The International 2019 Full Betting Preview: Team Secret Favored, But OG Given 7-2 Odds

• The International playoff stage starts August 20th
• Are Team Secret still the best bet to claim the Aegis?
• Will last year’s champions be able to go back-to-back?

The International is well underway with the group stage potion of the tournament wrapping up on Aug. 18th and the playoff bracket main event starting Aug. 20th.

Heading into TI9,  Team Secret was the favorite after a year that saw the EU mixsquad capture two of the five DPC Majors, as well as second and third-place finishes.

They still sit atop the odds table as the favorite to win the tournament and claim the Aegis, but there are a few teams that have made a significant jump in the latest futures. The risers include last year’s TI champions, OG.

Are Secret still the best bet to take the title in Shanghai, or is there more value in a team with longer odds?

The International 2019 Odds

*Odds taken on 08/19/19.

Secret Still the Top Dogs?

All year long, it seemed like there was one team that stood above the rest in the Dota scene, and that team was Team Secret. They finished second at the first Major of the year, after which they went on to win two Majors in Chongqing and Paris.

Secret sat in first place in the DPC rankings with a comfortable lead for the majority of the year and looked like the best team in the world without question. However, at the final Major of the year, they had a very disappointing showing that saw them place 9-12th, not really the way the wanted to finish the last big event before The International.

Team Secret seemed to have shaken off their worst placing of the year in the group stage of TI9, managing to place second in their group and secure their spot in bracket play of the main event. It’s kind of hard to deny how good Secret have been all year long, but it would be a lie to say that they look like the best team in The International this year.

They certainly have a very real chance of taking home first place and the $15 million prize, but they have slowed down since their dominant first portion of the year. I’m not fully sold on it happening.

Can They Go Back-to-Back?

The team that won The International last year, OG, have vaulted themselves back into the favorites conversation. After their Cinderella run last year, which was undeniably one of the wildest stories ever in eSports, OG didn’t quite have the year they were hoping for.

They had decent placings for the majority of the year, but never were one of the teams anyone really considered a serious threat on to win at TI9, until recently that is.

Their play at The International this year has been nothing short of fantastic, exiting the group stage  with the best record out of any team.

They look to have figured it out at the right time and if there’s one thing that’s for sure in eSports: if you catch fire at the right time, you could end up walking away with the year’s biggest prize.

If both Secret and OG win their quarterfinal matchups they will meet in the Winner Semifinals for what could end up being an early preview of the Grand Final.

Other Threats to Win

There are two other teams that I would say have a pretty good chance winning the Aegis: ViCi and PSG.LGD. Both have shown they belong in the conversation of top-five teams in the world of Dota, especially ViCi, who won two of the four Majors this year. Both should be at least considered to win The International in 2019.

Pick: OG (+350)