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CSGO IEM Katowice 2021 Odds to Win, Preview, and Schedule

Jarrod Langford

by Jarrod Langford in eSports

Updated Mar 12, 2021 · 12:47 PM PST

IEM Katowice
G2 looks to pull together their first tournament victory of the 2021 season.
  • IEM Katowice officially begins February 16th, 2021 at 6:00 AM EST where teams will kick start the double-elimination qualifier bracket
  • The top eight teams from the IEM Katowice Qualifier are then added to the eight invited teams to field 16 teams in total
  • These 16 teams will compete for a grand prize of $400,000 UDS and the coveted IEM Katowice Championship trophy

IEM Katowice is one of the most legendary tournaments in all of CSGO. Not only was it a venue for the CSGO Major in 2019, but it carries legendary stature from the early days of competitive counter-strike. It comes as no surprise when looking at the tournament that it is completely stacked.

If you were to ask any true fan of the sport which team they think has the chance to be the best in the world, they would be playing this tournament. Best in Brazil? Check. Best in Denmark? Check. The United States? Of course.

The list is saturated with top talent from all over the world, which leads no doubt to the amount of preparation each team is putting into winning. This leads us to a few important questions when placing a future bet. Who truly holds the value in the IEM Katowice odds? What team could be considered a live underdog?

Read below for my breakdowns of what favorite has what it takes to win it all, and the team that might just make a cinderella run.

Odds to Win CSGO IEM Katowice 2021

Winner Odds
Astralis +250
Natus Vincere +300
Heroic +500
Team Vitality +500
BIG +700
G2 Esports +900
Complexity +1000
Virtus.Pro +1300
Furia +1300
Team Liquid +1400
Ninjas in Pyjamas +1400
OG +1800
Mousesports +2000
Fnatic +2000
FaZe +2100
Evil Geniuses +2500
Gambit +2700
Team Spirit +2700
MIBR +3500
Cloud 9 +4400
Renegades +15000
Movistar Riders +15000
Team One +15000
Wisla Krakow +18000

Odds as of Feb. 12

G2 Esports or BIG?

As much as I want to say G2 Esports will turn this boat around, I have been losing faith over the past month. They didn’t have their best showing at the BLAST Premier Global Final, and their map pool seems to have completely fallen apart.

They have even begun dropping their go to map pick of Dust 2 and picking up Vertigo. However, I do think it is a strong map for them, but the majority of teams that actually play Vertigo are on another level than G2. Astralis, BIG, Virtus.Pro, Heroic, Vitality, and Team Liquid to name a few that can definitely win against G2 on Vertigo.

That leaves them to rely on their hit or miss Mirage play or their staple map of Dust 2 to win them a series. In my opinion, they just are not the team right now to put any money on. At +900 odds, the bookmakers have to be kidding if they expect any action on this line.

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BIG on the other hand, have come into 2021 looking great. They were boot camping for BLAST Pro Series Spring Groups, and for the first time in six months all five players were on location in the same room.

Team chemistry was greatly improved and they ended up winning the whole event. Not only did they sweep NIP 2-0 in the grand final, but they secured their spot in the BLAST Premier Spring Final. Teams like BIG thrive on momentum. Moreover, there was a time in 2020 when they were by far the most dominant team online.

Coming in off a victory against Astralis, OG, and NIP twice while not dropping a single map. Give me the German team all day, these odds are a gift when comparing the two.

Why Virtus.Pro Are My Top Underdog Play

Virtus.Pro come into 2021 ready to make a statement. After sweeping cs_summit they come into this IEM Katowice as +1300 underdogs.

I had to do a double-take at the odds at first because ranking them behind Complexity and G2 Esports is a mistake. They have one of the most dangerous map pools in CSGO at the moment. Not to mention, they permaban Nuke, which knocks out one of the best maps of four of the top teams in IEM – Astralis, Natus Vincere, BIG, and Heroic.

They have one of the most unique Inferno attack schemes that have thrown even the best Inferno teams on their heels. Moreover, they are excellent at splitting the B bombsite by isolating the rotating player from speedway.

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Virtus.Pro has completely revamped their game on Train, showing a much improved CT side against Mousesports in cs_summit. After Mousesports seemed to have been primed to make a tournament-winning run, Virtus.Pro swatted them aside like a fly buzzing around their heads.

The number six ranked team in the world, with a stellar five map pool, are being given +1300 odds. The hedge capabilities down the road are worth the play alone.

Team Vitality is playing without their IGL, and Astralis’ map pool has been picked apart recently. Heroic has been awful on Mirage lately and will not have the option to play Nuke. In my opinion, 13 to 1 odds has some serious value.

Pick: Virtus.Pro +1300

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