by ESB brings you free Counter-Strike: Global Offensive betting predictions for the first round of ESL Pro League Season 17 Group B on Wednesday, March 1. Check out our selections for Heroic vs Movistar Riders, BIG vs Complexity, Imperial Esports vs FURIA Esports, and SAW vs MOUZ, with CS:GO betting odds courtesy of BetOnline.
HEROIC vs MOVISTAR RIDERS CS:GO BETTING & MATCH DETAILS |
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| Best Odds: | Heroic -2000 at BetOnline | Movistar +750 at BetOnline |
| When: | March 1, 2023 | 16:00 CET |
| Watch Live: | Twitch (https://www.twitch.tv/ESL_CSGO) |
Heroic gave away their status as the world’s best CS:GO team to G2 Esports when they lost the Intel Extreme Masters Katowice 2023 finals (1-3). But that defeat doesn’t change the fact that Heroic are still one of the current strongest squads in the scene.
Over the last seven events, Heroic placed outside the top four just once – a seventh-eighth finish at BLAST Premier World Final 2022 – which is seriously impressive. But perhaps even more noteworthy than their record is Heroic’s improved consistency. Once considered chokers, Heroic turned a new leaf and are now one of the more consistent teams in the world.
This spells problems for Movistar Riders, who can’t count on Heroic underperforming, and they definitely can’t rely on their talent to earn them a win. Although a solid second-tier team, the Spaniards can’t match Heroic.
Esports betting sites are offering $1.90 on Heroic to win the series with at least 14 rounds to spare, which should be easily achievable for the Danish powerhouse.
Heroic -13.5 rounds
BIG vs COMPLEXITY CS:GO BETTING & MATCH DETAILS |
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| Best Odds: | BIG -151.52 at BetOnline | Complexity +110 at BetOnline |
| When: | March 1, 2023 | 16:00 CET |
| Watch Live: | Twitch (https://www.twitch.tv/ESL_CSGO) |
BIG and Complexity are at about the same level if we consider their recent tournament results, with both teams finishing second in their respective regional Intel Extreme Masters Rio 2023 qualifiers. Although European events usually feature much stronger teams, that wasn’t the case this time out, as BIG only had to defeat Sprout, HEET, ENCE, and HONORIS.
Yet despite there being very little to separate the teams results-wise, BIG enter this match as -151.52 favourites with CS:GO betting sites. That likely has to do with the community’s perception of Complexity as a terrible team, which they were not too long ago, but they’ve improved significantly over the last month.
Complexity showed up big at IEM Katowice 2023, where they placed seventh-eighth, catapulting them from no.23 to no.10 in the global CS:GO rankings. Even though their impressive run in Poland doesn’t prove that Complexity are stronger than BIG, they aren’t weaker, so we have to take their side at plus money.
Complexity to win
IMPERIAL ESPORTS vs FURIA ESPORTS CS:GO BETTING & MATCH DETAILS |
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| Best Odds: | Imperial +275 at BetOnline | FURIA -400 at BetOnline |
| When: | March 1, 2023 | 19:30 CET |
| Watch Live: | Twitch (https://www.twitch.tv/ESL_CSGO) |
An all-Brazilian clash between Imperial Esports and FURIA Esports promises to be one-sided, but regional derbies rarely play out as expected. There is no hiding that Imperial are not at the level of FURIA, who reached the semifinal of Intel Extreme Masters Rio Major in November. Still, we haven’t seen much from Andrei “arT” Piovezan and co. since then.
FURIA have played just three matches in 2023 at IEM Katowice 2023, where they defeated Permitta Esports (16-4) but then lost against BIG (1-2) and IHC Esports (1-2). In contrast, Imperial Esports have played 14 games since the turn of the year (12-2) and even made it through BLAST.tv Paris Major 2023 South American RMR Qualifier.
FURIA Esports look to be a class above Imperial Esports, but this is a clash between players who know each other well, which increases the chances of Imperial Esports causing an upset. Granted, considering FURIA’s recent showings, seeing them lose wouldn’t be a massive shock.
Imperial Esports to win
SAW vs MOUZ CS:GO BETTING & MATCH DETAILS |
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| Best Odds: | SAW +175 at BetOnline | MOUZ -250 at BetOnline |
| When: | March 1, 2023 | 19:30 CET |
| Watch Live: | Twitch (https://www.twitch.tv/ESL_CSGO) |
SAW will meet with MOUZ in the opening round of ESL Pro League Season 17 Group B following a solid showing at BLAST.tv Paris Major 2023 European RMR Qualifier A last week, when they made it through the decider series with wins against HEET (2-0) and JANO Esports (2-0). MOUZ played their last match at the start of the month, when they attended Intel Extreme Masters Katowice 2023, but crashed out early, with two 1-2 defeats against OG and Complexity.
Losing against OG and Complexity isn’t too concerning, but MOUZ not playing a single match in three weeks is. MOUZ have achieved significantly more than SAW in 2022, so seeing them priced as -250 favourites makes sense, but there is little value backing the European squad at the offered CS:GO betting odds.
SAW might struggle to overpower MOUZ; however, they have the talent to put up a fight. SAW to win one map isn’t a bad choice, but we like over 2.5 maps at -111.11 better.
