2018 Overwatch League Odds: Championship Contenders & Pretenders
- With only two stages left in the OWL regular season, which teams can make a playoff push?
- Can any team challenge the South Korean-led powers (New York, London & Seoul)?
- Find out which teams have improved and who we see falling heading into Stage 3.
It was a memorable end to the Stage 2 portion of Overwatch League’s (OWL) regular season. The surging cinderella team, Philadelphia Fusion, gave the New York Excelsior (NYXL) all they could handle in the best-of-five Stage Finals, going up 2-0 before NYXL took over and stunned onlookers by performing a reverse-sweep, winning a cool $100,000 in prize money in the process.
With Stage 3 (April 4 – May 6) about to begin and Stage 4 (May 16 – June 17) ending the regular season, we take a closer look at who will make the OWL playoffs and who’s favored to become OWL Champion.
2018 Overwatch League Championship Odds
Six teams will qualify for the playoffs based on regulars-season records. The top seed from each division will receive a first-round bye. The next four teams, regardless of division, will also advance.
| OWL TEAM | PLAYOFF ODDS | CHAMPIONSHIP ODDS |
|---|---|---|
| NEW YORK EXCELSIOR | 1/200 (99.5%) | 2/1 (33.33%) |
| LONDON SPITFIRE | 1/200 (99.5%) | 3/1 (25%) |
| SEOUL DYNASTY | 1/200 (99.5%) | 4/1 (20%) |
| PHILADELPHIA FUSION | 3/17 (85%) | 9/1 (10%) |
| LOS ANGELES GLADIATORS | 1/4 (80%) | 19/1 (5%) |
| BOSTON UPRISING | 1/3 (75%) | 50/1 (1.96%) |
| HOUSTON OUTLAWS | 4/1 (20%) | 50/1 (1.96%) |
| SAN FRANCISCO SHOCK | 4/1 (20%) | 100/1 (1%) |
| LOS ANGELES VALIANT | 4/1 (20%) | 100/1 (1%) |
| FLORIDA MAYHEM | ELIMINATED FROM PLAYOFF CONTENTION | N/A |
| DALLAS FUEL | ELIMINATED FROM PLAYOFF CONTENTION | N/A |
| SHANGHAI DRAGONS | ELIMINATED FROM PLAYOFF CONTENTION | N/A |
With a great showing, the Fusion have marched up the Overwatch League standings to fourth place, thus increasing their championship odds considerably. However, raw talent propelled each of the South Korean rosters (Seoul Dynasty, London Spitfire and NYXL) to the top of the OWL power rankings at the very start of the season. Those teams are not only primed to make the playoffs but are also the favorites to win the championship, as their talent has coalesced into tremendous team play.
When it comes mid-tier teams that could make a playoff push, keep an eye on the San Francisco Shock. They have been inching their way up the standings, and with some new players being added to the roster, like Jay “Sinatraa” and free agent signing of Park “Architect” Min-ho, the Shock could make a lot of noise in the final two stages and sneak into the postseason.
Although they currently sit fifth in the overall standings, we are not buying stock in the Houston Outlaws. After having a pretty subpar Stage 2, going 5-5, the Outlaws have shown that their lack of a quality Tracer makes them vulnerable. Even with a quality win over the Dynasty to end Stage 2, we fully expect the inconsistent play to continue.
The same can be said for the Los Angeles Valiant who went 4-6 in Stage 2. Even though they sit seventh overall and are battling for a playoff spot, their play is regressing while the teams around them are getting better. The Valiant will likely be on the outside looking in when the postseason begins.
Unfortunately for the Mayhem, Fuel, and Dragons, they are resigned to playing spoiler.
Trevor was Sports Betting Dime’s resident geek (aka: entertainment writer) from 2016-18. He also moonlights as a national film reviewer for other publications. He comes equipped with diplomas in marketing and broadcast journalism with a PHD in couch lounging.
