Trent Reinsmith
- What: IEM Rio CS:GO 2023
- Date: April 17 – April 23, 2023
- Location: Jeunesse Arena in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- How to Watch: Twitch
Intel Extreme Masters (IEM) returns to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, less than a year after the 2022 Rio Major for the 2023 IEM Masters Rio 2023 event. Unfortunately, the winners of last year’s event, Outsiders, will not be in the running to repeat as champions. The Russian team disbanded in March. However, the 2022 runner-up, Heroic, is in the mix for the 2023 event.
The total prize pool for the IEM Rio 2023 event is $250,000. The tournament winner receives $100,000 and qualifies for the IEM Cologne 2023 event in July. The payout for the runner-up is $42,000.
Sixteen teams will start the Group Stage at IEM Rio 2023. Those teams are divided into Group A and Group B. Group A is Heroic, 9INE, BIG, MOUZ, Virtus.pro, Ninjas in Pyjamas, The MongolZ and Natus Vincere. While Group B consists of FaZe Clan, 9z Team, FURIA Esports, Fnatic, Team Vitality, OG, MIBR and Cloud 9.
Before we dive into the betting picks for the Intel Extreme Masters Rio 2023 tournament, check out the best esports betting sites to get started on making the best Esports bets, and while you’re at it, take a look at the best sports betting apps and mobile options.
IEM Rio 2023 Picks
| To Win IEM Rio 2023 |  |  |  |
| FaZe Clan | +300 | +300 | +300 |
| Cloud9 | +400 | +400 | +400 |
| Heroic | +400 | +400 | +400 |
| Natus Vincere | +500 | +500 | +500 |
| Virtus.Pro | +800 | +800 | +800 |
| Team Vitality | +900 | +900 | +900 |
| FURIA Esports | +1100 | +1100 | +1100 |
| MOUZ | +1200 | +1200 | +1200 |
| Fnatic | +1600 | +1600 | +1600 |
| Ninjas in Pyjamas | +2500 | +2500 | +2500 |
| OG | +3300 | +3300 | +3300 |
| 9INE | +4000 | +4000 | +4000 |
| BIG | +5000 | +5000 | +5000 |
| The MongolZ | +5000 | +5000 | +5000 |
| MIBR | +7500 | +7500 | +7500 |
| 9z Team | +10000 | +10000 | +10000 |
FaZe Clan
One of the world’s most consistent Counter-Stirke Global Offensive teams, the American club, FaZe Clan are the favorites to win the 2023 IEM Rio event. In 2022, FaZe Clan won the IEM XVI – Katowice event, ESL Pro League Season 15, PGL Major Antwerp, and IEM XVII – Colgone. They followed that with wins at ESL Pro League Season 17 and Intel Grand Slam Season 4 in 2023.
The team of rain, broky, Twistzz, karrigan, ropz and RobbaN has been playing together since January 2021. They face 9Z Team in the opening round of Group B.
Cloud9
Also in Group B is the team of Cloud9. The team, made up of American and Russian players, has not had as much success as FaZe Clan and they are coming off a recent loss to that team, falling to them in the finals of the ESL Pro League 17 event at the end of March.
Cloud9 is good team, but they struggle with consistency. That and the fact they are in the same group as FaZe Clan is a worry when considering their chances to win the IEM Rio 2023 event.
Another concern is that the team has not played together all that long. All members of the current lineup joined in 2022. Cloud9 faces MIBR in the first group match up.
Heroic
The runner-up in the 2022 Rio event, Heroic are back for the 2023 IEM Rio tournament. Heroic compete out of Norway. Following their runner-up performance in Brazil in 2022, Heroic won the BLAST Premier: Fall Finals 2022 with a win over FaZe Clan. More recently, Heroic finished second to G2 Esports in the IEM Katowice 2023 event in February.
As part of Group A, Heroic open the 2023 IEM Rio event against 9INE. Most of this team stavn, cadiaN, TeSeS have been together since 2020. sjuush joined in 2021, and Jabbi and Xizt signed on in 2022.
Best bet for IEM Rio 2023
With the way the American team has been playing over the past few years, it is hard to pick against FaZe Clan, and I won’t be doing that. FaZe Clan are the favorites for a reason, and they are the best bet to win the IEM Rio 2023 event.
Best bet to win IEM Rio 2023: FaZe Clan
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