by The Legends stage of the 2019 StarLadder Berlin Major is set to kick off on Wednesday, August 28, with eight matches that will reveal which teams will get one step closer to the quarter-finals and which will take the long road to the main event.
With only the best of the best in the CS:GO esports scene left in the tournament, the upcoming five days promise to satisfy the needs of all Counter-Strike fans.
Let’s take a look at the latest CS:GO odds and the best bets for the next phase of the Berlin Major.
ENCE vs AVANGAR
ENCE ($1.44) are considered the favourites to win here and advance, which is fair considering they are facing one of the weaker teams left in the tournament.
AVANGAR ($2.62) did not produce anything in the Challenger stage that would make us believe they have quality to compete against the best.
The only thing that works in their favour is the fact this is a best-of-one (Bo1) match, which are known for upset wins, yet that is not enough for us to back the underdogs here.
ENCE to win – $1.44 at GG Bet
Astralis vs DreamEaters
Astralis ($1.14) might not be as strong as they used to be, but the Danes are still far superior to much of the competition.
While it is impressive that DreamEaters ($5.00) have made it this far, it is hard to find any reason to back them here.
Astralis will secure a comfortable win and show they are still one of the strongest CS:GO teams in the world.
Astralis -6.5 – $1.83 at GG Bet
NRG vs Renegades
While NRG ($1.33) and Renegades ($3.25) both hail from the United States, there is a gulf in class between the two franchises.
Despite an underwhelming performance in the last stage, NRG are clear favourites to win through the first round of the Legends section.
Form aside, the Los Angeles-based franchise has solid players, a deep map pool, and enough quality to get the job done.
NRG to win – $1.33 at GG Bet
Team Liquid vs CR4ZY
CR4ZY ($4.33) performed well in the last stage and are one of the most in-form teams of the tournament.
Despite that, the Serbs will not have an easy time against Team Liquid ($1.20), who need no introduction.
While CR4ZY look like a team that could push through and emerge as one of the top eight, they will struggle to keep up with TL.
Team Liquid to win – $1.20
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Vitality vs North
Vitality ($1.72) will hope to improve on their efforts in the Challengers stage, where they scraped through with a 3-2 record.
North ($2.00) had a much better time of it, winning all three of their fixtures to finish top of the table.
The Danes are outsiders in this clash, however, and it is tough to bet against a Vitality side that boasts an incredible map pool, superb players and a good record against some of the top teams in the world.
Vitality to win – $1.72
FaZe Clan vs mousesports
The experienced FaZe ($2.25) will clash with the ever-improving mousesports ($1.57) in one of the better matchups of the first round.
Mouz might have their moments of weakness, but it is only reasonable to underperform on occasion when you play so many maps.
Their biggest advantage is the rapid improvement of their younger players and consistent results from veterans, which will see them spring an upset here.
Mousesports to win – $1.57
Natus Vincere vs G2
NaVi ($1.53) enter their fixture against G2 ($2.37) as favourites, which is more than fair.
The CIS powerhouse boasts some very talented players, including Oleksandr “s1mple” Kostyliev, and should have no issues reaching the top eight.
G2 have their moments of greatness and are capable of beating the stronger teams, but their inconsistency may well let them down on this occasion.
NaVi to win – $1.53 at GG Bet
MIBR vs Ninjas in Pyjamas
Possibly the closest match in the first round features two teams that are neither great nor terrible.
NiP ($1.80) and MIBR ($1.90) both have issues and may struggle to reach the final eight.
It is too close to call in the head-to-head stakes, but the Brazilians should cover a +2.5 map handicap.
MIBR +2.5 – $1.72 at GG Bet
Berlin Major Champions stage predictions
Last but not least, we will look over the StarLadder Berlin Major odds for advancing to the Champions stage.
Mousesports, Vitality (both $1.40) and ENCE ($1.57) are all underrated here. They are by no means guaranteed a top-eight spot, yet we do believe they have what it takes to finish there.
On the other side, FaZe ($2.25) and North ($1.66) are both offering generous odds to not advance into the final stage and could prove to be worth a punt.
FaZe have a long history of reaching deep into CS:GO Majors, yet they have not looked solid of late and may struggle against tough competition in the Legends stage.
North are slightly overrated due to their strong performance in the first stage. They did finish 3-0 there, yet they will have an extremely hard time producing the same results over the course of the tournament.
