Counter-Strike: Sharks vs NIP (BO3) - Stake Ranked Episode 2 Playoffs

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Active sub-markets

Market context

Sharks and NIP are scheduled to contest the upper bracket semifinal of the Stake Ranked Episode 2 Playoffs in Counter-Strike on 28 May at 1:30PM ET, with the winner advancing to the grand final. The current prediction market shows 0% implied probability for Sharks, suggesting the crowd views this as a near-certain NIP victory. This represents a stark divergence from typical esports matchups, where even heavily favoured teams rarely trade at such extreme odds, indicating either exceptional confidence in NIP's form or potential liquidity constraints in the market.

NIP has maintained consistent top-tier status in competitive Counter-Strike throughout 2024 and into 2025, whilst Sharks have historically occupied a lower competitive tier. However, prediction markets on esports matches frequently exhibit wider probability ranges than traditional sportsbooks, particularly in regional or secondary tournaments. The 0% reading warrants scrutiny: such extremes often reflect thin order books rather than genuine analytical consensus. Comparable matches between established favourites and underdogs in recent Stake Ranked seasons have typically settled with the underdog holding 5–15% implied probability, suggesting the current market may be overweighting NIP's advantage.

Traders should monitor official tournament communications for any roster changes, player absences, or scheduling adjustments in the days preceding the match. The settlement window extends to 29 May at 02:45 UTC, providing a seven-day buffer for delays. Any technical issues, forfeiture, or cancellation would trigger a 50-50 resolution, creating asymmetric payoff scenarios worth considering given the extreme current pricing.

Methodology

This page reviews Counter-Strike: Sharks vs NIP (BO3) - Stake Ranked Episode 2 Playoffs across five venues. We show live odds for Polymarket-based markets (sourced from the Polygon order book); for other venues we list platform attributes, since the comparable contracts are not exposed via a public API on every venue. Every CTA points at Best Prediction Markets UK — the application we operate, where you trade directly against the Polymarket order book at 0% fees.

Resolution & payout

Settlement runs on-chain. Polymarket's contract logic separates YES and NO shares as conditional tokens; at resolution the winning share lifts to $1.00 and the losing one to $0. The outcome input comes from the UMA Optimistic Oracle, which secures against bad resolution with a bond + dispute window.

Once finalised, the smart contract pays USDC to the holders' wallets within minutes — no withdrawal fees beyond Polygon network gas. Kalshi settles in USD via CFTC clearance, Betfair in account currency net of commission, Manifold in play-money mana with no cash-out.

FAQ

Is this market available outside the US?

Best Prediction Markets UK is available in most jurisdictions where Polymarket isn't directly accessible. Polymarket itself is geo-blocked in the US/UK/EU. Always check local regulations.

How does resolution work?

Through the UMA Optimistic Oracle on Polygon: a proposer submits the outcome, a two-hour challenge window opens, and USDC payouts settle automatically once the result is final.

What does it cost to trade on Best Prediction Markets UK?

Zero. Best Prediction Markets UK routes every order to the live Polymarket order book; the only cost is the Polygon network fee, typically under $0.01 per transaction.

How fast are USDC deposits?

Polygon credits deposits after 12 confirmations — usually under 30 seconds. Withdrawals follow the same path and land back in your wallet within minutes.

Do I need to KYC for this market?

Not under $1,500 of lifetime trading volume. Above that threshold, Best Prediction Markets UK triggers a quick verification flow that finishes in minutes.