It’s that time of year again, boys and girls! The 2021 iteration of the LoL Mid-Season Invitational Is just about to start, and it’s of utmost importance to inspect the contestants with the hope of figuring out which teams have the highest potential of creating an upset in Iceland. Yep, betting on 2021 MSI Is what we’re focusing on here, but we won’t skimp on additional information!
There’s one thing that needs addressing right off the bat – DWG KIA. The current World and LCK champions are looking scary. They are the most dominant team out there, and seeing them fail to deliver on 2021 MSI would be a massive surprise.
But, it wouldn’t be the first time that the most dominant team in the world loses their grip on the MSI… take IG’s loss to Liquid as the perfect example. There are ten tough teams, ten regional champions that will pay their respect to DWG KIA but won’t back down without a fight.
This ensures we’re in for a cracking contest; this ensures sites for betting on 2021 MSI go out of their way to present us with in-depth prop coverage. The same should be true for the odds – LoL betting sites have to do their part to stay competitive and attract users during major events such as this one.
Where to Bet on MSI 2021?
People are already crazy for betting on 2021 MSI! The situation is chaotic! It’s been that way for quite a while, basically ever since Riot announced the group stage schedule. But, that doesn’t drastically change things for newcomers. People who are yet to test the LoL betting waters might end up having issues with placing their first-ever bet.
If you’re among them, you must be baffled with questions. How do I start betting on 2021 MSI; which page should I go to; how do I deposit my money?… and these questions are just the tip of the iceberg!
Luckily, there’s plenty of useful material available online. Heck, you don’t even need to fare too far away from our 2021 MSI betting guide. The quickest way to learn more about how to and where to bet on MSI 2021 is by checking out our detailed League of Legends betting guide. It’s by far the most comprehensive guide of such kind out there, so make sure you dedicate enough time to fully understand the matter at hand!
Mid-Season Invitational 2021 – Interesting Facts
- Mid-Season Invitational, more commonly known as MSI, is the annual middle-of-the-season competition that brings together regional champions and pins them against each other. In essence, MSI is somewhat similar to LoL Worlds. It has its own charm, but the stakes aren’t nearly as high as they are for the grandest occasion in LoL’s competitive calendar.
- This year, Riot Games mixed things up in the tournament format department. The Play-In stage is no more! Now we have three groups, two of which have four and one three teams. The seedlings are based on the results of the last two years’ worth of international events.
- This year’s MSI was supposed to have twelve teams, three groups with four teams, but VCS’ GAM Esports were not able to travel to Iceland due to travel restrictions. Still, the event ought to bring forth a plethora of top-tier clashes, some of which ought to promote high-stakes betting on 2021 MSI.
- 2021 MSI brings forth an innovative approach to regional seedings. Riot Games introduced a new points system back in 2017, and it’s bound to spice things here. LCK and LPL are currently tied for first place at 49 points, meaning one extra spot at 2021 LoL Worlds is on the line. There’s a lot to play for on this year’s MSI, that’s for sure!
The #MSI2021 On-Air Talent!
More info: https://t.co/YZ658WFYvH pic.twitter.com/5JxlyOsHlK
— LoL Esports (@lolesports) May 3, 2021
Tournament Format
As mentioned earlier, this year’s MSI won’t feature the play-in stage. Instead, Riot has split the 11 regional finalists into four groups. Here’s a closer look:
Group A
- Royal Never Give Up
- Unicorns of Love
- GG
Group B
- MAD Lions
- PSG Talon
- Istanbul Wildcats
- paiN Gaming
Group C
- DAMWON Gaming
- Cloud9
- Infinity Esports
- DetonatioN FocusMe
Group B and C will pan out in double round-robin format, with the top two teams advancing to the rumble stage. Since group A has only three teams, it will pan out in quadruple round-robin format with the top two teams also qualifying for the rumble stage. All group stage matches are scheduled for bo1 contests.
The rumble stage features six teams in a double round-robin format, four of which will find their way through to the knockout stage. Surprisingly enough, it’s still bo1 contests through and through.
The knockout stage is where all the fun is at! Best of five matches, single-elimination bracket, a straightforward matchmaking system that ought to bring forth amazing matches. If you’re thinking of betting on 2021 MSI, the knockout stage ought to offer the best opportunities.
Betting on 2021 MSI – Most Notable Contestants
It’s time to dig deeper into this MSI 2021 betting preview. By that, I mean we need to start examining the key participants. Here are the team I expect to see in the knockout stage. I know bo1s are chaotic, but quality-wise, these four teams definitely stand out from the bunch!
DWG KIA
Needless to say, DWG KIA are the strongest team right now! They swept through the Worlds, they swept through the LCK series… Realistically speaking, nothing stands in their way to winning the 2021 MSI title! As long as they produce the same level of gameplay they produced in previous competitions, that is!
No Team Is Perfect, but Dwg Kia Are Darn Close!
Their roster doesn’t have a single weak link, which ought to be the key factor in upcoming MSI 2021 matches. But, nothing lasts forever. Their outstanding form, their raw talent, their impeccable teamwork – it will come to an end. They will start making mistakes and, sooner or later, opponents will start punishing them.
RNG and Cloud9 are labeled as the only proper tests for this DWG KIA roster. People expect great things from them, especially from Cloud9 which are in group C with DWG. DWG vs. C9 is the opening round of group C; boy will that be a fine match to enjoy right off the bat!
Cloud9
Perkz’s C9 swept through the LCS and we’re finally going to see them up against some of the world’s finest. In fact, that’s what makes opportunities for betting on 2021 MSI so interesting… especially the first match against DWG KIA which has all the makings of a proper spectacle. I just can’t wait for the kickoff!
LEC Fans… Are you excited to see Caps at… Oh, that’s right! @RiotPhreak said it loud and clear: NA EZ Win. @Cloud9 Best team here. Watch #MSI2021 May 6-23 and find out if the @LCSOfficial will Break Out. 📺 https://t.co/lh1tk7wEe0 pic.twitter.com/shrBsFqYDL
— LoL Esports (@lolesports) May 4, 2021
I honestly think Cloud9 could be the true dark horse of this event. They have a mighty roster, they’re packed on all positions, and if there’s a team that can break the likes of RNG and DWG, it’s them! I mean, Perkz has done it in the past, I see no reason why he couldn’t repeat it on this year’s MSI.
Plus, C9 is known for showing up to the occasion on massive international events such as this one. They do well in LCS, but they always get that extra bit of oomph when playing international matches. They love pressure, and it’s safe to say 2021 MSI will have it in metric tons!
Royal Never Give Up
Even though the LPL seems to be struggling as far as competitiveness is concerned, Royal Never Give Up are still labeled as one of the best teams in the world. However, their performances have revealed they too have burning issues that teams like C9 and DWG are likely to exploit.
It’s safe to say that the entire LPL relies on RNG to reach far into the knockout stage as that would probably mean an extra spot on the Worlds. Their 2021 MSI performance is what will define the region as a whole; not just its competitiveness and fans’ expectations coming into the Worlds. While many people do give them the benefit of the doubt, I for one wouldn’t advise you to bet too much money on RNG. It’s a safety precaution, nothing more.
MAD Lions
MAD Lions are coming into this event with no concrete expectations. I reckon everything past the group stage is a bonus; reaching the knockout stage would be outright miraculous for these guys. Not saying they don’t have the quality, but they’re definitely inferior when compared to the likes of DWG, RNG, and Cloud9… though I will probably get hate mail for naming the latter.
The new European kings might’ve dealt with G2, Rogue and the rest of LEC, but cometh the strongest regional champions, they’re likely to experience much more difficult contests. Rumble stage, should they reach it, will be one uphill struggle after another. Their tenacity and sturdiness will be tested, no doubt about that!
Outright Betting on Mid-Season Invitational 2021
With roughly 24 hours before the start of the first group stage matches, most esports betting sites still feature outright winner odds for betting on 2021 MSI. They’ve been available for at least a month now and didn’t really oscillate that much in terms of value.
- DWG KIA -200
- Royal Never Give Up +160
- MAD Lions +1300
- Cloud9 +1600
- PSG Talon +3000
- Unicorns of Love +5000
- Istanbul Wild Cats +9000
- paiN Gaming +10000
- Detonation FocusMe +15000
- Infinity Esports +25000
- GG +30000
What are your ideal options here?
Well, if you’re into easy money, going with DWG KIA is the only reasonable answer. But, MSI 2021 might not be that straightforward. If you believe we’ll see a surprise the level of Invictus vs. Liquid, then you might want to aim for a riskier option like Cloud9 or MAD Lions. Royal Never Give Up seem fantastic too, but the odds are not nearly as incentivizing as those on MAD and C9.
So yeah, that’d be all for our MSI 2021 betting preview. The action starts tomorrow at 5 PM CEST. You can watch MSI 2021 live on Twitch and YouTube; make sure you don’t miss the opening matches!
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. …
