eSports News 2023 | Esport Headlines & Betting News https://esportbet.com Global ESports & Gaming News, Reviews, Forums, Betting Sites, Bookmakers Odds, Tips, Free Bets & Bonuses Wed, 11 Dec 2024 01:00:31 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.6.2 https://esportbet.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/cropped-esb-favicon-32x32.png eSports News 2023 | Esport Headlines & Betting News https://esportbet.com 32 32 PGL announce major changes to 2025-2026 CS2 tournaments https://esportbet.com/pgl-announce-major-changes-to-2025-2026-cs2-tournaments/ https://esportbet.com/pgl-announce-major-changes-to-2025-2026-cs2-tournaments/#respond Wed, 11 Dec 2024 01:00:31 +0000 https://esportbet.com/?p=40126 PGL, one of the leading esports tournament organisers, have announced significant updates to their Counter-Strike 2 tournament schedule for 2025 and 2026.

These changes, aimed at improving team logistics, enhancing viewer experiences, and raising competitive standards, include venue relocations, a revamped playoff format, and expedited prize pool payouts.

The PGL CS2 event originally slated for Buenos Aires, Argentina, has been relocated to Cluj-Napoca, Romania.

The tournament will take place from February 14–23, 2025, culminating in a live audience playoff at the iconic BT Arena.

With numerous European events scheduled around the same time, relocating to Cluj-Napoca minimises travel strain for teams and ensures optimal competitive conditions.

Updated Tournament Schedule

2025 Calendar

  • PGL Cluj-Napoca: February 14–23
  • PGL Bucharest: April 6–13
  • PGL Astana: May 10–18
  • PGL Belgrade: October 25–November 2

2026 Calendar

  • PGL Cluj-Napoca: February 11–22
  • PGL Bucharest: April 2–12
  • PGL Astana: May 7–17
  • PGL TBD: August 6–16
  • PGL TBD: October 1–11
  • PGL Belgrade: October 22–November 1

PGL is re-revolutionising their playoffs structure with an expanded eight-team format across all events.

Friday will feature quarter-finals, followed by the semi-finals and a showmatch on Saturday.

The third-place decider and a grand final (best-of-five series) will take place on Sunday.

Each PGL event will feature a US$1.25 million prize pool, with updated payouts emphasising higher rewards for third place.

  • 1st Place: US$400,000
  • 2nd Place: US$187,500
  • 3rd Place: US$150,000
  • 4th Place: US$87,500
  • 5th–8th Place: US$62,500
  • 9th–11th Place: US$31,250
  • 12th–14th Place: US$18,750
  • 15th–16th Place: US$12,500

In an unprecedented move, PGL have committed to distributing prize money within two weeks of an event’s conclusion, provided teams submit invoices on time.

This change addresses delays that often extend up to 15 months in the esports industry.

Enhanced qualifiers

Starting after the 2025 Cluj-Napoca event, PGL will revamp its qualification process.

Open and closed regional qualifiers through Esportal will determine participation.

Invitations will be allocated as follows; 12 spots via Valve Regional Standings, one team each from South America, North America, Europe, and Asia closed qualifiers.

With these updates, PGL aims to redefine the landscape of competitive Counter-Strike.

By focusing on logistics, prize transparency, and audience engagement, PGL is setting new benchmarks for Tier 1 tournaments.

Fans, teams, and industry stakeholders can anticipate a new era of thrilling Counter-Strike competition in 2025 and beyond.

Esports news

]]> https://esportbet.com/pgl-announce-major-changes-to-2025-2026-cs2-tournaments/feed/ 0 What’s on in esports for week beginning December 9, 2024 https://esportbet.com/whats-on-in-esports-for-week-beginning-december-9-2024/ https://esportbet.com/whats-on-in-esports-for-week-beginning-december-9-2024/#respond Tue, 10 Dec 2024 02:25:51 +0000 https://esportbet.com/?p=40106 Another big week of esports kicks off on December 9, 2024, with Counter-Strike 2 maintaining the spotlight in Shanghai, China.

The last four days of the Perfect World Shanghai Major will take place from Thursday to Sunday, with the final eight teams competing in the playoff stage.

The second week of the Call of Duty League Major 1 Qualifiers will be held on December 13, 14, and 15, with each of the 12 teams playing their third and fourth matches.

Meanwhile, the Dota 2 ESL One Bangkok and 2024 PUBG Global Championship will begin this Monday, December 9.

  • Perfect World Shanghai Major

    The Perfect World Shanghai Major will enter the third and final stage on Thursday when the quarter-finals kick off.

    The MongolZ, Team Liquid, MOUZ, Team Spirit, G2 Esports, HEROIC, Team Vitality, and FaZe Clan will compete in the playoff stage, with each team seeking to become the second Counter-Strike 2 Major winner.

    Following the quarter-finals on Thursday and Friday, the semi-finals will be held on Saturday before the grand final concludes the Major on Sunday, December 15.

    Check out our extensive Perfect World Shanghai Major betting guide to get the latest odds and tournament information.

  • Call of Duty League: Major 1 Qualifiers

    The first matchweek of the Call of Duty League Major 1 Qualifiers delivered some interesting results, with Carolina Royal Ravens, Los Angeles Thieves, Toronto Ultra, and Minnesota ROKKR finishing with 2-0 records.

    With two more matches to be played in the second matchweek, the top teams will seek to maintain their strong start as they head into the break before returning in the new year.

    Check out our extensive Call of Duty League betting guide to get the latest odds and tournament information.

  • Dota 2 ESL One Bangkok

    ESL One Bangkok will be the final Dota 2 tournament of 2024, with the seven-day event scheduled to run from December 9 through December 15.

    12 of the best Dota 2 teams will compete in the US$1,000,000 tournament in Bangkok, Thailand, with the winner taking home US$300,000.

    Best esports betting sites have marked Team Falcons as the $3.25 favourite to take out the ESL One Bangkok title. Team Liquid ($4.00), BetBoom Team ($5.00), and Gaozu ($7.00) trail in the betting market.

    Check out our extensive ESL One Bangkok betting guide to get the latest odds and tournament information.

  • PUBG Global Championship 2024

    The PUBG Global Championship will be held in Kuala Lumpur, Malysia, from December 9 through December 22, where 24 of the best PUBG teams will compete in the US$1.5 million event.

    Three circuit stages will take place over the coming week before the Grand Finals are held from December 20-22.

    GG Bet have Twisted Minds marked as the $3.25 favourite to claim the 2024 Global Championship, ahead of Soniqs ($7.50), CERBERUS ($8.00) and TSM ($8.00).

    Check out our extensive PUBG Global Championship betting guide to get the latest odds and tournament information.

    • eSports Specialist

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    ]]> https://esportbet.com/whats-on-in-esports-for-week-beginning-december-9-2024/feed/ 0 Astralis release Br0, welcome back device to active CS2 roster https://esportbet.com/astralis-release-br0-welcome-back-device-to-active-cs2-roster/ https://esportbet.com/astralis-release-br0-welcome-back-device-to-active-cs2-roster/#respond Tue, 10 Dec 2024 01:24:09 +0000 https://esportbet.com/?p=40098 Astralis announced on Monday the return of Nicolai “device” Reedtz, who rejoins the Danish Counter-Strike roster after a short break from professional play due to stress-related health issues.

    Along with device’s reappearance, Astralis also revealed the departure of Alexander “br0” Bro, releasing him into free agency.

    Br0 leaving the team comes as no surprise, as he was benched in September to make room for the controversial arrival of Casper “CadiaN” MĂžller.

    However, the 22-year-old remained contracted with Astralis, who he helped through their Perfect World Shanghai Major 2024 European RMR B campaign.

    With br0, Astralis could not find the same traction they had shown at the start of November, when they reached the semifinals of BLAST Premier World Final 2024.

    Despite being billed as one of the leading candidates to qualify for the Major, Astralis crashed out of the RMR in 9th-11th place after losses against 9Pandas, Sashi Esports, and Passion UA.

    Br0 was the second-highest-rated player for Astralis at the RMR, averaging a 1.04 performance rating — behind only Jakob “jabbi” Nygaard at 1.10.

    “While we look ahead with excitement, we also want to acknowledge the big contribution of br0, who stepped in for Astralis during a particularly challenging period,” the team said in a statement.

    “Despite limited preparation, br0 rose to the occasion at the RMR and gave his all for the team.”

    After a number of lacklustre tournament placements in the latter half of the season, Astralis are poised to finish the year outside the top 10 in the Counter-Strike world rankings.

    With device back in the team, they are unlikely to make further roster changes for the 2025 CS2 season.

    Esports news

    ]]>     https://esportbet.com/astralis-release-br0-welcome-back-device-to-active-cs2-roster/feed/ 0     Scout joins JD Gaming for 2025 League of Legends season https://esportbet.com/scout-joins-jd-gaming-for-2025-league-of-legends-season/ https://esportbet.com/scout-joins-jd-gaming-for-2025-league-of-legends-season/#respond Mon, 09 Dec 2024 02:22:32 +0000 https://esportbet.com/?p=40094 JD Gaming on Sunday announced the arrival of Lee “Scout” Ye-chan, who joins the Chinese League of Legends team as a new mid laner for the 2025 season.

    The 26-year-old’s arrival was revealed just a day after JD Gaming confirmed the signing of former Gen.G ADC Kim “Peyz” Su-hwan, who stepped into the shoes of the recently departed Park “Ruler” Jae-hyu.

    Scout replaces in-house talent Zeng “Yagao” Qi, who made his LoL Pro League (LPL) debut under the JD Gaming banner in December 2017 and has spent six seasons with the team between 2017-2022 and 2023-2024.

    Regarded as one of the best mid laners in the world, Yagao failed to perform up to the expectations in his second stint with JD Gaming, who had an underwhelming run through the 2024 season.

    JDG ended last season without a single trophy, while their best result was a third-place finish in the LPL 2024 Spring Playoffs.

    The sub-standard results ushered in a major roster overhaul and the arrival of top laner Hu “Ale” Jia-Le along with Peyz and Scout.

    Like his new teammates, Scout joins JDG with a plethora of accolades to his name, including four LPL MVP titles and an LoL Worlds 2021 MVP award.

    Last season was not as fruitful for the former world champion, as his team, LNG Esports, won just the LPL 2024 Regional Finals and exited LoL Worlds 2024 in the quarterfinals.

    With Scout’s arrival, JD Gaming now have locked-in players for all positions except for jungle.

    Seo “Kanavi” Jin-hyeok is still part of JDG’s LoL roster; however, he has yet to renew his contract and is rumoured to be on his way out.

    Esports news

    ]]>     https://esportbet.com/scout-joins-jd-gaming-for-2025-league-of-legends-season/feed/ 0     Perfect World Shanghai Major playoffs team list set https://esportbet.com/perfect-world-shanghai-major-playoffs-team-list-set/ https://esportbet.com/perfect-world-shanghai-major-playoffs-team-list-set/#respond Sun, 08 Dec 2024 23:13:38 +0000 https://esportbet.com/?p=40083 MOUZ, HEROIC and FaZe Clan have all secured their places in the playoffs at the Perfect World Shanghai Major after overcoming tough elimination-stage matches, sending their respective opponents home early in decisive series.

    MOUZ’s journey to the top eight looked precarious early on.

    The international Counter-Strike roster found themselves at 1-2 in the elimination stage, with tight losses to The MongolZ and FaZe putting them on the brink of elimination.

    However, MOUZ rallied in the best-of-three format, defeating 3DMAX and MIBR to secure a playoff spot.

    Their final match against MIBR proved to be a one-sided affair.

    The series began on Mirage, a map where MIBR had been struggling with a 14% win rate heading into the match.

    Despite flashes of brilliance from Felipe “insani” Yuji and Rafael “saffee” Costa on the counter-terrorist side, MIBR were unable to hold the line against MOUZ, who dominated with a 13-4 scoreline.

    On Nuke, MOUZ continued their dominance.

    Brollan, who had shown excellent form on Mirage, was instrumental in leading his team to an 11-1 lead in the first half.

    Despite a brief rally from MIBR in the second half, MOUZ closed out the map 13-6 to seal their playoff spot.

    HEROIC made a statement by eliminating reigning Major champions Natus Vincere in a thrilling series that went the full distance.

    Having finished 2-0 on day one, HEROIC needed to overcome one of The MongolZ, Team Spirit, or Natus Vincere to make the playoffs, and they did so with style.

    For NaVi, this loss marked the end of a disastrous group stage.

    The team, which had been dominant in 2024, continued to falter in Shanghai, with a last-place finish at the BLAST Premier World Final proving to be a sign of deeper issues within the roster.

    Despite a 2-0 start in the elimination stage, NaVi fell apart against both Spirit and HEROIC.

    Mirage, traditionally one of Natus Vincere’s best maps, was where their downfall began.

    HEROIC’s superior A and B executes left NaVi stunned, with b1t in particular struggling to make an impact.

    The map ended 13-3 in favor of HEROIC, who then took control of Nuke in a 13-5 win, sending the defending champions packing.

    In a twist of fate, it was on Ancient where NaVi seemed to get back on track, with Ihor “w0nderful” Zhdanov delivering an incredible quad-kill and clutching a 4v5 retake in the second round.

    However, despite a heroic 4k from Mihai “iM” Ivan and a strong comeback effort, HEROIC’s resilience saw them close out the map 13-9, eliminating the reigning champions.

    FaZe Clan was the final team to secure a playoff spot after a nail-biting three-map series against FURIA Esports.

    The match had a dramatic shift in momentum, with FaZe initially looking poised for an easy victory after taking a commanding 12-2 lead on the decider map of Mirage.

    However, FURIA mounted a stunning comeback, forcing the match to a tense 13-10 finish.

    The series began on Inferno, where FaZe struggled out of the gate.

    Despite a brilliant individual performance from David “frozen” ČerƈanskĂœ, who pulled off an ace in the second round and a massive spray-down on B, FaZe couldn’t overcome FURIA’s solid economy.

    The Brazilians ran away with the map 13-6, taking the series lead.

    FaZe then responded on Dust2, where HĂ„vard “rain” Nygaard’s masterful performance on the counter-terrorist side kept his team alive.

    FaZe managed to gain control in the second half, including a clutch 2v5 on the A site, and closed out the map 13-9 to force the decider.

    The final map, Mirage, saw FaZe take an early 12-2 lead, but FURIA fought tooth and nail to claw their way back into the game.

    Kaike “KSCERATO” Cerato’s 1v2 and Felipe “skullz” Medeiros’s astonishing 1v4 sparked hope for the Brazilians, but FaZe’s resilience, particularly from Robin “ropz” Kool and Finn “karrigan” Andersen, saw them close out the match 13-10 and secure their playoff spot.

    With MOUZ and HEROIC advancing to the playoffs and FaZe narrowly securing their spot, the Perfect World Shanghai Major has seen its fair share of surprises.

    MIBR, Natus Vincere, and FURIA all had their dreams dashed in the elimination stage, leaving the competition wide open as the tournament heads into its final phase.

    The road to the Major crown continues, with these resilient teams looking to make their mark in Shanghai.

    Shanghai Major playoffs teams

    • The MongolZ
    • MOUZ
    • Team Liquid
    • FaZe Clan
    • HEROIC
    • Team Spirit
    • G2 Esports
    • Team Vitality

    Esports news

    ]]>     https://esportbet.com/perfect-world-shanghai-major-playoffs-team-list-set/feed/ 0     JD Gaming sign Peyz to their 2025 LoL Esports Roster https://esportbet.com/jd-gaming-sign-peyz-to-their-2025-lol-esports-roster/ https://esportbet.com/jd-gaming-sign-peyz-to-their-2025-lol-esports-roster/#respond Sun, 08 Dec 2024 01:17:36 +0000 https://esportbet.com/?p=40081 On Saturday, League of Legends esports team JD Gaming announced the signing of ADC Kim “Peyz” Su-hwan who joins the Chinese side for the 2025 season.

    Peyz is JD Gaming’s second new signing of the offseason, following the arrival of Hu “Ale” Jia-Le, who joined the team at the end of November.

    The unexpected arrival sees Peyz take over for Park “Ruler” Jae-hyuk, who recently left JD Gaming to join Gen.G, replacing the 19-year-old as the new ADC of the Korean squad.

    This marks the second time Peyz will step in Ruler’s shoes after he got called up to Gen.G’s main roster in November 2022, following Ruler’s departure to JD Gaming.

    Widely regarded as one of the most promising young ADC players in the world, Peyz’s rise to prominence started in 2020 when he joined Gen.G academy roster and in the span of two years climbed the ranks to Gen.G Challengers and the LoL Champions Korea (LCK) lineup.

    In his debut year with Gen.G, Peyz won the LCK 2023 Spring Playoffs, placed fourth at the Mid-Season Invitational, and rounded up the year with LCK 2023 Summer Playoffs trophy and quarterfinals run at LoL World Championship 2023.

    After an immaculate debut season, Peyz added LCK 2024 Spring and MSI 2024 trophies to his resume, as well as a silver medal from LCK 2024 Summer and a top-four finish at LoL Worlds 2024.

    Joining the LoL Pro League (LPL) seems like an unlikely destination for the young player; however, with Ruler taking over his spot at Gen.G and other top contenders in the league already fielding an ADC player, Peyz signing for JD Gaming comes as no shock.

    With the addition of Peyz, top laner Ale, an extension of Lou “MISSING” Yun-Feng’s contract, and the arrival of veteran coach Kim “cvMax” Dae-ho, JD Gaming have their eyes set on returning to the world’s elite and bounce-back following a rough season.

    JD Gaming enjoyed a promising start to their 2024 LoL esports season campaign, placing third in the LPL 2024 Spring Playoffs.

    However, they flopped in the season’s final stretch, with a seventh-eighth-place finish in the LPL 2024 Summer and a third-place finish in the LPL 2024 Regional Finals.

    As a result, JD Gaming missed LoL World Championsip for the fourth time in the teams’ history.

    The arrival of Peyz leaves JD Gaming with just two spots to fill, as they still need to announce their starting mid laner and jungler.

    Esports news

    ]]>     https://esportbet.com/jd-gaming-sign-peyz-to-their-2025-lol-esports-roster/feed/ 0     G2 Esports, Liquid & Spirit advance to Shanghai Major playoffs https://esportbet.com/g2-esports-liquid-spirit-advance-to-shanghai-major-playoffs/ https://esportbet.com/g2-esports-liquid-spirit-advance-to-shanghai-major-playoffs/#respond Sun, 08 Dec 2024 00:17:11 +0000 https://esportbet.com/?p=40074 At the Perfect World Shanghai Major, the battle for a spot in the playoffs is reaching its peak, with some teams securing their place and others facing do-or-die matches in the elimination pool.

    G2 Esports was one of the first Counter-Strike teams to secure a spot in the top eight on Saturday after making quick work of FaZe Clan with a 2-0 victory.

    Despite an early setback against The MongolZ in their elimination stage opener, G2 bounced back in impressive fashion.

    After straightforward wins over BIG, 3DMAX, and FaZe, they locked down the three victories needed to claim their playoff spot.

    The team’s performance was especially highlighted by Ilya “m0NESY” Osipov’s stellar showing on Inferno, where he posted a 1.95 rating and nearly single-handedly dismantled FaZe’s offence.

    The series kicked off on FaZe’s map pick, Inferno, where despite winning the pistol round, FaZe couldn’t maintain momentum.

    G2 immediately asserted dominance, led by m0NESY’s AWP, and comfortably wrapped up the first half 13-4.

    G2 continued their dominance into Mirage, where Nikola “NiKo” Kovač and Nemanja “huNter-” Kovač took charge, pushing the international squad to a 13-3 victory and securing their playoff berth.

    FaZe, on the other hand, will be reeling from this defeat.

    Starting with a narrow win over Wildcard, they ended day one with a 1-1 record after falling to HEROIC.

    Their elimination match against G2, however, saw them fall flat, as they were completely outclassed.

    With their 2-2 record, FaZe now faces a critical must-win match in the elimination stage.

    Potential opponents include Natus Vincere and Team Spirit, both of which are formidable threats.

    MOUZ also secured their place in the 2-2 pool with a 2-0 win over 3DMAX.

    While the scoreline suggests a comfortable win, the series was anything but straightforward.

    On Dust2, 3DMAX had a strong start, building a 4-0 lead, but MOUZ gradually regained control, with Dorian “xertioN” Berman’s key lurk plays on B helping them flip the script.

    A dramatic 1v3 clutch from Kamil “siuhy” Szkaradek sealed the first map for MOUZ.

    Nuke, too, was a tight affair. After a technical pause disrupted the flow, MOUZ came alive on their counter-terrorist side, capitalising on ÁdĂĄm “torzsi” TorzsĂĄs’ AWP and winning 13-9 to move on.

    Natus Vincere, the reigning Major champions, bounced back from a tough loss to Spirit with a 2-0 win over GamerLegion.

    While it wasn’t their best performance, NaVi managed to pull through, especially thanks to strong individual performances from Mihai “iM” Ivan on Nuke and Valeriy “b1t” Vakhovskiy on Mirage.

    On Nuke, NaVi built an early lead with a solid counter-terrorist side, but GamerLegion mounted a comeback, winning a 2v4 situation to narrow the gap.

    However, NaVi responded strongly, particularly after winning the second pistol round.

    Despite some shaky moments on Mirage, where GamerLegion held a 6-1 lead early, NaVi regained control and closed out the map with a 13-7 scoreline, securing their place in the next round.

    Team Liquid, after an opening best-of-one loss to NaVi, secured their spot in the playoffs with a 2-1 victory over MIBR.

    Despite a strong start from MIBR, who won the first pistol and gun round, Liquid completely dominated on their map pick of Mirage, winning 13-2 with Roland “ultimate” Tomkowiak putting up a near-perfect performance.

    MIBR fought back on Nuke with a 13-10 win, but Liquid clinched the series with a dominant 13-5 win on Anubis, showing their experience and composure in high-pressure moments.

    FURIA Esports kept their playoff hopes alive with a hard-fought 2-1 victory over fellow Brazilians paiN Gaming.

    The series started with an intense back-and-forth, as FURIA surged to a 4-0 lead, only for paiN to storm back and close the half with a 10-5 advantage.

    Despite paiN holding onto a lead for much of the second half, FURIA clawed their way back to force a decider.

    On Inferno, both teams fought tooth and nail, with FURIA eventually prevailing 13-11, despite some late-game blunders on both sides.

    FURIA will now face elimination in their next match, but they’ve given themselves a chance to fight for a playoff spot.

    Team Spirit’s incredible form continued with a 2-1 win over HEROIC, with Danil “donk” Kryshkovets once again leading the charge.

    The series started on Ancient, where Spirit fought through an evenly matched first half before pulling away in overtime to win 16-14.

    Mirage was a more dominant affair for HEROIC, who closed it out 16-10, with donk’s efforts failing to shift the momentum.

    But Dust2 was where Spirit found their groove.

    Despite a rough start, they came back from 1-6 down to overpower HEROIC 16-9, securing their place in the playoffs.

    HEROIC’s journey to the playoffs now hinges on a crucial decider match against Natus Vincere.

    After starting the elimination stage with a 2-0 record, they have faltered, now sitting at 2-2.

    Their loss to Spirit left them on the edge of elimination, and a tough matchup against NaVi awaits, with both teams needing a win to progress.

    With the elimination pool heating up, the next few days will decide which teams can shake off their struggles and survive the intense competition to make it into the Shanghai Major playoffs.

    Sunday’s elimination stage matches

    • MIBR ($4.33) vs MOUZ ($1.20) @ 11am CST
    • Natus Vincere ($1.44) vs HEROIC ($2.62) @ 2pm CST
    • FURIA Esports ($2.37) vs FaZe Clan ($1.53) @ 5pm CST

    Esports news

    ]]>     https://esportbet.com/g2-esports-liquid-spirit-advance-to-shanghai-major-playoffs/feed/ 0     Team Secret merge with Team Whales for 2025 LCP season https://esportbet.com/team-secret-merge-with-team-whales-for-2025-lcp-season/ https://esportbet.com/team-secret-merge-with-team-whales-for-2025-lcp-season/#respond Fri, 06 Dec 2024 23:57:17 +0000 https://esportbet.com/?p=40070 Team Secret have announced a joint venture with Vietnamese esports organisation Team Whales to create a new League of Legends team, Secret Whales, which will debut in the LoL Championship Pacific (LCP) 2025 season.

    According to Secret’s release, the new partnership will combine Secret’s competitive excellence with Team Whales’ regional prowess to create a team which will make waves in the Asia-Pacific LoL esports region.

    “This partnership is a monumental step forward for both organisations. By joining forces, we aim to not only dominate the LCP but also inspire and engage the broader League of Legends community in the Asia-Pacific region,” said Team Secret CEO John Yao.

    “We are excited to partner with Team Secret, whose legacy and vision align perfectly with our ambition. Together, we will bring a new level of excitement and competitiveness to the LCP,” added Team Whales CEO PháșĄm Anh Tuáș„n.

    Set to compete in the revamped league, Secret Whales will be one of four invited guest teams for the LCP 2025 season, joining MGN Vikings Esports (formerly Vikings Esports), DetonatioN FocusMe, and Chiefs Esports Club.

    The rest of the LCP slots will be filled in by partner teams, including well-known names from Pacific Championship Series (PCS), CTBC Flying Oysters, Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks, PSG Talon, and Vietnam Championship Series (VCS), GAM Esports.

    The league follows Riot Games’ new competitive structure for the 2025 season and beyond, featuring LoL esports teams from Taiwan, Hong Kong, Macao, Japan, Oceania, South-east Asia, and Vietnam.

    As a new Asia-Pacific tier-one league from 2025 onwards, the LCP replaces PCS, which will, along with the VCS and LJL, become LCP’s secondary leagues with a path to promotion to the top flight.

    With no set launch date yet – but expected to begin alongside other LoL leagues around the world in early January 2025 – the LCP will be an eight-team league, with most of the participating squads having yet to reveal their rosters.

    The new joint venture between Secret and Whales currently has six players listed on their active lineup, including three ex-Secret players, top laner Tráș§n “Hiro02” LĂȘ Trung Háș­u, support Đinh “Taki” Anh TĂ i, and ADC HoĂ ng “Eddie” CĂŽng NghÄ©a.

    The trio will link up with rookie top laner LĂȘ “Steller” Quang BĂŹnh, and two ex-Baby Whales players, jungler LĂȘ “Hizto” Văn HoĂ ng HáșŁ and mid laner Tráș§n “Tire” Duy Đức.

    Secret Whales LoL 2025 Roster

    • Tráș§n “Hiro02” LĂȘ Trung Háș­u – top lane
    • LĂȘ “Steller” Quang BĂŹnh – top lane
    • LĂȘ “Hizto” Văn HoĂ ng HáșŁ – jungle
    • Tráș§n “Tire” Duy Đức – mid lane
    • Đinh “Taki” Anh TĂ i – support
    • HoĂ ng “Eddie” CĂŽng NghÄ©a – ADC

    Esports news

    ]]>     https://esportbet.com/team-secret-merge-with-team-whales-for-2025-lcp-season/feed/ 0     The MongolZ & Team Vitality move onto Shanghai Major playoffs https://esportbet.com/the-mongolz-team-vitality-move-onto-shanghai-major-playoffs/ https://esportbet.com/the-mongolz-team-vitality-move-onto-shanghai-major-playoffs/#respond Fri, 06 Dec 2024 23:38:48 +0000 https://esportbet.com/?p=40065 Vitality and The MongolZ have made history, becoming the first teams to secure their spots in the playoffs at the Perfect World Shanghai Major, each with impressive victories in the elimination stage.

    For Vitality, the European Counter-Strike powerhouse has been unstoppable, continuing their undefeated run in the elimination stage after a dominant 2-0 victory over MIBR.

    Meanwhile, The MongolZ made history as the first team from Asia to reach the playoffs of a Major, with an emotional 2-1 win over HEROIC to cap off their dream run.

    Vitality entered the elimination stage in top form, securing their place in the playoffs with dominant wins over FURIA (16-13) and MIBR (13-3, 13-5).

    The French squad, led by captain Dan “⁠apEX⁠” Madesclaire, delivered flawless performances across both maps, with every player stepping up in key moments.

    MIBR had no answer for Vitality’s cohesion and sharp decision-making, as they were crushed on Mirage, with Vitality only conceding a single gun round in a 13-3 domination.

    Anubis proved to be just as one-sided, with MIBR unable to make any headway on either side of the map.

    For Vitality, this victory secures them a spot in the playoffs, where they will look to continue their flawless form.

    The major takeaway from their performance is their team synergy and individual brilliance, with players like Mathieu “⁠ZywOo⁠” Herbaut and apEX showing why they are among the best in the world.

    The MongolZ, who had already stunned many with their 3-0 run through the opening and elimination stages, secured their playoff berth with a hard-fought 2-1 win over HEROIC.

    This victory is historic for Asian Counter-Strike, as The MongolZ become the first team from the region to reach the playoffs of a Major, a landmark achievement for the Asian scene.

    The MongolZ have been a dominant force throughout the tournament, and their win against HEROIC was a testament to their skill and resilience.

    After losing Mirage (13-8) to HEROIC, The MongolZ bounced back in the second map, Anubis, where they fought off a late surge from HEROIC to secure a 16-14 win.

    Despite HEROIC’s best efforts to mount a comeback after a dreadful 11-3 start, The MongolZ held their nerve in overtime to win 19-16.

    Finally, in the decider on Ancient, The MongolZ stormed to an 8-4 lead before closing it out in convincing fashion, winning 16-10.

    This victory confirmed their status as a serious contender in the Major, and fans can now look forward to them in the playoff bracket.

    Meanwhile, Natus Vincere (Na’Vi) are on the brink of elimination after a rough couple of days in Shanghai.

    After an underwhelming start in the 1-1 pool, where they were handed a crushing defeat by Spirit, Na’Vi now find themselves needing two consecutive victories to qualify for the playoffs.

    In other elimination matches, Liquid secured a crucial victory over FURIA to inch closer to the playoffs.

    After a strong first half on Inferno, where they held off FURIA’s early momentum, Liquid took control of the game in the second half, aided by aggressive plays from Mareks “⁠YEKINDAR⁠” GaÄŒinskis.

    The Brazilians were able to equalize after a pistol round win, but Liquid’s superior economy and map control allowed them to take the series 2-0.

    FaZe Clan and G2 Esports, both of whom had shaky starts to the elimination stage, also secured important victories.

    FaZe faced off against MOUZ, who had an early advantage after a strong T-side performance, but FaZe’s seasoned roster showed their quality in the second half to secure a 13-10 win.

    G2, after a rocky start in their opener against The MongolZ, rebounded with a solid performance against 3DMAX, securing a 13-8 win on Ancient thanks to crucial clutches from Ilya “⁠m0NESY⁠” Osipov and Janusz “⁠Snax⁠” Pogorzelski.

    Both teams are now just one series away from securing a playoff spot.

    Wildcard’s fairytale run came to an end in a 2-1 loss to GamerLegion.

    After a strong start to the elimination stage, where Wildcard upset Liquid and 9z, the pressure finally caught up with the North American squad.

    Skipper Peter “⁠stanislaw⁠” Jarguz admitted that his team struggled to handle the weight of the moment, especially in key rounds.

    Wildcard can hold their heads high after their impressive run, but it wasn’t to be as they were eliminated from the tournament.

    paiN Gaming also kept their playoff hopes alive with a 2-1 win over BIG in the 0-2 pool.

    After losses to MOUZ and 3DMAX, paiN needed to win this series to stay in contention, and they did so in dramatic fashion. On Vertigo, paiN fought tooth and nail to edge out BIG 13-10, before falling short on Dust2 (13-15).

    However, paiN rebounded on Mirage, dominating the map with a 13-6 victory to send BIG packing.

    Despite sitting at a precarious 1-2 record, paiN will now have at least one more chance to continue their run in Shanghai.

    Saturday’s elimination stage matches

    • G2 Esports ($1.53) vs FaZe Clan ($2.37) @ 11am CST
    • MOUZ ($1.25) vs 3DMAX ($3.75) @ 11am CST
    • MIBR ($2.62) vs Team Liquid ($1.44) @ 2pm CST
    • Natus Vincere ($1.12) vs GamerLegion ($5.50) @ 2pm CST
    • FURIA Esports ($1.72) vs paiN Gaming ($2.00) @ 5pm CST
    • Team Spirit ($1.44) vs HEROIC ($2.62) @ 5pm CST

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    ]]>     https://esportbet.com/the-mongolz-team-vitality-move-onto-shanghai-major-playoffs/feed/ 0     The MongolZ remain undefeated at Perfect World Shanghai Major https://esportbet.com/the-mongolz-remain-undefeated-at-perfect-world-shanghai-major/ https://esportbet.com/the-mongolz-remain-undefeated-at-perfect-world-shanghai-major/#respond Thu, 05 Dec 2024 23:43:30 +0000 https://esportbet.com/?p=40052 The Perfect World Shanghai Major elimination stage has delivered thrilling action, with standout performances and intense battles shaping the early rounds.

    The MongolZ, fresh off a flawless run through the opening stage, have continued their dominant form, taking down Counter-Strike’s world number one, G2 Esports, 13-10 to secure a spot in the 1-0 pool.

    Their victory, marked by clutch plays from Ayush “⁠mzinho⁠” Batbold and Munkhbold “⁠Senzu⁠” Azbayar, came despite late-game heroics from G2’s Nikola “⁠NiKo⁠” Kovač and Janusz “⁠Snax⁠” Pogorzelski, who tried to turn the tide with impressive individual efforts.

    However, G2’s economy struggles on the terrorist side sealed their fate, as The MongolZ extended their Major-winning streak.

    Natus Vincere also emerged victorious in their elimination stage opener, overcoming Team Liquid 13-10 on Nuke after a slow start.

    Despite Liquid leading 7-5 at halftime, Natus Vincere’s tenacious offence led them to a comeback on the counter-terrorist side, with standout performances from Ihor “⁠w0nderful⁠” Zhdanov and a series of crucial rounds that swung the momentum in their favour.

    In another high-stakes matchup, FURIA Esports stunned Team Spirit with a dominant 13-6 win on Dust2.

    Spirit, who had qualified for the Major through a tense Europe RMR B campaign, were no match for FURIA’s aggressive playstyle.

    Marcelo “⁠chelo⁠” Cespedes and Felipe “⁠skullz⁠” Medeiros were instrumental in giving the Brazilians an 8-4 lead at halftime, and despite some attempts by Spirit’s Danil “⁠donk⁠” Kryshkovets to mount a comeback, FURIA sealed the victory to send Spirit to the 0-1 pool.

    Team Vitality, led by superstar Mathieu “⁠ZywOo⁠” Herbaut, dispatched GamerLegion 13-7 on Mirage to join the 1-0 pool.

    ZywOo’s exceptional performance, including a 1.91 rating and 123.2 ADR, kept Vitality in control throughout the match, highlighting why they are one of the favourites to go deep in the tournament.

    As the elimination stage progressed, HEROIC and MIBR joined the list of winners, with HEROIC emerging 13-8 victors over FaZe Clan on Ancient.

    HEROIC’s commanding terrorist side performance, despite a few flashes of brilliance from FaZe’s HĂ„vard “⁠rain⁠” Nygaard, proved too much for the international roster, pushing FaZe into the increasingly perilous 1-1 pool.

    Meanwhile, MIBR claimed a hard-fought 13-11 win over 3DMAX, with Felipe “⁠insani⁠” Yuji playing a pivotal role in securing the victory after a dominant 19-kill first half on Inferno.

    The results saw the 2-0 pool take shape, with MIBR, Vitality, and The MongolZ securing spots, while Spirit, G2, and Natus Vincere were placed in the 1-1 pool, and BIG, GamerLegion, and Wildcard found themselves in the 0-2 group.

    The second round brought more excitement as The MongolZ pulled off a nail-biting 16-14 overtime win over MOUZ.

    The Mongolian squad, down 10-5 in the second half, staged a remarkable comeback, with Sodbayar “⁠Techno⁠” Munkhbold stepping up with a clutch 1v2 in regulation to force overtime.

    In the extra rounds, The MongolZ tightened their grip on the game, winning four of five rounds to advance to the 2-0 pool.

    Meanwhile, Spirit bounced back from their earlier loss to FURIA, defeating Wildcard 13-6 on Ancient.

    Spirit showed resilience in the face of adversity, and while Wildcard had their moments in the first half, Spirit’s superior firepower ultimately prevailed, sending Wildcard to the 0-2 pool.

    Vitality continued their winning ways, edging out FURIA 19-17 in a hard-fought Mirage match that went to overtime.

    FURIA’s strong first half on the attack wasn’t enough to hold off ZywOo’s resurgence, as Vitality mounted a comeback to claim the win and secure a spot in the 2-0 pool.

    On the B-stream, Liquid defeated GamerLegion 13-9, with standout performances from Russel “⁠Twistzz⁠” Van Dulken and Mareks “⁠YEKINDAR⁠” GaÄŒinskis leading the charge.

    After a back-and-forth first half, Liquid’s superior tactical play and individual skill were too much for GamerLegion, who struggled to keep up in the second half.

    The final round of matches set the stage for some of the most anticipated matchups of the tournament.

    FaZe, despite their loss to HEROIC, will now face the danger of elimination in their next match in the 1-1 pool.

    MOUZ, having fallen to The MongolZ in overtime, will also be fighting for their tournament life, joining G2 and Natus Vincere in a competitive pool of teams looking to avoid a trip to the 0-2 group.

    The elimination stage of the Shanghai Major will continue on Friday.

    Friday’s elimination stage matches

    • Natus Vincere ($1.66) vs Team Spirit ($2.10) @ 11am CST
    • FURIA Esports ($1.00) vs Team Liquid ($1.80) @ 11am CST
    • G2 Esports ($1.33) vs 3DMAX ($3.25) @ 12pm CST
    • MOUZ ($1.66) vs FaZe Clan ($2.10) @ 12pm CST
    • GamerLegion ($1.72) vs Wildcard ($2.00) @ 1pm CST
    • Team Vitality ($1.14) vs MIBR ($5.00) @ 1pm CST
    • The MongolZ ($1.53) vs HEROIC ($2.37) @ 4pm CST
    • BIG ($2.10) vs paiN Gaming ($1.66) @ 4pm CST

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