The first phase of ESL One: Road to Rio European division has reached its climax. After the battles among sixteen of the top teams in professional CSGO scene, only two remain in the competition for the throne – G2 and Astralis. While both teams have shown exceptional performance throughout the tournament, we try to investigate which team has an edge in the finals.
At first glance, both the teams seem to have a fair shot at the title considering how well they have performed in the last few matches. But if you’re a bettor, chances are you don’t rely on intuitions. When the stakes are high, you have to deduce every available clue to figure which team has an edge, even if the slightest.
If you’re reading this, you’re probably eager to know that too. Let’s take a look at what the numbers have to say about the two teams, and who do they favour to be placed in the throne.
Recent Performances
Glancing at history is crucial when it comes down to be able to predict the outcome of a future match. While it’s inarguable that both teams performed excellently in their journey to the finals, that information alone provides no help in deciding the victor. Below, we list out the team performances in ESL One: Road to Rio till now.
G2 Esports
- Matches won – 7
- Matches lost – 4
- Maps won – 16
- Maps dropped – 12
- Match winrate – 63%
- Map winrate – 57%
The stats, although good, aren’t particularly impressive. The winrate per map is just above mediocre and what’s more is that they have dropped games against FaZe, North, Mouz and most importantly had a 2:0 defeat against their upcoming rivals, Astralis themselves.
Astralis
- Matches won – 8
- Matches lost – 1
- Maps won – 17
- Maps dropped – 5
- Match winrate – 88%
- Map winrate – 77%
Deciding Factors in Today’s Match
While the numbers do speak volumes about the potential outcome of today’s skirmish, numbers alone can’t be the end of it. Several other key factors will come into play in the grand finals of ESL One: Road to Rio. It can be safely said that the primary game-changers for the teams will be Kenny “KennyS” Schrub on G2 and Nicolai “dev1ce” Reedtz on Astralis.
KennyS and dev1ce are both veteran Counter-Strike players and the AWPers of their respective teams. They’re well accustomed with each others’ tactics and know the play-styles of their opponents.
While the numbers may oppose G2 initially, a KennyS being in form is all it takes to change that. All CSGO fans know what that man is capable of once he gets the hang of his trusty AWP, and Astralis sure doesn’t want to see that fire burn their camp to ashes.
The game is set to be a BO5, so the chances of flukes are low. Only the team which can perform consistently throughout the series will be able to take home the grand prize of $33,000.
However, another huge cause of concern for G2 will be the fact that Astralis will already be having a 1:0 map advantage going into the finals due to them coming from the upper bracket. This basically means Astralis can get away with a 2-2 scoreline while G2 needs to secure a 3-1 win over them to be able to win.
Betting Odds
As expected, in all betting websites the odds are hugely tilted towards Astralis due to obvious reasons.
Here are the odds across various sites:
- Astralis – 1.18
- G2 – 4.60
- Astralis – 1.15
- G2 – 4.75
- Astralis – 1.15
- G2- 5
- Astralis – 1.12
- G2 – 5.5
- Astralis – 1.42
- G2 – 5.45
- Astralis – 1.42
- G2 – 2.88
Compare the odds, and decide which website is the best for you for betting on the team you’re gonna bet for.
While the odds for Astralis are extremely less profitable, their chances of victory are also high. But then again, an upset from G2 can make bettors on their sides earn fortunes, and with KennyS on the team, you can safely say that Astralis will have to put all their cards to the table if they want to win against G2.
Verdict
In all honesty, as I mentioned earlier, the chances of Astralis taking the win are way too high. Astralis has been in terrific shape lately, absolutely demolishing the other teams in the tournament and outperforming them in every possible way. But however, if Fnatic can defeat that team, G2 certainly have their chance. G2 fans should be expecting a surprise, which also isn’t impossible considering their recent form.
For now, all the fans can do is wait another few hours till the showdown. All eyes will be on KennyS and dev1ce, and only time will tell who will come out on top.
