FaZe and Natus Vincere don’t have to be the only ones making money from ESL Pro League. Savvy bettors can soon get in on the action.
ESL Pro League Season 15 is already a fantastic tournament for Counter-Strike: Global Offensive fans. Movistar Rider’s undefeated group stage run and the return of Ninjas in Pyjamas’ peak form is entertaining enough, but now fans get to look forward to a firecracker match between Natus Vincere and FaZe Clan. The two teams have quite the competitive history together, and ESL Pro League will add a new chapter to the story. This is also a great opportunity for bettors to make some money in preparation for the grand finals.
All odds used for this article were accurate at the time of writing.
Natus Vincere has looked a little shaky in 2022, but the team looks back in form at ESL Pro League Season 15. A 5-0 group stage record led to an express ticket to top eight. That series of matches only had one lost map for Na’Vi, an uncharacteristic 14-16 performance on Nuke against Astralis. While that map is no longer Natus Vincere’s stronghold, the team’s sheer skill level and tactical variety keep it a tournament favorite.
Aleksandr “s1mple” Kostyliev has a lot on his mind, but that hasn’t stopped him from reaching an absurd 1.77 KD ratio in the group stage. The sniper scored 45 kills with just 19 death against Evil Geniuses. Na’Vi’s 71-round slobberknocker over AGO included 65 kills as well. His protege Valerii “b1t” Vakhovskyi is also playing hot with 85.7 damage per round.
FaZe Clan’s road to the playoffs was a little rockier. The first two game days were upsets to ENCE and Outsiders, formerly known as Virtus.pro. The international squad quickly bounced back with wins over Sprout, Furia, and a surprising 2-0 sweep of Vitality. FaZe is still solidly the underdog for this matchup, but that has never stopped it before.
Russel “Twistzz” Van Dulken led the charge for the win over Furia. 52 kills with 86.6 damage per round are amazing stats, especially considering the relatively close scorelines. The South American team wound up topping the group with the FaZe series being its only defeat. Newest addition Robin “ropz” Kool took the lead against Vitality, going 25-7 on Dust 2 with 83.3% contribution. FaZe’s even spread of talent helps with consistency, but Na’Vi will still be a challenge at ESL Pro League Season 15.
Natus Vincere will be moderately favored by oddsmakers, and for good reason. The team has won every match over FaZe Clan since mid-2020. Na’Vi has shown some weakness on Nuke recently, so FaZe has a more open map selection. Both teams are strong on Ancient and Mirage, so expect either for the decider.
Considering recent performances and matchup history, It’s best to go with a safe bet on Na’Vi over FaZe. FaZe fans should consider a +1.5 handicap, as FaZe’s wide pool means a single map is likely.
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