VCT Champions 2025 - Valorant Expert Betting Guide & Picks

VCT Champions 2025 - Bet on Valorant Esports with Expert Picks & Predictions

In September, the world’s best Valorant teams will face off in an exciting showdown to crown the world champions. The VCT Champions is the biggest tournament on the professional Valorant calendar, and you can bet on all the action here at Stake Sportsbook. We’ve got our picks and predictions below to help you place your Valorant Esports bets.

What is the VCT Champions Tournament?

The Valorant Champions Tour (VCT) Champions Tournament is a major Esports competition for Valorant, a tactical first-person shooter game where players control agents, who have unique abilities. Teams must work together to eliminate opponents and complete their objective. The Champions tournament is organised by Riot Games, and sees the top teams from all over the world face off for a chance to win the Grand Final and a share of the $2 million prize pool.

Format & Structure

4 teams from each of the 4 international regions qualify for the VCT Champions 2025 event based on their performance during the league. The tournament is split into a group stage and playoffs:

Group Stage - 12-22 September

Teams are drawn into 4 groups and play best-of-three matches against each opponent in their group. A double-elimination format is used, with the top 2 teams progressing to the playoffs.

Playoffs - 25 September to 5 October

Teams progress through the bracket by defeating opponents in best-of-three matches. However, the lower bracket final and the Grand Final are played to the best-of-five.

Predictions & Players and Teams to Watch

1. Paper Rex - Paper Rex recently won the Masters Toronto by defeating Fnatic in the Grand Final, with f0rsakeN earning the Finals MVP award. The Singapore-based team won the Pacific Stage 2 international league to qualify for the 2025 VCT Champions and are the current favorites to win the tournament.

2. G2 Esports - Although the team is based in Berlin, G2 Esports competes in the Americas region and this season they’ve won the Kickoff, Stage 1 and Stage 2 of their international league. They also narrowly lost out on the Masters Bangkok title, losing the Grand Final to T1. G2 are currently the 2nd favourites to win VCT 2025 Champions.

3. Fnatic - Although they lost the Masters Toronto to Paper Rex, Fnatic have still had a strong season, winning Stage 1 of the EMEA international league. Based in London, they have a good track record at the VCT Champions, coming 4th in 2023 and 5th-6th in 2024. Fnatic are the 3rd favourites to win according to the latest odds.

4. Team Liquid - Team Liquid just won Stake 2 of the EMEA international league, though they’ve never won a Masters tournament. They’ve been drawn into a relatively easy group, giving them a good chance of making the playoffs in a strong position. Right now, the odds have them as the 4th favorites to win the VCT Champions.

Current Valorant Meta

Specific agent effectiveness varies by map and team composition. Generally, the best teams are those that can be flexible and play outside the meta. However, these remain some of the most popular agents within the current meta:

• Jett - A strong duelist who is favoured in just about any strategy.

• Sova - An excellent option for post-plant utility, which makes them effective across many maps.

• Omen and Viper - Both offer excellent map denial abilities, with Viper proving particularly effective on Icebox.

The following maps are the most popular based on pick rate in 2025:

• Bind - Favors Raze, Brimstone, Fade, and Viper

• Ascent - Favors Jett, Omen, and Killjoy

• Haven - Favors Cypher, Sova, and Clove

Types of Bets & How to Bet on Valorant

Betting on Valorant and the VCT Champions is easy enough. We’ve got an ultimate sports betting guide and an Esports betting guide if you need some pointers for how to get started.

There are lots of different ways to bet on Valorant at Stake, including the following betting markets:

• Match Winner - Twoway (moneyline)

• Map Handicap

• Total Maps (Over/under)

• Match Round Handicap

• Match Total Rounds

• Wins at Least One Map

• Correct Score

• Map Betting - Includes Map Winner Threeway (1x2 bet), Round Handicap, Total Rounds, etc.

VCT Champions Betting Tips & Strategies

1. Make the most of our betting guides - Aside from our guides on sports betting and Esports betting, we also have a detailed guide to betting on first-person shooters. This tells you everything you need to know about how these games work, the scoring and format of matches, and common FPS betting strategies.

2. Analyse map pool depth - The best teams do well over a broader range of maps, while lower-ranked teams tend to shine on just one or two maps. Make sure you check the map veto history of a team, too, to see which maps they’re weakest on.

3. Recent form compared to tournament history - While form is a great indicator of success, many teams do well in the regional tournament circuit but struggle to replicate their form on the big stage. The top teams often perform well in Valorant Masters and VCT Champions year after year.

Free Esports & Valorant Online Live Streaming

While enjoying the best odds on Valorant matches at Stake, you can also make the most of our live betting options. Pre-match and live betting are available on the VCT Champions, and you can even watch all the action live as it happens. Our free live streams mean you never have to miss out on the best moments of the tournament. Simply log in to your account, open a live match, and select the live stream icon.

Deposit & Withdrawal Methods for Betting on Esports

Deposit

1. Log in to your Stake account and open your wallet.

2. Select the deposit option and choose an available payment method and local currency like INR, TRY, CLP, CAD, VND, and ARS.

3. You can deposit and bet with crypto as well. Stake accepts a wide range of popular cryptocurrencies, including BTC, ETH, USDT, EOS, Doge, LTC, TRX, and SOL.

4. Send your crypto from your wallet using the address provided. Alternatively, deposit using Mesh or buy crypto with MoonPay or Swapped.com before transferring it.

5. Once your funds have arrived, store them in the Stake vault for additional security.

Withdrawal

1. Log in to your Stake account, open the wallet and choose the withdraw option.

2. Select your payment method and enter your details.

3. If you’re withdrawing cryptocurrency, make sure the right network is selected.

4. Confirm your payment after double-checking your details.

Stake Sportsbook Promotions, VIP Club, & Responsible Betting

Aside from using our analysis, guides and tips to make your Valorant VCT Champions picks, you should also make the most of our sports betting promotions. When you join Stake, you’ll also become a member of the VIP Club, which lets you earn rewards for placing bets. Level up your account to receive regular rakeback, reload bonuses and even your own VIP host. Find out how it works on the VIP FAQ page.

Remember to bet responsibly and follow our Stake Smart guidelines to stay safe while enjoying all the action of the tournament.