After the thrills and spills at the Riyadh Masters, it’s time to prepare for the PGL Arlington Major, starting August 4. This is the second major of the year, following the successful completion of ESL One Stockholm, where OG emerged victorious.
This one will have a prize pool of $500,000, which is a bit of a downgrade from the $4 million that was on offer in Saudi Arabia, but Valve, the organizers, make up for the prize difference by compensating with extra opportunities.
The difference between Stockholm and this major is that more teams – as many as 18 – are set to take part. This includes three from China, four from Western Europe, three apiece from Southeast Asia and Eastern Europe and two each from North and South America.
Teams have been clubbed into two groups of nine, with each match played in a best-of-two format. Teams play each other once in a single round-robin stage with the top four from each group qualifying into the upper bracket.
Teams that finish fifth and sixth will play in the lower bracket, while the others get eliminated. The playoffs will feature a double-elimination bracket, and matches will be best-of-three. The final will be a best-of-five. Here’s a look at how teams are placed.
But before we look at the odds, be sure to check out our guide on how to bet on Dota 2.
| Team | Odds |
|---|---|
| PSG.LGD | +235 |
| Team Spirit | +700 |
| Tundra Esports | +700 |
| OG | +800 |
| Team Aster | +800 |
Odds as of July 29 at Sportsbook
Favorites To Win The PGL Arlington Major
PSG.LGD (+235)
Runners-up at five internationals, PSG.LGD finally look set to break that barrier. They were stellar at the Riyadh Masters, shellacking Team Spirit 2-0 to avenge their heartbreak against the same opponents at The International 10 last year. The final was the only playoff series that ended in a clean sweep; PSG.LGD took less than an hour to squash Spirit. The win in their very first International event since the TI10 was a statement of intent from the Chinese giants.
The continuity of a core group they retained for two years running brings with them the promise of more success in Arlington, notwithstanding how they merely scraped into the tournament by finishing fourth at the Dota Pro Circuit China Tour 3, where they had a 4-3 win-loss record.
Tundra Esports (+700)
They finished in the top three at the Stockholm Major, which in itself is a superb result. They topped the group stages and began the playoffs in the winners bracket, dropping just one game en route to the winner’s final against TSM. This is where they encountered turbulence, losing their next two series to finish third.
There were some hurdles to overcome on the technical front, given this was the first in-person LAN event since Covid. Tundra rose above them all. It merely reiterated how Tundra has been one of the best teams in the Western Europe Dota Pro Circuit since they came into formation in early 2021 when they signed mudgolems. The team has soared to the top of the Western Europe charts and has been rooted there firmly.
Dark Horses To Win The PGL Arlington Major
OG (+800)
Since coming onto the scene last November, OG has turbocharged its way with a relatively young squad, putting up one great performance after another. They have been so dominating that it seemed a massive shock to their own system when Team Liquid showed them the door by inflicting back-to-back series losses toward the end of Tour 3.
And just as you began to wonder if OG would crack, they channeled the setback positively to bounce back in style by storming their way to top the group at the Riyadh Masters. Since then, they have endured a major speed bump, looking a pale shadow of the side that won in Stockholm. Deteriorating performances, with their faults exposed with precision by Liquid, threaten to blow the lid off. But their track record is dotted with several comebacks in the short term. Don’t expect them to bow out without a fight in Arlington.
Royal Never Give Up (+1000)
RNG became the first team to seal their spot at the Arlington Major when they beat Xtreme Gaming 2-0 to propel themselves to the top of the DPC Pro Circuit Tour 1 standings. This also made them the first Chinese team to seal their spot at DPC 2021-22’s final major, and just the second team overall, after OG. There is plenty of promise in their ranks, too, for them to make a massive impact at Arlington. All their players are in form.
Somnus especially has been dominant in the mid lane ever since his comeback, Liangzhi’s game has been even more solid, Chalice seems a more formidable force to his former avatar, Ghost has blended in superbly with the team and xNova has chipped in wherever needed.
