PSG.LGD vs. Vici Gaming: Dota PIT S5 China betting analysis

William Davis Published 03/08/2021

OGA Dota PIT Season 5: China isn’t saving the heavyweight matchups for last. PSG.LGD versus Vici Gaming will cap off the first day of games.

The rivalry between Vici Gaming and PSG.LGD has persisted beyond complete roster changes. It dominated the online era before and after the fall shuffle. The two teams finished within one game of each other in both seasons of the China Dota Pro Circuit upper division. The squads also went 1-1 at the WePlay AniMajor. With the AniMajor title in their trophy cabinet, PSG.LGD leads handily going into The International 10. This is Vici’s last chance to buck the trend.

In the most recent DPC season, Vici Gaming and PSG.LGD were forced to tiebreak for second and third. LGD won, earning the team an AniMajor group stage berth and an eventual championship. Vici went from the wild card to fourth place after finally falling to Evil Geniuses. Out of three matches on patch 7.29, PSG.LGD has won 2-1 twice and tied 1-1 at the major against Vici.

PSG.LGD are the slight favorites for this match. The oddsmakers agree, rating a PSG.LGD victory at 1.61. The WePlay AniMajor champions need little introduction. Until i-League where the team placed fourth, PSG.LGD hadn’t missed a podium in 2021. That includes the majors, where LGD scored third and first place.

Cheng “NothingToSay” Jin Xiang is the beating heart of the team. The mid laner was the best player in the world at the AniMajor, a fact he proved by cliffing Artour “Arteezy” Babaev three times in a single game. His signature Magnus has an absurd 88.89% win rate across nine games on 7.29. He’s backed by the best carry in the world Wang “Ame” Chunyu, who averaged 634 GPM and a 3.91 KDA ratio at i-League.

Vici Gaming dances to a completely different tune than the rest of China. Captain Ding “Dy” Cong prioritizes countering his opponent’s heroes above all else. That can lead to some funky picks and obscure matchups for mid-laner Zeng “Ori” Jiaoyang, but clever counterplay has already taken Vici a long way. It could go even further at OGA Dota PIT Season 5.

While all three of Vici’s cores are highly skilled, keep your eyes glued to the support duo of Dy and Xiong “Pyw”‘ Jiahan. Weak lanes have forced the pair to become aggressive playmakers. Dy’s iconic Treant Protector pairs particularly well with Pyw’s Dark Willow. The formal addition of hard carry Yang “poyoyo” Shaohan, formerly known as Erica, has greatly improved Vici’s ability to close games out early.

Vici Gaming vs. PSG.LGD Dota 2 rosters

Vici Gaming Dota 2 roster:

Carry – Yang “poyoyo” Shaohan
Middle – Zeng “Ori” Jiaoyang
Off lane – LRen “eLeVeN” Yangwei
Soft support – Xiong “Pyw”‘ Jiahan
Hard support – Ding “Dy” Cong

PSG.LGD Dota 2 roster:

Carry – Wang “Ame” Chunyu
Middle – Cheng “NothingToSay” Jin Xiang
Off lane – Zhang “Faith_bian” Ruida
Soft support – Zhao “XinQ” Zixing
Hard support – Zhang “y`” Yiping

PSG.LGD is a safe bet, but Vici is more exciting

PSG.LGD’s recent success and contemporary advantage over Vici Gaming paints a clear picture of how this match is likely to go. However, there is some upset potential here. PSG.LGD could be shaken after losing its most embarrassing game of the season against Royal Never Give Up. Vici Gaming is coming into Dota PIT after a silver finish at i-League. The potential return is enough to warrant a Vici bet.

The safest wager of all might be total games. The most recent matches between these teams were either 2-1 or 1-1. Calling a 2-1 scoreline for either team can turn $20 into $42.

Vici Gaming is the underdog at 2.17 odds while PSG.LGD is the bookie’s favorite at 1.61. Either team is a solid pick, but the most expected outcome is a win for PSG.LGD in three games.