Bet on Valorant Champions 2026
Valorant Champions stands tall in the eSports arena, captivating Kiwi fans and bettors alike. As a premier FPS tournament, it commands serious attention in New Zealand's eSports betting scene. Keen to place a wager? This guide dives into everything you need to know about Valorant Champions, from the game's core mechanics to understanding its popularity with punters, and most importantly, how to confidently bet on it. We'll cover odds, strategies, and where to find the best Kiwi-friendly bookmakers offering Valorant Champions markets. Get ready to level up your eSports betting game!
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About Valorant for Kiwi Players
Valorant is a popular first-person shooter video game for PCs (Microsoft Windows). While its development began back in 2014, it was officially launched on June 2, 2020.
Developed and published by Riot Games, the same powerhouse behind League of Legends (LoL), Valorant has quickly risen to become a fan favourite among first-person shooter enthusiasts, often compared to titles like Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS: GO) and the Call of Duty (COD) franchise. It was an instant hit upon release and has seen exponential growth in popularity since.
Valorant by the Numbers
Statistics show Valorant maintained approximately 12 million active players monthly in 2021, with numbers soaring to around 16 million monthly in 2022. This translates to roughly 1.5 million daily players, proving Valorant's revolutionary impact. Several factors contribute to its widespread appeal among players in New Zealand and globally.
Firstly, Riot Games' decision to use Unreal Engine 4 provides a fluid gaming experience with excellent graphics and sound, creating an immersive gameplay environment.
Secondly, Valorant is a free-to-play title, meaning FPS fans can jump into the action without spending a cent.
Finally, Riot Games continuously expands the game by adding new content, including new heroes (agents), maps, features, game modes, and other elements.
Valorant Gameplay and Objectives
Set in the near future, Valorant is a tactical shooter where two teams of five engage in a 5v5 battle that demands both individual skill and teamwork. The game's objectives vary depending on the game mode. Valorant features seven game modes: Unrated, Competitive, Deathmatch, Spike Rush, Escalation, Replication, and Snowball Fight.
Valorant Champions: The Pinnacle of Esports for New Zealand Gamers
While numerous Valorant tournaments and competitions exist, Valorant Champions stands as the largest and most prestigious event. Organised and hosted by Riot Games, it boasts a substantial $1,000,000 prize pool, distributed among teams based on their final rankings. Unlike many esports tournaments, Valorant Champions is an offline event.
The inaugural Valorant Champions event took place from December 1 to 12, 2021, in Germany. It brought together 16 top esports teams with Valorant rosters. Among the notable participants were Gambit Esports, Sentinels, Team Envy, KRÜ Esports, Cloud9, Team Liquid, Acend, Team Secret, and Fnatic, among others.
Much like the game itself, Valorant Champions commands a massive audience. The 2021 Champions finals peaked with 1,089,068 viewers, while the tournament's average viewership was 469,083. The total hours watched reached an impressive 46,048,311.
Tournament Schedule and Format
Qualification for Valorant Champions is determined by each esports team's performance in their regional circuit point standings. The tournament itself kicks off with group stages, progressing to intense playoff rounds.
It's clear that Valorant Champions will be an annual event, with the 2022 championships already underway and qualifiers in full swing. This marks another exciting chapter for the game's competitive scene.
Why is Valorant Champions popular?
Betting on the best eSports tournaments has become popular today. As one of the biggest esports events, Valorant Champions is popular among punters. Several reasons explain why this game is among the most popular eSport tournaments that bettors wager on.
First is the fact that Valorant Champions is one of the most significant eSport leagues for Valorant. The tournament is the most competitive and attracts the largest prize pool in Valorant eSports. Considering the competitiveness, Valorant betting enthusiasts are always waiting for it.
The other reason Valorant Champions is popular is that there are plenty of matches to bet on, from the qualifiers to the finals. For example, the 2022 Valorant Champions started in January 2022 and will end in September.
There are also plenty of online betting sites with Valorant betting markets. While it's a relatively new game, many bookies avail Valorant Champions betting markets to cater to the large number of Valorant betting fans.
Valorant betting is also easy. As an FPS game, betting on it is similar to wagering on the likes of Call of Duty and Counter-Strike: Global Offensive.
Last, almost all the top teams participating in the major eSport tournaments have Valorant rosters. So, now that eSports betting enthusiasts have a passion for their favorite teams, they have a chance to bet on them on the world stage.
Valorant Champions' winning teams and biggest moments
As mentioned earlier, there has only been one Valorant Champions. That said, there is not much to cover in terms of winners. However, last year's event was action-packed. Here is a recap of some of the biggest moments in the tournament.
Group Stages
In the group stage, there were four groups, each with four teams from different regions. The group stage matches were in a best of three format. Here is how it went down.
- Group A - The first match pitted Acend against Vivo Keyd, while the second match of the group was a battle between Team Envy vs. X10 CRIT. Acend managed to beat Vivo Keyd 2-1 while Team Envy thrashed X10 CRIT 2-0.
- Group B - In the second group, Sentinels took on FURIA Esports, while KRÜ Esports and Team Liquid battled it out in the second match of the group. Team Liquid and Sentinels emerged as winners, beating their opponents 2-0, and 2-1, respectively.
- Group C - Gambit Esports was up against Team Secret while Team Vikings played against Crazy Racoon. Gambit Esports beat Team Secret 2-1. In the other match, Team Vikings shot down Crazy Racoon 2-0.
- Group D - Vision Strikers took on FULL SENSE in the last group while Fnatic was against Cloud9 Blue. Vision Strikers emerged victorious in the first match, beating FULL SENSE 2-0, while Fnatic struggled to put down Cloud9 Blue 2-1.
Quarter-Finals
The quarter-finals were action-packed, with the top teams battling it out for a place in the semi-finals.
- Quarter-final 1 - Acend was pitted against Team Secret, and to the surprise of many, Acend gunned down Team Secret winning the match 2-0.
- Quarter-final 2 - The second quarter-final was Team Liquid against Cloud9 Blue. Team Liquid eased past Cloud9 Blue, beating it 2-0.
- Quarter-final 3 - In the third quarter-final, Gambit Esports took on X10 CRIT, where the former managed to win the match 2-1.
- Quarter-final 4 - The last quarter-final was Fnatic against KRÜ Esports, and to the shock of many, Fnatic was eliminated after being hammered 2-1.
Semi-Finals
Like the quarters, the semis were best of three matches and were also action-packed.
- Semi-final 1 - Acend proved to be a powerhouse in the first semi-final beating Team Liquid 2-0. This was a shocker as everyone expected Team Liquid to carry the day.
- Semi-final 2 - In the second semi-final, Gambit Esports was firing on all cylinders. It brought down KRÜ Esports, winning the match 2-1.
2021 Valorant Champions Finals
After a series of matches, from the group stage to the finals, Acend and Gambit Esports were pitted in a best of five duels in the finals. After a gruesome battle, Acend managed to beat Gambit Esports by a score of 3-2.
Acend walked away with the $350,000 prize money, while Gambit Esports took home $150,000. The good thing is that all the participating teams got something to take home with them.
Betting on Valorant Champions
Online eSports betting sites are tapping into the potential of eSports betting, including Valorant betting. For those betting on Valorant Champions eSport tournaments, below are a few things to be aware of.
First is knowing which are the best teams to bet on. From last year's tournament, Acend, the current champions, is the best team to bet on. Other top teams to bet on include Gambit Esports, KRÜ Esports, Fnatic, Team Secret, Cloud9 Blue, and X10 CRIT.
Next is finding the best online eSport betting sites with Valorant betting markets. Here, make sure a renowned betting regulatory body licenses the site. The bookmaker should also have extras such as live streaming so players can follow the action right from the betting site.
Third, make sure to understand Valorant's gameplay and rules. It is also imperative that players understand the different betting markets available and what they mean. Still, on markets, punters must understand how Valorant odds work. Remember, like in traditional betting, the higher the odds, the lower the chances of the bet coming through, and vice versa.
Last, take advantage of eSports betting bonuses such as welcome bonuses, reload bonuses, and cashback, among other promotions.
