This marks a significant shakeup for a team that has already had a tumultuous year of competitive play.

NRG’s performance in the 2024 VALORANT Champions Tour (VCT) has been disappointing.

Following a strong start at the VCT Americas Kick-off, the team failed to qualify for the playoffs after finishing fifth in Group Alpha of the VCT 2024 Americas Stage 1.

In response, NRG brought back veteran in-game leader Pujan “FNS” Mehta and former controller player Sam “s0m” Oh for Stage 2, moving star duelist Max “Demon1” Mazanov to the substitute position and letting Jimmy “Marved” Nguyen go.

Despite these changes, NRG won only one of their four Stage 2 games, finishing fourth in Group Alpha and missing the playoffs again.

The decision to part ways with Victor and Chet appears to stem from the need to reassess and rebuild the team’s dynamics.

VCT Roster Update: Today, we have decided to release @victorwong and @chetsingh from the NRG VALORANT roster.

From the beginning, they've had an incredible impact at NRG and we are so grateful for all their contributions. Thank you for everything and we wish you the best! pic.twitter.com/8GTMGuVDTX

— NRG (@NRGgg) July 16, 2024

Victor, a versatile and experienced player, struggled to deliver consistently at the highest level, finishing Stage 2 with an overall rating of 0.92.

His departure suggests that NRG is looking to inject fresh talent and new strategies into their lineup.

Having been with NRG since 2022, Victor’s presence will be missed by players and fans alike.

Chet’s departure as head coach is equally significant.

Known for his strategic mind and experience across various esports titles, Chet’s tenure with NRG was marked by highs and lows.

While he contributed to some of the team’s strategic successes, the overall inconsistency likely prompted the organisation to seek a new direction in coaching and leadership.

Welcoming Demon1 back into the fold should improve this struggling NRG roster, as he brings a winning mentality and valuable experience from his time on the Evil Geniuses VALORANT Champions-winning squad.

This move by NRG reflects a broader trend in the esports industry, where organisations are quick to make changes in pursuit of success.

The competitive nature of VALORANT, coupled with the high stakes of the VCT circuit, means that teams must constantly evolve and adapt.

As NRG navigates this transitional phase, fans will be watching closely, hoping that the changes will lead to a resurgence in form.

The departure of Victor and Chet marks the end of a chapter but also opens the door for new possibilities and a potential comeback in the competitive VALORANT scene.

NRG VALORANT Roster

• Pujan “FiNESSE” Mehta
• Sam “s0m” Oh
• Austin “crashies” Roberts
• Ethan “Ethan” Arnold
• Max “Demon1” Mazanov
• Assistant Coach: Tanishq “Tanizhq” Sabharwal

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NRG ESPORTS vs WEIBO GAMING LoL BETTING & MATCH DETAILS

The 2023 League of Legends World Championship knockout stage commences this Thursday in South Korea with NRG Esports and Weibo Gaming tussling for a spot in the semifinals.

NRG Esports are the first North American esports team to reach this stage of LoL Worlds since Cloud9 in 2021. However, NRG didn’t have to defeat any elite teams to make it this far.

NRG Esports beat only Team Liquid, MAD Lions, and G2 Esports during the Swiss stage, which is a relatively easy schedule. And while defeating G2 sounds like an achievement, the European giants didn’t play well on the day.

This will mark NRG’s second meeting with Weibo Gaming, who beat them in the first round of the Swiss stage and have since added two more wins against MAD Lions and Fnatic. So, like NRG, the Chinese side has had the luxury of a relatively easy schedule.

Top esports betting sites have Weibo Gaming priced as huge favourites for this match, which makes sense because they boast much better players. Still, we could’ve said the same thing for every team NRG have beaten so far.

Weibo Gaming can also be very inconsistent, as seen when they capitulated against Fnatic. So even though Weibo shouldn’t be losing games like this, they tend to play down to the level of their opponents, which should give NRG Esports a chance to do some damage – especially on the blue side.

NRG have side choice, so we’re taking the North American outfit with a kill handicap on map one.

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NRG Esports and G2 Esports are just one victory away from locking in a spot in the League of Legends World Championship 2023 knockout stage. Both teams can be happy with the draw as this is their best chance of securing the third win; however, it’s fair to say that G2 Esports are in a better spot to come out ahead.

NRG Esports have so far beaten just Team Liquid and the inconsistent MAD Lions, which doesn’t prove anything, and it doesn’t make them equal to other 2-1 teams. However, while G2 Esports have defeated Dplus KIA and Weibo Gaming, they didn’t look clean in either match and could’ve easily lost both.

Talent-wise, G2 Esports are far ahead of NRG Esports across all positions, but we could’ve said the same thing for NRG Esports’ previous three opponents. NRG don’t necessarily win through individual talent but instead rely on teamwork and flexibility, which makes them a threat to any team.

G2 Esports should win, but NRG Esports have side choice, which in the current meta is a considerable advantage. It might not be enough for NRG to cause an upset, but they can win one map.

Bilibili Gaming and T1 have both looked very good this tournament. T1 had a shaky start against Team Liquid, and they got crushed by Gen.G, but then produced a very inspiring game against Cloud9.

Bilibili Gaming, on the other side, have already beaten KT Rolster and Fnatic, while their only defeat of LoL Worlds came against JD Gaming – who BLG have yet to defeat this season (0-8). These are both elite LoL esports teams; however, while T1 shouldn’t be ignored, Bilibili Gaming look much stronger.

BLG are arguably a top-three team in the world, and they have the results to prove it. Bilibili Gaming would’ve won the Mid-Season Invitational and at least one LPL split if JD Gaming didn’t exist, so their lack of trophies this season only comes down to the fact that BLG can’t seem to defeat JDG.

Since T1 have side choice, this game is trickier to predict, but we have more faith in Bilibili Gaming’s individual talent.

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Despite their struggles during the LCK 2023 Summer regular season – when T1 had to play without Lee “Faker” Sang-hyeok – the three-time LoL world champions return to the international stage, seeking their fourth Summoner’s Cup. According to the outright betting odds, T1 are not among the top favourites, but they’re still one of the elite teams.

Team Liquid doesn’t belong in the same category as T1, as the LCS third seed and one of the weaker teams in the tournament. However, while Team Liquid hasn’t shown much this season, they have the potential to do well. Assuming ADC Sean “Yeon” Sung and mid laner Eain “APA” Stearns perform at their best.

TL have proven players across all positions except for mid and ADC, which puts a huge question mark above their chances to really challenge and go deep at Worlds. However, as long as APA and Yeon can carry their weight, Team Liquid should be competitive.

This is T1’s game to lose, but we can’t agree with the offered kill line (10.5). Even for this match, ten kills is a massive number, which T1 won’t cover easily unless we see a colossal blunder from Team Liquid.

G2 Esports and Dplus KIA meet again at the LoL World Championship in what has become a cross-regional rivalry of sorts. As evident in all previous meetings between the two squads, it’s tough to say how this one will go.

Dplus KIA humiliated G2 Esports at LoL Worlds 2022, and according to the offered odds from esports betting sites, the Korean powerhouse is expected to do well again. Still, there is a world where G2 Esports come out on top.

G2 Esports have looked incredible this season, and even though it’s easy to look good in a weaker region, G2 Esports made it clear that they have a very high ceiling and a lot more left in the tank. They have the tools to do well at LoL Worlds 2023, and if all players step up, G2 Esports can make it far.

A lot will come down to mid laner Rasmus “Caps” Borregaard Winther and whether he can show his 2019 form, but we know he’s doing exceptionally well in the Korean solo queue, which is a good sign.

Dplus KIA looks stronger on paper, but at +125, G2 Esports are worth a punt.

The reigning League of Legends Championship Series (LCS) champions, NRG Esports, will make their LoL Worlds debut on Thursday when they face off against Chinese outfit Weibo Gaming. According to the offered betting odds, it should be a one-sided match, and it looks like it from afar.

However, Weibo Gaming is one of the most inconsistent teams from the LoL Pro League (LPL) and one of the most unpredictable teams at LoL Worlds 2023, besides NRG Esports. Both squads have had quite a turbulent run throughout the season as they defeated stronger teams but lost against big outsiders.

This works more in favour of NRG Esports, knowing that Weibo Gaming can lose to anyone, and it seems like with WBG, their success on any given day relies heavily on Kang “TheShy” Seung-lok who is notoriously inconsistent.

This creates a situation where it’s believable that Weibo Gaming can shoot themselves in the foot despite playing a much weaker opponent. However, one thing is certain: both teams like to fight and often produce high-kill games.

KT Rolster reached the LoL World Championship 2023 as the third-strongest team from Korea, which might sound worse than it is. KT have done well this season, with two bronze medals from the LCK 2023 Spring and Summer Playoffs and the LCK 2023 Summer regular season title.

But most importantly, KT Rolster have looked much better in the season’s latter stages. Bilibili Gaming has also accomplished a lot this year, with runner-up finishes in the LPL 2023 Spring Playoffs and Mid-Season Invitational 2023 and a bronze medal from the LPL 2023 Summer Playoffs.

The LPL has proven to be a stronger league than the LCK over the last few years, which explains the offered betting odds. However, based on what the teams have shown, there isn’t much to separate them.

At +110, KT Rolster is a solid bet.

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TEAM LIQUID vs NRG ESPORTS LoL BETTING & MATCH DETAILS

?Team Liquid and NRG Esports will meet on Saturday, August 19, in the LCS 2023 Championship lower-bracket final. By the numbers, Liquid are a much stronger team than NRG, and the offered LoL betting odds reflect that.

Team Liquid’s performances throughout the LCS 2023 Summer regular season were mediocre. They had their moments, but TL struggled in closing out games, which is the main reason they’ve come up short of expectations.

However, Team Liquid have improved substantially for the LCS 2023 Championship. This comes with an asterisk since TL lost their first playoff match against NRG Esports (1-3), yet we should focus more on their performances against 100 Thieves (3-1), Evil Geniuses (3-1), and Golden Guardians (3-2).

Across the three series, Team Liquid have had their shaky moments, but it seems like they’ve finally turned a corner and put a lot of focus on fixing their main weakness.

NRG Esports exceeded everyone’s expectations by reaching the upper-bracket finals, but they got a bit lucky and were eventually exposed by Cloud9 in a 0-3 sweep last Saturday. NRG looked toothless in that series, proving they are not fit to compete at the highest level.

Throughout the season, NRG Esports’ success depended heavily on their opponents making mistakes. Such opportunities have presented themselves quite frequently, yet in games where NRG have been skill-checked, they’ve fallen apart.

NRG Esports defeated Team Liquid last time, but it mostly had to do with TL’s early-playoff struggles. Expect Liquid to win comfortably and take one step closer to their fifth LCS title.

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NRG ESPORTS vs CLOUD9 LoL BETTING & MATCH DETAILS

Against all odds, the LCS 2023 Championship upper-bracket finals will be contested between Cloud9 and NRG Esports, who have had completely different journeys through the regular season but fairly similar paths through the playoffs.

Cloud9 kicked off the LCS 2023 Championship in the second round, where they swept Evil Geniuses (3-0) to solidify their status as the best League of Legends esports team in North America. The series was much closer than the final result suggests, but Cloud9 were undeniably the better team.

NRG Esports, on the other hand, proved why they carry the tag of ‘giant killers’, defeating Team Liquid (3-1) and Golden Guardians (3-1) to secure their first LoL World Championship appearance in the team’s first split back in the League Championship Series. Like Cloud9, NRG Esports were the better team in their playoff games, but those come with an asterisk.

Team Liquid flubbed too many chances and made it easy for NRG Esports to come out ahead, whereas Golden Guardians mentally bombed after throwing away a sure win on map one. While you can only beat what’s in front of you, the eye test proves that NRG didn’t do anything spectacular. They played the better League and took advantage of the opportunities presented, but that will be much more difficult to do against Cloud9.

NRG Esports are like Weibo Gaming from the LoL Pro League (LPL); they can lose to anyone, but they somehow find ways to win when faced with stronger opponents. However, as fun as it is to cheer on the outsiders, Cloud9 shouldn’t be losing games like this.

C9 are far more consistent than the likes of Team Liquid and Golden Guardians, and as long as they keep playing their game, a 3-0 sweep isn’t entirely unlikely.

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Bilibili Gaming enters VALORANT Champions 2023 as complete outsiders, priced at $301.00 on the outright betting markets. This makes sense, considering BLG hails from a weak region and their lack of accomplishments this season.

But Bilibili Gaming found traction in May when they reached the finals of FGC Valorant Invitational 2023: Act 2 and claimed another silver medal last month at VALORANT Champions Tour 2023: China Qualifier. In both finals, Bilibili Gaming lost against EDward Gaming, who looked surprisingly good at VCT 2023: Masters Tokyo, so perhaps Bilibili Gaming are better than it seems.

NRG Esports enter VALORANT Champions 2023 as dangerous underdogs, but they are not a team anyone would consider a serious threat to winning the whole thing. NRG kicked off the season with a top-eight finish at VCT 2023: LOCK//IN S?o Paulo, added a runner-up finish at the Americas League, and placed fourth at VCT 2023: Masters Tokyo, with just two defeats against Fnatic (0-2) and Paper Rex (1-2).

However, even though NRG Esports are probably one of the top-five teams at VALORANT Champions 2023, having them priced at $1.10 for this match is a bit too much. Not only is this their first match of the tournament, but NRG Esports have also yet to face Bilibili Gaming, which could lead to a unique problem of NRG struggling to prepare for this bout properly.

The Value is with the Chinese squad with a map advantage. A smaller position on Bilibili Gaming to win is worth considering as well.

Fnatic and ZETA DIVISION have yet to meet this season, but we don’t need past results to know how this game should end. Fnatic are the clear favourites to win the title and collect their third international trophy, and considering how dominant Jake “Boaster” Howlett and his crew have been this season, it just might happen.

Fnatic are the most dominant team we’ve seen in Valorant esports history, having won all but one (20-1) series they’ve played since the turn of the year. Their only defeat came in the VCT 2023: EMEA League finals, when Fnatic lost against Team Liquid (1-3), yet even that was a complete fluke.

ZETA DIVISION have not come even close to accomplishing as much as Fnatic this season, and they’ve only made it to the world championship due to their late resurgence at VCT 2023: Pacific Last Chance Qualifier. Before that, ZETA finished the VCT 2023: Pacific League in fifth-sixth place, and they crashed out of the VCT 2023: LOCK//IN S?o Paulo in the first round.

Since this is the first match of the tournament, there is a world where Fnatic don’t look as dominant as they could. Still, considering how much better Fnatic are, it’s fair to expect a very one-sided series.

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TEAM LIQUID vs NRG ESPORTS LoL BETTING & MATCH DETAILS

Team Liquid will have a chance to show their title credentials when they take on NRG Esports this Friday in the 2023 LCS Championship.

Liquid finished the LCS 2023 Summer regular season in fourth place, with a 56% win rate (10-8), which isn’t the most inspiring record. But this team is a sleeping giant and one of the most underrated squads entering the playoffs.

Team Liquid boast some of the league’s most impressive performance figures, including a +2241 gold differential at 15 minutes. To put it into perspective, the second-best team on that list and the favourites to win the LCS crown, Cloud9, have a +1226 GD@15. Liquid also rank first in Herald control (72.2% ), Drake control (63.9%), first tower rate (77.8%), average towers destroyed (7.6), and total damage per minute (2542).

Liquid’s record against elite teams isn’t the best – they lost against Golden Guardians and Evil Geniuses in the final week of the split. But TL have all the tools to make a deep run and potentially win the League of Legends Championship Series crown.

NRG Esports, meanwhile, are one of the most overhyped teams in the league. Their performance metrics are pretty poor, and the only thing saving them from being regarded as a weak team is their solid record against the top LCS squads.

Known as the ‘giant killers’, NRG Esports have won most of their games this split against top-five teams, including against Cloud9 and Golden Guardians in the final two weeks of the LCS 2023 Summer split. However, they’ve also suffered defeats against weaker opposition, such as Immortals, 100 Thieves, TSM, and Dignitas.

NRG’s status as a team that regularly does well against better opponents makes them an interesting underdog pick, but winning a best-of-one and winning a best-of-three are two entirely different things. Barring any surprises, Team Liquid should make it past NRG Esports comfortably.

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Team Liquid and Golden Guardians enter the final week of the LCS 2023 Summer regular season with a guaranteed spot in the playoffs and are now only playing for seeding. But that doesn’t mean either can afford to put its foot off the gas. Golden Guardians can secure a direct bye into the second round of LCS Championship 2023, whereas Team Liquid are in a tight race for a top-six finish and a ticket for the upper bracket.

Team Liquid have had their moments this split but have proven to be very inconsistent, and the same can be said for Golden Guardians, although to a lesser extent. However, both squads tend to perform well against stronger teams, suggesting that this should be a close game.

There’s not much to separate GG and Team Liquid quality-wise, and they should match up nicely stylistically. But there’s another angle we can approach betting on this game.

There was a noticeable uptick in total kills in the LCS with patch 11.13, so betting on over 27.5 kills is an intriguing choice. Team Liquid and Golden Guardians are two of the bloodiest teams in the league (15.5 and 15.7 average kills per game) and tend to play longer games than most, but the offered line (32.5 minutes) is too high.

FlyQuest showed improvement last week when they crushed Evil Geniuses, but it’s still fair to feel concerned about how much FlyQuest can accomplish. This is a very stacked roster, but lacks synergy, and FlyQuest have already proven that they can lose to anyone.

TSM are the complete opposite, as a team has outperformed everyone’s expectations. TSM don’t field the star players of FlyQuest, but they are well-coached and know how to move around the map. But most importantly, TSM are efficient in punishing sloppy teams.

With the players they have, FlyQuest shouldn’t be losing against TSM or most other teams in the league. But their poor decision-making and sloppy mid-late game will be a huge issue when faced with TSM.

Despite losing four games over the first five weeks, Cloud9 are still the best team in the LCS and the main favourites to win the league. However, despite everything Cloud9 have shown this split, they are not a good bet at the offered LoL betting odds.

Over the last two weeks, Cloud9 have shown some cracks and have proven vulnerable even against lesser teams. That is likely due to Cloud9 experimenting in preparation for the playoffs, or perhaps they’ve lost traction.

NRG Esports are 8-7, which is surprisingly good for their standards, but this is not a very good team because they rely too much on getting kills. NRG also don’t have the talent needed to compete for the top spots, but just like TSM, they’re very good at punishing top teams. Five of their eight wins have come against the strongest teams in the LCS – Cloud9, Team Liquid, Evil Geniuses, and Golden Guardians (twice).

At the offered League of Legends betting odds, backing Cloud9 isn’t a wise choice and expecting them to cover the 7.5-kill handicap is too optimistic since this is a very high number. Underdogs with a 7.5-kill advantage is a better play, but we’re getting more value on the moneyline market.

Dignitas and 100 Thieves are tied at 6-9, two wins above FlyQuest and Immortals, so this is a crucial match for both teams as it will decide which of the two will make the LCS Championship. But even though we can expect them to give their all, picking a favourite is tough.

100 Thieves finished last week with defeats against Immortals and Cloud9 and a win against TSM. But even that victory was not convincing, as it mostly had to do with TSM making a few misplays early and allowing 100T to run away with it.

Dignitas are in a similar spot but didn’t win a single game in LCS 2023 Summer Week 5, with defeats against TSM, NRG Esports, and Immortals. This explains why Dignitas are priced as underdogs for this match, even though they’re not much worse than 100 Thieves.

This match can go both ways, and there’s no telling which. However, we know that Dignitas are the bloodiest team in the league (12.3 kills, 17.3 deaths) and like to force their opponents to either fight or let Dignitas roll them over. So even though 100T are the least-bloody LCS team, Dignitas should dictate the tempo and force a game with plenty of kills on both sides.

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After producing mixed results over the first rounds of the regular season, TSM found traction in Week 4 when they defeated Immortals, NRG Esports, and Golden Guardians, improving their record to 6-6 ahead of LCS 2023 Summer Week 5. Their sudden resurgence isn’t that shocking.

TSM have been playing well but haven’t received much respect from the market. That’s not to say that TSM are a great team or have a realistic chance to win the LCS crown, but they know how to punish sloppy opponents.

Dignitas are tied with TSM at 6-6 but have won just one of their three games against FlyQuest; however, the losses happened against Cloud9 and Evil Geniuses, so Dignitas deserve some slack. Much like TSM, Dignitas have picked up a few wins this split, but they haven’t done anything spectacular.

It’s tough to pick a winner as the teams are qualitatively equal. Still, TSM are in much better shape and have looked better in their recent outings. Perhaps this is a sign of TSM gaining momentum, but they still have much to prove.

Evil Geniuses have done a great job keeping up with Cloud9 in the LCS 2023 Summer regular season title race and legitimately look like the second-best team in the league. They suffered a shock loss on Friday against NRG Esports, but that loss doesn’t take away from EG’s impressive run since the second week of the regular season, which includes wins against 100 Thieves, Dignitas, Immortals, TSM, and Team Liquid.

Golden Guardians are not quite in the same bracket as Evil Geniuses and Cloud9, but they’re not that far behind. With an 8-4 record, GG look poised for at least a top-four finish, and if they can get it together, it’s not beyond the realms of possibility that they secure a direct bye into the second round of the LCS Championship 2023.

But that’s a big “what if”. Golden Guardians are slowly looking more like themselves as the season goes on and have a much higher ceiling than their record suggests. But they’re not quite there yet, and their defeat against TSM on Friday proved it.

Evil Geniuses are better than any other team in the LCS besides Cloud9 and shouldn’t struggle to beat Golden Guardians. GG have the talent to keep it close, but a lot will come down to whether they can contain EG’s explosive early game.

FlyQuest has an impressive bounce-back in the third week of the LCS 2023 Summer regular season but returned to their old ways last week, with defeats against 100 Thieves, Golden Guardians, and Dignitas. What is happening with this team is anyone’s guess, but FlyQuest just can’t seem to get any traction.

NRG Esports are 5-7, but there’s more to this record than meets the eye. Even though NRG Esports aren’t one of the LCS title candidates, they always perform well against top teams. NRG Esports have won five games this split, four of which came against Cloud9, Golden Guardians, Team Liquid, and Evil Geniuses.

FlyQuest defeated NRG Esports two weeks back, but that was during FlyQuest’s sole positive week. And while they might wake up again on Wednesday, it’s tough to justify backing FlyQuest to defeat any team in the league in their current state.

Immortals are by far the worst team in the LCS, and based on what they’ve shown over the last couple of weeks, their situation won’t change anytime soon. Immortals haven’t won or come close to winning a game since the opening week of LCS 2023 Summer and enter this match on a 10-game losing streak.

That’s hardly surprising. Immortals rank bottom-three across all performance metrics, including all gold stats and Baron, Herald, and Dragon control. It doesn’t get much worse than this.

100 Thieves are in a better spot than Immortals, but they’re not very convincing. They still struggle in the early game and lack creativity, which should’ve been addressed by now, but 100T instead cruise on and seem content with being a mediocre team.

As much as we can criticise 100 Thieves, this is still their game to lose, but instead of taking 100 Thieves to win or cover the kill handicap, under 11.5 towers is the best bet for this match. 100T are not a very bloody team, and they aren’t good at demolishing towers (5.2 towers per game) but instead rely on scaling, which should lead to a drawn-out, low-scoring game with sidelanes left relatively untouched.

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