SK Gaming vs Vitality
Saturday, February 22 – 17:00 CET
SK Gaming and Vitality met in Week 1 of LEC Spring Split 2020 season, when it was SK Gaming who came out ahead and according to the betting odds, they’re the favorites to do the same this Saturday.
Pinnacle has SK priced as 1.746-2.39 favorites, which is very generous, given that Vitality are objectively the weakest team in the league. The French squad have not shown anything promising so far and while they might improve once they resolve their visa issues, they’re by far the worst team in the league and possibly even worse compared to some academy teams. SK might not be a team that will move any mountains this split, but at 1.746, they are severely underrated and offer a great betting opportunity.
Prediction: SK Gaming to win – 1.746 at Pinnacle
Excel vs Schalke 04
Saturday, February 22 – 18:00 CET
Schalke picked up their first two wins of the season in their last two games which might give the illusion that this team is solid, however, they still have way too many issues to be regarded as anything more than one of the bottom-three teams in LEC. Their next opponents will be the well-coached Excel, who have proven before they can compete with the best, and while they are still young an inexperienced, Excel tends to be a deadly team for anyone who underestimated them.
The kills line is set at 4.5, which is a bit too low for this match. This bout might be close at the start, but eventually, it will be Excel who will come out ahead due to their superior macro play, and should easily cover line.
Prediction: Excel -4.5 kills – 1.85 at Pinnacle
Rogue vs Misfits
Saturday, February 22 – 19:00 CET
Misfits have established themselves as one of the strongest teams in the league with a respectable 7-2 record next to their name, which sits them at the first spot in the league. Being the frontrunners of the league, Misfits are priced as 1.79 – 1.97 favorites on Pinnacle, however, based on what they have shown so far, they’re nothing special.
Misfits more times than not find a way to win their games, however, they’re not as good as they seem to be and sooner or later they will get exposed. Rogue on the other side are a complete contrast of Misfits. While a solid team, they fail to deliver and are currently holding onto a 5-4 record, which sits them at fifth place. Unlike Misfits who are bound to crumble, Rogue are slowly improving and it’s only a matter of time before they blow up.
Odds here are fair, as Misfits are entering the match in a better form, however, it’s hard to expect a complete stomp from the Bunnies. Rogue have the needed tools to push Misfits to the limits, which suggests we are in for an exciting and bloody match. The total kills line is set at 22.5, which should be within the reach of the two teams, who seem to match up nicely.
Prediction: Over 22.5 kills – 1.98 at Pinnacle
MAD Lions vs G2 Esports
Saturday, February 22 – 20:00 CET
G2 Esports stomped Excel on Friday and it’s safe to assume they will show no mercy to MAD Lions either. The reigning LEC champions have had a disastrous Week 4, however, that does not prove anything. They’re still a class above all other European teams and while they can have their moments of weakness, G2 don’t lose because they lack quality, communication or synergy, but rather because they don’t care enough to give their all and instead experiment with unusual drafts.
They, however, can’t afford to drop any more games now, given that both Misfits and Origen are breathing behind their necks, which suggests they will finally be forced to perform on the top of their ability. MAD Lions are a solid team, but they simply can’t compare to G2, partially due to their lack of experience.
Pinnacle have MAD Lions priced at 3.65 for an outright win, which overrated them a bit, and it’s hard to justify the 29.5 kills line as well. While there is a chance MAD Lions might start strong here and push G2 to their limits, we would not count on that happening. G2 have shown their full strength against Excel and if that results is anything to go by, they should overrun MAD Lions with ease. Expect a short match with G2 coming out ahead in under 30 minutes.
Prediction: Under 29.5 kills – 1.877 at Pinnacle
Origen vs Fnatic
Saturday, February 22 – 21:00 CET
A rematch between two of the strongest European squads is bound to make sparks fly, yet all the spotlight will be on Fnatic, who have yet to prove their strength. Having produced a handful of shaky performances this season, Fnatic seem like a team that won’t be a serious threat to pocket a top finish by the end of the split, yet we can’t deny the individual quality they bring to the table.
Origen on the other side, are on the rise, and are entering this match with a streak of three consecutive wins under their belt. They defeated MAD Lions, Excel and SK Gaming and will look to make it four in a row against Fnatic. The first time these two sides met in Week 1, it was Origen who came out ahead with a dominant win, however, based on the teams’ recent performances it would be fair to assume this bout will be much closer. Pinnacle has Origen priced as slight favorites at 1.854, while Fnatic sit at 1.884. The total kills line is set at 23.5.
This will be a crucial match for both sides to win and although this would usually indicate neither will look to risk too much, Fnatic know well that they can’t afford to lose another game. We expect Fnatic to approach this match more aggressively, which should help increase the tempo of this fixture, resulting in plenty of kills on the board.
Prediction: Over 23.5 kills – 1.917 at Pinnacle
Best Bet: Rogue vs Misfits – Over 22.5 kills – 1.98 at Pinnacle
