VCT 2025: Americas Kickoff – Tournament Preview & Guide

By Tit Krajnik

05 Jan 2025

Tit Krajnik 05 Jan 2025

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VCT 2025: Americas Kickoff is scheduled for January 16 – February 8, 2025
12 VALORANT teams
Two tickets for VCT 2025: Masters Bangkok

VCT 2025: Americas Kickoff

The Americas VALORANT Champions Tour (VCT) league is set to begin on January 16, 2025, with VCT 2025: Americas Kickoff, which will feature all 12 Americas VCT teams vying for VCT Points and an invite to Masters Bangkok.

When is VCT 2025: Americas Kickoff?
Where is VCT 2025: Americas Kickoff?
VCT 2025: Americas Kickoff Format
VCT 2025: Americas Kickoff Teams
What Is the VCT 2025: Americas Kickoff Prize Pool?
VCT 2025: Americas Kickoff Betting Odds
Where To Bet on VCT 2025: Americas Kickoff?

As the first event of the 2025 VALORANT esports season, VCT 2025: Americas Kickoff will give us a glimpse into how the teams stack up against each other and which squads have what it takes to compete for the regional title.

With 22 fixtures played over two weeks, VCT 2025: Americas Kickoff will also offer plenty of betting opportunities to explore with the best crypto betting sites, including Stake, which is one of the best options for VALORANT punters.

When is VCT 2025: Americas Kickoff?

VCT 2025: Americas Kickoff will begin on Thursday, January 16, with the first match of the double-elimination stage.

The tournament will run until the grand finals on Saturday, February 8, 2025.

Where is VCT 2025: Americas Kickoff?

The event will be held at Riot Games Arena in Los Angeles, California. The same venue was used for VCT 2024: Americas Kickoff and both VCT 2024: Americas stages.

VCT 2025: Americas Kickoff Format

For the 2025 VALORANT esports season, there have been some changes to VCT Kickoff events. Unlike last season, when VCT Kickoff was divided into three stages, this year’s tournaments will have just one double-elimination stage.

All matches will be played as best-of-three (BO3), except for the lower bracket final and the grand finale, which are best-of-five (BO5).

All 12 teams will begin their VCT 2025: Americas Kickoff campaign in the same bracket, with the top-four squads from last season receiving direct byes into the upper bracket quarterfinals.

12 VALORANT teams
Double-elimination bracket
Lower bracket final and grand final are best-of-five (BO5)
All other matches are best-of-three (BO3)

VCT 2025: Americas Kickoff Teams

VCT 2025: Americas Kickoff will welcome 12 VALORANT esports teams, including one newcomer, 2GAME Esports, who qualified for VCT through Ascension 2024.

The teams are divided into two pools for VCT 2025: Americas Kickoff.

Pool 1 consists of the top four teams from 2024, including KRU Esports, Sentinels, G2 Esports, and Leviatan, who received direct byes into the upper bracket quarterfinals.

The remaining teams, Evil Geniuses, LOUD, MIBR, 100 Thieves, NRG, Cloud9, 2GAME Esports, and FURIA Esports, will start VCT 2025: Americas Kickoff in the first round.

100 Thieves
Cloud9
Evil Geniuses
FURIA Esports
KRU Esports
Leviatan
LOUD
MIBR
NRG
Sentinels
G2 Esports
2GAME Esports

What Is the VCT 2025: Americas Kickoff Prize Pool?

VCT 2025: Americas Kickoff will not offer a prize pool. Instead, it will serve as a qualifying event for VCT 2025: Masters Bangkok, offering two tickets for the first Masters event of the year.

The top four teams of VCT 2025: Americas Kickoff will also receive VCT points, which will determine VALORANT Champions 2025 invites at the end of the year.

Champions – VCT Masters Bangkok 2025 invite + 3 VCT Points
Runners-up – VCT Masters Bangkok 2025 invite + 2 VCT Points
3rd-place – 1 VCT Point
4th-place – 1 VCT Point
5th-12th-place - /

VCT 2025: Americas Kickoff Betting Odds

According to the latest esports betting odds, VCT 2025: Americas Kickoff will be a relatively closely contested event, with Sentinels (4.00), G2 Esports (4.00), and NRG (4.33) all priced very closely at the top of the outright markets.

Team	Odds
Sentinels	4.00
G2 Esports	4.00
NRG	4.33
Leviatan	8.00
100 Thieves	11.00
KRU Esports	13.00
MIBR	14.00
Evil Geniuses	21.00
LOUD	34.00
Cloud9	34.00
FURIA	41.00
2GAME Esports

Leviatan (8.00) are the only remaining team priced at single digits, ahead of 100 Thieves (11.00), KRU Esports (13.00), and MIBR (14.00), who round up a list of teams who could make some noise.

Evil Geniuses (21.00), LOUD (34.00), Cloud9 (34.00), FURIA (41.00), and 2GAME Esports (67.00) are priced as complete outsiders and are expected to exit VCT 2025: Americas Kickoff fairly early.

All 12 teams have made roster changes ahead of the 2025 esports season, which shook up the balance of power in the region.

NRG, in particular, are an interesting side, having made major changes to their lineup in a bid to contest the VCT title, and they’ve already shown their strength in the offseason tournaments, winning SEN City Classic 2024 and SOOP VALORANT League 2024.

While pre-season tournaments make it easy to speculate how the VCT 2025: Americas Kickoff will play out, it is not beyond the realms of possibility that one of the underdogs upsets the field and makes it further than expected.

Where To Bet on VCT 2025: Americas Kickoff?

You do not have to look far to find a betting site where you can place wagers on VCT 2025: Americas Kickoff. As one of the most watched VALORANT leagues in the world, VCT 2025: Americas is well covered by all bookmakers who cover esports, but it is important to pick the right platform.

Bet on Esports at StakeUse bonus code NEWBONUS and claim your welcome bonusBET HERE

Stake is an excellent choice for betting on VCT 2025: Americas Kickoff, as it offers competitive betting odds and good market coverage.

When signing up, new users can also claim a generous welcome deposit bonus with Stake promo code NEWBONUS, collecting extra wagering money for their VCT 2025: Americas Kickoff bets.