Cloudbet now has odds live for the BLAST Austin Major — and there is an explosive storyline already unfolding with FaZe Clan announcing that Oleksandr “s1mple” Kostyliev joins the roster on loan from Natus Vincere for the tournament.
The switch comes on the back of benching Helvijs “broky” Saukants. s1mple’s reputation is enough to give the team encouragement that they can perform well in Austin, but the markets are cautious: 10.1 is the price to win the tournament for FaZe outright.
Image via Cloudbet
| Vitality | 1.67 |
| Falcons | 4.13 |
| Spirit | 4.21 |
| MOUZ | 6.59 |
| FaZe Clan | 10.1 |
As the current odds above show, Viatility are still the Austin Major favorites, but the addition of s1mple makes FaZe the largest wild card on the table — a high-risk, high-reward bet for those who are looking for a volatile wager to back.
The Austin Major takes place from June 3 to June 22 at the Moody Centre in the city. It sees 32 teams compete in a three-round Swiss format. Each round is played as best-of-one until teams get eliminated or qualified. With no room for error, the tournament is likely to bring up dramatic storylines — maps can punish even the most established teams, while underdogs can excel.
“This is a bettor’s enigma,” says Tim “Dktruman” de Lange, CS commentator and Cloudbet esports analyst, “Favorites are susceptible to upsets, and long shots with a big day — such as FaZe — can reverse the script. Savvy players are closely watching the initial rounds because they understand each victory or defeat causes immediate line movement.”
There are plentiful betting markets for the tournament available at Cloudbet — round handicaps, correct score, overtime markets, and round total combos such as “Team 1 to win and more than X rounds” are also among Cloudbet’s available esports betting markets.
It is s1mple’s first Major since his appearance for Team Falcons at the Shanghai Major last November. While his sheer skill has never been in doubt, the question will be around how he fits into FaZe, especially after his debut – and FaZe’s early exit – at IEM Dallas in May.
“Bettors are playing cautiously,” adds Dktruman, “FaZe is not bet for superiority at 10.1 — they’re a bet for mayhem. If s1mple gets off to a fast start and the team clicks, we may look back on this number being the steal of the century. There is no time to warm up, however, in this best-of-one.”
Image: Faze Clan via X
In terms of form heading into the tournament, Team Vitality arrives on the crest of a wave having won six consecutive events and enjoying a 30-match win streak.
Though Vitality is the clear favorite, there are multiple challengers that cannot be discounted. MOUZ, Team Spirit, and Team Falcons are among the top contenders capable of testing the French side’s dominance. Of those, MOUZ has the highest pedigree, though not the results — this year alone Vitality has defeated them in three separate finals.
Still, MOUZ brings a talented and well-balanced line-up. With former Vitality player Spinx now leading alongside torzsi, Jimpphat, and xertioN, the team has shown flashes of brilliance. Indeed, in their most recent meeting at IEM Dallas theypushed Vitality to the limit on multiple maps, underscoring their potential to turn the tide under the right conditions. The question will be whether they can take the next step on the biggest stage in Austin.
The modern meta for CS2 prefers aggressive play: explosive riflers, aggressive site rushes, and aggressive AWPers. As CS2 maps have shorter time-to-kill and closer angles, rounds are commonly won and lost within the initial 20 seconds, so spectators and players alike cannot switch off for a second.
“Players such as ZywOo, frozen, maden, and now s1mple are all well-placed to take advantage,” says Dktruman, “This extends to round total and first-kill props, where smart bettors try to take advantage of tendencies of the players in the initial rounds.”
Note: Odds are subject to change and reflect current market trends.
Image via Cloudbet
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Tim “Dktruman” de Lange is a Dutch CS2 and Dota 2 commentator and betting analyst. Known for his concise punditry and tournament insights, he contributes expert coverage for Cloudbet esports. Users can follow him on X @dktrumantv.
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