IEM Cologne Betting 2023: Complexity a Dark Horse
IEM Cologne 2023, one of the most iconic CS:GO tournament circuits, is just two days away! IEM Cologne will be the first big tournament of the new esports season featuring all the top teams and a crowd. Every year, thousands of fans travel to the ‘Cathedral of Counter-Strike’ to cheer on their favorite players.
The LANXESS arena has been the stage of many legendary bouts that will forever live in CS:GO history. But this year will be unique: IEM Cologne will be the last event to feature CS:GO as the game slowly transitions to Counter-Strike 2, which will be released later this year.
Here is everything you need to know about IEM Cologne 2023!
Participating Teams
Twenty-four teams with the best CS:GO ranks travel to Germany to compete for the $1 million prize. They will also be competing for eternal CS:GO glory since IEM Cologne is the last esports tournament for CS:GO.
Here are all twenty-four teams and their esports betting odds to win the tournament!
| Team | Odds *Last Updated: 7/25/2023 |
|---|---|
| Team Vitality | +300 |
| Heroic | +333 |
| FaZe Clan | +500 |
| G2 Esports | +500 |
| Cloud9 | +600 |
| ENCE | +800 |
| Natus Vincere | +800 |
| FURIA | +1600 |
| MOUZ | +1800 |
| Team Liquid | +1800 |
| Apeks | +2500 |
| Astralis | +2500 |
| Ninjas in Pyjamas | +2500 |
| Fnatic | +3300 |
| forZe | +4000 |
| Monte | +5000 |
| GamerLegion | +5000 |
| 9INE | +5000 |
| Imperial | +6600 |
| Into The Breach | +10000 |
| Complexity | +10000 |
| Grayhound | +25000 |
| TheMongolz | +25000 |
Tournament Format
The IEM Cologne tournament format is divided into three stages: the play-in, the group stage, and the playoffs. A total of 24 teams will participate in hopes of clinching the title with a $1,000,000 prize pool.
PLAY-IN STAGE
Sixteen teams will contend for the remaining spots in the IEM Cologne 2023 group stage. This section of the IEM Cologne esports tournament acts as a qualifier with a double-elimination format. The opening games will be single elimination e style, and the other matches will be in a best-of-three series.
The IEM Cologne play-in stage will commence on July 25. By the end of day two fixtures, eight teams will make it through to the group stage to join the eight directly qualified teams.
GROUP STAGE
Starting July 27, the IEM Cologne group stage will see the 16 qualifying teams broken into two groups with a double-elimination format. Every group stage fixture will be played in a best-of-three series.
The winner of each group will advance to the semifinals, with the second-placed team sealing a high-seed spot in the quarterfinals and the third-placed team a low-seed place. The best three teams in each group will move on to the playoffs.
PLAYOFFS STAGE
With a single-elimination bracket format in play in the IEM Cologne playoffs, teams who lose the best-of-three series will be eliminated. The playoffs start on August 4. All games will be played in a best-of-three series, except the grand final, which is a best-of-five series.
Top Teams to Watch
Going into IEM Cologne 2023, the favorites are Vitality, Heroic, FaZe, and G2. Those four are always near the top of the tables and do well in these tournaments. However, those are not the top teams to watch for esports betting. Those three teams are Fnatic, Complexity, and FURIA.
Complexity
2023 has not been kind to Complexity. They have gone out of nearly every tournament in the Group Stage after doing so well during play-in stages. They have a strong roster, but something is off. If Complexity can sort their struggles out, they can contend with some of the best teams in CS:GO. They could be a dark horse in Cologne.
Fnatic
Fnatic is one of the most storied esports organizations in the world. They used to win every competition in nearly every game. In CS:GO, they have seen a slight drop off in play and have been punished for it. They always do well enough in tournaments but can never get to that Grand final. They haven’t played a competitive match since May, so they have had much time to come together to make a good run.
FURIA
After a disappointing Paris Major and IEM Dallas, FURIA is determined to return to the top. They are the best team in South America and are the only SA team to keep up with the European powerhouses. If they can fine-tune their finishing product, they can easily make a massive run in Cologne. Aside from the top four, they could be the entire team to watch.
For esports betting news, odds analysis, and more, visit Point Spreads Sports Magazine.
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