It’s that time of the year again! The biggest and longest running fighting games tournament in the world, the Evolution Championship Series (EVO), is back. EVO brings together the best of the best from around the world in an electric exhibition of skill and fun, as players and fans gather to honour the competitive spirit of fighting esports in an open format tournament that crowns champions in their favourite fighting games.

With less than 6 days to go before the competition opens, we take a look at all you need to know about EVO 2022 and the right betting options you should explore. Let’s dive in.

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How to start EVO Betting

As you become more familiar with esports, you'll realize that placing a wager on esports, in various genres is no different from doing so on traditional sports like soccer or horse racing. It is just like making and winning a traditional bet!

1. Choose a betting site that offers fighting game esports

There’s a growing range of betting sites that now facilitate esports betting, as well as several dedicated esports bookies. Choose the esport betting market you’re interested in and check out the odds to make sure it’s right for you

2. Create an account and sign up for any welcome offers

Many esports betting sites offer bonuses, so make sure to take full advantage.

3. Choose your favourite esport and player

This is going to take some research on your part to pick out the best games and players to punt on.

4. Place your bet!

Lastly, just place your bet and confirm it on your betting slip.

EVO 2022 Tournament Overview

The long-awaited in-person EVO event is finally here after the many challenges that COVID posed to live events. With millions of eager fans and thousands of players and spectators readying themselves for the first in-person EVO since it was acquired by Sony and RTS, EVO 2022 is set to be a very big year for the franchise.

The full line-up of the world’s greatest fighting esports tournament has been revealed already, and we have several intriguing games and players on the roster, ready to compete for the ultimate prizes.

Guilty Gear Strive, King of Fighters, Skull Girls, and Melty Blood Type Lunar are the newest games on the block, while regulars like Street Fighter, Tekken and Mortal Kombat are featured in this 3- day long tournament.

EVO 2022 would take place from Friday, 5th to Sunday, 7th of August. On Friday and Saturday, the event will take place in the Bayside D, E, and F Exhibit Halls in the South Convention Center at Mandalay Bay, Las Vegas. And, finally, the finals on Sunday will be held at Michelob ULTRA Arena.

Tournament Format

EVO 2022 features double-elimination competitions in every event. This tournament format allows players to compete until they have dropped two sets, at which point they are eliminated. A double-elimination bracket is a predetermined format that determines the order in which competitors face off against one another.

As a result of the thousands of competitors available, the double-elimination brackets are sectioned up into smaller double-elimination brackets known as pools to make it easier for the organizers to manage.

Each pool will have between 16 and 32 players in it and take place in 2-hour blocks throughout the Friday and Saturday of Evo 2022. Players who make it far enough in their pool will advance in the tournament.

After all rounds of pools, players that remain alive in the tournament will be combined into a single double-elimination bracket of 64 or fewer people, with half of the remaining players placed in the Winners Bracket and half placed in the Losers Bracket. This is the semi-final phase of the tournament. The semi-final phase proceeds till only 8 players are remaining: 4 players in the Winners Bracket and 4 in the Losers Bracket. These last 8 players make up the final phase of the tournament and would play on the main stage of the event, eventually receiving medals and prize money based on their final placement.

Prize Pool

Tournament finalists are set to win medals, trophies, and their share of that tournament’s prize pool. Prize pools are generated via tournament entry fees (and sometimes developer or publisher support). The prize money is split between the top 8 finalists in each tournament.

EVO gives cash awards to the top eight places at a rate proportional to the number of participants. Each competitor in the tournament pays ten dollars that goes into the tournament prize pool, which is awarded to the top 8 finishers at a 42/20/13/7/5/5/4/4 split.

Guilty Gear- Strive has the biggest prize pool of this year’s tournament at $21,580, followed by Tekken 7 and then Street Fighter V.

Tournament Schedule

EVO 2022 is scheduled to take place from August 5 to 7 at the Mandalay Bay resort. The event is the first since 2019 to take place in person due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The tournament will feature 9 major games- Guilty Gear Strive, Street Fighter V: Champion Edition, Tekken 7, Dragon Ball FighterZ, Granblue Fantasy: Versus, The King of Fighters XV, Melty Blood: Type Lumina, Mortal Kombat 11 Ultimate, and Skullgirls: 2nd Encore

Day 1 (Stage 1)3pm PDT / 10 pm BST

  1. Round 1 Pools of all tournaments.

  2. Top 8 (Finals) competition for SKULLGIRLS: 2ND ENCORE

  3. Vortex Gallery Tournaments hold on the side.

Day 2 (Stage 2)3pm PDT / 10 pm BST

  1. Complete Round 1 Pools of all tournaments yet to be completed.

  2. Round 2 Pools of all tournaments

  3. Top 8(Finals) competitions for;
    MORTAL KOMBAT 11: ULTIMATE,
    MELTY BLOOD: TYPE LUMINA, GRANBLUE FANTASY: VERSUS, DRAGON BALL FIGHTERZ

  4. Vortex Gallery Tournaments hold on the side.

Day 3 (Main Stage Event)5 pm PDT / 12 am BSTTop 8(Finals) competitions for;
KING OF FIGHTERS XV
TEKKEN 7
STREET FIGHTER V: CHAMPION EDITION
GUILTY GEAR -STRIVE-

What is the EVO 2022 line-up?

EVO 2022 would be featuring nine major tournaments, arranged in order of the number of registered participants. Here are the major games to expect in this year’s competition, in order of their participant size.

Guilty Gear -STRIVE

Guilty Gear Strive is a fighting video game developed and published by Arc System Works, a publishing behemoth in the fighting games genre. Guilty Gear Strive is the seventh instalment of the Guilty Gear series, where the developer has meshed sound story plots, compelling battle systems, and a brilliant interface to produce a game that has quickly become a fan favourite. The game was released worldwide in June 2021.

Top ranking players in this EVO 2022 include Hotashi (Julian Harris) and Razzo, both from the USA. They would be competing amongst other top players for $9,063.60 first place prize money. The winner would also be directly seeded into the ARC World Tour 2022 final.

The most recent tournament that featured Guilty Gear Strive is the Urban Battles 2022 held in Argentina and Tenerife GG in Spain.

Street Fighter V: Champion Edition

Street Fighter is definitely a game you’re familiar with. It is one of the oldest and most respected fighting series in the history of game industries and has featured in EVO since its early days. The game has lots of fans and a well-storied history that makes it popular today.

Street Fighter V is developed by Capcom, organizers of the Capcom Cup yearly, the biggest Street Fighter tournament with a great prize pool. Tokido (Hajime Taniguchi) from Japan and IDOM (Derek Ruffin) from the USA are two of the highest-ranked players featuring in this year’s EVO tournament. The first-place prize money is $5,560.80 and the winner gets seeded automatically into the Capcom Cup IX.

Tekken 7

Tekken is a popular series of fighting games with a long history and deep roots in the esports industry. It is a relatively straightforward game whose only variables are the characters themselves who have customized attacks and defensive modes. Tekken is a very easy game to understand for punters because they do not need to know the complexities of the game to be able to understand and place simple bets.

Tekken 7 was featured in Tenerife GG held in Spain and Combo Breaker 2022 Tekken 7.

Top-rated players in this year’s tournament include Anakin (Hoa Luu) from the USA, Super Akouma from France and Knee (Jae Min) from Japan. They’ll be competing alongside many top players for first-place prize money of $7,215.60 worth 550 points.

The King of Fighters XV

The King of Fighters XV is a fighting game developed by SNK and released earlier this year. It is also the first game in The King of Fighters series created using Unreal Engine 4. King of Fighters XV is praised for the strength of its characters and smooth online performance, although there’s some criticism for its story mode and complex gameplay.

The game was featured in the Combo Breaker 2022 The King of Fighters XV earlier this year. Top players in EVO 2022 tournament include Tamago (Angel Chong) from Mexico, Reynald (Reynald Tacsuan) from the USA, and Pako ( Ruben Partida) from Mexico. The prize money to be won is $4,237.80.

Dragon Ball FighterZ

Dragon Ball FighterZ is also a fighting game developed by Arc System Works. Available for the Play Station 4, Xbox One and Microsoft consoles, the game was launched in 2018. The game involves picking playable characters and fighting through computer levels or human opponents. It has received great reviews from many critics for its story plots, excellent visuals and smooth fighting system.

The game’s most recent tournament feature was in the Combo Breaker 2022 DBFZ and the Urban Battles 2022 that was held earlier year.

Highly rated players Wawa(Marwan Berthe) from France, Fenritti from Japan and Reynald from the USA are among the top crop of players that would be contesting for the chief prize of $2,667 worth 550 points.

Granblue Fantasy: Versus

Granblue Fantasy Versus is another fighting game developed by Arc System Works and available on the PlayStation 4. It was released in 2020. The game was featured recently in the Combo Breaker 2022 Granblue tournament.

Players to look out for in EVO 2022 include Buscar Luz (Kevin Arizabal), Shuaboo (Jerry Shu) both from America and Ren from Japan. The first-place prize money would be $2,205

Mortal Kombat 11 Ultimate

Mortal Kombat 11 is the eleventh instalment in the Mortal Kombat series that was released in 2019. It is a fighting game quite popular all over the world and represents a good choice for punters eager to bet in the coming competition. The game’s quite recent tournament appearance was in the Combo Breaker 2022 Mortal Kombat 11.

Top players NICOLAS (Nicolas Martinez) from Chile, Sonic Fox from USA and Ketchup from the UK are among the highly ranked gamers that would be competing for the first-place prize money of $1,940.40

Melty Blood: Type Lumina

Melty Blood: Type Lumina is a 2D fighting game developed by French-Bread. It is the fifth installment of the Melty Blood series. It is available on the Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Microsoft Windows consoles.

The game was also featured in the recently held Combo Breaker 2022 Melty Blood tournament. High-ranking players Lunar and ScrawtVermillion (Jose Ballestero) from the USA and Jing from Japan would be amongst 411 players competing for the first-place prize money of $1,726.20.

Skullgirls 2nd Encore

A stunning, frantic, and highly regarded 2D fighting game, Skullgirls 2nd Encore puts players in control of fearless warriors in an extraordinary created Dark setting. The 14 wholly original characters each have distinctive gameplay elements and a lot of personalities.

Skullgirls is the ideal fighting game for fans of both competitive and casual games. It comes with an excellent soundtrack, beautiful animation, and a fully voiced story mode. The game was most recently featured in the UMAD – Ultimate Montreal Airdashers 2022

295 players would be participating in the EVO 2022 tournament, with top players Sonic Fox (Dominique McLean) and Dekillsage (Jon Coello) from the USA headlining this category. The first-place prize money is $1,239.

Side Tournaments

Finally, Evo 2022 would also host unofficial side tournaments, called Vortex Gallery. It is a fighting games tournament usually organized by 956 Productions, and run as a series of side events during the EVO Championship weekend. This year’s tournament would be including Mortal Combat X, Marvel vs Capcom 2 and Killer instinct alongside a plethora of exciting games.

What are the main games at EVO 2022?

EVO 2022 returns physically to host nine popular games and some side tournaments. The top games are determined by the number of participants signing up for them, which in turn reflects on the prize money to be won.

This year, the top games include:

  • Guilty Gear – Strive- – With a prize pool of $21,580 and 2,158 players competing, this is definitely the headliner of the tournament. Favourites going into the tournament are Hotashi (Julian Harris) and Razzo, both from the USA. The game would follow a double elimination format with 2/3 Rounds per Game and 2/3 Games per Set.
  • Street Fighter V: Champion Edition– This old and storied game comes second with a total registered participant of 1324 players, and a prize pool of $13,240 to be shared. Favourites going into the tournament are Tokido (Hajime Taniguchi) from Japan and IDOM (Derek Ruffin) from the USA. The game would follow a double elimination format with 2/3 Rounds per Game and 2/3 Games per Set.
  • TEKKEN 7– This incredible fighting game offers a prize pool of $17,180, with 1218 players participating in EVO 2022 for this game category. Favourites going into the tournament are Anakin (Hoa Luu) from the USA, Super Akouma from France and Knee (Jae Min) from Japan. The game would follow a double elimination format with 3/5 Rounds per Game and 2/3 Games per Set.
  • Mortal Kombat 11: Ultimate– Although there aren’t so many players participating in this year’s tournament, it remains punters’ favourite and has a strong history with lots of fans. This year, 462 players would be competing to share in a prize pool of $4,620. Favourites going into the tournament are NICOLAS (Nicolas Martinez) from Chile, Sonic Fox from USA and Ketchup from the UK. The game would follow a double elimination format with 2/3 Rounds per Game and 3/5 Games per Set.

Betting Predictions for EVO 2022

We’re a few days away from EVO 2022, and here’s a list of players we think stand a great chance of winning in the major categories. While upsets are certain in every competition, these players have been consistent over the years, thus great things are expected of them this year.

EVO 2022 Mortal Kombat Predictions

Mortal Kombat has always been a punter favourite because it’s easy to understand the game without getting so much into the intricacies of the game modes. Here are three players we think are worth keeping an eye on in this tournament;

  • Sonic Fox (USA)
  • Nicolas (Chile)
  • Ketchup (UK)

With the competitive gaming experience and titles over the years, it is difficult to look past Sonic Fox for this year’s tournament. It’s a great place to start from.

EVO 2022 Tekken Predictions

Tekken is a tournament staple of the EVO franchise, and this year, over a thousand players would converge to compete for a substantial prize pool. Based on titles and consistency, here are the players you should keep an eye out for in this year’s tournament-

  • Anakin (USA)- He has won numerous championships and is one of the most successful North American Tekken players present
  • Super Akouma from France and Knee (Jae Min) from Japan are very high-ranking players to be involved in this year’s tournament.

EVO 2022 Streetfighter Predictions

Street fighter is the oldest tournament in the EVO franchise, and this year, 1324 players are going to compete for impressive prize money. The winner also gets seeded automatically into the Capcom Cup IX. High-ranking players you can take a bet on this year are-

  • Tokido (Japan)
  • IDOM (USA)
  • Menard (Dominican Republic)

These are a few of the finest players to be representing this category in the tournament, and one of them could most likely go all the way. Look out, Punters!

EVO 2022 Betting Markets/Options

Fighting esports betting is quite diverse, and you can find several advanced bet types, along with the more traditional win/lose odds.

Match Winner (or Money Line)Bet on who will win the match
Round WinnerBet who will win the round winner
Handicap betsBet who will win, given a hypothetical advantage
First ComboBet on which player will land the first combo
Longest ComboBet who will land the longest combo in the round
Right Time/Time RemainingBet an (over/under) on how much time will be left when the fight ends
First AttackBet which player will make the first attack
Perfect WinBet on a perfect win
Number of Winning RoundsBet how many rounds a player will win during the match.

Best Sites for EVO 2022 Betting Odds

Here are the best betting sites to explore for great odds on the EVO 2022 tournament.

1. 1xBet

1xBet is one of the most popular betting sites in the world, and they offer competitive odds for esports betting, whether major or minor. They also offer odds on most SFV tournaments. Players are welcomed from almost every nation and they can use a wide range of payment methods, including cryptocurrencies, e-wallets, prepaid cards, and others to make deposits. They have excellent customer service, a great website and mobile interface, and offer new players a 100% bonus on their first deposit up to 100 EUR.

Check our full 1xBet esports review.

2. Pinnacle

Pinnacle is a popular betting site many esports fans adore. They provide odds for a variety of esports, including Street Fighter V, and support them with a database of statistics that allow gamblers to make more educated wagers. They also provide a thorough introduction guide to Street Fighter betting. This bookmaker is well known for its extremely high odds and first-rate customer service even though it doesn't provide an esports betting bonus.

Check our full Pinnacle esports review.

3. LOOT.BET

When it comes to offering superior esports and Street Fighter betting, Lootbet makes no compromises. They have one of the most attractive esports websites we've ever seen, and they offer a truly impressive selection of esports for which betting odds are available. There is a plethora of other games you can choose from, and they offer smooth functionalities on their web and mobile platforms.

Check our full Lootbet esports review.

Other bookies

Although there aren't many bookmakers that offer Tekken 7 betting, GG.BET and Thunderpick are your best bets among those that do. These betting companies have a great reputation, so you can be confident that you'll have a great time betting with them.

Evolution Championship Series History

Since its inception in 1996, the EVO World Finals has become one of the largest streamed and most significant fighting game tournaments in the World.

It was created by Tom Cannon, and the franchise’s first tournament series was originally called “Battle by the Bay,” a 40-man event hosted in California. The tournament focused solely on the Street Fighter series at the initial stages, before embracing Tekken and Marvel vs. Capcom after the competition became annual in the year 2000.

The event ditched the name “Battle by the Bay” in 2002 and changed to Evolution Championship Series (EVO). After its 2004 event, EVO moved from California to Las Vegas, where it continues to be hosted to this day. The tournament continued to grow and passed the one thousand participant mark in 2009. EVO has continued to be the most important fighting game tournament and grows in size with each yearly event. Every summer, you can expect to see the best of the best in fighting games compete for the coveted EVO title.

Aside from the official tournaments, there is also a “BYOC” (“bring your own console”) area in which many different games are played and players can bring any game they want and host unofficial side tournaments for it. Today, EVO is more than just a simple tournament. Its growing influence has led to several exhibitions from various gaming companies, large and small.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Evo 2020 was proposed to be made an online event. In-house issues led to the pulling out of certain game publishers, and thus the entire event was cancelled, and tickets refunded.

EVO was acquired by a joint venture between Sony Interactive Entertainment and the talent agency Endeavor (RTS) in March 2021. Evo 2021 was held as an online event and featured many important games.

Where to watch the Evolution Championship Series?

To watch EVO 2022, you can check out their YouTube channel or watch on Twitch.

Summary: Our verdict on EVO 2022 betting

In summary, not all bookies offer betting options for the upcoming EVO 2022 tournament. You can still make the most of those that do, however, and try to cash in on popular punters’ choice games like Mortal Kombat, Tekken 7 and Street Fighter. You’ll find more bookies for these games offering competitive odds. A good way to go is to explore the underdogs’ option, as big tournaments like these can be filled with major upsets and unexpected outcomes. In the end, you’ll have a pleasant experience rooting for and punting on several players across different games. And if luck is in your favour, you might have good cash to show for your efforts, which is all the game’s about really.


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FAQ

EVO 2022 Betting FAQs

Evo 2022 is scheduled to take place from August 5 to 7 at the Mandalay Bay resort, Las Vegas.

The tournament lineup consists of 9 major fighting games – Guilty Gear Strive, Street Fighter V: Champion Edition, Tekken 7, Dragon Ball FighterZ, Granblue Fantasy: Versus, The King of Fighters XV, Melty Blood: Type Lumina, Mortal Kombat 11 Ultimate, and Skullgirls: 2nd Encore

Betting sites like 1xBet and Pinnacle are great betting sites that offer betting options for fighting esports games in EVO 2022.

Yes! It is perfectly legal to bet on fighting esports tournaments, so long as you are of legal age and it is legal in your country.

Yes, many betting sites offer bonuses, and you can use them to make your bets on their platforms.

Through our in-depth guides and reviews, we are focused on providing the best insights into esports betting.

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