by Esportbet brings you free Dota 2 betting predictions for the opening round of ESL One Stockholm 2022 on Thursday, May 12. Here are our selections for Evil Geniuses vs Tundra Esports, OG vs BOOM Esports, and Fnatic vs Team Spirit, with top betting odds courtesy of BetOnline.
EVIL GENIUSES vs TUNDRA ESPORTS Dota 2 BETTING & MATCH DETAILS |
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| Best Odds: | EG +283 | Draw +115 at BetOnline | Tundra +152 |
| When: | May 11, 2022 | 12:00 CEST |
| Watch Live: | Twitch (https://www.twitch.tv/esl_dota2) |
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Evil Geniuses are tough to rank very highly because they always find a way to slip in big events. Still, the North American squad have done well of late. They placed third in DPC NA 2021/2022 Tour 1 Division I in January, then reached the finals of the DPC Regional Final, and won the second DPC tour with a 6-1 record.
But despite their incredible performances, it’s fair to say that Evil Geniuses have yet to be properly tested. Finishing above TSM is still a praiseworthy achievement, but claiming the NA region is hardly something to write home about.
On paper, Tundra Esports are one of the top teams at the Stockholm Major, and according to the online esports betting markets, they’re the second favourites (+550) to win the trophy. The talent is there, and so is the synergy; the only thing that could concern you about Tundra Esports is their tendency to slip in important games. But that’s a narrative we aren’t willing to follow.
Opening rounds are always filled with upsets, but if we put Evil Geniuses and Tundra Esports side-by-side, it’s very tough to make a case for the North American representatives.
Tundra Esports to win
OG vs BOOM ESPORTS Dota 2 BETTING & MATCH DETAILS |
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| Best Odds: | OG +171 | Draw -105.26 at BetOnline | BOOM +316 |
| When: | May 11, 2022 | 14:30 CEST |
| Watch Live: | Twitch (https://www.twitch.tv/esl_dota2) |
?BOOM Esports are not getting much respect on the outright betting markets (+1000), but this is a very good team. They won the most recent LAN, and they nearly claimed a gold medal at Gamers Without Borders 2022: Asia, where their only defeat came against the Chinese juggernauts Royal Never Give Up in the finals.
It might sound like a hot take, but BOOM Esports have shown enough for us to believe they’ll finish the Stockholm Major inside the top three, and if things fall into place, they might even win it all. OG are easily the best European Dota 2 esports team, but we don’t know whether they will hold on on LAN or will they crack.
It’s important to note that OG will head to Sweden without captain Mikhail “Misha” Agatov, and there are reports of coach Evgenii “Chuvash” Makarov also not being able to travel with the team. Sébastien “Ceb” Debs is expected to replace Misha, which isn’t terrible but hardly a positive.
OG are very strong, but they’re without a coach and team captain. Moreover, OG have no LAN experience, so we would be cautious not to overestimate them. At +316, BOOM Esports are a no-brainer. They’re much better than the latest Dota 2 betting odds suggest and are far more experienced on LAN than OG.
BOOM Esports to win
FNATIC vs TEAM SPIRIT Dota 2 BETTING & MATCH DETAILS |
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| Best Odds: | Fnatic +683 | Draw +138 at BetOnline | Spirit -140.85 |
| When: | May 11, 2022 | 17:200 CEST |
| Watch Live: | Twitch (https://www.twitch.tv/esl_dota2) |
?Fnatic have achieved plenty this season, but unfortunately, they haven’t shown enough for us to see them as anything more than a mid team. Admittedly, Fnatic won DPC SEA 2021/2022 Tour 2 Division I in April, but they haven’t produced much more.
The Black & Orange are still good enough to cause a few upsets and compete for a solid finish, but we wouldn’t count on Anucha “Jabz” Jirawong to go all the way.
Team Spirit are the reigning The International champions, but we wouldn’t say that they’re the best team at the Major. Not necessarily because Spirit are playing poorly, but rather because they haven’t been too active of late – just five official games since March.
Admittedly, they are still talented enough to win the trophy, but Spirit might need some time to get their wheels spinning and will likely look shaky in the early rounds. It won’t be an easy match for Fnatic, but at +103, we have to side with the underdogs with a +1.5 map advantage.
