VCT 2025 EMEA Stage 2 picks & predictions – Thursday, August 14

VALORANT Champions Tour 2025 EMEA Stage 2 continues on Thursday, August 14, with the second pair of games in the final week of the group stage.

The day begins with a clash for Group Alpha’s No.1 seed between Team Heretics and GIANTX, after which Team Vitality will chase a crucial win against Gentle Mates.

The penultimate day of the group stage has a lot on the line for the teams, and there are also a few strong VALORANT betting opportunities worth exploring.

GIANTX vs TEAM HERETICS

Best Odds: GX +200 at BetOnline | Heretics -277.78 at SportsBetting.ag
When: August 14, 2025 | 17:00 CEST
Watch Live: Twitch

GIANTX and Team Heretics will battle it out for the first seed in Group Alpha and a direct bye to the upper-bracket semifinals. According to the top esports betting sites, Heretics are more likely to accomplish that feat — and on form it is easy to see why.

Team Heretics have been in excellent touch this entire VCT season. Even though their run at the Masters Toronto ended prematurely, Ričardas “Boo” Lukaševičius and his crew placed third in the VCT Kickoff event, second in Stage 1, and won the VALORANT Esports World Cup.

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  The bookies' bookie

Heretics carried that momentum into VCT EMEA Stage 2 and have yet to drop a game. While they’ve had a slow start with two 2-1 victories against BBL Esports and Gentle Mates, these guys have looked like an entirely different beast over the last two weeks.

GIANTX have exceeded expectations by securing a top-three finish in Group Alpha. But their performances against FUT Esports and Gentle Mates in weeks three and four do not inspire much confidence.

GENTLE MATES vs TEAM VITALITY

Best Odds: M8 +150 at BetOnline | VIT -200 at BetOnline
When: August 14, 2025 | 20:00 CEST
Watch Live: Twitch

Gentle Mates are 0-4 and guaranteed to finish Group Alpha inside the bottom two. Team Vitality can still avoid suffering the same fate, but to do so, they need to win on Thursday.

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  Fast Payouts

Bartosz “UNFAKE” Bernacki and co. were reverse-swept BBL Esports last Friday, following a tough 0-2 loss against Team Heretics the week prior. Gentle Mates were also reverse-swept last week, against GIANTX, and lost to BBL in the previous round without winning a map.

Team Vitality have a higher ceiling than Gentle Mates, but their performances this stage, and especially over the last two weeks, have been concerning. At +150 with BetOnline, Gentle Mates are an excellent bet.