This announcement surfaced less than 24 hours following the conclusion of what might be the sixth and final season of the Overwatch League (OWL), with it won by Florida Mayhem in a scintillating grand final.
��With the completion of the 2023 Overwatch League season, we will be focusing on building our vision of a revitalised esports program,�� read a post on the official OWL Twitter account.
��We��re eager to share more with you as details are finalised.��
Simultaneously, there was a subtle, yet poignant farewell from members of the broadcast team as they signed off the stream, further fuelling speculation regarding the future of the Overwatch League.
The above statement adds to a series of announcements and reports over recent months that collectively sketch a grim outlook for the OWL. Back in July, amidst whispers of change, Activision Blizzard released a financial dossier. This report disclosed that franchise owners were slated to cast their votes on an ��updated operating agreement�� once the curtain fell on the current season. For teams choosing to bow out of the league, a termination fee of $6 million would be their parting gift.
In the shadow of this imminent vote, OWL officials reportedly initiated dialogues with various participants within the Overwatch esports landscape last month. According to a report by GGRecon, the survival of the OWL under the revamped operating agreement hinges on the approval of two-thirds of the existing franchises.
However, the narrative unfolding does not necessarily spell the doom of Overwatch esports. Instead, it might signify a pivot towards a distinct model and structure, possibly echoing the open system that highlighted Overwatch esports in its early days, pre-dating the inception of the OWL.
As of now, with limited information available, the trajectory of Overwatch esports remains shrouded in uncertainty, while fans remain in the dark.
]]>Sauna is an 18-year-old Finnish player who commenced his Overwatch pro career journey in 2020. The DPS has since been signed by different esports outfits. Some of which are VASTA Gaming, International Golf Star, Shu��s Money Crew EU, Ex Oblivione, The Ultimates, In Control, and more recently, Young and Beautiful, which he got signed into in October 2022.
Sauna spent a handful of his career, which just kicked off with Shu��s Money Crew EU, representing them in tournaments such as the 2021 Contenders EU Season 1 March, in which they soared to third place, although they lost to Ex Oblivione. The team made a better run at the same tournament in April of the same year, emerging in second place only behind the European team New Kings. With Young and Beautiful, Sauna was able to garner a third place alongside his other teammates in the 2022 Overwatch Contenders: Run It Back: Europe.
On the other hand, CH0R0NG is a 19-year-old South Korean rookie who has been building his career since 2019. The support player has been able to grace a handful of esports outfits to showcase his skill sets. Some of the teams that CH0R0NG has represented include GZA, BATTLICA, Talon Esports, Mono Frog, WGS Armament, GGTC, and Toronto Defiant.
CH0R0NG has been in a number of domestic tournaments, which has portrayed him as a potential star player and an asset to any team. Last year at the Overwatch League Summer Showdown, CH0R0NG and Toronto Defiant were able to secure a third-place finish. Although advancing to the Overwatch League Playoffs, the team dropped to a disappointing 9th�C12th place finish, losing to the Chinese team Hangzhou Spark in a high-tension match that closed on a 2:3 score line.
CH0R0NG and Sauna will be joining the rest of their new teammates, which includes Tank Ham “Someone” Jeong-wan, 21-year-old South Korean DPS Baek “Checkmate” Seung-hun, and support Rupal Zaman and Korean DPS Choi “MER1T” Tae-min, who recently joined the team about three weeks ago.
The team will be led by their returning Australian head coach Jordan “Gunba” Graham and American assistant coach Caleb “McGravy” McGarvey.
“And to wrap up our announcements we’re running it back with the dynamic duo! @McGravy @GunbaOW,” the team tweeted.
With this selection, Florida Mayhem is hoping to put up a good fight in this year��s season, having had a median rating at the last season and ending their run in the 2022 Overwatch League Playoffs with a seventh-eighth place finish.
]]>In 2023, the iconic pink jerseys of the Mayhem will not include damage dealer Isaiah “Hydron” Rodriguez, hitscanner Jung “Xzi” Ki-hyo, support players Jung “Anamo” Taesung, and Majed “SirMajed” Alrashied.
?”Thank you, @KingHydron for being the cultural leader of the team and bridging the gap between our Korean and Western players,” the announcement read.? ?
“Thank you, @xzi_ow for being the stoic, dependable teammate anyone can count on. We wish you both the best on what comes next.
?”Thank you @Anamo_ow and @SirMajed9 for joining us on this wild OW2 journey together. We��re going to miss your leadership and positivity and we hope you both find success in whatever comes next.”?
?While some teams�� roster changes have come as surprises, the Florida rebuild was expected following a difficult season. They finished seventh-eighth in the just concluded 2022 Overwatch League Playoffs, having been knocked out by the Hangzhou Spark in the second round of the lower bracket.? ?
The Mayhem started their 2022 campaign with a full roster rebuild, only retaining one player from the previous season, Baek “Checkmate” Seung-hun. The roster created thereafter was considered to be the league’s most diverse lineup, with young talents from Overwatch Contenders and the knowledge base of veterans.?
Florida also parted ways with their assistant coach, Woo “Dae1″ Dae-won, who spent about 11 months with the team. Prior to joining the Mayhem, he had coached Talon Esports and Team CC.?
?”Thank you, @Dae1_ow for always being cheerful, insightful, and a kind member of this team,” the franchise announced.? ?
“As we part ways we wish you nothing but the best.”?
?In the 2022 season, Hydron was the standout player for the team, taking on some of the league’s most dangerous damage dealers and succeeding. Another special mention goes to DPS Xzi, who overcame visa and health issues to put up an impressive performance.?
?SirMajed had quite a run himself, being a familiar face to any fan of the EMEA Contenders. He was often the saving grace of the Mayhem, using his Zenyatta plays to great effect during close team fights.?
?Anamo was often referenced for his consistent healing as well as his backline leadership. Being one of the league’s most experienced main supports, the depth of his leadership qualities come as no surprise.?
?The Mayhem are currently left with three remaining players on their roster — Ham “SOMEONE” Jeong-wan, Rupal “Rupal” Zaman, and Checkmate. However, as the status of their contracts remains unknown, it is not certain if the 2023 roster will be built around them, or if they will be released at a later date.
]]>
LOS ANGELES VALIANT vs GUANGZHOU CHARGE OWL BETTING & MATCH DETAILS |
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OWL Betting Odds: | Valiant $3.71 at GG Bet | Charge $1.24 at GG Bet |
When: | April 30, 2021 at 17:00 CST |
Watch Live: | Twitch (https://www.twitch.tv/overwatchleague) |
Los Angeles Valiant are a team no one expects to shine this season, which to some degree holds true for Guangzhou Charge as well. Both sides enter this match with a 0-2 record, but the Valiant hold a slightly better map differential due to their four-map series against Chengdu Hunters (1-3).
LA have not looked as bad as we thought they would, but that doesn’t mean we believe they’re a good team. The Charge are in the same boat, but they have as higher ceiling despite going 0-6 on the season.
We would have sided with the Charge at more appealing odds, but at this price, it makes more sense to take the Valiant with a map handicap.
SEOUL DYNASTY vs NEW YORK EXCELSIOR OWL BETTING & MATCH DETAILS |
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OWL Betting Odds: | Dynasty $1.45 at GG Bet | Excelsior $2.59 at GG Bet |
When: | April 30, 2021 at 18:30 CST |
Watch Live: | Twitch (https://www.twitch.tv/overwatchleague) |
New York Excelsior looked awful in their 0-3 loss against Chengdu Hunters, but they seemed much improved in their 3-1 win against the Spark. Seoul Dynasty, on the other side, had a solid performance against Guangzhou Charge (3-0) but disappointed in their 1-3 loss against Philadelphia Fusion.
What might make the Dynasty a more appealing pick is that they forced the Fusion to match point on all four maps. However, there is something about their playstyle that leads us to believe this one could end in favour of the Excelsior.
At the offered OWL betting odds, you have to take a shot with the outsiders.
SHANGHAI DRAGONS vs HANGZHOU SPARK OWL BETTING & MATCH DETAILS |
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OWL Betting Odds: | Dragons $1.11 at GG Bet | Spark $5.70 at GG Bet |
When: | April 30, 2021 at 21:00 CST |
Watch Live: | Twitch (https://www.twitch.tv/overwatchleague) |
The OWL betting odds suggest this will be an extremely one-sided affair, but we have reason to doubt that. On paper, Hangzhou Spark look extremely weak, but they did not perform too poorly in their bout with Philadelphia Fusion last week.
Even though the Spark lost 1-3, they still took the series lead and held the Fusion to match point on all maps. They followed that up with a very poor showing against New York Excelsior (1-3), so they might not be a very consistent team.
It will all depend on which version of Hangzhou we get here. Shanghai Dragons aren’t as good as last year, so there is a world where the Spark steal at least two maps.
BOSTON UPRISING vs LONDON SPITFIRE OWL BETTING & MATCH DETAILS |
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OWL Betting Odds: | Uprising $1.53 at GG Bet | Spitfire $2.38 at GG Bet |
When: | April 30, 2021 at 12:00 PDT |
Watch Live: | Twitch (https://www.twitch.tv/overwatchleague) |
Boston Uprising are priced as $1.53 favourites for this match, which may seem fair, but we weren’t convinced with their recent performances.
Both of these teams faced Los Angeles Gladiators last week, and they both lost 0-3. Boston won four rounds (4-7), whereas London Spitfire won only two (2-7).
Regardless of what those results might suggest, it’s the performances these two sides have shown on the final day of the week that makes us trust the Spitfire more. This could be a close one, but there is no denying London are more consistent.
SAN FRANCISCO SHOCK vs FLORIDA MAYHEM OWL BETTING & MATCH DETAILS |
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OWL Betting Odds: | Shock $1.29 at GG Bet | Mayhem $3.32 at GG Bet |
When: | April 30, 2021 at 13:30 PDT |
Watch Live: | Twitch (https://www.twitch.tv/overwatchleague) |
Florida Mayhem are a weird team. Even though they are winning games (2-0), they are also showing weaknesses – most notably in their 3-1 win against Vancouver Titans.
San Francisco Shock are an entirely different story. They played well in their 2-3 loss against Houston Outlaws, and it was ultimately a poor coaching decision that lost them the game.
Florida might steal one map, but they seem far too shaky for us to believe they can achieve much more. Expect a straightforward win for the reigning OWL champions.
TORONTO DEFIANT vs VANCOUVER TITANS OWL BETTING & MATCH DETAILS |
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OWL Betting Odds: | Defiant $1.17 at GG Bet | Titans $4.53 at GG Bet |
When: | April 17, 2021 at 12:00 PDT |
Watch Live: | Twitch (https://www.twitch.tv/overwatchleague) |
?When we talk about teams that aren’t built for success, the first one that should come to mind are the 2019 OWL finalists, the Vancouver Titans. There aren’t many things that would get you excited about this team besides Min-gi “Teru” Kim, Abtin “ShRedLock” Shirvani, and Nathan “frdwnr” Goebel, who still need to prove they’re better than everyone expects them to be.
The Titans�� first opponents of the 2021 season are the Toronto Defiant. They seem capable of great things this year, but a lot will come down to the performances of Su-min “SADO” Kim, Hee-su “Heesu” Jeong, and Jung-won “Lastro” Mun.
The problem with the Defiant is that while they have the talent, most of their star players aren’t exactly reliable, and fielding three rookies won’t help their consistency either – especially early in the season. Despite their relative lack of quality, the Titans should be capable of winning one map; however, until they prove otherwise, we wouldn’t expect much more from them.
ATLANTA REIGN vs FLORIDA MAYHEM OWL BETTING & MATCH DETAILS |
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OWL Betting Odds: | Reign $1.78 at GG Bet | Mayhem $1.95 at GG Bet |
When: | April 17, 2021 at 13:30 PDT |
Watch Live: | Twitch (https://www.twitch.tv/overwatchleague) |
?This might seem like a hot take, but we view the Florida Mayhem as one of the top five teams in the league. They might not have the high ceiling of some other squads, but their flexibility and stability are two big reasons why we trust the Mayhem to shine. That said, Florida’s success will greatly depend on Min-seok “OGE” Son and whether he can perform as well as he did in the early days of his OWL esports career.
The Atlanta Reign’s biggest strength is their stacked DPS position with Kai “Kai” Collins, Se-hyun “Pelican” Oh, and Tae-hoon “Edison” Kim, who will be the driving force behind how far this team can go. The problem is that the Reign don��t look too solid in other positions, which will be a huge roadblock for them this season.
Even though there are a few ‘what ifs’ with the Mayhem, we don’t believe they should be considered as an underdog against Atlanta. The latter are definitely capable of a few upset wins if their DPS players perform well, but due to weaknesses elsewhere, it’s hard to take the Reign’s side as slender favourites with Overwatch betting sites.
USA BETTING: HOW TO BET ON ESPORTS
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1st place: Los Angeles Valiant (9 V �C 0 D)
2nd place: Los Angeles Gladiators (8 V �C 1 D)
3rd place: New York Excelsior (6 V �C 2 D)
4th place: Philadelphia Fusion (5 V �C 3 D)
5th place: Houston Outlaws (5 V �C 3 D)
6th place: Dallas Fuel (5 V �C 4 D)
7th place: San Francisco Shock (4 V �C 5 D)
8th place: London Spitfire (3 V �C 5 D)
9th place: Seoul Dynasty (3 V �C 6 D)
10th place: Boston Uprising (2 V �C 6 D)
11th place: Florida Mayhem (1 V �C 7 D)
12th place: Shanghai Dragons (0 V �C 9 D)
Houston Outlaws has had a fairly good run so far in Stage 4, defeating teams like London Spitfire and Dallas Fuel in the process. Its defeats came against the current top 3 teams in the league (Los Angeles Valiant, Los Angeles Gladiators and New York Excelsior), so no surprises there. Overall, Outlaws looked capable of holding its own against most adversaries, but still got completely crushed by the really strong teams.
Philadelphia Fusion had a fairly poor run in Stage 3, finishing 8th with a record of 5 W �C 5 L. In Stage 4, the team has had a slightly better run so far, losing against Los Angeles Gladiators, Dallas Fuel and New York Excelsior and winning against the likes of San Francisco Shock and Seoul Dynasty.
In terms of overall performance throughout the Overwatch League and recent form, these two teams are of similar strength. However, in their previous 3 direct encounters, Philadelphia Fusion won every time (score 3 �C 2).
Betway puts the odds at 2.55 �C 1.45 in favor of Philadelphia Fusion, clearly expecting a victory in their favor but still giving Houston Outlaws a lot of respect. I believe this assessment is almost precisely correct, but the odds should have been higher on Fusion��s part. That��s because the chance of a Houston Outlaws victory is higher than what these odds reflect.
Betting prediction: Philadelphia Fusion to win, paying $1.44 at GG Bet.
Apart from Dragons, Florida Mayhem is without a doubt the second weakest team in OWL. Its abysmal 7 V �C 31 D record, which is actually a 3 V �C 31 D record (because 4 of those victories were against Shanghai Dragons) clearly suggests that it has absolutely no chance against the stronger teams. And London Spitfire is definitely one of them, in spite of its poor recent form.
London Spitfire is the Stage 1 champion, but the team has lost a lot of its prowess since then. In Stage 3, Spitfire finished in 6th place with a record of 5 W �C 5 L. Stage 4 hasn��t been any easier for this team, which is now standing at number 8 with 3 victories and 5 defeats. The only important team defeated by London Spitfire in Stage 4 was San Francisco Shock. At the same time, Spitfire��s defeats came against key opponents such as New York Excelsior, Houston Outlaws, Dallas Fuel, Los Angeles Valiant and Los Angeles Gladiators.
Every type of indicator points towards an easy London Spitfire victory in this match.
Betway puts the odds at 7.00 �C 1.07 in favor of London Spitfire, and this is practically free money to be made.
Betting prediction: London Spitfire to win, paying $1.07 at GG Bet.
New York Excelsior is easily the best team in OWL in terms of overall performance, sitting on a record of 33 V �C 5 D. Two of those 5 losses took place in Stage 4, against Los Angeles Valiant (2 �C 3) and Los Angeles Gladiators (2 �C 3), but Excelsior is still one tier above almost every other team in the league right now. So a defeat against Boston Uprising in this match is very unlikely.
Boston Uprising has suffered the most shocking drop imaginable in the last 5 weeks, going from a 10 V �C 0 D record in Stage 3 to a current 2 V �C 6 D record in Stage 4. I��m not sure how that was even possible for a team that seemed unstoppable for the entire duration of Stage 3, but apparently the loss of its head coach has played a significant role in this.
Recent form, overall form and head to head statistics all favor New York Excelsior to win this match.
Betway puts the odds at 1.10 �C 5.75 in favor of Excelsior, giving Uprising a lot of undue respect.
Betting prediction: New York Excelsior to win, paying $1.10 at GG Bet.
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USA BETTING: HOW TO BET ON ESPORTS
OWL 2018: ULTIMATE GUIDE TO THE OVERWATCH LEAGUE
TIPS HUB: ESPORTS BETTING PREDICTIONS
Boston Uprising has suffered the most shocking drop imaginable in the last 4 weeks, going from a 10 W �C 0 L record in Stage 3 to a current 1 W �C 6 L record in Stage 4. I��m not sure how that was even possible for a team that seemed unstoppable for the entire duration of Stage 3, but apparently the loss of its head coach has played a significant role in this. For the time being, Boston Uprising is in complete free fall, but its next opponent will surely make it look like a great team again.
With every passing week, Shanghai Dragons improves its all-time record. And not just for Overwatch, but the entire esports industry. This team has lost its first 37 matches, getting 0 wins so far in the Overwatch League and representing the perfect cash cow for any person with an interest in Overwatch betting. Whatever the odds may be, that is basically free money to be made whenever you��re betting against Shanghai Dragons in a match.
Betting prediction: Boston Uprising to win, paying $1.16 at GG Bet.
Apart from Shanghai Dragons, Florida Mayhem is the weakest team in the league, and its chances against Dallas Fuel in this match are absolutely 0.
Dallas Fuel seems to have resurrected its roster and playstyle and has performed really well so far in Stage 4, winning against tough opponents such as London Spitfire and Philadelphia Fusion and being ranked 6th in the standings table. Compare that to its 1 W �C 9 L Stage 3 performance and you can��t help but be amazed at how much a team can improve in such a short period of time. Fuel��s two losses came against Los Angeles Gladiators and San Francisco Shock, both of them strong teams.
Betting prediction: Dallas Fuel to win, paying $1.33 at GG Bet.
Philadelphia Fusion had a fairly poor run in Stage 3, finishing 8th with a record of 5 W �C 5 L. In Stage 4, the team has had a very similar path so far, losing against Los Angeles Gladiators, Dallas Fuel and New York Excelsior and winning against 3 irrelevant teams: Shanghai Dragons, Florida Mayhem and Boston Uprising.
Seoul Dynasty hasn��t done too well in Stage 4, winning just 2 of its matches and against completely irrelevant opponents: Florida Mayhem and Shanghai Dragons. These results don��t tell the whole story though. Throughout the entire duration of the Overwatch League, Seoul Dynasty has been one of the fairly strong teams, finishing Stage 1, 2 and 3 in 5th (7 W �C 3 L), 4th (7 W �C 3 L) and 7th (5 W �C 5 L) place respectively. In Stage 4, Dynasty lost very close matches against strong opponents such as Los Angeles Valiant (2 �C 3) and London Spitfire (2 �C 3). These close but unfortunate results are a testament to Seoul Dynasty��s strength and ability to hold its own against almost any opponent.
Betting prediction: Seoul Dynasty to win, paying $3.50 at GG Bet.
USA BETTING: HOW TO BET ON ESPORTS
OWL 2018: ULTIMATE GUIDE TO THE OVERWATCH LEAGUE
TIPS HUB: ESPORTS BETTING PREDICTIONS
1st place: Los Angeles Valiant (6 V �C 0 D)
2nd place: New York Excelsior (5 V �C 1 D)
3rd place: Los Angeles Gladiators (5 V �C 1 D)
4th place: San Francisco Shock (4 V �C 2 D)
5th place: Houston Outlaws (4 V �C 2 D)
6th place: Dallas Fuel (4 V �C 2 D)
7th place: Philadelphia Fusion (3 V �C 3 D)
8th place: London Spitfire (3 V �C 3 D)
9th place: Seoul Dynasty (2 V �C 4 D)
10th place: Boston Uprising (0 V �C 6 D)
11th place: Florida Mayhem (0 V �C 6 D)
12th place: Shanghai Dragons (0 V �C 6 D)
Match date: June 6
Seoul Dynasty has had a poor Stage 4 so far, winning just two matches against the two weakest teams in the Overwatch League, namely Florida Mayhem and Shanghai Dragons. However, in spite of these results, it��s clear that Dynasty still has a pretty solid roster and a strong playstyle. This fact is proved by the team��s ability to take maps off top opponents such as Los Angeles Valiant (score 2 �C 3).
I have no idea what has happened to Boston Uprising except for the fact that their head coach left at the end of Stage 3. Uprising finished that stage with 10 victories, 0 defeats and a 2nd place finish in the Title Matches. Now, the team is losing match after match regardless of who it faces and there doesn��t seem to be an end to this madness.
Overall performance throughout the Overwatch League and head to head statistics are completely irrelevant here, as Boston Uprising��s recent form has been so abysmal that a victory for it in this match is almost an impossibility.
Betway puts the odds for this match at 1.50 �C 2.40 in favor of Seoul Dynasty, giving a lot of undeserved respect to Boston Uprising. At these odds, a bet on Seoul Dynasty is definitely worthwhile, as the team��s chance to win is above 70% here.
Betting prediction: Seoul Dynasty to win to win, paying $1.50 at GG Bet.
Match date: June 6
Shanghai Dragons is on a 36 losing streak and doesn��t show any signs of stopping anytime soon. In all likelihood, Dragons will finish the Overwatch League with a perfect record: 0 wins and 40 losses. The esports history books will surely mention this extraordinary performance.
Needless to say, the head to head record, recent form and overall performance statistics clearly indicate that Florida Mayhem will win this match, most likely with a score of 3 �C 1.
Betway puts the odds at 2.55 �C 1.45 in favor of Florida Mayhem. These odds are ridiculously high on Mayhem��s side, considering Shanghai Dragons�� current record. Forget about the fact that Mayhem is currently sitting on a 0 V �C 6 D record in Stage 4. Shanghai Dragons has not yet won a single match in the entire season.
Betting prediction: Florida Mayhem to win to win, paying $1.45 at GG Bet.
Match date: June 6
Dallas Fuel has put Jesus to shame in this stage, raising from the dead and winning no less than 4 matches, 2 of which against strong opponents: Philadelphia Fusion (3 �C 1) and London Spitfire (3 �C 1).
Houston Outlaws has performed reasonably well so far in Stage 4, getting 4 victories and 2 defeats. However, the main problem is that 3 of those victories came against irrelevant opponents: Shanghai Dragons, Boston Uprising and Florida Mayhem (all of them 0 V �C 6 D right now). Outlaws�� only important victory came against London Spitfire (4 �C 0).
Both head to head and overall performance statistics favor Houston Outlaws to win this match but based on what we��ve seen so far from Dallas Fuel in Stage 4, I think it��s more than likely they will grab the victory in this match.
Betway puts the odds at 1.80 �C 1.90 in favor of Dallas Fuel, regarding the two teams of being almost evenly matched. Based on what Fuel has shown us so far in Stage 4, its chances of winning this match are at least 65%, which makes this match a great Overwatch betting opportunity.
Betting prediction: Dallas Fuel to win to win, paying $2.00 at GG Bet.
USA BETTING: HOW TO BET ON ESPORTS
OWL 2018: ULTIMATE GUIDE TO THE OVERWATCH LEAGUE
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1st place: Los Angeles Gladiators (2 V �C 0 D)
2nd place: Houston Outlaws (2 V �C 0 D)
3rd place: Philadelphia Fusion (2 V �C 0 D)
4th place: New York Excelsior (2 V �C 0 D)
5th place: Los Angeles Valiant (2 V �C 0 D)
6th place: San Francisco Shock (1 V �C 1 D)
7th place: Dallas Fuel (1 V �C 1 D)
8th place: Seoul Dynasty (0 V �C 2 D)
9th place: Boston Uprising (0 V �C 2 D)
10th place: Shanghai Dragons (0 V �C 2 D)
11th place: London Spitfire (0 V �C 2 D)
12th place: Florida Mayhem (0 V �C 2 D)
Match date: May 24th
London Spitfire suffered a steep decline in Stage 3, finishing 6th with 5 wins and 5 losses. Among the most important teams it defeated were Los Angeles Valiant, Seoul Dynasty and San Francisco Shock. In Stage 4, Spitfire began with a terrible loss against its nemesis, Houston Outlaws (score 0 �C 4), followed by another loss against New York Excelsior (score 1 �C 3).
San Francisco Shock made a massive jump last stage in terms of skill, going from a 3 V �C 7 D in Stage 2 to a 6 V �C 4 D record in Stage 3. The team scored impressive wins against Philadelphia Fusion, Houston Outlaws and even Los Angeles Gladiators, ending the stage in 5th place. In Stage 4, Shock lost a match against Los Angeles Gladiators (1 �C 3) and got a victory against Seoul Dynasty (3 �C 1).
Overall performance throughout the Overwatch League and head to head statistics clearly favor London Spitfire to win this match. Recent form statistics indicate that San Francisco Shock is in better shape. Based on the fact that London Spitfire is currently 3 �C 0 against San Francisco Shock in direct confrontations and has a much higher ceiling, I believe that Spitfire will win this match.
Final betting prediction: London Spitfire to win at GG Bet.
Match date: May 24th
The skill difference between these two teams is absolutely enormous, so I don��t see how Florida Mayhem could stand up to Los Angeles Gladiators in this match. In all likelihood, this will be a quick 4 �C 0 or 3 �C 1 victory for Gladiators.
The previous 3 encounters between these 2 teams ended with a victory in favor of Gladiators. Overall performances statistics as well as recent form statistics also point towards an easy Gladiators win.
Final betting prediction: Los Angeles Gladiators to win at GG Bet.
Match date: May 24th
Philadelphia Fusion had an average run in Stage 3 and only finished 8th, even though its record wasn��t all that disastrous: 5 wins and 5 losses. The team managed to get important victories against Houston Outlaws and London Spitfire, but failed to deliver against the top contenders. In Stage 4, Fusion��s start has been promising: a 3 �C 1 victory against Boston Uprising and a 4 �C 0 victory against Florida Mayhem.
Shanghai Dragons established a new record in Stage 3 and not just for Overwatch, but for the entire esports industry. Shanghai Dragons is now on an unprecedented losing streak and its best possible chance of getting its first victory was in its first Stage 4 match against Dallas Fuel. However, the team lost that match (score 1 �C 3) as well as the next one (1 �C 3 against Los Angeles Valiant) and is now expected to continue its losing streak until the end of the league.
Final betting prediction: Philadelphia Fusion to win at GG Bet.
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OWL 2018: ULTIMATE GUIDE TO THE OVERWATCH LEAGUE
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1st place: Los Angeles Gladiators (2 V �C 0 D)
2nd place: Houston Outlaws (2 V �C 0 D)
3rd place: Philadelphia Fusion (2 V �C 0 D)
4th place: New York Excelsior (2 V �C 0 D)
5th place: Los Angeles Valiant (2 V �C 0 D)
6th place: San Francisco Shock (1 V �C 1 D)
7th place: Dallas Fuel (1 V �C 1 D)
8th place: Seoul Dynasty (0 V �C 2 D)
9th place: Boston Uprising (0 V �C 2 D)
10th place: Shanghai Dragons (0 V �C 2 D)
11th place: London Spitfire (0 V �C 2 D)
12th place: Florida Mayhem (0 V �C 2 D)
Match date: May 23rd
Boston Uprising ended Stage 3 with a record of 10 wins and 0 losses. The team was very dominant from start to finish and only lost in the Grand Final of the Title Matches, against New York Excelsior (score 0 �C 3). But, after achieving this great result, Uprising��s head coach left the team and joined San Francisco Shock. This loss has already translated into 2 losses for Uprising in Stage 4, against considerably weaker opponents: Philadelphia Fusion (score 1 �C 3) and Houston Outlaws (score 1 �C 3). This leads me to believe that Boston Uprising is a considerably weaker team now than it was in Stage 3.
Dallas Fuel ended Stage 3 with 1 win and 9 losses, losing multiple players along the way and being completely destroyed by internal conflicts. The team only managed to win 1 match and that victory came against Shanghai Dragons, which means it has almost no relevance at all. In Stage 4, Fuel played two matches so far, getting a victory against Shanghai Dragons and a defeat against Los Angeles Gladiators. Going forward, expect to see this team taking a beating from almost all of its opponents.
The overall performance statistics throughout the Overwatch League clearly favor Boston Uprising to win this match. The head to head record between these two teams (3 �C 0) also emphasizes a big skill difference that favors Uprising. The only thing that goes in Dallas Fuel��s favor are the two teams�� recent results.
Betway puts the odds for this match at 1.28 �C 3.80 in favor of Boston Uprising, taking into account their recent failures and signs of weakness but still regarding them as clear favorites to win this battle.
Betting prediction: Boston Uprising to win, paying $1.26 at GG Bet.
Match date: May 23rd
So far, Florida Mayhem has been one of the weakest teams in the league, ending Stage 1, 2 and 3 with a record of just 6 wins and 25 losses. That��s a win rate of less than 20%. In Stage 4, Mayhem has already lost 2 matches against New York Excelsior and Philadelphia Fusion.
Los Angeles Valiant improved its performance in Stage 3, ending with a record of 7 wins and 3 losses. This was much better than their Stage 2 result (4 W �C 6 L), so the team is clearly on an upward trend. The opponents that managed to beat Valiant in Stage 3 were London Spitfire, Houston Outlaws and Boston Uprising. In Stage 4, Valiant already defeated a fairly strong adversary, namely Seoul Dynasty, as well as Shanghai Dragons, although this second victory isn��t relevant considering Dragons�� record.
The overall performance statistics throughout the Overwatch League clearly favor Los Angeles Valiant in this match. Recent form and head to head record (1 �C 2) statistics also favor Valiant to emerge victorious.
Betway puts the odds for this match at 7.00 �C 1.07, anticipating an easy win for Los Angeles Valiant.
Betting prediction: Los Angeles Valiant to win, paying $1.07 at GG Bet.
Match date: May 23rd
In spite of having a strong roster with a lot of potential, Houston Outlaws had a terrible Stage 3, finishing with 4 wins and 6 losses (9th place). However, it still won some great matches against the top contenders and also defeated its first Stage 4 opponent, London Spitfire. In Stage 4, Houston Outlaws seems to at the top of its game again, having won its first 2 matches against London Spitfire and Boston Uprising.
Los Angeles Gladiators finished Stage 3 in 4th place with 6 wins and 4 losses. Overall, the team looked decent but struggled against most of the top opponents, losing to Los Angeles Valiant, New York Excelsior, Boston Uprising and San Francisco Shock. In Stage 4, Gladiators has played two matches so far, getting two victories: one against San Francisco Shock and one against Dallas Fuel.
Based on head to head statistics (1 �C 2), recent form and overall results throughout the Overwatch League, Los Angeles Gladiators is slightly favored to win this match. But only by a little (55/45).
Betway puts the odds for this match at 1.70 �C 2.05 in favor of Houston Outlaws, but the situation is actually upside down.
Betting prediction: Los Angeles Gladiators to win, paying $2.05 at GG Bet.
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