This upset ended Gen.G’s golden road, securing HLE the top seed from Korea for the 2024 League of Legends World Championship.

WOORI BANK 2024 #LCK SUMMER CHAMPIONS: @HLEofficial pic.twitter.com/YB1DYl9MgD

— LCK (@LCK) September 8, 2024

Gen.G had been a powerhouse throughout 2024, built around the incredible talent of Jeong “Chovy” Ji-hoon.

They won the LCK Spring title and dominated the Mid-Season Invitational (MSI), defeating Bilibili Gaming.

Gen.G’s 17-1 record in the LCK Summer Split made them the overwhelming favourites to complete the rare and coveted LoL grand slam��winning both domestic splits and MSI.

In the upper bracket final, they handily beat HLE 3-1, reinforcing their dominance and seemingly cruising towards another title.

HLE, meanwhile, had steadily improved over the course of the year.

Though they finished third in the spring behind T1, they showed progress throughout the season, culminating in a strong playoff run.

HLE even defeated Lee “Faker” Sang-hyeok and T1 in the lower bracket to earn another chance at Gen.G in the grand final.

Despite their resurgence, HLE entered the series as underdogs, with Gen.G heavily favoured to complete the golden road.

HLE took the first blow, winning a tightly contested first game.

Gen.G responded in championship form, taking the next two games and putting themselves on the verge of another title.

But HLE roared back, decisively winning the fourth game to force a game five.

In the deciding match, Kim “Zeka” Geon-woo��s Yone dominated Chovy��s Corki in the midlane, securing HLE��s victory and the 2024 LCK Summer Championship.

Zeka��s performance earned him the Finals MVP title, marking his first LCK championship.

Congratulations to the Woori Bank 2024 #LCK Summer FINALS MVP, Zeka! pic.twitter.com/b3Cn3PtBJf

— LCK (@LCK) September 8, 2024

The victory was especially poignant for HLE��s Choi “Doran” Hyeon-joon, Han “Peanut” Wang-ho, and Yoo “Delight” Hwan-joong��three players who had been part of Gen.G just a year earlier.

In a twist of fate, they were the ones to halt Gen.G’s golden road.

Peanut, now HLE��s star jungler, made history by becoming the first jungler to win seven LCK championships.

Reflecting on his journey in a post-match interview, he recalled winning his first title eight years ago with ROX Tigers.

Zeka, in his first LCK title win, acknowledged how his past struggles against Chovy��who held a dominant 16-1 record against him before this series��had fueled his growth.

“The process of losing against Chovy up until this day is what allowed me to win today,” he remarked.

For Gen.G, this loss ended their dreams of a perfect year.

However, their journey is far from over.

As they set their sights on LoL Worlds 2024, they will aim to regroup and reclaim their status on the international stage.

Despite the bitter defeat, Gen.G��s spring and summer dominance still cements them as a formidable force.

This upset marked the second consecutive year that a team came tantalisingly close to achieving the elusive grand slam��last year it was JD Gaming from the LPL, and this time, Gen.G.

Their defeat underscores the unpredictability and excitement of competitive League of Legends.

With the LCK Regional Finals on the horizon, teams like T1 will now battle for the remaining Worlds spots.

But for now, the LCK crown belongs to Hanwha Life Esports, who dethroned the reigning champions in a dramatic, unforgettable series.

As the 2024 World Championship approaches, fans can expect even more surprises, upsets, and electrifying moments on the international stage.

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HANWHA LIFE ESPORTS vs T1 LoL BETTING & MATCH DETAIL

Hanwha Life Esports and T1 will lock horns on Saturday, September 7, in the lower-bracket final in the League of Legends Champions Korea (LCK) 2024 Summer Playoffs. Hanwha Life won when these two clashed in the second round, and according to the LoL betting sites, the rematch should not end any differently.

Hanwha Life Esports made easy work of T1 at the end of August, beating the Korean juggernauts in three maps. T1 struggled on the day, with weird drafts and poor execution, but most notably, the players did not seem like they were on the same page.

On a more positive note, Lee “Faker” Sang-hyeok and co. performed much better against Dplus KIA in the last round, when it seemed like they had figured some things out.

Hanwha Life Esports lost to Gen.G in the LCK upper-bracket finals but performed surprisingly well.

Two games were close and could have ended either way, but the other two were closer to one-way traffic. While HLE could not make it over the finish line, it mostly had to do with the fact that Gen.G are simply that good.

The decision of whether or not to back T1 in this contest comes down to how much their improved showing against Dplus KIA means. While it was a solid display, T1 have been struggling more than expected for months now, so it is fair to assume T1 are not the same team from earlier in the season.

On the other side, Hanwha Life Esports are still the same counter-punching team — a style which should not work against any elite squad. Yet they performed against Gen.G on two of the four maps, and knowing how flawed T1 are, HLE could make it work again.

T1 can turn on at any point, but if we look at the bigger picture, Han “Peanut” Wang-ho and his crew have been the better team over the last two months.

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HANWHA LIFE ESPORTS vs T1 LoL BETTING & MATCH DETAIL

Hanwha Life Esports got paired with T1 for the second round of League of Legends Champions Korea (LCK) 2024 Summer Playoffs. Yet despite T1’s history in LCK playoffs, they enter this match priced as underdogs with the top League of Legends betting sites.

T1 closed as underdogs at $1.89 in their last meeting with Hanwha Life Esports during the regular season and $1.70 favourites in the LCK 2024 Spring Playoffs series. Now, the Esports World Cup 2024 champions hold much longer odds, at $2.54, giving them a 39.4% implied probability of winning the series.

That isn’t shocking, considering T1 haven’t had the best run over the last few weeks. Even in their victory over KT Rolster in the first round of the playoffs, Lee “Faker” Sang-hyeok and co. showed very little.

T1 outperformed KT Rolster on the third and fourth maps, but they had some hiccups, making it evident that T1 need to sort some things out if they want a real run against Hanwha Life Esports this week. All this sounds highly concerning, but we know that T1 can switch on at any time, so it would not be too shocking to see them find traction on Thursday.

Hanwha Life Esports made a name for themselves as a squad who will run over any weaker team but consistently struggle against the elite few �C due to their counter-punching playstyle. However, they put that theory under a question mark this split by producing competitive games against Gen.G, T1, and Dplus KIA.

Some of it had to do with the fact that Dplus KIA and T1 have not been in the best shape; however, it is not like much has changed. Nevertheless, it still does not sound right seeing Hanwha Life Esports priced as $1.49 favourites for this match.

Betting against T1 is hoping they will not wake up which can happen, like it did in the past playoffs. So, while Hanwha Life Esports deserve respect for what they have shown this split, T1 at the offered LoL betting odds are very hard to pass on.

A smaller position on T1 to win with at least two maps to spare is also worth a look.

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The last time these teams squared off, Hanwha Life Esports won with 15-9 and 19-6 in kills and a 9,000 and 18,000 gold lead on the two maps, respectively. According to the latest LoL betting odds, the rematch should be just as one-sided.

Hanwha Life Esports had a bit of a hiccup at the start of LCK 2024 Summer Week 7 when they were humiliated by KT Rolster, but that does not take away from their strong results over the last few weeks. OKSavingsBank BRION are quite the opposite, having struggled for most of the split, yet they swept KT Rolster on Sunday.

The teams�� stats prove Hanwha Life Esports are a far superior squad, and they are known for doing well against weaker opponents. Since BRION rarely put up a fight in losses, even the relatively high kill handicap is an inviting bet for Hanwha Life Esports on their map pick.

Dplus KIA have been on the brink of breaking into the group of elite LCK teams for this entire split. But despite their dominant map performances, they seem unable to get over the line when faced with the likes of Hanwha Life Esports, Gen.G, and T1.

BNK FearX are not considered one of the top contenders in LCK, but they��re 5-1 over the last four series, with just one loss against Gen.G and two promising victories against KT Rolster and T1. This is not enough to jump to conclusions, yet FearX have looked outstanding over the past month.

Betting against Dplus KIA is always a bit tricky, as they can defeat anyone. But consistency has not been their strong suit this split, so a smaller position on BNK FearX to win a map at $1.75 with top LoL betting sites is worth a look.

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Nongshim RedForce took a map from KT Rolster on Sunday but still lost, marking their third defeat over a four-game stretch. Now, at 3-9, Nongshim RedForce likely will not see the playoffs, and there is little to suggest their run through LCK 2024 Summer will improve significantly.

Hanwha Life Esports’ seven-game winning streak came to a screeching stop on Wednesday when they were humiliated by KT Rolster. While that loss did sting, it does not suggest HLE are in danger of losing to Nongshim RedForce.

KT Rolster punished Hanwha Life Esports’ counter-punching playstyle, which Nongshim RedForce, with their macro, shouldn’t be able to do. With an average of 15.7 deaths per game, Nongshim will struggle to keep this game close.

Kwangdong Freecs lost all four series in the previous two weeks of LCK action, going down to OKSavingsBank BRION, Gen.G and twice to Hanwha Life Esports. The latter two are not that worrying, but Kwangdong Freecs have not looked very competitive in any of their games since the start of the split.

Dplus KIA lost another close game on Wednesday against T1, continuing a trend of playing exceptionally well only to fall short. This has become concerning, but their performance numbers remain very good.

Despite their shaky record against other elite teams, Dplus KIA are very efficient in beating lesser squads. LoL betting sites are paying $1.68 for the favourites to sweep, and it is an easy bet to take.

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Dplus KIA suffered their fourth defeat of the split on Saturday when they tragically lost to Hanwha Life Esports on the third map. While it marks another narrow defeat in a series they could’ve won, Dplus have shown they possess the talent to compete with the best in the LCK.

T1 bounced back from their slump with two wins against KT Rolster and DRX last week, but they did not look great in either. As such, it is hard to see why T1 are priced as favourites for this match.

Dplus KIA have shown elite-level performances of late, and considering T1’s recent struggles, they are an excellent bet as underdogs.

Hanwha Life Esports have won seven games in a row in the LCK 2024 Summer, including victories against Dplus KIA, Kwangdong Freecs, and T1. KT Rolster, on the other side, are 2-2 from their last four outings, with no notable victories.

For a team with so much raw talent, KT Rolster are in a terrible spot and their performance numbers are at the level of a mid-table team. This is reflected in their match odds with the top LoL betting sites, yet plus money on Hanwha Life Esports to sweep seems a bit too generous.

HLE have not only done well against elite teams this split, but they are also highly efficient in crushing weaker opponents. And they crushed KT Rolster in Week 2, when Hanwha Life were in worse shape than they are now.

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Hanwha Life Esports kept their streak alive on Thursday when they defeated Kwangdong Freecs, securing their sixth consecutive victory. It was a clean performance, but it is not like defeating Kwangdong Freecs is a very impressive accomplishment.

Hanwha Life Esports are in great shape, but we know the deal with HLE and their record against stronger opponents. Most of Hanwha Life Esports�� strength comes from feeding off opponent��s mistakes – Dplus KIA are not the type to allow for that.

It makes little sense for LoL betting sites to have Dplus KIA priced as underdogs. They have looked just as good, if not better, than Hanwha Life Esports recently, and they already won this matchup earlier this split.

This is the eighth consecutive match in which Gen.G are priced at under $1.20, which at this point sounds fair. Gen.G have been on a roll since the start of the split, with an 11-0 series record and a 96% map win rate.

The only team who showed Gen.G can bleed were Dplus KIA last week, when they managed a perfect Map 1 only to get bodied in the final two. On the other side, Kwangdong Freecs are 5-6 and while they put up some fight against Hanwha Life Esports on Thursday, they are not a team you would expect to take down Gen.G. But there is another angle to look at.

Gen.G have averaged 23.8, and Kwangdong Freecs 21.5 total kills per game this season. Yet the kill line is set at 10.5, which is high for such a low kill total. Underdogs to keep it relatively close is the play.

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Kwangdong Freecs fell to new depths last Friday when they lost to OKSavingsBank BRION. It marked their fifth defeat of LCK 2024 Summer and their fourth over a five-game stretch. This is more than just a bad run, seeing how KDF have trailed at 20 minutes in over two-thirds of their series.

Hanwha Life Esports are on the opposite trajectory, having won their last five outings — including a 2-0 sweep of Kwangdong Freecs at the start of Week 5. HLE had a bit of a rough run earlier this split, but things have improved since they reverted to their old style.

Hanwha Life Esports should not be trusted when faced with competent squads. However, they shouldn’t be questioned when playing mid- and lower-table teams.

DRX have lost seven games in a row, and while they should have beaten Nonghsim RedForce, almost defeating one of the bottom teams does not sound too inspiring. Dplus KIA, on the other side, are 7-3 and fresh off a promising performance against Gen.G that included a perfect first map.

Dplus KIA are a very bloody team, averaging 15.6 kills over their 24 games. DRX have the league’s lowest average kill count at 8.9 and the fourth-highest deaths per game at 12.9.

Even though it is not common for teams to cover double-digit kill lines, Dplus KIA are too aggressive to believe DRX can keep the game close. The best esports betting sites have Dplus priced at $1.91 to cover 9.5 kills on both maps, which is a fair offer.

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A rematch from LoL Champions Korea 2024 Summer Week 4 sees T1 seek revenge against Hanwha Life Esports, who bested the reigning LoL world champions 2-1. But based on T1��s recent performances, this will not come easy.

T1 are in the worst shape they have been in a very long time, but it’s not like their downfall is surprising. T1 have looked very shaky since their return from the Esports World Cup 2024, and they hit a new low on Thursday with a 1-2 loss against BNK FearX.

Betting on Hanwha Life Esports when faced with an elite team is rarely the way to go, since they are a counterpunching team. But in the state T1 are in, even a suboptimal approach could be enough to push Hanwha over the finish line.

We are looking at a very short price for Gen.G to defeat what is arguably one of the top four teams in the LCK. And while Gen.G have looked unstoppable so far this split, it is fair to consider fading them just on the principle that betting odds on a match between two strong teams should never be so lopsided.

Esports betting sites are offering $5.46 on Dplus KIA, meaning they are given just north of 18% implied probability to defeat Gen.G. Considering Dplus threw away a golden opportunity to win when these teams last met, that figure is way too low.

Gen.G are the better, more consistent team, but going against the hottest squad in the LCK makes sense at this number.

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Outside of winning a map from T1 and KT Rolster, OKSavingsBank BRION have not produced much, yet that’s enough to show them some respect. BRION are quite feisty as underdogs, and even though they rarely get over the finish line, their best performances tend to come when faced with stronger opponents.

Dplus KIA continue to sit on the verge of breaking into the elite few LCK teams, but they have looked good this split, so they will get there eventually. The real question is how much better Dplus KIA really are than OKSavingsBank BRION.

At $3.50, BRION are given just a 28.9% implied probability of taking a map on Wednesday, which is low for a team that nearly defeated T1 and will start the series on their map pick.

The two teams should be priced much closer than what LoL esports betting sites are offering for this match. And that is mainly because of how Hanwha Life Esports are built.

Hanwha Life Esports are extremely good at crushing weaker teams, but only because they are efficient in taking advantage of errors. Hanwha have never stepped away from this strategy, which explains why they struggle when faced with better teams.

Kwangdong Freecs are not top LCK contenders, but they’re very competent with few flaws, making them a formidable opponent for Hanwha Life Esports. At $3.59 with top League of Legends bookmakers, Kwangdong Freecs are way too cheap.

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