CS2 Austin Major – Stage 2 Pick'em: Predictions & Opinions for Stage 2

Valve’s Pick’Em Challenge for the Austin Major 2025 continues. The second stage of the tournament is about to begin, and it’s time to make your picks. In this blog, we’ve put together a quick guide on how it works and what you need to do to score points. And of course, we’ll also show the Pick’Ems from well-known CS2 analysts and share our own predictions.

What is BLAST.tv Austin Major 2025 Pick'Em and How It Works

The Pick'Em Challenge for BLAST.tv Austin Major 2025 is an interactive game where you can test your Counter-Strike 2 knowledge by predicting the tournament match outcomes. To participate, you’ll need a Viewer Pass, which grants access to the challenges.

Before each stage — Challengers, Legends, and Champions — participants select the teams they believe will advance or be eliminated. Correct predictions earn points that upgrade your Pick’Em coin from bronze to gold. Completing all tasks can also reward you with in-game prizes, making the Major experience even more exciting.

Pick’em Rules and Strategy

In the Swiss Stage, you need to make nine predictions: pick one team that will finish 3-0, select six teams that will advance by earning at least three wins, and choose one team that will go 0-3.

Keep in mind: you only get points for 3-0 and 0-3 if the teams finish with that exact score. If the team you placed in the 3-0 slot qualifies with a 3-1 or 3-2 record, you won’t receive any points for that pick. That’s why it’s usually safer to put the strongest favorites, like Falcons or Vitality, in the “advance” section to avoid losing easy points if they drop a map.

The 3-0 slot is better suited for teams that are either capable of a flawless run or might completely collapse. For 0-3, it’s smart to pick underdogs — teams coming from regional qualifiers who may struggle on LAN.

This year, there’s one more stage than usual, but the format itself hasn’t changed — you simply have one extra point to earn. That makes early predictions even more important if you’re aiming for the Diamond Coin at the end of the tournament.

Make sure to lock in your picks before the first match starts. It’s not just about guessing the winners — smart strategy is key here.

EGamersWorld Prediction for Austin Major 2025

The only real doubt is about the second 3-0 slot. Falcons should be the first team to go 3-0 — if they play their best CS, which we saw at previous events during 2025. As for the second team, the choice is tough: either FURIA or FaZe Clan. But I believe FaZe are still not fully stable yet, so I’ll place FURIA in the 3-0 slot.

For the 3-1 and 3-2 slots, teams like B8, OG, BB Team, Heroic, FaZe Clan, and Virtus Pro should safely advance to the next stage.

Looking at the previous stage and the opponents in this one, I would pick two teams as underdogs. Lynn Vision and M80 will likely struggle to move forward and might finish 0-3.

Of course, there’s also a chance that TyLoo and Legacy might not make it through. However, both teams have shown solid performances and managed to surprise many analysts. That’s why I wouldn’t place them in the 0-3 slot.

YouTubers Pick’em for Austin Major 2025

Now I suggest taking a broader approach and gathering more information from different sources. Before locking in your predictions, I recommend checking out the opinions of popular YouTubers — many of them have already shared their Pick’Em choices for the Austin Major. Their videos often include interesting ideas, unique approaches, and useful analysis that can help you make more informed and accurate picks.

Most of these YouTubers are analysts, casters, or former pro players, so their opinions are definitely worth considering.

YouTube: fl0m

fl0m’s Austin Major Pick’Em

Flom combines his experience as a professional player with content creation, allowing him to give valuable and well-founded Pick’Em recommendations. In his analysis, he breaks down the technical aspects of team play in detail.

For his predictions, he placed Falcons and FURIA in the 3-0 slots, picked Legacy and Lynn Vision for the 0-3 positions, and expects B8, 3DMAX, OG, Heroic, FaZe Clan, and PAIN to advance with 3-1 or 3-2 records.

YouTube: ceh9

ceh9 Austin Major Pick’Em

ceh9 is a former Na`Vi professional player who continues to work as an analyst, caster, and CS streamer. In his Pick’Em predictions, he placed Falcons and FURIA in the 3-0 slots, while M80 and Lynn Vision are in the 0-3 positions.

According to his predictions, the teams that should advance with 3-1 or 3-2 records are B8, HEROIC, BB, VP, FaZe Clan, and 3DMAX.

YouTube: Mauisnake

Mauisnake’s Austin Major Pick’Em

Mauisnake bases his Pick’Em predictions primarily on statistics and teams’ past performances. In his picks, he placed Falcons and FaZe Clan in the 3-0 slots, while M80 and TyLoo are in the 0-3 positions.

The teams he expects to advance with 3-1 or 3-2 records are Heroic, OG, B8, BB Team, VP, and Nemiga.

YouTube: Hawka

Hawka’s Austin Major Pick’Em

Hawka specializes in detailed analysis of individual player form and its impact on team success. In his Pick’Em predictions, he placed Falcons and 3DMAX in the 3-0 slots, and picked Legacy and Lynn Vision for the 0-3 positions.

The teams he expects to advance are BB, B8, FaZe Clan, Heroic, OG, and FURIA.

YouTube: Thooorin

Thooorin Austin Major Pick’Em

The well-known analyst Thooorin usually makes balanced and carefully thought-out Pick’Em predictions. He placed Falcons and FaZe Clan in the 3-0 slots, and Lynn Vision and Legacy in the 0-3 positions.

The teams he expects to advance are VP, FURIA, BB, HEROIC, 3DMAX, and B8.

YouTube: teddcs

teddcs Austin Major Pick’Em

teddcs is a well-known analyst with a good track record of accurately predicting match outcomes. In his Pick’Em predictions, he made some slightly unconventional choices compared to other analysts: Falcons and FaZe Clan in the 3-0 slots — which is quite expected — while PAIN Gaming and Lynn Vision were placed in the 0-3 positions.

The teams he expects to advance are VP, 3DMAX, B8, FURIA, MIBR, and HEROIC.

YouTube: CS Tactics

CS Tactics Austin Major Pick’Em

Another strong analyst from CS Tactics bases his predictions on team statistics and win rates. For the 3-0 slots, he picked Falcons and FaZe Clan, while PAIN and Lynn Vision were placed in the 0-3 slots. The teams he expects to advance are VP, 3DMAX, B8, FURIA, MIBR, and HEROIC.

As you may have noticed, all analysts are putting Falcons in the 3-0 slot — and it’s hard to disagree. There isn’t much serious competition for them at this stage. The only real risk is if they completely lose focus, which could open the door for their opponents. The second 3-0 slot is usually split between FaZe Clan and FURIA — which also makes sense. Both teams are very strong, but sometimes questions arise about their consistency.

As for the 0-3 slot, 90% of analysts agree on one team — Lynn Vision. And I have to agree as well — compared to the rest of the teams, they’re clearly struggling.

CS2 Austin Major Pick’em: Medal

The Pick’Em Challenge in CS2 for BLAST.tv Austin Major 2025 gives you a chance to earn a unique event medal, which depends on the accuracy of your predictions throughout all stages of the Major. To unlock the highest-tier medal, you need to correctly predict which teams will finish 3-0, who will advance, and who will be eliminated 0-3.

If your goal is to secure the top reward, the best strategy is to bet on the favorites and avoid unnecessary risks. This is especially true in the first stage, where teams from different regions have a fairly similar level of skill and only minor differences in form. That’s why it’s crucial to consider recent results, head-to-head matchups, and roster changes. Smart decisions from the very start significantly increase your chances of earning the gold medal.