Steven R. May 21, 2020
The 2020 OGA Dota PIT Online league European and CIS division’s playoffs are now set.
The group stage has wrapped up, with eight teams advancing and two being eliminated. With the seeding finalized, the opening matchups have been revealed, and there’s a lot to be excited for. Here are the matchups set for the first round of the playoffs:
The group stage outcomes might be a surprise to some fans as teams that were both gaining and losing momentum experienced a reversal of fortunes in the OGA Dota PIT Online league’s group stage.
NiP’s newly signed roster has been trending downwards after leaving the Chicken Fighters banner behind. That changed here, as the team was solid in its group, finishing 4-1 to guarantee an upper bracket playoff spot.
Virtus.pro, a team that looked positioned to make a real push towards elite status after winning ESL One Los Angeles and placing second in the Epic Prime League, came dangerously close to not clearing the group stage. On the flipside, Team Liquid’s upswing after a rough start to Dota 2’s new online league era was blunted as the team went 1-3 in its group.
NiP vs. OG kicks off OGA Dota PIT Online playoffs
The playoffs will kick off with an intriguing matchup between NiP and OG.
OG has been hot and cold since the switch to online leagues as the team has grappled with frequent substitutions, position changes, and spotty network conditions. The team has been performing well since the return of Yeik "MidOne" Nai Zheng and popped off in the group stage with a 4-0 run.
That makes NiP a clear underdog here. The team has been competitive with almost every opponent, but hasn’t been able to convert that competitiveness into many strong placements. NiP is good enough to compete with OG, but a win would be a big upset.
NiP vs. OG, OGA Dota PIT Online playoffs betting analysis
The NiP vs. OG matchup has a lot of options for bettors on Winners.bet, with strong value across the board. The lines currently stand at 1.47 vs. 2.50 in OG’s favor, which is a decent return even when placing a bet on a clear favorite.
One of the more interesting prop bets is the first to 15 kills in games one and two, which is currently pegged as a coin toss by Winners.bet with both teams standing at 1.85. That’s a bit of a surprise given how large a favorite OG is, and it’s a line worth considering.