This is the time of year when there is a lot going on in DOTA 2. The first major of the year came in late February, and the action has been fast and furious since that point. Epicenter XL will be the fourth premier tier tournament of the year in DOTA2, and it will also have a million-dollar prize pool. Twelve teams from around the world will duke it out to see who reigns supreme. The winner will get at least $350,000 for first-place as well as 750 DOTA Pro Circuit Points. This tournament is being held over a 10-day stretch in Moscow, ending on May 6, 2018.
At BookMaker Sportsbook, our team of writers breaks down every betting matchup on the wagering board. eSports are exploding in popularity and we at BookMaker have you covered for all of your betting needs. From League of Legends to CS:GO, BookMaker has all of the eSports betting lines you can hope for. Open an account and get in on the action today!
DOTA 2 Epicenter Betting Odds
Virtus Pro +300
Team Liquid +350
Team Secret +375
Mineski +550
LGD +550
Newbee +1000
OG +2200
Natus Vincere +3300
Team Empire +4300
compLexity +4300
FlyToMoon +8000
paIN Gaming +15000
The groups in this tournament look a bit uneven to me. Group A has some talented teams for sure. Team Liquid, Mineski, and LGD are considered three of the best teams at this event. Two of the three are almost certain to make it into the upper bracket after the group stage, with the third still getting into the knockout rounds.
There is a clear delineation between the top half and the bottom half in Group A though. FlyToMoon, Team Empire, and compLexity are all considered longshots to win the tournament. At least one of those three will have a chance to make it through though and get to the knockout stage.
Group B is much tougher. There is only one team that can be counted out in this group, 150-1 longshot paIN Gaming. Every other team at least has a half-chance to win it all with Virtus Pro and Team Secret leading the way. Those two teams are certainly the favorites to get into the upper bracket of the knockout rounds.
Teams to Watch
It would be hard to make any team other than Virtus Pro a favorite in this tournament. Virtus Pro has been the best DOTA 2 team in the world by a wide margin this year and will be playing this event on their home soil. They won the first two events of the season, routing the field in both Katowice and Bucharest. In the last premier tournament, Virtus Pro finished in third-place, but their run through the lower bracket was inspiring. They went 7-0 in the group stage, but were upset by Team Liquid in their first playoff series. They knocked off Evil Geniuses, Vici Gaming, and TNC in do-or-die series to grab third.
The team that won that tournament, Mineski, is another one to watch. They were very impressive in Shanghai, with just four game losses all tournament. Those losses came to Virtus Pro, Vici Gaming, and LGD, all teams that are considered some of the best in the world. They will be in a good spot provided they can make it into the upper bracket.
For a longshot, take a long look at compLexity. They did not travel to Shanghai to compete at the Asian Championships, but they performed well in Bucharest six weeks ago. compLexity was able to defeat both Mineski and Team Liquid, but were unable to qualify for the knockout rounds after a tough draw pitted them against Team Secret, Newbee, and Optic Gaming as well. At over 40-1, there is some value here in a weaker group.
At BookMaker Sportsbook, our team of writers breaks down every betting matchup on the wagering board. eSports are exploding in popularity and we at BookMaker have you covered for all of your betting needs. From League of Legends to CS:GO, BookMaker has all of the eSports betting lines you can hope for. Open an account and get in on the action today!
