CS:GO ESL ONE: European Playoffs Predictions and Odds

• Last year runner-ups G2 are sizable underdogs against the once-beaten Astralis.
• Winstrike and Syman face off in a skill vs. will showdown.
• Team Heretics fights to prevent elimination at the hands of North.

The European League playoffs are underway with a champion to be crowned this weekend. There is no better time for a team to come together in this series of high-stakes clashes running from now all the way to Sunday’s grand finals.

As the European League inches towards its close, there are plenty of matches that are simply too close to call. Lower and upper bracket matches will commence until Thursday, painting the picture of what is sure to be a hectic weekend of high level CS:GO play.

G2’s road to another finals showdown sees them as heavy underdogs in our featured match, but a clash between two of the top ranked teams as well as a lower bracket slugfest highlight the week’s CS:GO action.

CS:GO ESL One: European Playoff Odds

May 12

May 13

Last year’s runner up comes into this match a heavy underdog against the once-beaten Astralis crew. The odds may be against them, but the odds may be a little harsh considering G2 can be an absolute terror to deal with if they are consistent.

Astralis will need to be on point here so as to not get caught. This team has forgotten how to lose after their opening week loss to Fnatic, simply being dominant for the remainder of the season and building a head of steam entering the playoffs.

This could go one of two ways with either Astralis just being too much for this G2 squad to handle or the veteran team putting together an amazing effort to save their title hopes. However it plays out, it should be a fantastic match.

Winstrike vs Syman

This CIS quarterfinals match is an even match between a streaking Syman team and a fundamentally balanced Winstrike squad. Syman has won their last two matches ahead of this game, but the narrow manner of their victories suggest that it’s been a factor of luck rather than momentum.

Though they share identical records, there is little doubt that Winstrike has played in the tougher group and should be plenty prepared for the scrappy Kazakhs. Unless Syman has truly raised their game, Winstrike being only narrowly favored in this particular matchup this far into the season is a bit perplexing.

Expect both teams to come out hard, living up to the expectations of a good game between two evenly matched teams.

Team Heretics vs North

Team Heretics is going to hope that they can break their cold streak this week, because North’s three-game win streak suggests they’re holding all the cards to advance in this lower bracket matchup.

With their loss to Team Vitality cementing their woes in ESL thus far, Heretics faces an uphill battle unless they can come up with a plan that can disorient North long enough for them to eke out a win. Though neither team is that much better than the other, this should be a chippy match until the final few moments.

Then again, Team Heretics may see this as a step back in competition considering their strength of schedule, but they’ll have to play better than they have in recent weeks to avoid elimination.

Picks: Astralis (-305), Winstrike (-105), North (+125)