Betting analysis for the best play-in games at IEM Cologne 2021

William Davis Published 05/07/2021

Cologne is a landmark city in Counter-Strike: Global Offensive history, and Intel Extreme Masters is one of the most prestigious circuits in the game. IEM Cologne marks a return to LAN play, something CSGO has sorely missed since early 2020. Offline play in a historic city for a $1,000,000 prize purse makes IEM Cologne the must-watch CSGO event of the summer.

Eight teams have already secured a group stage berth. 16 more will fight for the remaining eight slots, creating a ton of opportunities to bet on CSGO. The offline tension will make any wager even more intense. These four CSGO matches are the best betting opportunities for IEM Cologne’s play-in stage.

Looking for an edge on your bets? Head over to Luckbox and use the code WIN150 while making your deposit to multiply that deposit by 150%.

Ninjas in Pyjamas vs Team LDLC

Two historic names will ring in the play-in stage at Intel Extreme Masters Cologne. Ninjas in Pyjamas have shot up in the rankings after signing CSGO legend Nicolai “dev1ce” Reedtz, who has up a consistent 75 damage per round since joining the Swedish club. Team LDLC can’t be counted out completely thanks to the quick reflexes of Bryan “Maka” Canda, but the squad’s 3.50 odds aren’t very optimistic.

This classic matchup has historically gone to Ninjas in Pyjamas. The modern rematch should be no different, as reflected in NiP’s 1.28 odds to take the match. LDLC will be a name to watch if the squad makes it past play-ins, but a safe bet on Ninjas in Pyjamas is a good start for IEM Cologne.

Evil Geniuses vs FaZe Clan

With players such as Olof “olofmeister” Gustafsson and Russel “Twistzz” Van Dulken, FaZe Clan’s star power is off the charts. The same could be said about Evil Geniuses, which is made up of rising stars and veteran talent from North America. But both teams’ recent results have been disappointing. FaZe barely squeezed into Cologne thanks to their #20 ranking on the ESL leaderboard while EG ranked only third in the NA Road to Cologne. Both teams see IEM Cologne as an opportunity to break out of their respective slumps.

At 1.92 for Evil Geniuses and 1.87 for FaZe Clan, this is the closest match of the IEM Cologne play-in. Both teams have put up middling results at recent events, but Evil Geniuses are still in better form going into IEM Cologne. Owen “oBo” Schlatter’s standout .73 kills per round might be enough to take Evil Genius to the group stage. Either teams will net a sizable return, but EG is a solid pick to take this first round series.

BIG vs Sprout

This match will be a battle between two of the best teams in Germany. Sprout’s roster moves in early 2021 have largely paid off. Marko “kressy” Đorđević sports an impressive 47.9% headshot rate with .70 kills per round and Fritz “slaxz-” Dietrich has pulled off close to 40 clutches in 2021. Will that be enough to take down the Gamers Without Borders champions at BIG?

Probably not. BIG is considered the best roster in Germany for a reason and its recent wins over mousesports and Furia further cemented that fact. An upset is certainly possible, but BIG captain Johannes “tabseN” Wodarz won’t take it easy against his fellow countrymen. 1.45 odds represent a sizable payout for what is a fairly safe bet on BIG.

Team Vitality vs Renegades

If Australian CSGO teams are famous for one thing, it’s putting European teams in the dumpster at the most inconvenient of times. Renegades performed that very feat against Vitality at the StarLadder Berlin Major prior to the online era. Despite rough runs at ESL Pro League and the IEM Championship early this year, Renegades has a very real chance of beating Vitality and netting a substantial 3.70 return.

It’s difficult to overestimate Renegades’ dominance in Australia. After returning home from Europe in March, Renegades immediately earned two championship wins with only five lost maps. Joshua “INS” Potter accumulated a chart-breaking 92.3 damage and .82 kills per round along the way. In the same timespan, Mathieu “ZywOo” Herbaut tempered down to 85.8 damage and .81 kills. Vitality has also struggled to get into the playoffs for much of 2021. Knocking the French icons into the lower bracket with an entirely new roster would cement Renegades and Vitality as international CSGO rivals.

Read Also

Counter-Strike

IEM Cologne Major 2026 CS2 Stage 3 Pick’Em Predictions Owen Harsono It’s that time of the year again, as the next Counter-Strike 2 Major is right around the corner. The IEM Cologne 2026 Major is set to start on June 2, meaning you still have some time to lock in your Pick’Em predictions. The Pick’Em Challenge is one of the most exciting parts of the CS2 Majors, as it allows you to test your knowledge and predict which teams make it ...

Counter-Strike

Team Spirit concede just 10 rounds in Stage 2 of the IEM Cologne Major Owen Harsono It was pretty weird seeing Team Spirit having to start the IEM Cologne Major from Stage 2, but they quickly proved why that was a mistake. With donk shooting on all fronts, the Eastern Europeans speed ran the competition to book their spot in Stage 3. With how they’ve been playing, it’s hard not to wonder whether they can actually win the entire thing. These boys can sometimes be known ...

Counter-Strike

BIG pull off 0-12 comeback to stay alive – IEM Cologne Major Stage 1 recap Owen Harsono We’ve just witnessed arguably the worst choke in Counter-Strike Major history, and we’re only on the first stage of the IEM Cologne Major. If you didn’t tune into the Stage 1 matches, here’s what you need to know heading into Stage 2. Many fans tend to underestimate Stage 1 teams for fair reasons, but some survivors in this tournament look extremely promising. Two Eastern European teams, BetBoom Team and B8, ...

Counter-Strike

Who will win the IEM Cologne Major 2026? Owen Harsono If you’re looking to play it safe and back one team at the Counter-Strike 2 IEM Cologne 2026 Major, traders prediction markets platforms have a clear frontrunner – it’s Team Vitality. But if it’s not meant to be, there are a few other candidates that could lift the trophy. Here’s what traders on Polymarket and Kalshi think. If you haven’t been watching CS2 this year and are only jumping on ...

Counter-Strike

The 10 best CS2 players who have never won a Major Owen Harsono In Counter-Strike, winning a Major immediately puts you into legend status. It’s an achievement that proves you won the game’s biggest trophy. However, there have been some really good players that could never get their hands on the biggest trophy that Counter-Strike esports has to offer. Here is WIN.gg's list of best CS2 players who have never won a Major. ScreaM is one of Counter-Strike's most famous players for one ...

Counter-Strike

IEM Cologne Major 2026: All the teams, favorites, and outright betting odds Owen Harsono Mark your calendars, as the IEM Cologne Major kicks off on June 2, 2026. We’re going to see the best teams in the world compete, but which ones are actually favored to take the title? This will be the first time in 10 years that IEM Cologne will return as a Counter-Strike Major, so the stakes this year are much higher than they’ve been in a decade. In this guide, ...

Esports Betting

All IEM Cologne winners and rosters in Counter-Strike history Owen Harsono IEM Cologne is one of Counter-Strike’s biggest events, happening every single year. Some seasons, the event is labeled as one of Valve’s two Counter-Strike Majors of the year, but if not, still stands as one of the big events every player chases to win. With the IEM Cologne 2026 Major right around the corner, let’s take a trip down memory lane and check out every single winner of the tournament, ...