Natus Vincere is usually known for its quiet and confident attitude, but one simple misbuy has implicated the team in some prop betting fraud.
In an IEM Katowice match against FURIA, Na’Vi rifler Ilya “Perfecto” Zalutskiy made the strange decision to purchase an M249 and drop it in Mirage CT spawn. This wouldn’t be the first time a pro has purchased a machine gun by accident, but social media has drawn a link between that incident and a Russian bettor. In addition to previous controversies, Natus Vincere might have accidentally committed betting fraud at IEM Katowice.
On February 15, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive fan and streamer CMART posted a screenshot of a bet that Natus Vincere would purchase an M249 at IEM Katowice. The $20 wager at 501 odds could earn $10,000 if successful. The bettor also offered to get a tattoo of the event with the names of all five players. The post went viral in the CSGO betting community, potentially leading to the Na’Vi players hearing about it.
In the following match against FURIA, Natus Vincere’s Perfecto made the questionable decision to purchase an M249 on CT side of Mirage. He dropped the gun in the middle of spawn for apparently no reason, according to fan analysis. The Natus Vincere social media team even posted a picture of the event with an accompanying joke. One bettor is probably very happy about this little incident, but it could mean severe consequences for the offending player.
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Could Natus Vincere get in trouble over M249 betting fraud?
Now comes the question of whether this cheeky play will lead to punishment. Esports betting is still a nascent industry, and there’s not a lot of precedence for situations like these. If ESL decides to go off traditional sports, this could result in a penalty for Perfecto.
In 2017, a betting company ran a prop for Sutton United goalkeeper Wayne Shaw eating a pie during the game. Despite the ludicrous premise, Shaw did in fact eat a meat pie on the sidelines during the match. He admitted to knowing of the bet and intentionally choosing to influence it. Shaw received a $490 fine and a two-month ban, though he left the team before finishing the penalty.
Perfecto appears to be unpunished for the rest of IEM Katowice, but a temporary ban or fine is definitely on the table. ESL will most likely not replicate Shaw’s punishment to a T, but Perfecto will probably get a stern talking to at the very least.
