With the draw for the VALORANT Masters Santiago playoffs locked in, the first seed from the VCT Pacific, Nongshim RedForce, have chosen Gentle Mates as their first opponent in the tournament. Here are our betting predictions and odds for the anticipated match-up.
| Match | Nongshim RedForce vs Gentle Mates – VALORANT Masters Santiago |
|---|---|
| Kick-off | March 6, 2026, at 9 pm CET, 12 am PST, 3 pm EST |
| Top pick | Gentle Mates |
| Best price | GG.BET |
| Betting favorite | Gentle Mates |
Nongshim RedForce after qualifying for VALORANT Masters. Image source: Riot Games
Nongshim RedForce are the first seed from VCT Pacific at the VALORANT Masters Santiago, which is a step up from the previous year where they failed to qualify for Champions. As a result, the team was relegated to VCT Pacific Ascension 2025. During this tournament, Nongshim RedForce finished in first place to secure a spot in VCT Pacific in the 2026 season.
We must state that their start in the VCT Pacific 2026 season was next to incredible. Nongshim RedForce went on an unbeaten run, defeating the likes of DRX, Team Secret, T1, Full Sense, and RRQ. This run of victories helped them secure a spot in the playoffs stage of the VALORANT Masters Santiago.
One player to watch from Nongshim RedForce is Dambi, the primary duelist of the team. In the eyes of many, he is the best Neon player in the world, in the current duelist-dominated meta.
Gentle Mates at the VCT EMEA Kickoff. Image source: Riot Games
One team that has gradually become one of the favorites in VALORANT esports is Gentle Mates. They have shown strong progression since the start of the VCT 2026 season.
During VCT EMEA Kickoff 2026, the team went on a three-game winning streak to reach the upper bracket finals. During that match, they lost to BBL Esports 3-2 in quite a close affair.
In the middle bracket finals, they faced off against Fnatic and defeated them 3-2, qualifying as the second seed from VCT EMEA to the VALORANT Masters Santiago.
During the Swiss stage of VALORANT Masters Santiago, they demolished EDward Gaming 2-0. In a VCT EMEA rematch, Gentle Mates faced off against Team Liquid, defeating them comfortably with a 2-0 scoreline.
One player to keep an eye out for from Gentle Mates is Marteen, the primary duelist of the team. In the eyes of many, he is the best Yoru player in the world, in this current meta dominated by duelists.
| Metric | NS RedForce (PAC #1) | Gentle Mates (EMEA #2) | Data-Driven Advantage Statement |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 Match Win Rate | 100% (8-0) | 75% (9-3) | Nongshim: Undefeated in 2026; highest momentum in the field. |
| Avg. Kills per Map | 78.4 | 76.2 | Nongshim: Higher fragging ceiling; averages ~2 more kills per map. |
| Pistol Round Win % | 70.8% | 54.2% | Nongshim: Dominant; wins 7 out of every 10 pistols played. |
| Eco/Thrifty Win Rate | 19% | 26% | Mates: Superior at stealing rounds with low-tier weaponry. |
| Map | NS RedForce | Gentle Mates | Map Advantage Statement |
|---|---|---|---|
| Haven | 100% (5-0) | 60% (3-2) | Nongshim: Undefeated; triple-site defense is currently unbreakable. |
| Split | 80% (4-1) | 100% (3-0) | Mates: Flawless record; more refined mid-control utility sets. |
| Pearl | 33% (1-2) | 100% (2-0) | Mates: Statistical mismatch; Mates excel in Pearl’s long lanes. |
| Breeze | 100% (3-0) | 0% (0-0) | Nongshim: NS thrives in open aim duels; Mates permaban this map. |
| Abyss | 50% (1-1) | 100% (2-0) | Mates: Creative usage of verticality and map hazards. |
| Metric | Nongshim RedForce | Gentle Mates | Betting Insight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Avg. Round Time | 42s | 58s | NS plays the fastest tempo; look for “Early Plant” props. |
| Clutch Success Rate | Rb (34%) | starxo (39%) | starxo is the superior late-round “anchor” in high-pressure 1vX. |
| Attack Win Rate | 66.4% | 53.2% | NS holds the highest T-side win rate in Santiago. |
| Defensive Round % | 58% | 64% | Mates are statistically harder to break once utility is set. |
| Market | Odds |
|---|---|
| Nongshim RedForce to win | 2.13 |
| Gentle Mates to win | 1.67 |
| Over 2.5 maps | 1.87 |
VALORANT betting odds via GG.BET, March 6, 2026.
This will be the first time we will see Nonghsim RedFroce face off against Gentle Mates in VALORANT esports. According to betting websites, Gentle Mates are the favorites to win this match in the upper bracket of VALORANT Masters Santiago
Currently, it must be noted that NS RedForce have not lost a single series this VCT season. They have been quite a dominant force on maps like Haven and Split. Seeing their map veto during VCT Pacific Kickoff, we feel they will ban Pearl, a map that Gentle Mates have a 100% win rate on. There is a high chance we will see either Split or Haven being played during this series.
We have previously seen Gentle Mates complete a reverse sweep against Fnatic in the middle bracket finals of VCT EMEA Kickoff 2026. We believe that Gentle Mates will secure the win with a scoreline of 2-1.
Gentle as the match winner 2-1 @ 3.34 odds at GG.BET.
Featured image source: Riot Games
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