MAD Lions barely made it to the LoL World Championship 2024 and were not very convincing through the play-ins either. Considering everything they have shown, Europe’s third seed should struggle against one of the tournament favourites.

Bilibili Gaming are among the leading candidates to lift the Summoner’s Cup. And while the LoL Worlds patch will introduce some uncertainty, especially early into the main stage, you must have an excellent reason to go against one of the hottest LoL esports teams.

BLG should win without any issues, but their handicap lines are a little too severe. Knowing both sides are fairly bloody, taking over 27.5 total kills is an appealing option.

T1 placed fourth in the LoL Champions Korea (LCK) 2024 Summer regular season, third in the playoffs, and barely made it past KT Roster in the LCK 2024 Regional Finals. Top Esports were not convincing in the last split either, with bronze medals from Group Ascend and the LPL 2024 Summer Playoffs.

On form, it is easy to understand why neither team is among the tournament favourites. However, it is much easier to trust TES, who have looked incredible against any team who failed to stop them early.

Lee “Faker” Sang-hyeok and co. can wake up at any moment to defend their throne, but T1’s early game has not been the best, which could be a problem.

Gen.G have played incredibly well throughout the 2024 season and enter Worlds as one of the title favourites. Weibo Gaming, like usual, are very potent but inconsistent underdogs who can beat anyone on their day.

Gen.G are the better, more stable, and more reliable team, yet this does not justify their tag as $1.19 favourites. The long break and volatility of a new patch could shake things up a bit, so in a series between two elite squads, it is hard to pass on the outsiders to at least keep it close.

A smaller play on Weibo Gaming to win is worth a look as well.

Fnatic and Dplus KIA are not expected to compete for the Summoner’s Cup, but they can play at a very high level. This is more obvious with Dplus KIA, who have produced excellent games domestically; the problem is they have not done this consistently.

Fnatic collapsed at the Mid-Season Invitational and the Esports World Cup 2024 mainly due to the lack of experience of their bottom lane, namely ADC Oh “Noah” Hyeon-taek. This could again be a problem at LoL World Championship 2024, but after two international events, some improvement is expected.

Dplus KIA have a higher ceiling, but they are not consistent in reaching it. Fnatic, at $3.36 with the best LoL betting sites, are worth a look.

Even as $3.54 underdogs, Team Liquid might still be overrated. While the LoL Championship Series (LCS) second seed performed reasonably well at the Esports World Cup 2024, the gap between the LCS and LPL is significant enough to fade them.

LNG Esports might not be one of the main candidates to win the tournament, but they are very efficient in trashing weaker teams — as seen in their run through the LPL 2024 Summer. Expect a one-sided series.

Hanwha Life Esports exceeded expectations in the LCK 2024 Summer, yet most of that is thanks to Dplus KIA’s and T1’s struggles. Their LCK trophy aside, HLE are still the same counter-punching team, which will be a problem at LoL Worlds 2024.

PSG Talon had a rough run through the play-in stage; however, that does not take away from how stacked and experienced this lineup is. The added games in the play-ins also allowed PSG to warm up ahead of their first proper test of the tournament.

Even though Hanwha Life Esports are LCK’s top seed, $1.06 is an absurd price for a squad with a flawed playstyle.

Matches pitting minor and major regions against one another tend to be priced heavily in favour of the latter. However, it is hard to justify saying the LCS is much stronger than the Vietnam Championship Series (VCS).

GAM Esports have not been adequately tested in their league, so it is hard to say how high they can fly. But the same can be said for FlyQuest, who only had to deal with one formidable opponent domestically.

The North American squad should be priced as favourites, but not at this number. The value is with the underdogs.

G2 Esports were anything but great in the final split of the season; however, they shifted into a higher gear when it mattered and won both the LoL EMEA Championship (LEC) 2024 Summer Playoffs and the Season Finals.

PaiN Gaming looked very good in the first stage of the tournament, but they only had to defeat Vikings Esports and Movistar R7. Suffice it to say the Brazilians have not been properly tested yet.

G2 Esports are known to play with their food, but rarely on the international stage. They’re the superior team by all metrics, and it should show on Thursday.

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The best LoL betting sites have Fukuoka SB HAWKS Gaming as favourites for this match, and like in all previous LoL Worlds, this price is mainly based on the perceived strength of the leagues the two teams hail from. But while the Pacific Championship Series (PCS) is stronger than Vietnam��s league, the Hawks did not show much before heading to LoL Worlds 2024.

Like 100 Thieves and MAD Lions, Fukuoka SB HAWKS Gaming didn��t look good for most of the season, and their performance numbers were not even close to the level of other top sides in the PCS. However, they produced one upset victory — enough to book their tickets for Worlds.

GAM Esports return to the LoL World Championship with a slightly different roster to what we saw in 2023. Despite the lineup changes, GAM were just as dominant domestically and pose a threat to all other play-in teams.

With these series played early in the tournament, between teams who have never met, you have to view them as a coin flip. Yet, in this case, it is also fair to speculate that Fukuoka SB HAWKS Gaming are a bit overrated, as they posted middling stats at best throughout the season.

Like the first fixture of the day, the offered esports betting odds on this one are based mainly on the perceived strength of the two regions. Yet, unlike the VCS vs PCS debate, it is much easier to confidently say that the LoL Championship Series (LCS) is a stronger competition than the Liga Latinoamerica (LLA).

As North America��s third seed, 100 Thieves should not struggle to defeat Movistar R7; however, T100 had some of the league��s worst performance metrics and ended up qualifying for the 2024 LoL World Championship simply by catching Cloud9 off guard in one series.

Movistar R7 were by far the most dominant team in their league, which might not mean much considering the quality of opposition. At the same time, seeing a mid-table LCS team priced at $1.09 against the LLA��s top squad makes little sense.

100 Thieves should win, but with the variance introduced with a new patch, we have to side with the underdogs to take a map.

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Among them is Fnatic, who faced challenges in the upper bracket final but managed to secure a confident victory against GAM Esports in the lower bracket semi-final.

#FNCWIN @FNATIC take down @GAMesportsVN and advance to the #MSI2024 Bracket Stage! pic.twitter.com/INMs0Ax1tc

— LoL Esports (@lolesports) May 5, 2024

Fnatic’s journey at MSI 2024 showcased their ability to adapt and learn from their opponents’ mistakes.

In their match against GAM Esports, Fnatic demonstrated methodical gameplay, avoiding mistakes and gaining a strong advantage, ultimately securing their place in the bracket stage.

However, in the upper bracket final against Top Esports, Fnatic faced a setback in the first game but rallied in the second game with a display of momentum and dominance.

Despite their efforts, they couldn’t maintain that level in the decisive third game, allowing Top Esports to advance to the main event through the upper bracket.

In the lower bracket final rematch against GAM Esports, Fnatic faced a different challenge.

GAM Esports, buoyed by their victory over LOUD, displayed formidable team fights and strategic prowess.

Fnatic, however, learned from LOUD’s mistakes, controlling their aggressive tendencies and returning to a methodical yet offensive playstyle to secure victory and ensure both LEC teams advance to the bracket stage.

#PSGWIN@PSG_TALON_LOL DEFEAT @FLYQUEST AND ADVANCE TO THE #MSI2024 BRACKET STAGE! pic.twitter.com/SYdICMTBEw

— LoL Esports (@lolesports) May 5, 2024

Meanwhile, PSG Talon delivered an impressive performance, eliminating FlyQuest to secure their place in the bracket stage.

In a rematch from the Play-Ins stage, PSG Talon dominated FlyQuest with strategic precision and relentless aggression, showcasing their strength as a minor region team.

With PSG Talon and Fnatic advancing to the bracket stage, the stage is set for high-stakes showdowns at MSI 2024.

Fnatic’s first challenge will be against Gen.G Esports from Korea, promising an intense battle between regions.

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Among the matchups, the defending LoL World Champions, T1, will take on Estral Esports, marking the start of what promises to be an exhilarating tournament at the Chengdu Financial City Performing Arts Center in China.

Estral Esports faces an uphill battle, with most of their lineup having limited international experience.

For instance, former FlyQuest jungler Brandon “Josedeodo” Joel Villegas has only attended Worlds 2020 with Rainbow7, while Cristian “Cody” Sebasti��n Quispe Yampara and Gabriel “Ackerman” Aparicio have seen action in MSI and Worlds in 2021.

On the other hand, T1 arrives with the weight of their recent World Championship win and a determination to redeem their loss to Gen.G in the LCK grand final.

In another matchup, FlyQuest will clash with PSG Talon, while Top Esports and LOUD will go head-to-head.

Fnatic, meanwhile, will face off against GAM Esports, setting the stage for an electrifying start to the tournament.

Expectations are high for the major region representatives to advance to the second round of the upper bracket.

If predictions hold, FlyQuest could potentially meet T1, while Fnatic may challenge one of China’s top teams, Top Esports.

However, the inclusion of a lower bracket offers a second chance for teams that stumble in the initial rounds, adding an extra layer of excitement and narrative to the event.

MSI 2024 introduces significant format changes, requiring second-seeded teams from major regions to navigate the play-in stage.

With powerhouses like Top Esports and T1 in the mix, the play-in bracket promises to be one of the most action-packed in LoL history.

As MSI approaches on May 1 in Chengdu, China, fans eagerly await the unfolding drama and excitement as teams vie for glory on the international stage.

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This departure marks the end of Japan and LATAM’s presence in the prestigious League of Legends event, and it’s worth noting that both these teams were the sole representatives for their respective regions.

Movistar R7’s elimination came at the hands of the Vietnamese team GAM Esports.

While they displayed some initial promise in their opening series against PSG Talon, Movistar was defeated in 0-2 fashion.

This unfortunate trend continued as they fell 0-2 again, this time to GAM.

The series wasn’t even close, with GAM dominating Movistar R7 in two relatively quick games lasting 26 and 31 minutes.

In the first game, GAM surged ahead with 19 kills to Movistar’s 6, and they held a substantial 13.1k gold lead by the end.

GAM’s ADC, Nguy?n ��Slayder�� Linh V??ng, showcased an impressive 8/0/5 performance on Xayah, and Duy “Levi” Duy Kh��nh on Wukong contributed with a 6/2/11 game.

On Movistar’s side, Jeong “Mireu” Jo-bin’s Sylas with a 4/4/1 scoreline was the only silver lining in the game.

The second game was even more challenging for Movistar R7, as Nguy?n “Slayder” Linh V??ng continued to shine on Xayah with a 9/2/5 performance.

Additionally, ?? “Levi” Duy Kh��nh on Vi seemed unstoppable, posting a 4/1/13 performance.

GAM ultimately closed out the game with a commanding 13.5k gold lead and 24 kills, while Movistar managed to secure only 7 kills.

REVENGE FOR #MSI2023:@GAMesportsVN take the 2-0 win against @Rainbow7lol and keep their Swiss Stage hopes alive! #Worlds2023 pic.twitter.com/MrcRuSFCGE

— LoL Esports (@lolesports) October 13, 2023

DFM’s journey in the tournament also came to an abrupt end after they faced the European representative, Team BDS.

Team BDS had previously been pushed to the lower bracket following an unexpected reverse sweep by Vietnam’s Team Whales in the upper bracket.

Unfortunately, DFM’s fate mirrored their LATAM counterparts, as they were eliminated with a 0-2 series loss.

The first game of their series against Team BDS was incredibly tight, with BDS securing a narrow victory in 26 minutes and an 11.1k gold lead.

BDS’s midlaner, Ilias ��nuc�� Bizriken, emerged as the standout performer with a dominant 6/0/3 game on Jayce.

In the second game, BDS demonstrated a cleaner performance, claiming a victory with a 16.6k gold lead in 28 minutes.

BDS’s ADC, Ju? ��Crownie�� Maru?i?, redeemed himself with a remarkable 10/1/5 performance on Xayah.

#BDSWIN @TeamBDS take the clean 2-0 against @team_detonation! #Worlds2023 pic.twitter.com/Uqb8GhaKBr

— LoL Esports (@lolesports) October 13, 2023

After surviving elimination against Movistar R7 and DetonatioN FocusMe, in their respective series, GAM Esports will clash with LOUD and Team BDS will meet CTBC Flying Oyster on Saturday.

The winner of each series will qualify for round two of the Play-In stage, where PSG Talon and Team Whales await the victor of Saturday’s series.

Saturday’s Play-In series

• LOUD ($1.57 vs GAM Esports ($2.25) @ 3pm KST
• CTBC Flying Oyster ($4.00 vs Team BDS ($1.22) @ 6pm KST

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LOUD and PSG Talon took care of business in the first round of Group A and are now just two series away from securing a ticket for the main event. Both teams looked good in their openers, and from afar, there doesn’t seem to be much separating them quality-wise.

But there’s a reason why PSG Talon are priced as $1.57 betting site favourites for this match. Even though teams were expected to struggle a bit early into the tournament due to the meta shift, PSG Talon looked very composed and performed well against Movistar R7. Admittedly, it’s easy to look good against a weaker team, but PSG Talon didn’t make many errors.

LOUD had a more explosive win, mainly due to how they and GAM Esports like to play, but this also helped hide LOUD’s numerous mistakes, which a better team would’ve punished. LOUD can sneak in a map if they catch PSG Talon off guard early, but this is PSG Talon’s game to lose.

GAM Esports and Movistar R7 will clash on Thursday, October 12, in Group A Losers’ Bracket after both teams suffered heavy losses in the first round of the League of Legends Worlds 2023 Play-In Stage. GAM Esports got humiliated by LOUD (0-2), while Movistar R7 proved to be no match for the Pacific Championship Series (PCS) champions, Talon Esports.

Due to how badly GAM Esports and Movistar R7 played on Tuesday, it’s difficult to take much from the first two games�� at least, it’s hard to find many positives. GAM Esports were a bit more competitive on the second map of the series, but they made way too many mistakes to feel overly confident in their chances to deliver even against a weaker opponent.

Movistar R7 got smashed by PSG Talon, but unlike GAM, Movistar R7 didn’t let the game get completely out of hand. That doesn’t make LLA representatives a better team, but the eye test proves that Movistar R7 played better than GAM Esports.

GAM Esports still fields better players, which could give them the edge needed to come out ahead. But based on what they showed on Tuesday, GAM shouldn’t be priced as 1.40 favourites with GG Bet.

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The LoL World Championship 2023 kicks off on Tuesday, with the opening Play-In clash between Liga Latinoam��rica (LLA) champions Movistar R7 and Pacific Championship Series (PCS) representatives PSG Talon. The two teams have never met before, but they both attended Mid-Season Invitational 2023 in May.

PSG Talon are priced as heavy favourites to defeat Movistar R7, mainly because the PCS is a stronger league than the LLA. Regions’ perceived strength is also the only way to measure the teams’ strength. And yet, neither team accomplished much at MSI 2023.

Movistar R7 looked decent at the MSI 2023, where they beat GAM Esports, while PSG Talon defeated DetonatioN FocusMe and LOUD but lost the LCQ match against Golden Guardians. Movistar R7 have since not made any roster changes, but they were far more dominant domestically, winning the LLA regular season and playoffs without issues.

This doesn’t make Movistar R7 a better team; however, this is still the first match of the tournament on a new patch and between two teams from minor regions. Movistar R7 winning a map isn’t the craziest thing that can happen.

LOUD and GAM Esports return to an international stage after both teams failed to achieve much at the Mid-Season Invitational 2023 in May. GAM Esports ended the tournament in last place, while LOUD placed 10th-11th with one win against DetonatioN FocusMe.

Like the first match of the day, this is a clash between two minor-region teams, but we can say that the Vietnamese and Brazilian leagues are fairly even quality-wise. Another thing worth remembering is that both regions are known for their aggressive playstyle.

This match can go both ways, but we can be sure the series will be bloody. LOUD have averaged 15.6 kills and 12.1 deaths per game, while GAM Esports are at 17.5 kills and 13 deaths per game this season. This, combined with the fact that both teams are bad at closing out games, makes over 29.5 kills an inviting bet, with this option available at many different esports betting sites.

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Team Whales secured their spot at Worlds 2023 with an impressive 3-1 victory over Team Secret in the VCS lower bracket final.

WELCOME TO #WORLDS2023:

Congratulations to Team Whales on reaching the #VCS Final and qualifying for the 2023 World Championship! pic.twitter.com/9W05r85VUz

— LoL Esports (@lolesports) September 3, 2023

This is a significant moment for Vietnamese League of Legends, as it marks the first time since 2019 that a team other than GAM or Saigon Buffalo will proudly represent the region on the global stage.

For Team Whales, this triumph is the result of years of hard work and unwavering dedication.

Team Whales was founded in 2020 and has rapidly climbed the ranks of the VCS.

In 2022, they achieved a second-place finish in the VCS Summer Split, and in the current year, they reached the semifinals of the VCS Spring Split.

With their ticket to Worlds 2023 now secured, Team Whales is set to embark on an exhilarating journey where they will compete against some of the world’s top teams.

The tournament is scheduled to take place in South Korea, from October 10 to November 19.

Team Whales, as an esports organization established in 2020, is involved in various games, including League of Legends, VALORANT, and PUBG Mobile.

The League of Legends team, in particular, has established itself as one of the top teams in the VCS, with two VCS championships under their belt.

They have also had the honour of representing Vietnam at both the Mid-Season Invitational and the World Championship.

Team Whales’ roster consists of talented players in key positions, including Nguyen “Nagiya” Vo Anh Hoang in the top lane, Tran “BeanJ” Van Chinh in the jungle, Le “Glory” Ngoc Vinh in the mid lane, Tran “Artemis” Quoc Hung in the bot lane, and Tran “Bie” Duc Hieu as support.

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MSI 2023 will begin on May 2, with the play-in stage scheduled to run for the first week.

After that, we will have eight teams competing in the main event playoffs for the 2023 MSI title at the Copper Box Arena in London.

Below is a list of the 13 teams competing at the 2023 Mid-Season Invitational:

The #MSI2023 Play-In Draw! pic.twitter.com/sezNofH6n1

— LoL Esports (@lolesports) April 23, 2023

The other eight teams will begin their MSI campaign on May 2, while Gen.G, T1, JD Gaming, Cloud9, and MAD Lions await the top three qualifiers from the play-in stage.

The MSI 2023 play-in bracket is set, and the matches and odds are listed below:

• Bilibili Gaming ($1.02) vs Movistar7 ($11.00)
• G2 Esports ($1.12) vs LOUD ($5.50)
• Golden Guardians ($2.00) vs GAM Esports ($1.72)
• PSG Talon ($1.40) vs DetonatioN FocusMe ($2.75)

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?Burst The Sky Esports will clash with Team Secret for the first time since late February when Secret won 2-1. That match was relatively close, but it’s hard to be overly optimistic about BTS when they are 3-9 in the VCS and riding a three-game losing streak.

Burst The Sky’s only three wins of the season came against SBTC Esports (2-1), GMedia Luxury (2-1) and Saigon Buffalo (2-1), which are nothing to write home about. Team Secret, on the other side, haven’t really lost any games against lower-table teams, but they have dropped maps against the likes of SBTC Esports and Team Flash.

Team Secret should win this match simply because they’re the better team overall. That said, BTS have looked good enough of late for us to believe they can keep the series close.

?GAM Esports enter this match with a near-perfect 11-1 record and 22-5 map differential, which more or less guarantees them the VCS Spring regular-season title. However, that doesn’t mean they should be priced as $1.24 favourites against CERBERUS, even though GAM won their last head-to-head fixture in February with a 2-1 scoreline.

GAM might be the strongest team in the region, but CERBERUS are not that far behind, despite their inconsistencies. CERBERUS enter this match with a 9-3 record while riding a five-game winning streak that includes four clean sweeps of GMedial Luxury, Saigon Buffalo, BTS and Team Secret.

The latest LoL betting odds suggest GAM should win this match 80.5% of the time. While they are without a doubt the best team in the region, this match seems more like a 65/35 scenario rather than 80/20, meaning CERBERUS shouldn’t be priced much higher than $2.90. Some may consider a smaller bet on the outsiders, but we are satisfied with the map handicap odds.