There’s a lot of action going on in the CSGO esports world these days. BLAST Premier Fall regular season isn’t over, but there’s already another big event for us to talk about. Of course, we won’t just talk about the event but betting opportunities too. IEM XV Beijing betting options are already available so let’s not waste any more time!
Before we start digging into the details, it’s important to go through the main facts. Here’s what you need to know:
Competing Teams:
- Europe – 16
- North America – 8
- Asia – 4
- Oceania – 4
Dates:
- Europe and North America
- 6th – 22nd November
- Asia and Oceania
- 13th – 22nd November
Location:
- All events are online
Stream:
Outright Favorites:
- Europe
- Astralis, G2
- North America
- Evil Geniuses and Team Liquid
Dark Horses:
- Europe
- NaVi, Vitality
- North America
- Chaos Esports Club
Where to Bet on IEM XV Beijing 2020?
There are two kinds of people in the world – those that love betting on CSGO and those that haven’t tried it yet. If you belong to the latter group, you’re probably wondering where you can find something to bet on.
Luckily, a simple Google search will point you in the right direction. However, don’t rely on Google all the way through. Esports betting is a massive industry and big names often have lucrative ad campaigns set up to lure new players in.
Unfortunately, some of these big names don’t bring forth an enjoyable online betting experience. If you won’t settle for anything less than that, you should check out this in-depth CSGO bookies guide.
IEM XV Global Challenge is The Event to Bet On
LAN events are the bread and butter of online CSGO betting. That goes without saying, really. The reason why CSGO betting popularity dropped in recent months is because of the lack of LAN events. The last proper offline event was held way back in February.
IEM XV Global Challenge puts an end to the whole online ordeal. It brings forth the first post-pandemic LAN experience to the joy of CSGO fans and esports betting enthusiasts. If you’ve been waiting for a LAN event to start betting on CSGO, IEM XV Global Challenge is the event you’re looking for.
IEM XV Beijing Betting Preview | NA and EU Team Storylines
As expected, IEM XV Beijing brings forth a series of regional events. North America, Europe, Asia, and Oceania – all four main CSGO regions will have an event of their own. The total prize pool amounts to $230,000, with the EU (as always) getting the biggest share.
In this section of our IEM XV Beijing betting preview, we’re going to focus on the two main regions, EU and NA. That’s where all the top-notch action is, so let’s jump straight into the pit and check out the most ferocious contestants!
North American Team Storylines
Unfortunately, the North American event lacks two fiery contestants from Brazil. I’m referring to MIBR and FURIA who are still in Europe because of their BLAST Premier Fall campaign. EG was a part of that event too, but they got eliminated right off the back so they will be participating here.
NiP eliminate Evil Geniuses from BLAST Premier Fall Series https://t.co/yLXRiErBuE
— HLTVorg (@HLTVorg) October 27, 2020
Have they learned something from their European campaign or are they in for another disheartening campaign? Well, even if they do go through to the playoffs, Team Liquid will want to use this opportunity and get back on top of the region, at least for a short period.
Evil Geniuses
Evil Geniuses’ BLAST Premier Fall campaign was a big heartbreak. Brehze and the boys came into the event hoping to start off with flying marks and bring the NA region back to the top.
Ethan’s brilliant performance wasn’t enough to bring EG a much-needed win against OG in the opening round. They suffered a 16-14 loss in the decider map, which must’ve dealt a serious blow to everyone’s morale. Combine that with another disheartening defeat, this time against NiP on Inferno. An overtime defeat is always difficult, but it’s much more so if you’ve traveled 4,000 miles only to lose two matches under such circumstances, get eliminated and hop on the next flight back to the other side of the pond.
Can they turn a new page on IEM Beijing? Well, raw talent is still there; excellent map pool depth as well – the only thing they’re lacking is morale. They might’ve recuperated a bit, but losing two crucial maps in the tightest of scenarios is something they’ll drag on for a while.
They’ll come back stronger, that’s for sure… but I reckon they won’t be able to beat Liquid, assuming they both reach the grand finals.
Team Liquid
Next up – let’s talk about the only real contestant alongside Evil Geniuses. I know I’m being too harsh on the likes of Chaos and New Whalers, but I just don’t see them as real threats to the big duo. Team Liquid, with all of their ongoing issues, still consistently defeats everyone except FURIA and EG. Yes, they lost a few times against 100T, but they’re out of the equation so it doesn’t count (HA!).
In all honesty, Team Liquid’s campaign revolves around one thing and one thing only – their ability to defeat EG. Their consistency against other teams in the region is off the charts. They’re just too damn consistent; it is what it is. But, once they see the likes of Brehze and KSCERATO on the other side, their consistency drops, and they succumb to the pressure. If they can pull themselves together and take EG down, others shouldn’t pose a threat to their heavy machinery.
European Team Storylines
On the other side of the pond, we have sixteen fierce contestants, six/seven of which have a decent shot at the title. Yep, the European CSGO scene is as competitive as they come, but perhaps this event will give us a proper ruler. Will it be Astralis, or will NiKo-powered G2 take control over the region? Let’s see the state of affairs in the EU so we can make the most out of our IEM XV Beijing betting opportunities:
Astralis
At the time of writing, Astralis have just finished their opening round match against MIBR on BLAST Premier Fall. They took the W, but it was much more difficult than most people expected. Our Astralis vs. MIBR picks, on the other hand, nailed a cool +250, so I hope you followed through!
With gla1ve and xyp9x back in the starting roster, Astralis is bound to get back to the top of the food chain. It might be more difficult, it might not come overnight… but it’s in the making, I’m sure of it! There are plenty of contenders, though; plenty of tough opponents that’ll give Astralis a run for their money.
The French side has an excellent core in nexa, hunter, and KennyS. Now that NiKo is in the mix too, they’re packed quite heavily. Obviously, G2 will need some time to adapt to the roster alteration… but more on that further down the line.
Long story short – this new/old Astralis roster ought to make massive waves on the European stage. Cometh the IEM XV Global Challenge LAN event, and I’m 100% sure we’ll see Astralis play there, the Great Danes will wreak havoc on anyone who dares to question their readiness.
Complexity
Complexity didn’t qualify for the BLAST Premier Fall Finals through the regular season. They’ll have to pursue their tickets through the Showdown. Vitality swept past them with the narrowest of margins, and it took a toll on players’ mindsets which resulted in a tough 2:0 blowout, courtesy of BIG.
Jks’ arrival means Complexity finally has a ruthless fragger with solid clutch potential. Sure, blameF is not to be taken for granted, but I reckon Complexity as a collective now has a higher ceiling with jks onboard. The Aussie star didn’t take too long to show off his moves. There’s still room for improvement, but I’m sure it’ll come in the next few weeks… if not during IEM XV Beijing.
IEM XV Global Challenge is on the line, though, so you can bet your a** Complexity will be eyeing the title. With such a strong roster, they’ll want to get a taste of LAN action before the year ends. I honestly hope they succeed, although I wouldn’t bet on them to do so.
G2
G2 is the team that’s getting all the attention these days! Ocelote’s team just completed the biggest transfer in the history of CSGO: Nikola “NiKo” Kovač is no longer Faze Clan’s superstar. He joined the French team last week where he’ll play with his cousin Nemanja “huNter” Kovač, nexa, AmaNEk, and kennyS. The roster is absolutely packed with firepower, which makes everyone think G2 is the team to bet on.
If you don’t want to splurge through your betting bankroll, I suggest you hold your horses… at least for the time being. No, I’m not trying to convince you G2 is going to be a failure; I just feel it’s way too early to start labeling them.
Everyone keeps talking about the Balkan triangle (NiKo, hunter, and nexa), everyone keeps talking about KennyS… and everyone keeps forgetting about AmaNEk. The 27-year-old French veteran has been struggling recently, but he had a solid match against FURIA. He could be the last piece of G2’s puzzle.
If he can get his numbers up and do some of the dirty work, I’m certain G2 will develop into a proper beast. A beast that’ll go toe to toe with Astralis on IEM XV Global Challenge.
Heroic
We’ll finish this part of our IEM XV Beijing betting discussion by taking a closer look at Heroic. Yep, the Danish team that has lived in Astralis’ shadow since its inception. But recent results show that Heroic might have far greater plans. Two titles in a little over two months speak more than anything else. Both against Vitality, mind you. On a side note, French teams just can’t seem to win a grand finals match in 2020.
🏆DREAMHACK OPEN FALL CHAMPIONS🏆
A long and even series ends on Mirage and we win the grand final 3-2 versus @TeamVitality! GGWP! 👊Absolutely stellar performance from our boys this tournament, well done boys!
Thank you all for your support this event!#BeHeroic #DHOpen pic.twitter.com/60eZyAAh8Q
— HEROIC (@heroicgg) October 25, 2020
CadiaN is in great form – he’s been the driving factor behind Heroic’s recent triumphs! Heck, everyone except b0RUP are in great form. He seems to be the weakest link in this Heroic roster, and I wouldn’t be surprised if he sees the exit door soon… assuming he doesn’t improve his performance. Individually, perhaps we’re not looking at the most talented bunch, but their teamwork sometimes resembles that of their Danish brethren from Astralis.
However, Heroic’s plays against lower-tier opponents haven’t been all that good. They’ve been known to battle with complacency from time to time, which is why I can’t really recommend betting on them until we see who’s on the other end. They’re like Croatia of the CSGO world – when they’re playing against top-tier sides, they’re unstoppable; when they’re the heavy favorites, somehow they manage to bottle the advantage…
Asia and Oceania | Key Teams
There’s a total of $30,000 in prize money on Asian and Oceanian IEM XV Beijing tournaments. Four teams are battling in each, with clear favorites visible right off the bat. Renegades should take the big W in the Oceanian event. They’re on a fifteen-match winning streak, having lost just three maps in the process.
As for Asia, we don’t really have a clear-cut winner. ViCi and TYLOO seem like the toughest sides in the region, but their opponents will give them a proper run for their money. If I were you, I’d skip betting on Asian and Oceanian events. Oceanian won’t have any value; Asian is just too darn risky, in my books at least.
Betting on Intel Extreme Masters XV Beijing
CSGO is the most popular esports in the whole esports betting spectrum. Valve’s massively popular first-person shooter is one of the reasons esports betting became a thing in the first place. Driven by skin betting and then further boosted by the influx of exposure brought forth by big names in the online gambling industry, CSGO betting sphere keeps developing at a rapid pace.
However, not everything is ideal…
Specials Are Not Available Yet
There are roughly four days to go till the kickoff of European and North American events, but there are still no esports specials for CSGO in sight. As far as outrights go, they will not be available at all. Bookies have stopped offering outright winner betting odds on online events, so there’s that.
If you’re looking to get a head start for your IEM XV Beijing betting campaign, I’m afraid you’ll have to wait a few more days. The groups haven’t been seeded yet so we still don’t know the opening-round matchups. Once the official seeds are released, match-winners and specials are bound to follow in a matter of minutes.
No worries guys, we’ll have plenty of IEM XV Beijing betting predictions ready for you once we find out the opening round matchups.