Dean Etheridge
The next few days promise to be full of red hot action at the LOL EU Masters Summit, with the second group stages now up and running.
We started with 28 teams ahead of the play-in stage. We have said goodbye to 12 of those, and we now sit back and watch as the top 16 teams battle it out in round-robin format to reach the last 8.
The Amazon #EUMasters Groups Standings after Day 2! pic.twitter.com/IF7XLHsDWB
— Amazon European Masters (@EUMasters) August 31, 2021
This is the crucial time of the competition. All the big teams are in the draw now, and only the top 2 from each group can make it through to the last eight.
In the mix are some of Europe’s most heavily backed teams. The likes of Moviestar Riders from Spain and Mousesports from Germany.
The 16 teams remaining are;-
Group A
- Misfits Premier
- UCAM Esports Club
- AGO ROGUE
- Anorthosis Esports
Group B
- Moviestar Riders
- PDW
- PENTA 1860
- Tricked Esport
Group C
- Fnatic Rising
- Illuminar Gaming
- BIG
- Zero Tenacity
Group D
- Karmine Corp
- Vodafone Giants
- Macko Esports
- Mousesports
All teams play against fellow group members twice (double round-robin). So it is a bit of a long-winded process. Eventually, the top 2 from each group qualify for the knock-out stages.
The action is now coming thick and fast with group matches every day up until September 7th. Group fixtures are Best of One, so there are no second chances, like what you get in Best of Three square offs.
Esports Betting Picks
Moving onto my betting picks, and Karmine Corp in Group D is a team I like. They didn’t have to play the Play-In Group Stage (qualifying). The French team came straight into the main Group Stage.
🔴 #EUMASTERS SUMMER 2021 – SCHEDULE
Voici le planning de cette semaine d'EUM #KCORP :
🆚 @mousesports
📅 Lundi 30/08 à 21h30🆚 @GiantsGaming
📅 Mardi 31/08 à 21h30🆚 @mackoesports
📅 Mercredi 01/09 à 20h30↩️ Matchs retour le Samedi 04/09
▶️ https://t.co/WswovKdRhp pic.twitter.com/PCIFRUGVn2
— Karmine Corp (@KarmineCorp) August 30, 2021
Already in Group D, they have seen off Mousesports 1 play to nil. Karmine had 13 Kills to 7, and also claimed 62.2K of Gold, to the 50.8K of Mouz.
Then on Tuesday, they saw off Vodafone Giants of Spain, beating them 1-0.
Karmine to go three from three
Moving onto Wednesday’s fixtures and Karmine takes on Macko Esports at 2.30 pm Eastern Time. On the match line, they are -300 to win and go three from three in the group.
I think Karmine are good value to win this square off and they are my first Esports betting pick.
Next, I’m sticking with Group D and looking at the match-up between Mousesports and Vodafone Giants.
These two teams have won one and lost one each, meaning a win here is vital to be in the top 2 and well-positioned to qualify for a spot in the quarter-finals.
This game starts at 3.30 pm Eastern Time and on the Moneyline, Mousesports are the favorites with top sportsbooks at odds of -175. Vodafone Giants are the outsiders, at +125 to be victorious.
In their win over Macko on Tuesday, Mouz pulled in a huge haul of 94.3K of Gold. Macko’s total was 91.8K. In what was a hugely exciting match-up, Mouz managed 31 Kills, to the 22 of their opponents.
Holy Macko-roni, what an exciting back and forth over the whole game.
We take the win over Macko Esports in #EUMasters and set the record to 1-1.#ReadyWillingAble pic.twitter.com/XeF85K1hDs
— mouz (@mousesports) August 31, 2021
Compare those stats to those of the match-up between Karmine and Vodafone, and it’s comparing chalk with cheese!
Karmine managed a Gold haul of 58.3K, to Vodafone’s 51.3K.
Take Vodafone for the value
So in my next pick for Wednesday’s matches, I’m going for Vodafone to pull off a minor shock and win at +125.
I think they look the more compact side and will keep the game tighter.
Vodafone also knows that with Karmine pulling away at the top, beating their main rivals for second place in the group is vitally important if they want to pip the Germans to the second spot.
What Is Esports Betting?
So you think it’s kinda weird having a bet on guys and girls playing computer games against each other? Well, I would have said the same thing two to three years ago.
Things have changed now, and in an online world where people can play against opponents all over the world from their living rooms or bedrooms, in hindsight, it’s not a shock to see how betting on Esports has grown to what it is today.
If you’re new to the genre, we have an Esports betting guide that you can read.
In our guide, we show you who the best sportsbooks are, explain bet types and bring you hints and tips about how to get to know the markets and the teams taking part in the Esports competitions.
Don’t be fooled into thinking that Esports isn’t big business, as it is. It’s here to stay, and top sportsbooks are offering Moneylines on all sorts of markets for it now.
Use CryptoCurrencies and Bonuses for Esports Betting
Don’t be afraid to use betting bonuses for Esports picks and betting. These bonuses can save you a stack of cash, and allow you to earn as you learn.
In a world that moves with modern times, using CryptoCurrencies to bet on Esports is also extremely popular. We have an in-depth guide to the top Bitcoin Sportsbooks to help you if this is your style of gambling.
Whatever you do, be sure to play safe, enjoy, and get to know the Esports betting markets, competitions, and Bitcoin Sportsbooks rules before you jump in.
