ESB brings you free Counter-Strike: Global Offensive betting tips for the opening round of the 2022 BLAST Premier World Final on Wednesday, December 14. Here are our selections for Outsiders vs Team Liquid, FaZe Clan vs G2 Esports, Heroic vs OG, and Natus Vincere vs Team Vitality.
OUTSIDERS vs TEAM LIQUID CS:GO BETTING & MATCH DETAILS |
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Best Odds: | Outsiders -163.93 at BetOnline | Liquid +120 at BetOnline |
When: | December 14, 2022 | 13:00 GST |
Watch Live: | Twitch (https://www.twitch.tv/BLASTPremier) |
Since their triumphant run at the Intel Extreme Masters Rio Major, the Outsiders have not played a single official match, which can’t do the team anything good. While the CIS squad won’t be any less talented heading into the final big event of 2022, we wouldn’t expect them to play as well as they did in Rio, at least not from the start.
Team Liquid had a disastrous run in the last Major, which they entered as one of the favourites, but crashed out in the Legends Stage with a 2-3 record and defeats against MOUZ, Heroic, and Team Spirit. But Liquid have since found some success and reached the semifinals of BLAST Premier Fall Final 2022, where they got eliminated by the eventual champions, Heroic (1-2).
The esports betting sites have priced Outsiders as the favourites, likely due to their success in Rio. But we’re not sold on this team at the offered odds, especially considering Liquid are much stronger than their Major run would suggest.
This is a very winnable match for Team Liquid, who are an excellent bet at +120 with BetOnline.
Team Liquid to win
FAZE CLAN vs G2 ESPORTS CS:GO BETTING & MATCH DETAILS |
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Best Odds: | FaZe -188.68 at BetOnline | G2 +137 at BetOnline |
When: | December 14, 2022 | 13:00 GST |
Watch Live: | Twitch (https://www.twitch.tv/BLASTPremier) |
Despite having a poor IEM Rio Major run and losing against Heroic in BLAST Premier Fall Finals, we expect FaZe Clan to do well in Abu Dhabi. This is a powerful team with a lot of experience playing big events and this is not a roster you would underestimate.
Statistically, Robin “ropz” Kool (1.12) and Helvijs “broky” Saukants (1.13) are ranked 11th and ninth in the world on LAN this year, and eighth and sixth at this tournament. Although FaZe can be a bit up-and-down (depending on ropz’s and broky’s form), they have everything you need in a team to win big trophies.
BLAST Premier World Final is the final chance for G2 Esports to make something happen, and it’s about time they do. Since the roster changes which followed G2’s defeat in Intel Extreme Masters XVI Katowice, the European squad failed to reach a single final.
But as they’ve shown, G2 Esports can deal with anyone on a good day. The only problem is that there haven’t been that many good days for G2 this season.
On paper, FaZe Clan should win, but it’s easy to forget how stacked G2 Esports’ roster is, and it’s only a matter of time before their dry streak ends. At the offered CS:GO betting odds, you can take G2 Esports and feel good about it.
G2 Esports to win
HEROIC vs OG CS:GO BETTING & MATCH DETAILS |
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Best Odds: | Heroic -277.78 at BetOnline | OG +200 at BetOnline |
When: | December 14, 2022 | 16:00 GST |
Watch Live: | Twitch (https://www.twitch.tv/BLASTPremier) |
Heroic’s season was very mixed, with some good and a couple of disastrous tournament runs. But across the last three months alone, the Danes have looked incredible. They secured a third-place finish in European RMR, followed it up with a gold medal from European Showdown, IEM Rio Major finals appearance, and then won their first top-tier trophy at the end of November at the 2022 BLAST Premier Fall Final.
Their Copenhagen trophy is a bit tricky to base our value of the team around, as Heroic were playing on home soil, which is quite an advantage which won’t be present in Abu Dhabi. In addition, Heroic will be without Martin “stavn” Lund, who will be replaced by Kristian “k0nfig” Wienecke.
Even with that handicap, Heroic should do well against OG, who are the weakest team in the field, but we wouldn’t expect to see a clean sweep. Heroic are not playing with their full roster and should feel fatigued, so we’ll take a bet on over 2.5 maps.
Over 2.5 total maps
NATUS VINCERE vs TEAM VITALITY CS:GO BETTING & MATCH DETAILS |
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Best Odds: | NAVI -151.52 at BetOnline | Vitality +110 at BetOnline |
When: | December 14, 2022 | 19:00 GST |
Watch Live: | Twitch (https://www.twitch.tv/BLASTPremier) |
Team Vitality used to be an elite-level team, but it seems like no one considers them as such anymore. They won ESL Pro League Season 16 in October, but the Bees have since failed to come even close to lifting another trophy.
Even though Team Vitality are not in the best form, they can pack a punch, as they showed in November when Vitality defeated FaZe (16-6) and nearly edged past Natus Vincere (21-25) in IEM Rio Major Legends Stage.
Like Vitality, Natus Vincere haven’t achieved much lately. They placed top eight at ESL Pro League Season 16 and Intel Extreme Masters Rio Major 2022, which isn’t terrible, but far below NaVi’s standards.
They have looked better than Vitality, so it makes sense for esports betting sites to price them as the favourites. But considering how close NaVi’s last meeting with Vitality was, a bet on over 2.5 maps at -120.48 makes the most sense.