find a proper team to represent them.

StarSeries & i-League CSGO Season 7

• Start date: 2019-03-30
• End date: 2019-04-07
• Location: Shanghai, China
• Prize Pool: $500,000
• Number of Competing Teams: 16

It’s been more than a year since StarSeries & i-League tournament was last held in Shanghai, China. The last time out at Jing’an Sports Center in Shanghai, Renegades took the big W after defeating Virtus.pro in the grand finals match.

Fast forward slightly more than a year and we’ll come to the 7^th StarSeries & i-League installment with neither of those two teams competing at the final event. Still, 16 teams will be battling it out against each other for quite a hefty prize pool that’s been increased to half a million USD.

Overall, I’m sure the atmosphere in Shanghai will be thrilling, especially considering the participating teams. The end of March 2019 is going to be a fiery period, great for all hardcore CSGO fans!

Other Notable Events

These next three tournaments might not be as lucrative and prestigious as those above, but they still have a certain charm that makes them worthy of being mentioned here.

iBUYPOWER Masters IV

• Start date: 2019-01-19
• End date: 2019-01-20
• Location: Hollywood, USA
• Prize Pool: $200,000
• Number of Competing Teams: 8

BLAST Pro Series Sao Paulo 2019

• Start date: 2019-03-22
• End date: 2019-03-23
• Location: Sao Paulo, Brazil
• Prize Pool: $250,000
• Number of Competing Teams: 6

United Masters League S1

• Start date: 2019-03-29
• End date: 2019-03-31
• Location: Osnabruck, Germany
• Prize Pool: $100,000
• Number of Competing Teams: 4

Wrapping Things Up…

That basically covers them all! Those three major tournaments are going to provide us with all the joy in early 2019. But we shouldn’t also forget about the smaller tournaments which will as always, serve as appetizers for the big boys. Be that as it may, I’d like to thank all of you for sticking till the very end. I sincerely hope my CSGO Tournaments in Early 2019 guide was helpful and that it has served as somewhat of a guideline for your future betting endeavors.

Let’s face it guys – CSGO betting mistakes to avoid create an endless list. It’s true – even though we’re talking about a relatively new industry, there’s still a great number of bettors doing the exact same mistakes over and over again. Worst of all – half of them don’t even know they’re making mistakes.

They are attributing their bad betting slips to bad luck, not even trying to take things in a more serious manner. And that’s basically the first thing I’m going to cover today – taking CSGO betting a bit more seriously. I know many people just bet a few bucks here and there to spice up their fun while watching their favorite teams plays. However, there are also those who want to make some extra money off of their hobby. Whichever group you belong in, I take it this next section will be of interest for sure! So, let’s cut to the chase!

No Room for Unrealistic Expectations

Sure, there are people who’ve won thousands of dollars on CSGO gambling, but most people who bet on CSGO (and other esports) end up on the losing end. It’s common knowledge, really. Despite that, there is still a ton of newcomers coming taking up betting as their hobby, imagining big money with no dirty hands. Thinking of riches but getting the rags – that’s how the story unfolds for the majority of people.

If you already have your mind set on CSGO betting, then the least you can do is make sure you don’t have unrealistic expectations. How do I classify unrealistic expectations? Well, if you think you’ll make a ton of money to be able to quit your job/school, then I’m sorry pal, you’re a bit cray-cray.

Now I’m not trying to discourage you from betting on CSGO matches, I’m just making sure you don’t have your expectations set too high to avoid ending up disappointed.

With all that out of our way, let’s finally turn our attention to the most important part – CSGO Betting Mistakes to Avoid!

CSGO Betting Mistakes to Avoid

Using Bad CSGO Betting Sites

This mistake is often done by beginners who aren’t yet used to how things work in this industry. There are numerous esports (CSGO, to be precise) bookies out there. It’s an entire sea; an ocean, in fact! It’s not even that surprising to see many of them not providing their clients with the best possible service.

For that reason, it’s important to find yourself a proper bookie that’ll guide you through your first CSGO betting steps. If you opt for a lousy one, chances are your betting experience will suffer. So don’t say I didn’t warn you!

While talking about bad CSGO betting sites… here are a few great options to check out:

Not Stopping When in Huge Plus

Many well-known, profitable bettors often tell stories of their first big win. It seems as though their first big pot gets itched into their memories… And how do their stories continue? Well, the majority of them ends with something along the lines of “I took a short pause after that win just to give my luck enough break for later on…” And that’s exactly what I advise you to do.

If you’ve already 10x’ed your initial stake, stop, take a break and call it a day/night. Enjoy looking at your winnings and don’t be afraid to cash out. It’s good to spoil yourself with the fruits of your hard labor, so don’t hesitate to push that withdrawal button! Especially after winning big…

Opting for Quantity Over Quality

Opting for quantity over quality is one of the most common CSGO betting mistakes to avoid. Ask any seasoned CSGO bettor and this is what they’ll tell you. Opting for several lower-stake, higher-risk slips is not a good practice. Opting for one or two medium-stake, lower-risk slips is a much better option. Quality over quantity guys, make this the golden rule of thumb.

Of course, this theory is viable as far as you’re doing your own research and not just blindly trusting the betting odds. Repeat after me – betting odds are lying!!!

Not Comparing Betting odds

Whether or not you already have an account on one of the best CSGO bookies out there, it’s still important to check the competitions’ betting odds. A proper comparison should be done from time to time, just to ensure your bookie is still at the top.

Needless to say, this practice is vital for everyone trying to maximize their bets. Believe it or not, betting odds tend to vary from 2% to 10% across all major esports betting websites. Sometimes even more than that due to certain unforeseen circumstances. Mutual betting sites are a thing too, offering vastly different betting odds than most of their traditional competitors. It’s on you to do your research; how often and how much in-depth, that’s on you to decide.

Making Anger-Driven Bets

Now this one is an absolute no-no for everyone looking for a steady betting income. Anger-driven bets are the worst! But first, let’s define them:

Anger-driven bets are bad for obvious reasons. First of them is the fact you aren’t thinking straight when placing them. Anger isn’t the kind of influence you want spicing up your bets. It’s just bad news, is all, and I’m sure everyone’s with me on this one!

“Borrowing” Money for Betting

Needless to say, this is a huge no-no, not just for CSGO betting but for online betting in general. If you’re already in too deep to the point where you have to borrow (or even steal) money to get back even, then you need to get your priorities straight asap…

I recently stumbled upon an older Reddit post (dates back to 2015) in which a 17-year-old described his path into the depths of CSGO skin betting.  This guy (coolman2347 on Reddit) basically felt the majority of our “CSSO betting mistakes to avoid” on his own skin. He borrowed (more like stole from his parents’ credit cards) more than $2,500 to gamble and, you’ve guessed it, he burnt it all in no time.

He also didn’t stop when he was in a solid plus. Over $10,000, to be precise. He probably went in with too many bets of questionable quality, upping his total mistake tally up to three. Perhaps even four or five (bad CSGO betting sites and not comparing betting odds), but we can only assume since his post doesn’t go into those details.

What I’m basically trying to say here is don’t be like this guy. Don’t get me wrong – I am not saying don’t bet on CSGO matches at all. I’m just saying keep your eyes open for the best deals and don’t make anger driven bets. Those are the key mistakes everyone seems to do these days… Quite honestly, they are the quickest way to go if bankruptcy is your biggest desire.

Conclusion

Even though CSGO betting is a flourishing industry and a go-to- hobby for many, plenty of people still aren’t doing themselves justice out there. Many of them are wasting their hard-earned money, doing rookie mistakes all over the place. That’s basically the reason behind the creation of this short guide. To ensure newcomers (and more seasoned veterans) get a head start to their CSGO betting career. It might not seem like a lot, but our CSGO Betting Mistakes to Avoid list will surely help you out in the grand scheme of things.

Less than a week after the ESL Pro League Season 8 Finals craze came to a close, we’re expecting yet another top-tier CSGO tournament. 2018 has been a great year for the CSGO competitive scene with first signs indicating 2019 will be even better. That’s why, today, we’ll be focusing on BLAST Pro Series Lisbon 2018 preview and all the things you can expect from this relatively new type of tournament.

BLAST Pro Series events feature the usual group stage plus playoffs (just grand finals in this case) alongside a series of 1v1 matchups to break the monotony of conventional CSGO tournaments. We’ve already had the chance to witness these matchups during the previous BLAST Pro Series tournaments so we know what sort of a spectacle they really are. As far as betting on this tournament goes, I’m happy to inform you there are numerous betting websites already featuring BLAST Pro Series Lisbon matches. That said, let’s take a closer look at the best ones so you know where to bet your money on!

Where to bet on BLAST Pro Series Lisbon 2018 | Best Esports Bookies

I could go on and on about the esports bookies that will feature various bets for this particular tournament, but I guess that would take too much of your precious time. Yup, there’s just so many of them… Instead, how about I just show you the best ones?

In addition to regular match-winner and outright winner bets, lots of these bookies feature exclusive specials too. Things like rounds handicap, pistol round win, map-specific bets etc. Pro Standoff matchups are bound to have several specials as well, further upping the entertainment of CSGO fans and bettors alike. Needless to say, special bets are a great way of spicing up your accumulators, putting you at the edge of your seat during the most intense matchups. That’s basically what CSGO betting is all about, right?

BLAST Pro Series Lisbon 2018 Preview |Interesting Facts

• BLAST Pro Series is going to last for 2 days straight, starting on Friday, December 14^th and ending on the very next day. There really is no other tournament that manages to fit 16+ matches across just two days so kudos to BLAST Pro Series and all of its organizers.
• BLAST Pro Series Lisbon is the first ever notable CSGO tournament held in Portugal. A country that’s known for its national soccer team and electric fans is definitely a place worthy of some class A CSGO action.
• PRO Standoff matches are going to pose as special treats for CSGO fans worldwide. They are scheduled on the second (last) day of the tournament and will be played in front of a live audience at the Altice Arena in Lisbon.

Tournament Format and Schedule

Friday, December 14

As far as I’m informed, the first day of this tournament will be played behind closed door. There won’t be that much action though. The first two group stage rounds will feature just a couple of matches. 6 to be precise. All of them will be played as Bo1 series with the first round matches starting at 8 pm CET and second at 9.30 pm (also CET).

Saturday, December 15

Saturday will continue in the same tone – three additional group stage rounds to determine the overall teams’ placements. After the group stage comes to a close, the third-placed team will get to choose opponents for their Pro Standoff clash for $20,000. We’re talking about five separate 1v1 duels with weapons changing with each passing duel. There’s no doubt Pro Standoff is what separates BLAST Pro Series events from all other CSGO competitions out there.

Last but not least (obviously) is the Grand Finals match. Two top placed teams from the group stage will have to battle it out against each other for $125,000 in prize pool money. This match is scheduled for a Bo3 series meaning we’ll be up for a true CSGO spectacle, most likely the last one in 2018.

BLAST Pro Series Lisbon 2018 Teams Overview

This tournament really does a great job as far as attracting top-quality team is concerned. Team Liquid is the only notable name that is not going to be participating here, with all other top dogs being present and ready to make a stand. That said, here’s some brief info on each team:

Group Stage | Round 1 Picks

This is it, boys and girls – we’ve come to the last part of my BLAST Pro Series Lisbon 2018 preview. As the title suggests, I am referring to the Group Stage Round 1 picks. All three Round 1 matches seem rather interesting so let’s quickly go through each of them! I reckon there’s plenty of you who came here just for these picks so, without further adue, here are my thoughts on the Round 1 Group Stage matches:

NaVi vs NiP

Last time these two teams played against each other was just a month ago during the Grand Finals match of BLAST Pro Series Copenhagen 2018. As you all know, Natus Vincere won that match in a convincing 2-0 manner, becoming the reigning BLAST Pro Series champion. But will they manage to repeat their success in Lisbon too? So far, no teams have managed to win back to back BLAST titles. Can NaVi be the first?

Well, if their first match against NiP is going to be any sign of what’s to come, I’d say they have no chance of making it to the Pro Standoff show match let alone the Grand Finals. S1mple is a God, there’s no point in denying that; but lately, his teamers stopped showing up at the crucial matches. If that doesn’t change pretty soon, I reckon S1mple will start looking for a new team…

NiP, on the other hand, will be looking to build upon their recent ECS performance. Perhaps not the ideal tournament for this Swedish side, but they still got to the semifinals before losing to Astralis. Generally speaking, esports bookies seem to favor NaVi (cca -145), most likely because this match is set to be played on Overpass. However, I for one believe NiP could take this one despite not having as good of a track record on Overpass as NaVi. They’re currently standing at +150 on BetWay which is a pretty good value for a single slip.

MiBR vs Cloud9

Cloud9 players aren’t playing their best CSGO at the moment. Flusha and kioShiMa were brought in to try and push the team to new heights… So far, that push is nowhere to be seen. Their statistics coming into this match are outright terrible. Last 6 months were an absolute disaster for C9, having a positive (50% is arguably positive, to be honest) w/l ratio on just one map – Mirage. Luckily for them, their first BLAST Pro Series Lisbon 2018 match against MiBR will be played on Mirage… but will it matter considering their overall poor run of form?

MiBR is doing quite well on Mirage as well. Much better than C9 for that matter. Out of their last 23 matchups on Mirage, MiBR has won 15, lost 7 and drew 1, having 65.2% w/l ratio at the moment. However, it has to be said that the current MiBR roster is playing their final game together. For those of you who don’t know, Stewie2K is going off to Team Liquid with TACO coming in shortly after this tournament comes to a close.

Fer is still out due to a medical situation so swag was already announced as a stand-in for MIBR. While this could affect the way MiBR approaches this match, I doubt it will make that much difference to the end result. With that said, I believe MiBR, even without fer, will pull this one in their favor. Bookies think so too – MiBR stands at -167 while Cloud9 stands at +175. The former is a pretty good deal, don’t you think?

Astralis vs FaZe

And finally, the last Group Stage Round 1 match in my BLAST Pro Series Lisbon 2018 preview. The most interesting one too – Astralis go up against FaZe. Astralis, the most dominant CSGO team in the world goes up against FaZe, the most underperforming CSGO team in the world. The stage couldn’t be better for these two teams to finally meet each other again after more than a month since their last match. Let me remind you – their last head to head match was during IEM Chicago when FaZe defeated Astralis with 2-0 on the scoreboard.

There are two big questions coming into this match; questions I honestly can’t answer with certainty. First – can Astralis be bothered to get their A-game on just a week after winning the greatest prize pool in the history of CSGO… Second – can FaZe rise to the occasion after being absent from the competitive scene for more than a month?

As far as the actual prediction for this match goes, I suppose I have to give you guys something. Looking at BetWay’s odds, I just can’t justify the mere -250 on Astralis here. Sure, they are the favorites, no doubt about that… but -250 is low considering they’re facing FaZe. Dust 2 is a strong map for both of these teams, but last time when they went head to head on it, FaZe suffered a 16-4 humiliation.

But the occasion was completely different back then. Astralis is now completely beaten up, exhausted and will probably struggle to find motivation after conquering Intel Grand Slam and ESL Pro League S8 Finals just last week. On the other hand, FaZe is hungry for top-level competitive gameplay which is why I give them a slight advantage here. Not to mention FaZe currently sits at +280 on BetWay, pretty solid return if you ask me.

The stage is finally set for the biggest CSGO match in the history of its competitive scene. And I am not even exaggerating here. ESL Pro League Season 8 Grand Finals match between Astralis and Team Liquid marks the most important and most lucrative match in CSGO history with $1,250,000 on the line. If Astralis wins it, that is.

I’m sure you know about Intel Grand Slam as it’s been the talking point of the community for the last couple of weeks prior to the start of this tournament. By beating Mousesports in the semifinals match, Astralis has come just an inch away from winning it and taking home the $1,000,000 grand prize. If they win tomorrow, not only will they get $1 million but $250,000 from the official ESL Pro League S8 Finals prize pool. One thing’s for sure – motivation won’t be lacking for The Great Danes as they’re basically playing for 2 prizes!

On the other hand, Team Liquid players are highly motivated too. Remember, the winner of this tournament gets $250,000, Astralis gets an additional $1,000,000 if they win… but Team Liquid gets an additional $100,000 as Spoil Bonus if they desecrate Astralis’ chances of winning the Intel Grand Slam in 2018. Yup, this match is nicely poised and it’s definitely going to be one of the most interesting matches to see in the entirety of 2018.

So, without further adue, let’s quickly check out the betting side of things before moving onto ESL Pro League S8 Grand Finals betting predictions!

Where to bet on ESL Pro League Season 8 Grand Finals | Best Esports Bookies

The list of bookies offering bets on this match is endless. Everyone and their grandmother will feature ESL Pro League S8 Grand Finals match in their markets… but only the best esports bookies will feature a handful of special bets too. Here’s a quick look at what I deem to be the best esports bookies at the moment:

Astralis vs Mousesports | Semifinals Recap

Coming into this match, Astralis’ players knew they were just two steps away from becoming the Intel Grand Slam champions… ESL Pro League S8 champions too, but it all falls down to that astonishing $1,000,000 prize pool money from Intel. The atmosphere at the Sparekassen Fyn Arena in Odense, Denmark was nothing short of brilliant. More than 10,000 people came to see the live semifinals matches, 95% of which were loudly cheering for Astralis on every step of their way to winning this match. It was almost a hostile atmosphere for Mousesports players, one that won’t get out of their minds anytime soon.

I have to give credit where credit is due though – Mousesports players definitely deserve it. Astralis played a near perfect match with great site control, impeccable aim and unpredictable pushes all across the map. Their T side was brilliant, leaving Mousesports with nothing but scraps on the scoreboard. With Nuke being available, many people thought it would be the go-to choice for The Great Danes due to their brilliant track record. However, they picked Inferno instead and Gla1ve explained why after the match came to a close. Apparently, their last head to head matches on Nuke were pretty tight plus they analyzed Mousesports track record on Inferno and the choice was quite obvious…

But that match is all done now, Astralis won it and came to a touching distance of winning their 4^th major tournament in a total of 9 attempts, exactly what they need to win the best Christmas bonus in the history of the game.

Team Liquid vs MiBR | Semifinals Recap

This match was really something… and I don’t mean that in a good way, at least for the MiBR part. Twistzz and the co completely obliterated the Brazilians, leaving them at just 2 rounds on Cache. The interesting part was a generally terrible team communication by MiBR players. They seemed completely lost at times, failing to control the map, give proper calls and do the most basic of trades. MiBR constantly forced mid plays which didn’t go too well for them since they went 0 to 9 right off the bat. NAF and Twistzz were ruling the battlefield, showing off their prowess in each round. Luckily for MiBR, their demise lasted for only 18 rounds with Team Liquid getting one up with 16-2 on the scoreboard.

The second map wasn’t too different. Yes, MiBR fans saw their team notch a couple of times, but those were mere glimpses of their usual brilliance. Stewie2K did his best but the rest of his team failed to deliver, leaving him fuming (tilted) at the end of the match. Team Liquid brought the semifinals match to a close with 16-8 on the scoreboard, looking ready to face Astralis in the Grand Finals and spoil their Christmas present in the form of $1,250,000.

ESL Pro League S8 Grand Finals Betting Predictions

This is what you’ve all been waiting for, isn’t it? Well, I won’t beat around the bushes much longer – let’s get straight to business!

Astralis Needs One More Win…

At this point everything is pretty straightforward – Astralis is one win away from lifting that awesome trophy and going home with the biggest amount of money in the history of the game. And all of that on their home soil. In their hometown of Odense! However, before we jump into my ESL Pro League S8 Grand Finals betting predictions and analysis, first I got to remind you of an important fact:

I’d beg to differ! Judging by Astralis’ performance so far in this tournament, they’ve shown their prowess in all of their matches, dominating every team they’ve come across. For those of you who haven’t watched their semifinals matchup against Mousesports – the atmosphere was absolutely thrilling. Even though some people keep suggesting The Great Danes will fail under the pressure, I believe in exactly the opposite. I think the crowd will lead them to victory, doing everything they can to see their team go down in history books as, by far, the richest and most decorated team in CSGO history.
But it will be no easy task, that’s for sure!

Team Liquid Will Be Looking for Revenge

Needless to say, Team Liquid is one of the best teams in the world right now. Ever since TACO joined the current roster back in April, Team Liquid secured the 1st NA ESL Pro League Season 7 seed, won SuperNova Malta (just two weeks ago) and played in five grand finals matches. Unfortunately, they lost four, four of which were against Astralis (IEM XIII Chicago, ELEAGUE Premier 2018, ESL Pro League S7, ECS S5). Undoubtedly, they will be looking for revenge here, and what better way than to spoil Astralis’ $1,000,000 Intel Grand Slam prize which would yield them an extra $100,000 on top of ESL PL’s $250,000.

As you could’ve read above, MiBR was no match for this in-form Team Liquid roster. Some people had doubts in their quality after a lousy ECS S6 performance but they got right back up to the top after winning SuperNova Malta. They’ve transitioned their excellent performance to Odense, eagerly waiting the match of their lifetime against, what seems to be, their fiercest rivals at the moment.

The Odense spectacle called ESL Pro League Season 8 Finals is already in full flow with millions of fans from all over the world tuning in to see the last major CSGO tournament of 2018. So far, there haven’t been any major surprises with all favorites advancing through to the semifinals without too much hassle. With that being said, CSGO bettors have surely made a pretty penny thus far! In order to keep up the good work, I’ve decided to surprise you all with my in-depth take on the ESL Pro League S8 Finals betting predictions. But first, let’s take a look at which particular esports betting websites are the best for this CSGO tournament!

ESL Pro League S8 Finals | Where Can I Place Bets?

Let’s jump straight to the stuff most of you are interested in – where to place your CSGO bets on this tournament. No worries, I got you covered with a short list of the best CSGO bookies at the moment:

So, whether you’re living in or out the US of A, chances are you’ll like the service offered by those bookies. Here are the best things about them so you know what you’re dealing with before registering for an account:

Best Betting Odds

When choosing a bookie, whether we’re talking about esports or regular sports, the first thing that comes to everyone’s minds are the betting odds. Of course, this aspect works with the age-old rule of thumb – the higher the better. While I can’t guarantee that the above-listed bookies have the highest betting odds for all of their betting options, I can say with assurance that they are the best ones out of the bunch as far as CSGO is concerned. Check them out and you’ll understand where I’m coming from with this!

Great Variety of Specials

During the course of the biggest CSGO tournaments such as this one, it’s not surprising to see esports bookies going out of their way to please their users with plentiful special bets. Take BetWay as the perfect example here – offering a whopping 10 types of specials on quarterfinals matches, not including match-winner bets.

No Scams

I don’t have to be the one to tell you there are numerous fishy betting websites out there that exist for the sole purpose of scamming people. If you don’t want to be on the rough end of the table, choose one of the bookies I listed above and stay on the safe side! If the above-listed reasons aren’t enough to pull you in, the risk of losing your money (and potentially your personal info as well) on betting websites of questionable qualify surely will!

Easy to Use

A betting website can have great odds, brilliant customer service and all the bet types you could ever wish for… but if it’s insanely difficult to navigate and switch from market to market, chances are you’ll be looking to bet your money elsewhere. As far as those 6 bookies from above are concerned, you don’t need to worry about fluidity and page-to-page navigation since ease of use seems to be one of their top priorities.

Group Stage Recap

The group stage didn’t really have any major surprises to talk about. Sure, Mousesports ended up beating NaVi only to lose to MiBR in the upper bracket finals. NaVi then had to go through Sharks Esports and Ghost Gaming to earn their quarterfinals ticket. Sharks Esports didn’t really put up a proper fight… but Ghost Gaming did. The second map (Train) could have gone either way and was decided on a nerve-racking overtime. S1mple pulled the strings (ending up with 40 kills) and managed to get his team back to 1-1 which was enough to kill the morale of Ghost Gaming.

As far as Group A goes, everything panned out according to everyone’s expectations. Astralis dominated the opposition, cementing their first spot in the group and bringing them just 2 matches away from being the richest CSGO team of all time. Team Liquid looked impressive too but ended up losing against The Great Danes for the 3^rd time in a row. But it wasn’t for the lack of trying – this Team Liquid roster looks brilliant at times so they’ll definitely be a tough team to face in the upcoming playoffs matches.

ESL Pro League S8 Finals Betting Predictions | Quarterfinals

Now comes the most important part – the part all of you must be eager to see – ESL Pro League S8 Finals betting predictions. Quarterfinals matches are stating in less than 24 hours so let’s get straight to the action and see what can we expect from these 4 teams:

Mousesports vs Renegades

Renegades are coming into this competition as the 5^th NA seed. The only somewhat notable surprise in the entire group stage was their win against BIG which took them to the lower bracket finals against G2 Esports. That match could’ve gone either way, but in the end, Renegades (led by in-form jks) showed enough resilience and qualified to the quarterfinals.

Mousesports wasn’t all that brilliant in the group stage despite their surprising win against Natus Vincere. Don’t get me wrong, mouz played a great match against the Ukrainians… but their match against MiBR was a completely different pair of shoes.

Team Liquid vs Natus Vincere

Let’s start off by saying that this is going to be one heck of a match. In last 4 head to head matchups between these two teams, the score is tied at 2-2. However, it has to be said that Team Liquid won the last two… and with proper style (both matches ended up with 2-0 on the scoreboard).

Another thing to note prior to this match is the current team morale. Team Liquid lost the upper bracket finals against Astralis while NaVi got 2 consecutive wins in the lower bracket, albeit against much easier opponents. However, I’d like to say a thing or two about their last match against North. For those of you who haven’t seen it, make sure you watch the highlights as it was a proper nail-biter. S1mple ended up with 40 kills on the second map with his team already fallen behind 1-0. Luckily for NaVi, S1mple turned on his cheats once again and drove his team back to level terms. But he can always do that now, can he?

Team Liquid, on the other hand, started off with style, beating G2 Esports and BIG without too much hassle. Their team morale was very high prior to their match against Astralis, but The Great Danes didn’t make a slip on their quest for that juicy $1,000,000 Intel Grand Slam Prize Pool. I’m not saying Team Liquid played poorly, I’m saying Astralis showed their prowess yet again…

Will Astralis Win the Intel Grand Slam in Odense?

This is the questions that’s been on the mind of the entire CSGO community for the last couple of months. And now, we’re just a couple of days away from actually finding out the answer to that question. Judging by Astralis’ start to this competition, they will definitely be looking to win it all right here on their home soil.

So far, they’ve only lost only 1 map (against HellRaisers) but looked outright dominant in all 3 of their matches thus far. For those of you who don’t know, they’ve qualified straight through to the semifinals match in which they’ll be waiting for the winner of the match between Mousesports and renegades. The draw has favored them as they’ll be waiting for a proper opponent in the Grand Finals. Possible opposing teams are MiBR (also waiting in the semifinals), NaVi and Team Liquid.

The final Premier CSGO tournament of 2018 – ESL Pro League Season 8 Finals – has already started knocking on the door of CSGO fans all over the globe. This fantastic occasion will wrap up 2018… and is bound to do so with proper style. Still, the absence of FaZe Clan, one of the greatest CSGO teams at the moment, is a big stain on the tournament. But an even bigger one for the organization (and players) behind FaZe Clan.

But since they’re not going to be competing in this tournament, we won’t talk about them anymore. Instead, we’ll focus on the teams that’ll be competing in this tournament. After all, the title suggests this is an ESL Pro League S8 Finals Preview so I guess that’s what we’re going to talk about today. But first, we have to cover the betting side of things because that’s what we’re here for!

ESL Pro League S8 Finals | Where to Place Bets?

The answer to this question is quite an obvious one, best portrayed by the following esports bookies:

Several factors went into consideration here. Let me explain them real fast:

Great User Interface

Needless to say, a great user interface does indeed matter, for both beginners and more experienced bettors alike. For beginners – because it allows them to take their first steps into the world of betting in a clean and intuitive manner. For experienced bettors – frequent bettors always prefer websites that are fast, fluid and don’t waste their time when trying to place bets. Luckily, all above-listed bookies are great as far as all these things are concerned.

Decent Betting Odds

This one goes without question and is probably the first thing most of you will look at when choosing their next esports bookie of choice. And you have every right to do so – betting odds can make or break bookies and that’s a fact which is well known in the online betting industry. However, you can’t expect a single bookie to have the highest odds across all esports titles. Some will feature higher odds on LoL, some on CSGO, and so on… What’s my point – if you’re planning on betting on several esports titles, having a single bookie for all of them might not be the most ideal option.

Payment Method Variety

If you’re a type of guy who isn’t that into esports betting (or online shopping, for that matter), chances are your online payment methods might be limited. Don’t worry though, each of the bookies listed above features a stellar array of payment method options. Usually, they range from traditional credit/debit cards to PayPal, Sofort, Neteller, Skrill, and other similar online payment getaways.

ESL Pro League S8 Finals | Interesting Facts

As I said above, this is the final Premier CSGO tournament of 2018, and as such, it should not be taken for granted. You can rest assured that the fans from all over the world will be watching this one. Not just watching but clinging the edge of their seats hoping their team can clutch just a few more rounds to get to the overtime.

Now that’s the type of thrilling contests I want to see on this tournament. Let me rephrase that – that’s the type of thrilling contests I’ll most likely see on this tournament. How can I be so sure of this? Well, we’re looking at 16 extraordinary teams, each with their own set of goals and motivators to make it big in Odense, Denmark. And for that exact reason, I firmly believe 4^th through 9^th December will be the time to watch great CSGO matches!

But, before we go into the tournament format and match predictions, first I’d like to share with you a couple of facts regarding this tournament that I found to be pretty interesting.

Facts

• The total prize pool of this competition amounts to $750,000 which is the same as last year’s installment. While the official prize pool distribution for this year’s competition hasn’t yet been announced, we can safely assume (from the last year’s edition) that the winner will take home $250,000.
• Astralis has a great shot of winning the Intel Grand Slam Season 1 right on their home soil in Odense. This is the perfect opportunity for The Great Danes to capitalize on an amazing season and get a total of $1,250,000 if they win this one. No wonder the betting odds on their outright win here are so low.
• For those of you who don’t know, ESL Pro League events are biannual. In other words, there are 2 competitive seasons of this league scheduled in a single calendar year. As far as this year goes, we’ve had ESL Pro League S7 Finals in May with the upcoming Season 8 Finals starting in just a couple of days.

Now that’s been done and dealt with, my ESL Pro League S8 Finals Preview will move to the next section in which we’ll discuss the format of this tournament.

Tournament Format

Now let’s see what sort of format this tournament is going to use:

Group Stage

Huge CSGO tournaments, such as this one, are usually divided into two stages. First up is the Group Stage where teams will battle it out against each other in a double-elimination system. This sort of group stage system allows teams (and players) one mistake before getting kicked out of the tournament. As we’ve mentioned before, this tournament sports 16 teams so there will be 2 groups with 8 teams in each.

Getting out of the Group Stage and into the Playoffs will be no easy feat since only the top 3 teams from each group advance to them. Group winners advance straight to the semifinals with the remaining 2 teams from each group having to battle for that spot in the quarterfinals. Opening Group Stage matches are set to be played as Best of 1 series with all remaining rounds scheduled for Best of 3 spectacles.

Playoffs

Playoffs, on the other hand, deliver a completely different type of competition. It is set to be played on the final 3 days of this competition and will deliver a total of 5 matches. Grand Finals, 2 semifinals, and 2 quarterfinals. Needless to say, ESL Pro League S8 Finals Playoffs will be played as a single-elimination bracket with quarterfinals and semifinals matches set up as Best of 3 series.

The Grand Finals match, scheduled for December 9^th, 10 AM EST, will be played as Best of 5 series, ensuring a thrilling contest for everyone involved. If the last year’s installment of ESL Pro League is a good example, it means that this year’s winner will also go home with $250,000 in their purse. Keep in mind though, if Astralis wins this one, not only will they get the $250,000 but also an additional $1,000,000 as Intel Grand Slam winners. Spoil Bonus should be mentioned too – The team which stops Astralis in the Grand Finals match (if Astralis gets there, that is) will get $100,000 as Spoil Bonus.

ESL Pro League S8 Finals Group Stage Picks

And now for the final part of my ESL Pro League S8 Finals Review – the Group Stage Picks! Since we’re looking at 2 double-elimination system groups with 8 teams in each, there’s a total of 8 matches to be played right off the bat. Since there are so many matches, I decided it would be best if I just picked the ones I’m thinking of betting on! By focusing on fewer matches, I’ll be able to give you guys a better perspective of these matchups. So, what are we waiting for? Let’s go!

Group A

Astralis vs ViCi Gaming

As mentioned earlier, Astralis has the perfect chance to finish off 2018 with style! By winning this tournament they’d also win Intel Grand Slam Season 1 which brings them additional $1,000,000. That’s $250,000 per player… Holy smoke!!! With that in mind, I doubt they won’t be playing at their very best… which means poor ViCi Gaming doesn’t stand a change against them. In fact, I can’t see ViCi getting out of the group stage since there are already 4 strong competitors which will be battling for the top 3 spots.

However, betting on Astralis match winner won’t yield you any profit at all since it’s currently standing at -1250. That’s why, if you already have your mind set on betting on this match, my warm advice is to go with Total Rounds Under 24.5. The odds are much better with this one. BetWay currently has it at -112 which is pretty good in my books!

Team Liquid vs G2 Esports

Now this match is going to be really interesting. Perhaps the most interesting of all ESL Pro League S8 Finals opening matches. On paper, Team Liquid looks like a much better side than G2 Esports. Especially considering the recent turmoil in G2’s roster. However, it has to be stated that their recent roster changes won’t be affecting this tournament due to roster lock rules. Yup, this means SmithZz and Ex6TenZ will get to play their last tournament with their G2 colleagues. Who knows (especially after bad DH Winter performance), perhaps they even earn their place back on the team…

Don’t get me wrong, I still think Team Liquid will most likely see this one through. I mean, they just have to continue playing the way they were during SuperNova Malta. This European cruise seems to be doing them a lot of good. They are still undefeated, with several dominant victories in their scoresheet already. However, NAF, one of their players, stated that the whole point of them attending SuperNova Malta is to try and work on their issues of closing out tournaments. Their Grand Finals match in Malta against NRG starts in just a few hours and they’ll definitely be looking to win it. Whatever the outcome of that match, I believe they’ll start their ESL S8 Finals journey with a solid win against G2 Esports.

Group B

NRG Esports vs North

I’ve just mentioned NRG Esports as Team Liquid’s opponent in the Grand Finals match of SuperNova Malta. Obviously, NRG Esports aren’t the favorites in that match but they’ll still be looking to win it. However, their match against North is somewhat of a different story. There’s no clear winner in this one and bookies are making that known too. BetWay, for example, has both of these teams to win this one at -118 which, once again, means it can go either way.

Looking from my personal perspective, what I’ll do is I’ll wait to see their match against Liquid. If they happen to win it (or come close to winning it), I’ll most likely include them to win against North in my ESL multiplier bet. However, if Team Liquid obliterates them as they’ve done in their SuperNova Malta Group A Winners’ Match, then I’ll probably avoid this match altogether.

Natus Vincere vs ORDER

And, the final match prediction of my ESL Pro League S8 Finals Review will be Natus Vincere against ORDER. Even though I am a big fan of those Cinderella stories, I just can’t see ORDER taking this one away from NaVi. Even though the Ukrainian team isn’t at their very best at the moment, a dominant victory against ORDER could make them jump right back up and get the confidence needed to become a real threat for Astralis.

However, NaVi is on an impressively bad run at the moment. 5 consecutive losses in 5 last competitive games (even though some of them didn’t matter all that much) speak a lot. ORDER, on the other hand, are not looking that impressive either. Less than 2 weeks ago, they suffered a 16-0 defeat against Ground Zero, one of their toughest defeats so far. With all that in mind, I still wouldn’t include this match in one of my singles. Match-winner odds on NaVi just aren’t that good (-1000) and I just cannot see ORDER winning it. That’s why I’ll most likely go with a nice little special featured by BetWay. Map 1 NaVi To Win Both Pistol Rounds is currently set at -134 which is a great option knowing the pistol round strength of NaVi.

This is it, guys – the last DreamHack Open event of 2018 starts in less than 24 hours! Jonkoping, Sweden, the gorgeous Elmia Convention Center is our go-to location yet again for one of the world’s most charming CSGO series. As always, 8 teams will be competing and if you want to know more about them, more about the tournament itself and perhaps even get some insight on the betting predictions, make sure you read my comprehensive DreamHack Winter 2018 Preview till the end!

DreamHack Winter 2018 Preview | Where to Place Bets?

First things first – if you’re interested in betting on DreamHack Winter 2018, here’s my selection of the best bookies for this particular tournament. I’m a picky guy so I just listed a few of my favorites. Let’s check them out!

I took several factors into account when making this list so let me guide you through them real fast:

Quality of available esports bets

High betting odds is what I’m talking about here! If a bookie has huge profit margins it means its betting odds won’t be up to par. Especially when stacked against the best bookies out of the bunch. Needless to say, all 3 options that I’ve listed above have decent (if not great) betting odds for esports matches. Pick either one and I’m sure you won’t end up disappointed!

Quantity of available esports bets

In addition to quality, you should also look for betting websites that feature quantity as one of their main strengths. Quantity as in a huge number of available esports bets that will allow you to create sick multipliers and great potential profits. You know how they say – the more the merrier.

On-Site Experience

If you are having a tough time on a website, chances are you’re never going to visit it again. Am I right? Well, the same goes for esports betting websites too, and especially if we are talking about outright beginners to esports betting. If they find their experience confusing, difficult and not worth their while, they’ll eventually try another website or perhaps even give up esports betting altogether. As far as those 3 bookies from the list above are concerned, you can rest assured they’re all as simple and intuitive as possible!

DreamHack Winter 2018 | Interesting Facts

Now let’s go through the most interesting fact regarding this tournament. Afterward, we will inspect the tournament format too. At the end of the line, you’ll get a chance to see my predictions not just for Outright Winner but for match-specific bets too. So, without further adue, let’s continue with my comprehensive DreamHack Winter 2018 Preview!

Tournament Format

Now that we got those interesting facts out of our way, we’re going to move on to the technicalities. More precisely, we are going to take a closer look at the tournament format so we can better understand the match predictions down below.

First up, it’s important to note DreamHack Winter 2018 is set to be featured as a traditional 2-phase tournament. So, let me continue my DreamHack Winter 2018 Preview by giving you some insight on both tournament phases right down below:

Group Stage

The Group Stage of this year will be pretty much the same as last year’s edition. That means we are up for 10 group stage matches since we are looking at a double-elimination format here with 2 groups, each consisting of 4 teams. 2 teams from each group advance to the Playoffs with Opening and Winners’ Rounds being scheduled for Bo1 and other matches for Bo3 series. Once again, we are looking at a double-elimination system here so there’s some room for errors… but make two in a row and you’re out of the competition.

Here is a quick overview of both groups:

Playoffs
Playoffs are set to start as soon as the Group Stage ends. The 4 teams will be seeded according to their Group Stage placement. Group A winner will go up against Group B 2^nd place team; Group B winner will go up against Group A 2^nd place team. At this point in the tournament, we’re looking at a single-elimination bracket with matches being Bo3 series (including the Grand Finals). At the end of it all, the winner takes home the grand prize which amounts to $50,000. Not bat for the last DreamHack Open event in 2018, right?

Which Teams Could Dominate DreamHack Winter 2018?

If we take a closer look at the outright betting odds on most popular esports bookies, we’ll come to a conclusion ENCE is considered as the favorite team to win this. However, I don’t share the same opinion. ENCE might be playing well as a team lately, but they’ve been playing against tier B teams. OpTic, on the other hand, had much tougher opponents but still managed to come out on top every now and then.

K0nfig and cajunb are loving their game at the moment, enjoying a great run of form over the course of last 3 months or so. Let’s not forget about the fact that this tournament is going to be held in Jonkoping, Sweden which is a neighboring country, meaning all these players will feel right at home. At the moment, OpTic Gaming outright winner bets go around +350 which is not a bad deal if you ask me. Certainly better than ENCE on +275…

DreamHack Winter 2018 Group Stage Picks

Group A

compLexity vs X6 Galaxy

compLexity is one of those teams which are always good but never good enough to be among the world’s best. The same goes for their current roster which, despite good form in recent months, hasn’t been impressive at times. The oscillations might not be huge but they’re still noticeable. Luckily for them, I can’t see X6 Galaxy taking this one away. Even though they did a great job during the EU qualifiers, compLexity is in a whole another league for them. For that reason, my choice is to go with a medium bet on compLexity.

LDLC vs Heroic

By comparing the rosters of these two teams, as well as their recent results, we can already assume it’s going to be a close one. In fact, bookies can’t decide either – most of them having the same odds (-120) on both teams. With that being said, I’d probably skip this one if I were you. But then again, if I had to choose, I’d go with LDLC just because of constant roster changes on Heroic’s end.

Group B

OpTic vs Bravado

Anything but a dominant win by OpTic Gaming will be a real surprise. Need I remind you, Bravado Gaming is the lowest ranking team on this tournament with not that brilliant form during the last couple of months. Combine that with recent relocation to North America which must’ve put an extra dose of stress on the players. Even without all that, I just couldn’t see them taking this one away from OpTic. So, considering the match-winner betting odds on OpTic are too low, I’d suggest going with -6.5 handicap which sits at -120 at the moment. Not just a much better return but much more entertaining bet as well!

ENCE vs G2

Just a few days ago, G2 Esports announced they’ll be replacing SmithZz and Ex6TenZ with Lucky and JaCkz. Additionally, they also announced they’ll be signing maLeK as their brand-new team coach, ensuring the end of 2018 and start of 2019 go as smooth as possible. In their Opening Match in Group B, kennyS and the boys will be going up against the favorites ENCE. Even though the Finnish team looks strong (and bookies have it at roughly +150) at the moment, I still give a small advantage to G2 Esports. So, as far as this one is concerned, small to medium bet on G2 seems like a great option since it’s currently sitting at cca +110.

Bet Now

As you all know, Dreamhack Open Atlanta 2018 is in full fledge with the last decider match between Rouge and Vitality finishing off with style. As 4 remaining teams go for a rest before the big day tomorrow, we got a night full of game talk ahead of us. First of all, I’d like to state the obvious – Ghost Gaming and Vitality look to be the fittest teams thus far at DreamHack Open Atlanta. Yes, they’ve played against each other in the group stage, and yes it was a great match. In fact, Ghost Gaming was so impressive that bookies went from +750 to +137 on Ghost outright winner bets. They are followed by Team Vitality at +200 and then compLexity and Luminosity at +400 and +500 respectively.

But, before winning it all, Ghost Gaming has to go through Luminosity which, to the surprise of many, managed to snatch a spot in the playoffs. On the other side of the bracket, we have compLexity squaring up against Team Vitality. My oh my, both of these matches are going to proper nailbiters, I can already feel it. Especially for us seasoned bettors who live for these sorts of second-tier tournaments.

DreamHack Open Atlanta 2018 | Where Can I Place Bets?

While talking about betting, why don’t we start off by listing out the bookies that have the highest odds for Dreamhack Open Atlanta 2018 playoffs:

DreamHack Open Atlanta 2018 Playoffs Picks | Semifinals

Semifinals Match #1 – compLexity vs Team Vitality

For those of you who don’t know, Team Vitality is one of the freshest CSGO teams out there. Their CSGO team was created on 8th of October when they signed NBK-, Happy, apEX, RpK ZywOo with faculty as their main coach. However, just 2 days before the start of this tournament faculty departed from the team, leaving them with a fresh would for the upcoming tournament. However, players didn’t let that phase them too much. Sure, they lost the opening match against North but pulled themselves back together to secure a spot in the playoffs. Mind you, beating Fragsters and Rogue 2-0 is no small feat for such a young team.

compLexity players, on the other hand, must be in a pretty dim mood after failing to qualify for both ESL Pro League Season 8 and ECS Season 6 Finals. Obviously, they weren’t exactly the favorites to qualify for either of those tournaments, but CSGO is a game which you play to win. I’m sure that’s the mindset compLexity players have in every single match they play. On a brighter note, Vitality has been pretty consistent lately and that’s exactly what we’ll be discussing right down below in the Recent Form section!

Recent Form
Vitality is on quite the run. They won 4 out of last 5 matches. Thus far in November, they are 8 for 2 which is a score that speaks for itself. compLexity, however, isn’t nearly as successful as their upcoming opponents. They’ve played a total of 22 matches in November but they ended up losing more than half. 14, if I am to be more precise here. Considering the number of matches played, I’d say these guys are pretty tired too. That’s something you should also think about before placing your money on them.

Last Time Out
Considering the fact Team Vitality is less than 2 months old, it’s not a surprise for this to be their first ever head to head match. It might even go down in history books, who knows…

Semifinals Match #2 – Ghost Gaming vs Luminosity

Let’s continue our DreamHack Open Atlanta 2018 playoffs picks with the second semifinals match! One thing is for sure – this one will be even more interesting than the first. Ghost Gaming vs Luminosity, 2 NA teams that have been at each other’s necks for quite some time now. Ghost Gaming is considered a higher tier team than Luminosity by all standards but it’s definitely going to be interesting to see whether or not they can cement that statement tomorrow.

Recent Form
It has to be said that Ghost is on a 3 win streak, defeating Team Liquid, Vitality and Rogue (last 2 wins were during this tournament). On the other hand, Luminosity lost 3 maps against eUnited, 2 on ESL Pro League S8 NA and 1 during this tournament. However, yeL and others managed to pull themselves back together and win 2 bo3 matches against Envy and eUnited to snatch their spot in the playoffs.

Last Time Out
The last time these 2 teams went head to head was less than a month ago. ESL Pro League Season 8 NA was the occasion and Ghost snatched both wins pretty easily. Koosta and WARDELL dominated their first match, accumulating close to 50 kills just between the two of them. Steel, on the other end of the table, was doing everything he could, even ending up with 17 kills and best KDA in his team. However, that wasn’t enough for the Brazilians. The second match went in the same direction – Koosta and WARDELL were dominating yet again. Thanks to smart plays, well-timed (and well-synchronized) retakes, and rotations, nothing could’ve stopped in-form North back then!

DreamHack Open Atlanta 2018 Playoffs | What About The Overall Winner?

Ahh, the winner… Since I already told you which teams I believe will play in the grand finals, I might as well tell you which of them will win the darn thing! Well, undoubtedly, Ghost and Vitality is the grand finals everyone wants to see at this point. After a fine match early on in the group stage, the grand finals stage feels like it’s already been set for them. If my predictions turn out to be true and these 2 teams overcome their semifinals’ obstacles, then I’d give Ghost Gaming the advantage to capitalize once again.

And it’s not because of the first match. Sure, that match can be used as a reference to potential bettors, but what’s more important for me is Vitality’s experience. Let’s face it – they just don’t have it yet. We are talking about a team that’s just 2 months old (or should I say young?). Despite having 2 major winners in their squad alongside a young superstar, team cohesion and experience is what wins these types of matches. There’s a lot on the line and I believe this Ghost team has what it takes to repeat their group stage win.

Big tournaments mean big money for the esports betting industry. And let’s face it, ECS Season 6 Finals CSGO tournament is as big as it gets this late in the year. The shopping craze that is Black Friday is just around the corner and many bettors have that in mind. Spending their profit on massive sales seems like a great solution considering the holiday season is knocking on the door. But worry not, dear reader, as we’ve combined a whole bunch of information regarding the opening matches of the group stage. In our ECS Season 6 Finals Betting Predictions article you will not only find that but playoffs picks as well. There are lots of things to cover so, without hesitation, let’s get to the important bits!
For more information about the tournament itself, please check our ECS Season 6 Finals Preview

ECS Season 6 Finals | Where Can I Place Bets?

If this is your burning question, don’t despair, we have a bunch of answers right down below:

ECS Season 6 Finals Betting Predictions | Group Stage Matches

Group A

Astralis vs Cloud9

Astralis is on a roll, yet again. I feel like I’m saying that way too often these days. But it is what it is and cannot be denied – The Great Danes are back at it again. They’re insanely close to getting to that sweet Intel Grand Slam title. They are basically one step there after their triumph at IEM XIII Chicago. A win at the ESL Pro League Season 8 Finals next month will make it official. And that’s exactly what device, dupreeh and others are training for during their stay in Arlington. Sure, they’ve had a rough loss against FaZe. Yes, they can consider themselves very lucky to win against Fnatic after practically being out of the tournament… But come on, we are talking about The Great Danes here…
Cloud9 grabbed their ticket to ECS after Renegades (2nd NA seed) had to withdraw from the tournament due to an overlap with TOYOTA Masters Bangkok 2018 and visa issues. Flusha, autimatic and others are definitely capable of performing surprises. Take their win against FaZe during BLAST Pro Series Copenhagen as the perfect example. FaZe players weren’t looking impressive (especially NiKo with 8 kills in total), that has to be said… but a tactically superior Cloud9 team had a glimpse of brilliance and was all over them. However, I honestly doubt they’ll be able to do much against Astralis, a team which doesn’t rely on a single fragger.

• Astralis vs Cloud9 Prediction: Astralis Win

Mousesports vs MIBR

mousesports are still living on their past glory and it’s been this way for quite a while already. What I’m trying to refer to here is their victory at ESL One New York when they defeated Team Liquid in the grand finals. However, since then, they haven’t had any success on the international level. But it is not for the lack of trying – mousesports are frequent contestants on virtually all bigger tournaments in CSGO competitive season. It’s not a problem for them to qualify, but to make proper results at the finals; well that’s a story for itself.

MIBR is on a roll Especially on home grounds where they managed to win ESL Pro League 8 NA region without too much hassle. It might sound funny, but that victory is actually their biggest achievement so far. However, that’s not surprising at all considering MIBR was brought to its existence in mid-2018. As far s their recent form is concerned, Stewie2K, Tarik and others look to be set for big things in this tournament. With ESL Pro League Season 8 Finals just around the corner, they’ll be looking to use ECS S6 Finals as a proper jumping board to further cement their run of form.

• Mousesports vs MIBR Prediction: MIBR Win

Group B

NRG vs NiP

NRG is looking good at the moment. After their CS Summit 3 win earlier this month, they seemed as though they’re at their all-time high. However, they had their issues earlier on, especially in StarSeries & i-League Season 6 where they couldn’t capitalize against Vega Squadron and ended up without the grand finals match. A similar story happened to them on ESL One New York where they missed another spot at the grand finals, losing against mousesports in the semis. As far as group stages go, NRG seems to be NA’s strongest side. Last time they fall out of the group stage in a premier tournament was back in May. ESL Pro League Season 7 Finals was the event if I am to be more precise here.

Ninjas in Pyjamas are currently ranked 7th on the CSGO team world rankings on HLTV. NRG, on the other hand, is just one spot below them. So, if we are to judge this matchup by the current world rankings, it’s definitely going to be a tough one. However, NiP players haven’t had the best strain of luck recently. Their form isn’t at high levels either – 4th place finish on ECS S6 EU is something they cannot be too proud with. However, the end result was even worse on ESL Pro League Season 8 EU where they finished in the relegation zone. Despite GeT_RiGhT and f0rest having a couple of fine matches lately, I can’t see their team doing anything notable on ECS Season 6 Finals.

• NRG vs NiP Prediction: NRG Win

Team Liquid vs North

Team Liquid is a force to be reckoned with at the moment. After a brilliant display during IEM XIII Chicago (crowned with a grand finals match against Astralis), this NA team is looking absolutely sharp. Arguably, they are the group favorites here… but not as clear as Astralis in group A. Basically, their opening match against North will make them or break them. Coming off Chicago’s heartbreak, it will be interesting to see how Twistzz, TACO, and others react to this opening match. Once again they are playing with home turf advantage, but looking back at their match vs Astralis, that advantage turned out to be extra pressure on their shoulders.

North has had a proper rollercoaster of emotion this season. Their performance on Dreamhack (both Masters and Open tournaments) has been looking stellar across all departments. Tactics, frags, rotations and team cohesion – everything was as good as it could be. However, later on, they were struck by plentiful roster changes which led to a lot of poor performances recently. At the moment, they are not looking like the team from the start of the year. Still, they showed us glimpses of hope after winning Dreamhack Masters Stockholm back in early September. All in all, they might pose a problem to Team Liquid but only if they play at their very best… Which I honestly doubt will happen here.

• Team Liquid vs North Prediction: Team Liquid Win

Who Will Go Through to The Playoffs?

ECS Season 6 Playoffs | Who Will Get the Big W?

What I’m basically trying to say here is that we’ll most likely end up witnessing the replay of IEM XIII Chicago grand finals. And I’m not the only one who thinks so, for that matter. Most esports bookies which feature to reach the finals special bet have the lowest odds on Astralis and Team Liquid. Not just because of their recent clash in Chicago but because of their overall performances in recent months. Arguably, we are talking about the 2 best teams at this tournament… although that, in itself, isn’t such a huge feat considering neither FaZe nor NaVi are competing here.

But which of these 2 teams will take that gorgeous looking trophy home? It’s not a simple question to answer, no doubt about that. However, if these 2 teams really end up facing each other in the grand finals, I believe Astralis will be the dominant side once again. Team Liquid will be much more dangerous than in Chicago, but I doubt they’ll manage to deal with the pressure of their home soil in the most crucial of moments.

So, for all of you looking for outright winner tips – Astralis definitely seems like the best option at the moment!