Riot Games decided to take its flagship tactical first-person hero shooter to the next esports level. The Valorant Champions Tour begins in 2021 and it will provide the best teams with the ultimate opportunity to showcase their talent. Top players from all over the world will compete in a series of tournaments scheduled throughout the year. Announced in November 2020, the VCT 2021 schedule is made of three distinct phases that culminate with the Champions stage. Its original progression system provides participants with the incentive to claw their way to the top of the hierarchy.
Valorant Champions Tour Format
Fans of Riot’s tactical FPS had the chance to bet on Valorant as early as late January when the first Challengers events took place. The Valorant Champions Tour 2021 schedule has the tournaments layered out in a quick succession, so action never really stops. There are more than a dozen Challenger events scheduled for 2021 and three Masters. These will take place in March, June and September, and will represent the highlight of the VCT 2021 schedule.
They will provide participants with the opportunity to earn the coveted points needed to participate in the final act of the competition. Those who miss out will have a final opportunity through the Last Chance Qualifier in October. The VCT 2021 format culminates with the Champions stage which is the equivalent of the League of Legends Worlds. Not surprisingly, it is also scheduled for December to wrap up what promises to be an exciting Valorant Champions Tour.
Valorant Champions Tour 2021 Schedule
Challengers will provide Valorant players and punters with excellent esports betting opportunities. These span over the course of six weeks and the VCT 2021 format envisioned them as a string of three tournaments. Each of these competitions comes with its own open qualifier, to provide new teams with a chance to compete. They will be joined by the teams that finished in the top four positions during the previous tournament, as they won’t have to go through qualifiers.
Masters represent the most important milestones in the Valorant Champions Tour 2021 schedule. There are three of them and just like Challengers they have qualifiers that grant a total of 16 slots. EMEA and North American teams get most of them, with four, respectively three positions guaranteed. Brazil, South Korea, Japan and Southeast Asia have two slots each, while Latin America has one. Punters will be able to use VCT Masters predictions to make an informed decision when betting on Valorant Masters
The same Valorant Champions Tour rules apply for the last stage of the event, namely the Champions qualification. Each region will have the same number of spots, with an additional slot being reserved to the Masters 3 winner. Throughout the VCT 2021 schedule, teams will compete for prizes that start at a few thousand dollars and up to $150,000 for Valorant Masters. The prize pool for the Champions event is yet to be revealed, but it could well cross into seven digit territory.
Where to Watch the Valorant Champions Tour?
Valorant is already a tremendously popular game, with hundreds of thousands of people watching it on streaming platforms. The VCT 2021 format is packed with exciting games and will provide exceptional betting opportunities. All the major esports books, as well as many prestigious bookmakers have added the game to their betting portfolios. Most of them have a live streaming service incorporated into the website to allow players to watch the games as they unfold.
A convenient alternative to watching the Valorant Champions Tour live is provided by Twitch. The celebrated streaming platform has multiple channels dedicated to this game, including an official VCT 2021 channel. This is where the games will be broadcasted in real-time for Challengers, Masters and Champions events throughout the year. In between, Valorant fans will also have the opportunity to bet on streamers who broadcast their games on this platform.
Valorant Champions Tour Betting Tips
Riot Games has big plans for its FPS game and we expect them to come to fruition in 2021. The Valorant Champions Tour rules are clear and unlikely to change significantly this year. Challenger events are the bread and butter for Valorant betting, as they are the most numerous and include qualifiers. Punters will cherish the opportunity of betting on the Masters, which bring together the best teams in the tournament.
As the competition draws closer to its inevitable conclusion, everyone’s eyes will be fixed on the main event in December. Vision Strikers look like the strongest team coming into the tournament, but G2 Esports and Sentinels are certain to give them a run for their money. Fnatic and FunPlus Phoenix are dark horses and those who underestimate them, do it at their own peril. We’ll provide you with Valorant Champions Tour betting tips throughout the year, including the Valorant Champions 2021 competition.