What are you going to do after the end of the PGL Major RMR betting action? If you’re stuck with nothing else to bet on, you’ll be happy to know that the BLAST Premier series are coming back with another Showdown spectacle.
In 2019 we made a promise during our São Paulo show.
Three years later, in June, we’re keeping our word… Lisbon, we’re coming for you.
BLAST Spring Final Lisbon 2022 💥💥💥#BLASTPremier pic.twitter.com/m6f3eh2d47
— BLAST Premier 💥 (@BLASTPremier) April 19, 2022
That’s right, Spring BLAST Premier Showdown betting opportunities are our focal point here, and with two superb events on our hands starting on April 27th, we’re bound to see a couple of real crackers.
Where to Bet on BLAST Premier Showdown?
Your options aren’t limited, don’t worry. There is an abundance of betting sites that offer bets on various esports titles including CSGO. Valve’s first-person shooter is absolutely packed with esports betting action, so it’s no wonder there’s a ton of coverage for it
CSGO bookies are listed in no particular order, but not all of them are made equal. To better understand what each of them brings to the table, you’ll need to do thorough comparisons. One will fit your needs perfectly, but it’s on you to find it.
2022 BLAST Premier Showdown Betting Preview – Interesting Facts
Before venturing further into the betting aspects of this contest, let’s address the most interesting facts surrounding it:
Tournament Format
For starters, you need to know we’re looking at two separate competitions instead of a single one, That’s right, American and European Showdowns are separated, with each set to unearth just one participant for the finals.
Each event has $67,500 in prize money and eight participants. Both are imagined as single-elimination brackets with best-of-three matches from start to the very finish. There are going to be lots of great matches here that’s for sure.
Last but not least, both Showdowns will be played online. It’s nothing surprising, really. What is surprising is the fact that the Spring Finals will be held in Lisbon. The announcement came earlier this week and took many by surprise.
As for the format, here’s what you need to know:
European Showdown Schedule
- ENCE vs. CPHF – April 27th at 10:30 AM
- Heroic vs. NKT – April 27th at 1:30 PM
- Astralis vs. Movistar – April 28th at 10:30 AM
- NiP vs. BNE – April 28th at 1:30 PM
- Semifinals #1 – April 29th at 10:30 AM
- Semifinals #2 – April 30th at 10:30 AM
- Grand Finals – May 1st at 10:30 AM
*All matches are labeled per ET time zone (UTC -4)
American Showdown Schedule
- GODSENT vs. EG – April 27th at 4:30 PM
- FURIA vs. Sharks – April 28th at 4:30 PM
- Complexity vs. MIBR – April 29th 1:30 PM
- Liquid vs. PaiN – April 29th at 4:30 PM
- Semifinals #1 – April 30th at 1:30 PM
- Semifinals #2 – April 30th at 4:30 PM
- Grand Finals – May 1st at 4:30 PM
*All matches are labeled per ET time zone (UTC -4)
European Showdown – Key Teams
The European competition will definitely be more competitive than its American counterpart. The quality of participants is superb, which is why it’s kind of surprising to see both NA and EU Showdowns have the same number (one each) of Finals’ participants.
ENCE
Let’s start off with ENCE, the primary candidate for winning this mini-tournament and qualify for the Spring Finals in June. They’re in fine form at the moment, and it would be a real miracle to see them lose against Copenhagen Flames in the opening round.
It’s going to be a fiery match, but ENCE should remain on top of the situation and cruise to a win. But, Heroic will be (unless we see a massive upset) their second-round opponent… and that’s where things will become extremely tricky.
It’s going to be a battle of Scandinavian giants, that’s for sure. Form-wise, ENCE should have the upper hand here considering their performances on Pinnacle Winter Series #2 and Elisa Invitational Winter. Let’s not forget about their best run in quite a while, second-place finish on ESL Pro League Season 15. They were beaten by Faze Clan in the end, but weren’t too disappointed considering just how well they had played up to that point.
NiP
Ninjas in Pyjamas are here to qualify for the Finals, nothing more and nothing less. They now have Brollan (device won’t be missed, realistically speaking), they now have a complete roster that’s craving for top-tier competitions… and I for one wouldn’t be surprised if their intentions come to fruition.
Even though they haven’t been at their best recently, those of you looking to invest in BLAST Premier Showdown betting options should seriously consider Ninjas in Pyjamas. We’re talking about a potent roster here. Yes, a roster that has been struggling with consistency and clutch situations, but one that has proper fragging potential and individuals that can clutch with the best of them.
NiP are starting things off against Bad News Eagles, an up-and-coming Kosovo team that probably won’t even win double-digit rounds across both maps. As for the second round, NiP will go up against either Astralis or Movistar Riders. Historically, Astralis are much better in bo3s, whereas NiP played just one bo3 against Movistar Riders (this year) and won with 2:0 on the scoreboard.
Heroic
If you’re thinking of betting on BLAST Premier Showdown Spring, you should take a good hard look at Heroic. Their outright lines are particularly sweet, especially knowing their fragging potential and consistency. True, they haven’t been at their best lately, but they’re known for excelling at high-stakes events, and this one definitely fits the description.
Individually, stavn is proving to be Heroic’s most valuable asset. Others are up there too, but it’s not a surprise considering the fact Heroic have always been a teamwork-oriented team. They’ve improved their map pool, they’re more clutch-friendly than ever, and I reckon they’re just waiting for an opportunity to pounce back at the likes of ENCE and Astralis, their Scandinavian brethren.
Heroic will kick things off on the first day of the event against Team NKT. We’re looking at proper outsiders here, so stavn and the boys shouldn’t have any real issues in their opener. Anything but a clean 2:0 sweep will be a surprise. As for the second round, it’ll most likely be ENCE, though CPHF are not to be taken for granted either.
Astralis
Astralis is the last European team worth mentioning. I know I’ve just enraged a big portion of our readers, but it’s the truth. There are just eight teams here, and let’s face it – that Spring Finals’ spot is 100% going to one of these four.
Astralis is a legit contender. They’re starting off on the second day of the event. Movistar Riders will be their first obstacle. The Spaniards are, on paper, a lower-tier team… but knowing their scalping potential, Astralis will be in an uphill struggle. I for one wouldn’t be surprised if Movistar Riders manage to create a massive upset right off the bat.
Then again, Astralis is not a pushover! Their ability to counter their opponents, their map pool, and their raw fragging potential are second to none. Consistency is a big issue, though. Ever since their core players departed for Vitality, consistency has been a major issue.
If they can resolve it, they’ll be ready to create a show in Antwerp. If not, their fans will be in for yet another disappointing campaign.
American Showdown – Key Teams
Now that we’ve explored the four key European contenders, here are three NA teams who are bound to be in the main battle for BLAST Spring Finals!
Complexity
First up, let’s talk about Complexity. Even though they are not the best NA team right now, they’re not far from it either. With talents like floppy and Grim, this Complexity team has a bright future in front of them.
But, Complexity have a long way to improve, though. They’re still a bit rough around the edges and will need a lot of work going forward. Their map pool needs to be better, their defensive efforts will have to keep improving too. Complexity have a ton of fragging potential but just can’t seem to deal with relatively strong European sides. That’s going to be a big issue going forward, no doubt about it.
But, on the bright side – we will see them do what they do best on the PGL Major next month… although they’ll start off as a Contender team and will have to battle their way through, just like all other NA teams except FURIA.
FURIA
FURIA are coming into this competition with heads held high following their triumphant display on PGL Major American RMR. A quick reminder for those of you not in the know – the Brazilians emerged victorious and qualified for the Major as the only NA team with Legend status.
Prior to that, yuurih and the boys had a splendid run on ESL Pro League Season 15 too. They were on quite the run and would’ve probably gone all the way if it weren’t for impressive Faze Clan and a convincing 2:0 win.
At the moment, FURIA’s roster consists of yuurih, KSCERATO, drop, saffee, and arT (their in-game leader). Form-wise, KSCERATO and yuurih are the best players in FURIA right now. Heck, not just right now – the stats stated they’ve been FURIA’s key players over the last six months or so too.
Surprisingly enough, FURIA are well-capable of dealing with Europe’s finest and, while they have shown difficulties with their NA brethren, their PGL Major NA RMR triumph saw them rise up to the challenge and finally make things work.
Liquid
Last but not least – Team Liquid! What’s there to be said about the North American champions? Well, they finally seem back on track and are at the top of the NA standings… at least for the time being. While they are not exactly at their best-ever form, they’ve been playing surprisingly well.
However, Liquid is coming off a poor PGL Major RMR campaign. It wasn’t unsuccessful, Liquid will play at the Antwerp-bound spectacle. But, they’ll play as Contenders, meaning they’ll have to start off from the very first stage (basically the play-in) and build their way through to the finals.
At the moment, Liquid’s team consists of EliGE and NAF who are the longest-standing members (EliGE from March 2015 and NAF from February 2018), with oSee, shox, and nitr0 rounding off what seems to be a solid NA contender.
Welcome back, @nitr0. pic.twitter.com/vLmbwQ2QE0
— Team Liquid CSGO (@TeamLiquidCS) January 15, 2022
But, Liquid’s team cohesion is not at an admirable level. And it’s not even that big of a surprise considering nitr0, their in-game leader, joined the team just three months ago. Normally, three months would be just enough for a regular team… but apparently not for Team Liquid.
Outright Betting on BLAST Premier Showdown
All things considered, it’s no surprise that BLAST Premier Spring Showdown already has a ton of futures readily available. CSGO betting websites from across the globe weren’t shy to put up proper offerings.
Here’s what they have in store for us in terms of outright winner bets:
| Team | Odds |
|---|---|
| ENCE | +250 |
| NiP | +300 |
| Heroic | +300 |
| Astralis | +400 |
| Movistar Riders | +600 |
| CPHF | +1000 |
| Bad News Eagles | +8000 |
| NKT | +10000 |
In addition to outright winners, bookmakers also offer to reach the grand finals too. The odds are, obviously, slightly lower, but still offer value with some teams.
| Team | Odds |
|---|---|
| ENCE | -143 |
| NiP | -125 |
| Heroic | +100 |
| Astralis | +150 |
| Movistar Riders | +300 |
| CPHF | +600 |
| Bad News Eagles | +3300 |
| NKT | +5000 |
There you have it, lads! That’s it from our BLAST Premier Showdown betting coverage. Join us again once the tournament starts for the freshest news and betting picks.
Until then,
May the odds be in your favor!
Pavo Jurkic
Pavo Jurkic has been in the esports betting industry since 2015, actively writing content related to this rapidly growing industry. A dedicated father by day and an avid gamer by night, Pavo Jurkic aims to bring you the freshest esports news and betting predictions. …
