Michael Lee returns with his esports betting previews for two Elisa Invitational 2022 Spring and one League of Legends Pro League (LPL) 2022 Summer match.
Today he looks at Apeks vs BLUEJAYS, SINNERS Esports vs KOVA, and an intriguing LoL clash between Top Esports and Team WE.
Esports Betting Tips: Tuesday, June 14th
SINNERS Esports vs KOVA
Elisa Invitational 2022 Spring
The elimination match between SINNERS and KOVA does not promise any high-quality CS, but it should be a close affair between two struggling teams. KOVA have so far beaten only BIG Academy (2-1) but lost against Team Finest (1-2) and Apeks (0-2).
SINNERS were equally as disappointing, with one victory against 777 Esports (2-1) and two defeats against ex-MAD Lions (1-2) and ENTERPRISE esports (0-2). It's not a good look for the Czech squad, but it's not surprising to see them struggle,
SINNERS have not been the same since the departure of NEOFRAG to OG, winning just six of nine games, albeit against frail opponents, and their only notable achievement was finishing third at Tipsport Online Cup 2022.
That doesn't mean much for this match since SINNERS are set to face a team of similar quality. In fact, we might even say that KOVA are half a tier below as a team that was never good, and they definitely aren't in good shape ahead of this match.
KOVA have won just one of their last six games, and that mainly includes matches in ESEA. In other words, KOVA have been losing against T3 teams while their only victory was an overtime win against world no.134 Team ESCA (19-15).
SINNERS might be weaker than they were a few weeks back, but they're still stronger than KOVA, who have not impressed me one bit with their recent performances.
SINNERS Esports to win
$1.66 (2 Units)
Apeks vs BLUEJAYS
Elisa Invitational 2022 Spring
Apeks kicked off Elisa Invitational 2022 Spring with a commanding 2-0 victory against Into the Breach but couldn't keep their momentum going and lost against Sprout (1-2). However, it was a very close series and had Apeks won the first map (26-28), they would have closed out the series 2-0 with a 19-16 victory on Dust 2.
Regardless of their little mishap against Sprout, Apeks got right back on track last Monday, with a 2-0 sweep of KOVA with 16-7 on Nuke and 16-10 on Inferno.
BLUEJAYS had a very similar journey this tournament. They first picked up a fairly straightforward victory against BIG Academy, followed it up with a 1-2 defeat against Team Finest, and defeated MASONIC (2-0) in a close (16-12, 16-14) series.
Even though both teams won the same number of games, Apeks have looked much better in their wins. And even in their sole defeat, Apeks had a realistic chance to come out ahead without dropping a map.
BLUEJAYS are not a weak team, and they have the tools to deal with squads of Apeks' quality. But I just can't make myself trust a team that relies way too much on one player – in this case, Aleksandar "CacaNito" Kjulukoski, who is averaging a phenomenal 1.20 rating over the last three months. He can cause some damage, but the rest of his team is mediocre at best, with just two of his four teammates averaging a positive performance rating.
Apeks are priced as 1.60 favourites, and there is a good reason for that as they shouldn't be losing games like this. Take Apeks to win both maps with 2.5 rounds to spare.
Apeks -2.5 Rounds
$1.90 (1 Unit)
Top Esports vs Team WE
LPL 2022 Summer
It's no secret that Top Esports are one of the league's strongest teams, and I believe this team has everything it needs to compete for the title. They improved throughout the spring, and it seems like they have things figured out for the most part.
We could still see some moves in the bottom lane (by swapping supports), but I have high expectations for Top Esports and their chances. On the other side, there is a chance they get figured out and fall apart in the playoffs – which they almost certainly will reach.
Team WE are all but a team you would consider top-tier, and even with the changes they've made this offseason, I don't see them making it far. Although I believe WE underperformed the last split, this roster has minimal upside.
Jiang "beishang" Zhi-Peng can be good, but besides him, Team WE have no players who I could consider solid. And seeing how Team We have two players in ADC and support roles makes me believe that the team has no confidence in their bottom side.
I'm not a big fan of betting on clean sweeps in the opening weeks of the season, but there is nothing that would make me believe Team WE stand a chance. Top Esports wins 2-0.
Top Esports -1.5 Maps
$1.72 (1 Unit)
