Overwatch World Cup Grand Prize
Overwatch League withdrawals? Us too. No fear, the Overwatch League World Cup kicks off tonight at 11 p.m. ET on ESPN3.
The prize pools keep changing with each passing event. The most lucrative Overwatch World Cup event was the first one, featuring $288,000 in prize money. The lowest the event went was the very next year, packing “only” $72,000. Every iteration of Overwatch World Cup has. Welcome to the Overwatch League, your home for all the latest information, news, scores and stats from the league!
Here's what you need to know.
What: The third annual global Overwatch competition with a total prize pool of $488,000.
Who: Twenty-four countries divided into four group stages (six teams per grouping). Top-two countries from each group stage will then compete in the Overwatch World Cup 2018 finals to crown a champion.
Where: The four group stages will be held in cities across the globe: Incheon, South Korea, Los Angeles, Bangkok and Paris. The finals will take place in Anaheim at BlizzCon 2018.
When: Group stages run from Aug. 16-Sept. 23. Overwatch World Cup 2018 finals will take place from Nov. 2-3.
Prize Pool: Each of the 24 teams will receive $15,000 for competing with an additional $16,000 awarded to each of the eight teams who advance to the Overwatch World Cup 2018 finals.
Country Selection: Through the end of competitive Season 9 (April 28), the 20 countries with the highest average skill rating (SR) of each country's top 150 players were invited to complete in the 2018 Overwatch World Cup. The four hosts (France, South Korea, Thailand and the United States) automatically qualified. If a host country makes the top-20 through average SR, the 21st-ranked country will take their spot, and so on.
Team Breakdown: Each country will be represented by a general manager, coach and community leader. The league selected General Managers while the Overwatch player base voted on coaches and community leaders (final round of coach voting is limited to top-150 players in each region). Rosters contain up to 12 players, top-seven players travel to each Overwatch World Cup event.
Match Details: Each match will consist of four maps, plus a potential fifth map if the score is tied after four maps. Map selection and order for all groups and matches will be decided by Blizzard.
Group Stages:
South Korea is the clear favorite to advance from this group, and win the entire event. South Korea has won each of the previous two Overwatch World Cups and has yet to lose a single match in the process (13-0, +36 map differential).
The South Korean team is the only team with all 12 players on Overwatch League (OWL) rosters and is one of three teams to have an OWL coach, Hyeon-sang 'Pavane' Yu of the New York Excelsior. Pavane picked up six players from the Excelsior, the most players from one OWL team on one Overwatch World Cup team.
The rest of the roster consists of All-Star caliber players from around the league, literally. Eleven of their twelve players were selected to join the OWL All-Star game in August, six of which will be starting.
Outside of South Korea, Finland and Russia are the most likely to advance. Finland (7) and Russia (2) are the only two others teams in the group to feature Overwatch League players. Team Russia finished second in the inaugural Overwatch World Cup 2016 (losing to South Korea), but failed to make it out of the group stage in 2017. Finland also had a strong showing in 2016, finishing fourth, but they also failed to make it out of the group stage in 2017.
The Los Angeles group looks to be one of the most predictable of the four groupings, with USA and Canada as the favorites. The United States has nine Overwatch League players, second most among all countries, and has finished among the top-eight each of the last two Overwatch World Cups. The USA also has the coach of Dallas Fuel, Aaron 'Aero' Atkins, who after taking over the Fuel in Stage 4, led the team to a 6-4 record (more wins than it had in Stages 1-3 combined) and an appearance in the Stage 4 playoffs.
Canada, on the other hand, has five current OWL players and Félix 'xQc' Lengyel, who was kicked off the Dallas Fuel roster during Stage 2 after multiple suspensions. Outside of USA and Canada, none of the other countries in this group has any players from the Overwatch League, so it is hard to imagine one of them advancing beyond the group stage.
From the Bangkok group, expect Sweden to advance with relative ease. Sweden's roster contains eight Overwatch league players (third most), and four of those players were on the same team (Florida Mayhem). That synergy should work to Team Sweden's advantage, especially considering Florida Mayhem head coach Vytis 'Mineral' Lasaitis will also be coaching Team Sweden. The Swedes have finished among the top-three each of the previous two Overwatch World Cups; the only other team to do so was South Korea.
Outside of Sweden, the rest of the group appears to be wide open. Spain could be the favorite to advance with three OWL players, but China and Australia both finished among the top-eight in 2017.
The Paris grouping is perhaps the most unpredictable of all groups. There are only five OWL players in the entire group and France has four of them, making them an early favorite. France finished fourth in 2017 and fifth in 2016, joining South Korea and Sweden as the only countries to finish top-five each of the two previous Overwatch World Cups.
Outside of Team France, the United Kingdom might be the other team to watch here. The roster features the only non-French player from the OWL in this group, Isaac 'Boombox' Charles of the Philadelphia Fusion. United Kingdom finished fifth in 2017, but did not qualify in 2016.
Overwatch World Cup might not be the biggest, most popular Overwatch event, but it definitely has its charm. It’s basically Blizzard’s equivalent of good old WESG cups that featured national teams instead of esports organizations. Yep, you won’t see the likes of Philadelphia Fusion and London Spitfire on Overwatch World Cups.
What you will see, though, are the likes of South Korea, Russia, Canada, China, and the US! Come to think of it, international rivalries might just be the reason why Overwatch World Cup betting is so darn popular in the first place!
Betting Site | Bonus | Bet Now | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | up to €30 Free Bet | Go to Site | |
| 2 | 22Bet | 100% up to €122 | Go to Site |
| 3 | 100% up to €200 | Go to Site | |
| 4 | 10Bet | 100% up to €50 | Go to Site |
| 5 | 100% up to €50 | Go to Site |
That’s exactly what we’re here to discuss, betting on Overwatch World Cup. We know most betting enthusiasts want to place bets on Overwatch League, but Overwatch World Cup betting has its charm, too. So, if you’re here to learn about this fiery competition, the best way to start off is by learning about the top Overwatch betting sites!
Then, below, we’ll narrow it down to the best sites for the Overwatch World Cup, which is its most popular event.
Best Sites for Betting on Overwatch World Cup in 2021
Looking for sites that feature real money Overwatch World Cup betting options? Well, the following bunch ought to inspire your imagination.
What Makes These Bookies Good for Overwatch World Cup Betting?
Overwatch World Cup Schedule
It’s not just one thing, it’s a combination of many. Sites with Overwatch World Cup betting odds actually feature complex environments that focus on acquiring users and keeping them entertained. But as far as individual characteristics go, here’s the stuff you should keep tabs on:
Overwatch World Cup Grand Prize
- Customer service effectiveness
- Generosity of bonus offers
- Website fluidity and responsiveness
- Betting on the fly
- Simple user interface
- Payment method variety
- Overwatch World Cup betting options variety
- Variety of esports specials and props
Of course, there’s a bunch of additional stuff that we could’ve placed here but, for the sake of keeping things simple, we opted for the crucial stuff. Once again, each of us values things differently… So, if you read somewhere that a certain Overwatch World Cup betting site is the best one, take it with a grain of salt because it might not be the ideal one for you.
Interesting Facts Regarding Overwatch World Cup Events
- The first Overwatch World Cup featured 16 teams. That number was lowered to eight teams in 2017 and 2018. The latest World Cup, 2019’s iteration, had 10 teams, which was a first.
- When talking about the best teams, South Korea has to be pointed out as the best one out there. They’ve won three out of four World Cups and weren’t that far off from winning a fourth, too.
- The prize pools keep changing with each passing event. The most lucrative Overwatch World Cup event was the first one, featuring $288,000 in prize money. The lowest the event went was the very next year, packing “only” $72,000.
- Every iteration of Overwatch World Cup has been held at the Anaheim Convention Center. It’s a very cozy venue that’s grown accustomed to the spectacle that is the Overwatch World Cup.
- As for Overwatch World Cup betting options, these days, esports betting platforms offer plenty of variety. You can choose stuff like live bets, totals, player vs. player wagers, and all sorts of additional esports specials.
A Quick Look Into the History of Overwatch World Cup
Overwatch World Cup is one of the oldest events for Overwatch tournament betting! The first one was held in Anaheim, back in late October to early November of 2016. South Korea emerged as the winner after beating the Russian national team in the grand finals.
That was the first triumph by the Koreans, but not the last one. South Korea went on to win the three consecutive world cup titles, before USA took them down in Overwatch World Cup 2019.
As far as the best national teams are concerned, we reckon the big trio doesn’t need a special introduction. South Korea, China, and the US are the three top-tier nations that rule the playoffs. Canada and Russia are worth mentioning, too. But if you’re interested in Overwatch World Cup betting online, South Korea, USA, and China are the teams you should bet on!
How to Start Betting on Overwatch World Cup in 2021
Even though we warmly recommend you start your real money Overwatch betting career by betting on the OWL, we’re still going to give you a short step-by-step guide on how to bet on the Overwatch World Cup.
- First things first, you need to find where to bet on the Overwatch World Cup online, register for an account, and confirm your identity. If you can’t find a proper bookie, visiting our esports betting sites page should come in handy.
- Once you have a confirmed account, you’re ready to make the initial deposit. Before doing this, though, it’s best to check for bonus codes, promotions and other bonus info.
- After finishing the initial deposit process, navigate to the esports category, typically located at the top or left side of the page. These days, most (if not all) betting sites have dedicated esports categories with specific titles as subcategories. Online bookies are well-organized!
- Once you’ve found Overwatch World Cup odds, it’s time to roll up your sleeves, grab a cup of hot coffee, and start digging! Dig up a ton of info on both teams before you make your final decision and place your bet.
- That’s it. All it takes is four simple steps! The fifth one is just a congratulatory one. So, yeah… Congrats!
Overwatch World Cup Betting FAQ
With a unique competitive environment, a fully franchised system, and massive organizations standing behind the partnered teams, Overwatch League was an instant success. Needless to say, the OWL is still the most lucrative Overwatch esports competition! It’s no wonder people want to take part in some Overwatch World Cup betting online.
Depending on what the word dangerous means for you. If you’re just referring to the safety of your personal information, then you should be all good. But that’s assuming you opt for a reputable esports bookmaker with positive reviews and overall good customer experience.If, however, you don’t pay enough attention to your preferred Overwatch World Cup betting sites, you might end up with one that doesn’t take good care of your personal information… Needless to say, that can be dangerous for your online wellbeing.
The last thing we’ll be discussing in our Overwatch World Cup betting guide is our list of the best bookmakers. It’s basically the topic we started this piece off with, so it’s only logical for us to finish off with it as well!So, what makes the best bookmakers for Overwatch betting online? Surprisingly enough, a wide array of things can be labeled as crucial characteristics of good bookmakers. For a short list of the most important ones, as well as a handful of Overwatch World Cup betting sites, head to top of the page!