We're getting closer and closer to the grand finals of the BLAST Premier Spring Groups, as both Groups A and B get ready to take the stage once again on January 24.
BLAST Premier Spring Groups: January 24 schedule and betting odds
We're off to the Group A and B lower bracket finals on January 24, the outcomes of which will decide who will be fighting for victory in their respective grand finals. Team Vitality have already earned their spot in the Group A grand final, while FaZe Clan are awaiting their competitors in the Group B grand final.
| Group A | Group B | Group C |
|---|---|---|
| Heroic | FaZe Clan | G2 |
| Astralis | OG | Natus Vincere |
| Team Vitality | Team Liquid | Ninjas in Pyjamas |
| Evil Geniuses | Complexity Gaming | BIG |
As a quick reminder, 12 teams are competing in this year's BLAST Premier Spring Groups, and they've been separated into Groups A, B and C. The top six teams at the end of the tournament will receive an invitation to the Spring Final, while the teams ranked in 7th to 12th place will advance to the seeded Play-In Stage, taking place from January 27 to 29.
The first match of the day will see Evil Geniuses going up against Heroic, in a match taking place at 2:00 PM GMT.
Evil Geniuses (5.00) vs Heroic (1.13)
This is actually an early rematch for the two teams, as Evil Geniuses has already faced off against Heroic in their debut match of the tournament. And in a shocking upset, Evil Geniuses actually emerged triumphant over Heroic - defying all the odds in a fantastic 2-1 victory on January 19. Still, their good luck didn't last. They were knocked into the lower bracket final following their 0-2 loss to Team Vitality, who have now secured their spot in the Group A final. The pressure will be on Evil Geniuses to pull off another upset here, if they have any hopes of getting their revenge against Team Vitality.
Heroic meanwhile have begun to make up for their disappointing performance against Evil Geniuses - having knocked Astralis into the Play-In stage through a 2-1 victory in the lower bracket semifinals. The team will be further motivated by their desire to prove that Evil Geniuses surprise victory on Thursday was a fluke, and live up to their reputation as the winners of last year's BLAST Premier Fall Final.
The odds are strongly in Heroic's favour here, at 1.13 vs Evil Geniuses' 5.00. Still, Evil Geniuses have emerged victorious against Heroic just recently - so there's hope for a second upset in a row here.
Next up on January 24 is the Group B lower bracket final between OG and Team Liquid, taking place at 5:30 PM GMT.
OG (2.40) vs Team Liquid (1.50)
OG have shown a strong performance throughout this year's Spring Groups so far. They opened up their 2023 season with a 2-0 victory against Team Liquid on January 20, before going on to face FaZe Clan on January 22. And while they lost that match, earning a respectable 2-1 score against FaZe Clan is promising in itself. OG's performance on Ancient in particular is a promising sign of their future matchups, taking the map with a score of 16-11.
Team Liquid meanwhile will be keen to enact revenge on OG, after they lost against the team in their 2023 season debut on January 20. Their 0-2 loss was a surprise upset for Team Liquid, who had been slightly favoured to win - with expectations for the team running high after they ranked in second place at last year's BLAST Premier: World Final. All eyes will be on Liquid to prove that they can earn their place at the Group B final, taking place on January 26.
The odds are in Team Liquid's favour here, at 1.50 vs OG's 2.40. Still, OG claimed an underdog victory in their last match against Team Liquid, and there's every reason to believe they could do so again.
We're rapidly approaching the end of the group stage, with the grand finals for all three groups fast approaching. So you're not going to want to miss a minute of the first CS:GO torunament of the year - so make sure you're signed up for your free account to follow along with the action right here on Luckbox!
