Biggest esports upsets: Shocking moments that changed history

Esports isn’t solely defined by legendary victories; it’s also a realm where shocking results frequently turn tournaments upside down. These unexpected moments simply prove that no outcome is guaranteed, keeping fans on the edge of their seats.

Key takeaways

• An esports upset occurs when the anticipated outcome of a match is unexpectedly reversed.
• Most esports upsets came from underdogs defeating reigning champions, such as Team EnVyUs’ defeat against Luminosity Gaming, and the unforgettable T1 vs DRX.
• Because bettors often wager on the favourites, these ten esports matches were some of the biggest upsets in both the esports and betting industries. 

When an underdog topples a powerhouse, it rewrites the story of the event and sometimes the game’s history. From Invictus Gaming’s downfall in 2019 to the famous T1 vs DRX finals, learn more about the biggest esports upsets in history and uncover what made them unforgettable. 

Esports upsets in history: What does this mean?

In esports, an upset happens when an underdog defeats the favourite. A team or player expected to win based on stats, rankings, or betting odds. What makes an upset memorable is how much the outcome goes against expectations. 

In other words, an esports upset happens when:

• A lower-ranked team or player beats a much higher-ranked one
• A team with poor recent form suddenly outperforms expectations
• A new or unknown team defeats a legendary, well-established roster
• A dominant team loses in a major final, ruining a near-perfect run.

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What are the biggest upsets in the history of esports?

These matches become ‘historic’ as they defy expectations and often change the course of esports narratives, inspiring fans and proving that anyone can win. To give you a better idea, here are the biggest upsets in esports history. 

EVO 2008 Grand Finals: The mystery gamer

At EVO 2008, the Grand Finals of Super Smash Bros. took a surprising turn when the bracket showed a player called CPU. Many thought it was an error or just a placeholder, but it was a real competitor who defeated known players, such as Ken, who was widely considered the most dominant player in the world during the early to mid-2000s. 

At that time, CPU was just a 15-year-old kid on a vacation with his family, including his brother (who also joined the tournament as Skinny) and won the title by using in-game items, which were allowed as per the rules. A lot of fans and players were upset by this, but CPU played by the rules and won cleanly. There is no news about CPU, and he is likely to have stopped playing due to the bullying he received from the community.

His unexpected run became one of EVO’s most memorable moments, proving that even unknown players can shine on the biggest stage in fighting games.

MSI 2019: The downfall of Invictus Gaming’s 9-1

During the MSI 2019, Invictus Gaming had an epic 9-1 run before entering the semifinals, which gave the impression that they were the leading team. The team they’re facing, Team Liquid, was expected to be defeated cleanly in the semifinals. Many fans even thought IG would cruise to the finals without breaking a sweat.

However, Team Liquid shocked the crowd, reached the final stage, and concluded the match with a smooth 3-1 victory against the powerful Invictus Gaming. This is due to Jensen’s Lux constantly denying Rookie’s Zoe with snare combos and CoreJJ’s Flash–Taunts and map-wide ultimates using Galio. 

While they did not win the finals, this moment remains one of esports history’s upsets. It proved that even the most dominant streaks could crumble when least expected.

MLG Columbus 2016: The underdogs’ bite

At MLG Columbus 2016, all eyes were on Team EnVyUs, one of the most anticipated squads of the tournament. They entered the event with high expectations but were matched against Luminosity Gaming, a Brazilian underdog. Many analysts predicted EnVyUs would advance with ease, but Luminosity stunned the scene. 

Using coordinated aggression and coldzera’s now-famous jumping AWP play on Mirage, the Brazilians dismantled the defending champions. In the end, they also secured the tournament trophy when they defeated the reigning champion, NAVI, 2-0. 

2022 League of Legends World Championship Final: The famous T1 vs DRX moment

In Worlds 2022, DRX beat T1 (3-2) in the Grand Final in a best-of-five series, which was regarded as one of the biggest esports upsets in history. DRX had a rough start to the tournament since they barely qualified, so they weren’t among the favourites. On the other hand, T1 was a powerhouse with a lot of expectations from fans since they had previously played in the tournament and already held three Worlds titles. 

What made this match special was how DRX managed to upset the favourites. They stayed composed, used clever drafting (including unexpected champion choices), and capitalised on small mistakes from T1, such as the team’s mishandling of the Baron and the Elder Dragon, where their buffs got stolen by DRX. In the end, they closed out the series in Game 5 and shocked the crowd, securing their first World Championship win.

PGL Major Krakow 2017: When Gambit Esports toppled the giants

PGL Major Krakow 2017 had all eyes on Astralis, the Danish powerhouse that had won several big titles before the event. They were widely seen as the favourites, and the CS:GO community expected them to make another deep run in the tournament. Their consistency and dominance had set the stage for what looked like another strong finish.

However, the underdog Gambit Esports, which hasn’t won any titles yet, stole the spotlight. In the semifinals, Gambit stunned the community by sweeping Astralis 2–0. On Overpass, they secured a 16–10 win with disciplined play, then closed out Train 16–12 behind clutch performances from HObbit and Dosia. The victory eliminated one of the tournament favourites and proved Gambit were capable of challenging the very best on the biggest stage.

VCT Korea Stage 2 Challengers: F4Q’s god-slaying skills

F4Q are often mocked and regarded as a ‘stream team’ or ‘accidental pros’ due to their background as mostly streamers (with some pro/Overwatch background in a few members). During Stage 2 of Korea Challengers, they faced Vision Strikers, who were currently on a 104-win streak and considered the strongest in the region.

However, the underdogs shocked Korea and took down the so-called ‘gods’. Despite losing the first map (16-14) due to Vision Striker’s strategic play, the second and third were decisive wins for F4Q. On Map 2 (Split), F4Q used aggressive tactics and won the round 13-6. The match was a close call with the Map 3 (Haven), but after an intense 4 vs 1, F4Q won, 15-13. Because of this, they qualified for the main Challengers event, and to this day, this moment is still regarded as one of the biggest esports betting upsets ever.

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MSI 2017: Team WE’s unconventional tactics

MSI 2017 was full of intense and unforgettable matches, and one of the biggest surprises that came from it was the Day 1 match between Team WE and Flash Wolves. With the latter considered favourites since they were the previous LMS champions, most people thought FW would easily take down Team WE, who had a weaker international performance. 

What shocked the fans was Team WE’s selection of champions, where they picked non-meta champions like Kled, Taliyah, and Bard. Kled (957) took the first blood by eliminating Elise in the top lane. To stop him, Wolves tried to gank him, but they failed. WE took the Baron, and from there, everything went downhill for the Wolves, and the game ended in 30 minutes.

ELEAGUE Major Boston 2018: Stealing FaZe Clan’s finalist spot

Heading into the ELEAGUE Major Boston 2018, many analysts and fans predicted a FaZe Clan vs SK Gaming Grand Final. The former were stacked with star players, while the latter were considered one of the best-ranking Counter-Strike teams in the world. However, Cloud9 defeated expectations, making it a FaZe clan vs Cloud9 moment.

Cloud9 knocked SK Gaming out in the quarterfinals, stunning the scene and shattering the expected bracket. Key plays came from Stewie2K, whose aggressive rifling and clutch rounds repeatedly swung momentum in Cloud9’s favour, and autimatic, who consistently opened rounds with impactful entries.

Then, to make the run even more historic, they beat FaZe Clan in the Grand Final after a nail-biting three-map series. Stewie2K’s legendary Inferno hold forced overtime while Skadoodle’s AWP picks broke FaZe’s pushes and created openings for retakes. That victory made Cloud9 the first North American team to win a CS:GO Major, cementing their underdog triumph as one of the biggest esports betting upsets ever.

MSI 2024: The historic defeat of Top Esports

At MSI 2024, most fans expected Top Esports (TES) to continue Asia’s streak and dominance in the scene, thanks to their fast-paced macro play, coordinated team fights, and consistent control of objectives throughout the LPL season. They were expected to advance in the lower bracket. However, G2 Esports, one of Europe’s best teams, stunned the crowd by pulling off a clean 3-0 sweep when they dominated the early game by controlling objectives such as the Baron and the Elder Dragon. 

This victory marked the first time since 2018 that a European esports group had defeated a League of Legends Pro League China team in a best-of-five knockout. Despite TES securing early kills in Game 3, G2’s performance outplayed the elite group when they unexpectedly won team fights, like G2 flanking TES’ jungler, which allowed G2 to secure the Baron. Because of these small plays, they secured their win in all three games. 

2021 VCT Masters Reykjavík: The continental match-up

Masters Reykjavík 2021 was the first big Valorant event on the world stage. The final match was between Sentinels from North America and Fnatic from Europe. Sentinels reached the finals by dominating NA Challengers through aggressive strategies, precise aim, and strong team coordination. Meanwhile, Fnatic earned their spot by topping the EMEA Challengers with smart rotations, map control, and clutch plays from their star players. Fans saw it as the first real clash between the two regions and were excited about the face-off.

With everyone looking for a good fight, Sentinels shocked the world with a 3-0 win over Fnatic. On Bind, SicK on Jett repeatedly eliminated Fnatic’s key duelists, while ShahZaM used coordinated utility to secure sites and prevent retakes. On Haven and Split, Sentinels maintained map control, capitalised on Fnatic’s positioning mistakes, and executed flawless team strategies, consistently winning crucial team fights.

Many expected Europe to dominate Valorant’s first international event because teams like Fnatic and Gambit had strong regional records, experienced rosters, and a history of winning EMEA Challengers. However, Sentinels, led by TenZ, outperformed Fnatic in the grand final with precise aim, coordinated strategies, and clutch plays. Their 3–0 victory not only secured the title but also shook the competitive scene, establishing Sentinels as the team to beat and proving that North America could challenge Europe on the world stage.

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These ten instances are just a few of history’s most unforgettable esports upsets. Most of the ones mentioned in this short list are underdogs defeating giants and favourites. However, some ultimate shockers exist, such as the EVO 2008 Grand Finals’ winner turning out to be a 15-year-old kid on a vacation with his parents and brother, or the continental face-off of North American and EMEA esports teams that led to an unexpected victory of the Americas. 

Upsets can occur anytime, so make sure you’re updated with the tournament and the teams before placing your bets! If you want to try it out today, check out some of the ones that you can wager on:

• DOTA 2
• League of Legends
• Counter-Strike 2

These moments show that no match is truly decided until the final play. Esports will always have room for surprise wins, sudden comebacks, and stories no one saw coming. The next great upset could happen at any time, so stay tuned and decide whether you want to bet on the underdogs or the favourites!

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