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One of the most anticipated CS:GO events in December of 2020 is upon us. IEM Global Challenge 2020 will see 8 teams battle it out for their share of $500,000 in prize pool money. Bookmakers have their favorites but worry not, we are here to present you with ours, so do not miss out on your chance to make a profit from IEM Global Challenge 2020.
IEM Global Challenge 2020 Power Rankings
Out of 8 teams competing in this event, only a handful of rosters will have a chance to go deep in this event and eventually, win the entire thing. As mentioned above, betting sites are already eyeing out their favorites as the first odds are released to punters. Shall we start with the power rankings?
1.) Astralis
Before we go over the facts about Astralis, it is crucial to say that gla1ve is back as the in-game leader. Astralis instantly found success and they will look to extend their good form. Right now, operators are favoring Astralis and the odds on them to go all the way are more than good to place a bet on.
Gla1ve and co. won 7 out of their last matches and they did it in style. Out of 7 victories, they lost a total of 1 map and they have beaten the likes of G2, Liquid, FURIA, mousesports while only falling short to the best CS:GO player ever, s1mple and his Natus Vincere squad.
To summarize, Astralis is red hot right now and bookies are rightfully favoring them. If you are wondering who the smart money is on, then Astralis seems like the logical answer.
2.) Natus Vincere
If s1mple is attending the event, you simply can’t write Natus Vincere off. This team is on a rollercoaster of emotions but it seems like this type of style is working wonders for them. As of now, they are ranked as the 4th best team and they are getting much more unpredictable.
Their mixed success is evident through the results. Out of their last 7 matches played, Na’Vi won 5 while losing to Vitality and Complexity in two thrillers. It is also important to mention that Natus Vincere defeated Astralis not so long ago.
At the time of writing, odds on Natus Vincere to win IEM Global Challenge 2020 are moving from 4.50 all the way up to 5.50. On paper, this seems like a good value bet, but do you really want to trust a team that can beat anyone and then suffers a defeat to the biggest outsider? Bear in mind that two teams will go through to the playoffs and Natus Vincere will have to play against FURIA, Liquid, and Heroic.
3.) Vitality
Can ZywOo do it again? That is the most important question when we start talking about Vitality. Take out Mathieu, and you have an average team that should be nowhere near that #1 ranking. Do not get us wrong, Vitality is pulling all the right moves and their supports are playing the games perfectly. All of this led to 6 wins out of the last 7 matches played. This is even more impressive once we see that Vitality defeated the likes of Natus Vincere, Complexity, and Heroic.
Let’s talk facts. Betting sites are listing Vitality as one of the favorites in this event and currently, odds of 5.00 are very tempting. Prior to placing a bet on Vitality, you should know that the French roster did not yet play against the reborn Astralis. Given the fact that these two contenders share the same group, do not be surprised if Vitality ends up fighting to stay alive in this tournament since Astralis is so good at neutralizing star players.
4.) Heroic
It is widely known that individual skill will get you to the top, but then teams will start to decline as their star players get fed up with “carrying” games. Heroic is a team that proved to everyone that teamplay is what keeps the teams at the very top.
Even though they had a week off, Heroic will definitely be prepared to test themselves against top CS:GO teams in the world right now. The worrying thing is, Heroic played against tier 2 & 3 teams and they could have a hard time adapting to the top players. Beating Spirit, c0ntact, and Endpoint is not that all that impressive for a team of their caliber.
There is a simple conclusion for Heroic. Playing against the likes of Natus Vincere and FURIA in their group could prove to be a problem. Even if they manage to advance through to the playoffs, do they really stand a chance against Astralis or Vitality? We do not think so.
5.) FURIA
If someone told us that FURIA is going to top the charts in the Brazilian esports scene, we would call them crazy. Ever since MiBR fell apart, FURIA has no competition there and they are doing a good job against some of the best teams in the world.
However, things are not looking good for FURIA, at least not in our eyes. Despite winning 4 out of 6 matches played, FURIA is not in the best shape. It is also important to mention that it seemed like they did not even join the servers in their match against Astralis, as they won only 13 rounds over the course of two maps.
Is betting on FURIA to go all the way justified for you? A series of mixed results combined with abysmal performances should really steer you away from this bet.
6.) BIG
Looking for a potential dark horse for IEM Global Challenge 2020? We might have something for you. There is no denying that BIG always shows up at the best tournaments. If players such as tabseN and XANTARES get fired up, who is going to stop BIG?
Even though the odds of 12 on BIG winning it all are very juicy, there is a big problem for the Germans here. Two teams will get out of the group stage and BIG is matched against Vitality and Astralis. If they can surprise one of these two teams, a chance for profit could present itself.
7.) Complexity
When it comes to Complexity, the math is simple. The team has announced that Otto “ottoNd” Sihvo will be standing in for Valentin “poizon” Vasilev at the event, which will impact the Complexity’s chemistry and teamplay.
Betting sites are also aware of that fact hence why Complexity is one of the outsiders in this event. If you want to place a smart bet, then we would suggest you stay away from betting on Complexity as they will have a hard time in this event.
8.) Liquid
Back in 2019, Liquid was a team that everyone tried to avoid. Fast forward to late 2020, and they are the biggest underdogs on an event. This says it all about Liquid and their slump. Can you imagine that odds on Liquid to win IEM Global Challenge 2020 are set to 25?
Are betting sites underestimating Liquid in this event or do they really don’t stand a chance at all? Losing three matches in a row against FURIA, mousesports, and Astralis is a worrying sign.
That said, Liquid will open things up against Heroic. If they can somehow pull off a miracle win, they will be one foot in the playoffs bracket. However, the team has a daunting task in front of themselves.
