BetBoom Team Crowned Champions of BLAST Slam I: A Historic LAN Victory

The Eastern European squad BetBoom Team claimed victory at the prestigious BLAST Slam I, held from 26 November to 1 December in Copenhagen, Denmark. The team, led by stand-in mid-laner Daniil "gpk" Skutin, triumphed over Tundra Esports in the grand final with a 3:1 scoreline, securing the top prize of $400,000.

A Long-Awaited Victory After Multiple Final Appearances

This victory marked the first offline championship for BetBoom Team, following a challenging journey of reshuffles and relentless effort. The team had previously reached the finals of various tournaments but had fallen short of clinching the title. As stated by the organisation’s Chief Operating Officer, Gleb "cenra" Antokhin:

"This day has finally arrived. The first BetBoom Team trophy at a LAN tournament after tremendous work and reshuffles. Thank you so much to everyone involved."

Success Despite Roster Changes

BetBoom Team participated in the tournament with stand-ins. The team’s main mid-laner, Gleb "kiyotaka" Zyryanov, was absent for unknown reasons, with Daniil "gpk" Skutin stepping in. Additionally, coach Anatoliy "Boolk" Ivanov could not attend the event in Copenhagen. Despite these obstacles, the team delivered an outstanding performance. Stand-in gpk commented on the victory:

"Honestly, the final wasn’t that hard. I decided a couple of games myself, of course. What can I say, guys? The curse is lifted!"

Key Moments of the Final

The series began with a dominant victory for BetBoom in the first game, lasting 42 minutes. Ivan "Pure" Moskalenko on Drow Ranger and Matvey "MieRo" Vasyunin on Magnus excelled, each securing seven kills. The match ended with a decisive 25:9 kill lead in BetBoom's favour.

In the second game, Tundra Esports equalised the series thanks to a stellar performance by Egor "Nightfall" Grigorenko on Spectre. Artyom "Lorenof" Melnik on Puck topped the kill chart with nine kills and 13 assists, while Neta "33" Shapira on Visage contributed eight kills and 22 assists.

The pivotal third game saw Pure on Alchemist and gpk on Pangolier lead BetBoom to a dominant mid-game snowball in a 56-minute clash. Both players achieved 11 kills each, while Vitaliy "Save-" Melnik on Muerta shone with nine kills and 19 assists.

The fourth and final game was the shortest of the series, concluding in just 34 minutes. Pure excelled on Morphling with eight kills, while Save- once again delivered a flawless performance on Muerta, registering six kills and 17 assists.

Team Reactions to the Victory

The team’s emotions overflowed after their long-awaited success. Star player Ivan "Pure" Moskalenko expressed his gratitude to fans and family:

"It happened, guys. It finally happened. The first, but not the last LAN; this is just the beginning, guys. I want to thank my family—my mum, my brother, my dad, my grandmother, everyone! Thank you for supporting me! We did it!"

Support player Vladislav "Kataomi`’" Semenov highlighted the personal significance of the win:

"Winning BLAST Slam 1 was very important to me personally, as I had things to prove, and I did. Thank you to my team for everything, and to Vanya for believing in me as position 5 during such an important season. Thanks to everyone who supported me, especially since my time in Entity. I hope this is just the first of many victories this year."

Prize Distribution and Final Thoughts

BLAST Slam I featured ten teams, with a total prize pool of $1 million. The prize distribution was as follows:

• 1st place: BetBoom Team — $400,000
• 2nd place: Tundra Esports — $200,000
• 3rd-4th places: Xtreme Gaming and PARIVISION — $80,000 each
• 5th-6th places: Team Liquid and Gaimin Gladiators — $50,000 each
• 7th-8th places: Team Falcons and Heroic — $40,000 each
• 9th-10th places: OG and Team Spirit — $30,000 each

BetBoom Team closed the tournament season on a high note with their triumph at BLAST Slam I, leaving fans eager for more success in the coming year.