Six days after the grand final, the rematch nobody gets to skip

Six days ago these two met in the grand final of the open qualifier and ex-RUSTEC took it 2-1, three maps, the underdog walking off with the spot. Now they run it back in the closed qualifier, and Nuclear TigeRES have had a week to stew on it.

They have not wasted it. TigeRES have won three on the trot in the site's records: 2-0 over XI Esport, 2-1 over Phantom and a clean 2-0 over Eternal Fire yesterday. ex-RUSTEC have been patchier, beating GamerLegion 2-0 and then losing 1-2 to BBL, another series that went the full three maps. So one side is in form and wants its revenge, the other has already shown it can drag TigeRES the distance when it matters. That is the kind of story that rarely ends in a quick sweep. Both teams have played a three-map series in the last week, and the last time they shared a server it went all the way.

For the Aussies it is a 4am AEDT start on Monday, which is a big ask, but this is the series of the night in that bracket.

The price on that story: TigeRES are 1.46 at best to win the series and 2.50 to win it 2-0, while three maps (over 2.5) pays 2.06 against 1.80 for the under. The market thinks a sweep is slightly more likely than a decider. The story says the opposite, and I would rather back a rematch of a three-map final to go long than trust the favourite to make it tidy.

Verdict: over 2.5 maps at 2.06.