Esports betting sites expected to see some lopsided games, and that was exactly what we witnessed, as the likes of Bilibili Gaming (BLG), Hanwha Life Esports (HLE), and G2 Esports claimed impressive victories in their respective fixtures.
BLG kicked off the first round of the Swiss Stage in a clash with MAD Lions KOI, and even though MAD shot out to an early lead, the top seed from the League of Legends Pro League (LPL) regained the ascendancy and ran away with the win in under 27 minutes.
Many expected Top Esports (TES) vs T1 to be the pick of the bunch on day one, as the reigning world champions took on a resurgent Chinese squad who secured the second seed from the LPL.
The clash was close throughout the 30 minutes, but it was TES who secured a vital win that dropped T1 into the loser’s bracket.
Gen.G entered their round one series against Weibo Gaming (WBG) as overwhelming favourites with GG Bet; however, their win was less than convincing, as it took the pre-tournament favourites 45 minutes to defeat the LPL team.
Dplus KIA and Fnatic clashed in the fourth series of the day, where the LCK’s third seed controlled the game and held a gold lead throughout before claiming the win in just over 35 minutes.
Thanks to a masterclass from LNG bot-laner Chen “GALA” Wei, the third seed from the LPL took down the top seed from the LCS, Team Liquid.
GALA’s stat-line read 9/1/9, which has him situated in equal second in the KDA list for the Swiss Stage, and with that 18.0 KDA, he propelled LNG to a dominant win inside 35 minutes.
The final three fixtures of day one featured Hanwha Life Esports vs PSG Talon, FlyQuest vs GAM Esports, and G2 Esports vs paiN Gaming, with HLE, FlyQuest and G2 winning their respective matches with relative ease to book their spot in the 1-0 bracket.
The #Worlds2024 Swiss Stage Round 2 bracket!
Note: The match order is still TBD. pic.twitter.com/JlFRjYikuR
— LoL Esports (@lolesports) October 3, 2024
The first match of day two will be an all-LPL fixture with Bilibili Gaming taking on LNG Esports before Gen.G clashes with Top Esports in the following series.
Below is a list of Swiss Stage round two series, set to be played on Friday, October 4.
BILIBILI GAMING vs MAD LIONS KOI LoL BETTING & MATCH DETAILS |
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Best Odds: | BLG $1.08 at GG Bet | MAD $7.10 at GG Bet |
When: | October 3, 2024 | 14:00 CET |
Watch Live: | Lolesports, Twitch |
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.
TOP ESPORTS vs T1 LoL BETTING & MATCH DETAILS |
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Best Odds: | TES $2.06 at GG Bet | T1 $1.73 at GG Bet |
When: | October 3, 2024 | 15:00 CET |
Watch Live: | Lolesports, Twitch |
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 vs WEIBO GAMING LoL BETTING & MATCH DETAILS |
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Best Odds: | Gen.G $1.19 at GG Bet | WBG $4.45 at GG Bet |
When: | October 3, 2024 | 16:00 CET |
Watch Live: | Lolesports, Twitch |
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 vs DPLUS KIA LoL BETTING & MATCH DETAILS |
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Best Odds: | Fnatic $3.36 at GG Bet | Dplus $1.30 at GG Bet |
When: | October 3, 2024 | 17:00 CET |
Watch Live: | Lolesports, Twitch |
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.
TEAM LIQUID vs LNG ESPORTS LoL BETTING & MATCH DETAILS |
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Best Odds: | TL $3.54 at GG Bet | LNG $1.28 at GG Bet |
When: | October 3, 2024 | 18:00 CET |
Watch Live: | Lolesports, Twitch |
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 vs PSG TALON LoL BETTING & MATCH DETAILS |
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Best Odds: | HLE $1.06 at GG Bet | PSG $8.14 at GG Bet |
When: | October 3, 2024 | 19:00 CET |
Watch Live: | Lolesports, Twitch |
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.
FLYQUEST vs GAM ESPORTS LoL BETTING & MATCH DETAILS |
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Best Odds: | FLY $1.38 at GG Bet | GAM $2.94 at GG Bet |
When: | October 3, 2024 | 20:00 CET |
Watch Live: | Lolesports, Twitch |
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 vs PAIN GAMING LoL BETTING & MATCH DETAILS |
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Best Odds: | G2 $1.15 at GG Bet | paiN $5.08 at GG Bet |
When: | October 3, 2024 | 21:00 CET |
Watch Live: | Lolesports, Twitch |
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.
Four teams have been eliminated, and 16 remain on the road to glory.
Even in the play-in stage, one major region has already fallen short of expectations.
100 Thieves, from North America, suffered a disappointing defeat to PSG Talon in the lower bracket final, marking an early exit from LoL Worlds 2024.
With the Swiss Stage now set, exciting first-round matchups are on the horizon.
#Words2024 Swiss Stage round 1 match order:@BilibiliGaming @MADLionsKOI @TOP_Esports_ @T1LoL@GenG @WeiboGamingLoL @FNATIC @DplusKIA @TeamLiquidLoL @LNG_Esports @HLEofficial @psgtalonlol @FlyQuest @GAMesportsVN @G2League @paiNGamingBR https://t.co/i0oHBJbfpe
— LoL Esports (@lolesports) September 29, 2024
T1 will start their title defence against Top Esports, while European fans have reason for cautious optimism: G2 Esports faces paiN Gaming, and Fnatic goes head-to-head with Dplus KIA.
On the other hand, MAD Lions fans may feel a pang of anxiety as their team has drawn LPL Summer champions, Bilibili Gaming, in the first round.
In an interview, Supa from MAD Lions expressed a desire to face a North American team for revenge, but it seems that match will have to wait.
GAM Esports, fresh off a strong play-in stage performance, will now face FlyQuest, while PSG Talon must take on the LCK Summer winners, Hanwha Life Esports.
Meanwhile, Team Liquid is set to face LNG Esports, and Weibo Gaming is lined up against Gen.G, the dominant second seed from the LCK.
This year��s World Championship will take place across Berlin, Paris, and London, with the Swiss Stage held in two parts: October 3-7 and October 10-13.
The opening day will feature best-of-one round one matchups, followed by 1-0 and 0-1 matchups on October 4.
From then on, the decisive best-of-three matches will determine who moves on to the knockout stage and who goes home.
The play-in stage has already concluded, with eight teams competing for four qualification spots.
These four teams will now join the twelve already qualified teams in the Swiss Stage, where many consider the ��real�� Worlds to begin.
The 16 teams are divided into four pools, with Pool 1 teams facing Pool 4, and Pool 2 taking on Pool 3.
Importantly, no teams will face opponents from their own region in the first round.
After that, matchups will pair teams with the same record regardless of region, and rematches will be prohibited.
To qualify for the knockout stage, a team must win three matches, while three losses mean elimination from Worlds 2024.
The Swiss Stage format will feature best-of-one matches until the qualification and elimination series, which will be best of three.
Fans can catch all the Swiss Stage action on the official LoL Esports channels on Twitch and YouTube.
The final eight teams that survive this gruelling stage will advance to the knockout stage, bringing them one step closer to the Summoner��s Cup.
The dispute stems from Scout’s transfer to LNG at the start of the 2023 season, which led EDG to file a lawsuit.
After losing the first trial, EDG appealed the case, which has since escalated to a second trial.
As part of the legal proceedings, EDG reportedly requested a travel ban on Scout, complicating his ability to participate in the World Championship.
Scout had planned to return to South Korea for vacation but has been forced to remain in China while the case progresses.
If the court rules against him, the travel ban could extend into October, meaning Scout would miss the Swiss stage of Worlds, held in Berlin.
Source) Scouts may not be able to participate in Worlds 2024 #LoL #WORLDS2024 .@LNG_Esports pic.twitter.com/l1OSmbEhbQ
— kenzi (@kenzi131) September 12, 2024
This situation places LNG in a precarious position, as they currently lack a substitute mid-laner.
Their only substitute is Zhao “Shadow” Ziqiang, a former jungler who lacks Scout��s expertise in the mid-lane.
Although some teams have filled gaps by loaning players, Scout’s absence would severely impact LNG’s chances at Worlds due to his pivotal role in their success.
Scout has been instrumental in LNG��s performance, helping them secure a fourth-place finish in the 2024 LPL Summer Split playoffs and win the Regional Finals over Weibo Gaming.
His potential absence would disrupt LNG��s momentum, as they rely heavily on his individual skill to compete at the highest level.
SuperGent, the agency representing Scout, has issued a public plea to EDG, urging them to lift the travel ban for the sake of both the fans and LNG��s performance at Worlds.
However, without EDG��s cooperation, it seems unlikely that Scout will be able to attend.
Complicating matters further are rumours that Scout’s agency may have mishandled his contractual obligations, potentially breaching contracts while trying to secure his transfer to LNG.
As the 2024 World Championship approaches, Scout��s involvement remains uncertain.
If the legal battle doesn��t resolve in his favour, LNG will be forced to find a replacement and adapt quickly.
The esports community is anxiously awaiting the outcome of the case, knowing that Scout��s presence could be the key to LNG��s success at Worlds.
Weibo Gaming and LNG Esports will face off on Thursday, August 22, in the losers’ bracket of the League of Legends Pro League (LPL) 2024 Summer Playoffs.
This will be their first meeting since Week 2 of the regular season, when LNG won, and according to the odds offered by top LoL betting sites, the rematch should have the same ending.
LNG Esports enter this series off a 0-3 loss against Top Esports. Yet despite what the final score suggests, Lee “Scout” Ye-chan put up a great fight, showing just how good they are at not giving away too much early. Likewise, Weibo Gaming displayed many great things in their loss to Bilibili Gaming.
Weibo have been playing well enough against top teams, and since LNG belong in the same basket as them quality-wise, you have to question whether having them priced at $2.43 is fair. They are very explosive early, with Group Ascend’s third-highest gold difference at 15 minutes (+707), but also possess a solid macro.
That might not mean much given LNG’s controlled style of play and — as seen in their series against TES — ability to slow down strong early-game teams. On the other hand, both LPL sides showed improved performances in the previous round.
This should be a very competitive series. There is not much to set them apart in terms of quality, and while LNG Esports tend to do well against Weibo Gaming’s style, it is not like the underdogs rely only on their early game to get themselves in advantageous positions.
At plus money, Weibo Gaming are the more appealing pick.
OH MY GOD vs ULTRA PRIME LoL BETTING & MATCH DETAILS |
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Best Odds: | OMG $1.41 at GG Bet | UP $2.82 at GG Bet |
When: | July 24, 2024 | 17:00 CST |
Watch Live: | Lolesports, Twitch |
There is no significant difference between the eight teams in Group Nirvana. Although some have accumulated more wins than others, no squad has stood out as the best.
Oh My God are 4-0 and Ultra Prime are 2-3, but those records do not tell the whole story. Both teams have had victories gifted to them, the most obvious examples being their respective wins against Team WE last weekend.
While Oh My God are in good form, Ultra Prime are a bit underrated at the offered League of Legends betting odds. As OMG have side selection, backing the underdogs to win the second map looks like a solid play.
LNG ESPORTS vs JD GAMING LoL BETTING & MATCH DETAILS |
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Best Odds: | LNG $2.01 at GG Bet | JDG $1.76 at GG Bet |
When: | July 24, 2024 | 19:00 CST |
Watch Live: | Lolesports, Twitch |
LNG Esports ran over Ninjas in Pyjamas, Weibo Gaming, Top Esports, and Bilibili Gaming in the first three weeks, but it all came to a stop when lost against FunPlus Phoenix on Sunday. It was a rough day at the office for LNG, who made too many mistakes.
JD Gaming are 4-2 in LPL 2024 Summer and in a good spot to finish Group Ascend in the top two, but they’re a bit rough around the edges. However, this is still an elite team and one of the world’s most consistent and stable macro squads.
LNG Esports looked much cleaner than JD Gaming earlier in this split; one loss does not take away from that. With side choice and enough talent to compete with the best the LPL has to offer, LNG are an easy choice at $2.01 with top betting sites.
ULTRA PRIME vs ROYAL NEVER GIVE UP LoL BETTING & MATCH DETAILS |
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Best Odds: | UP $1.52 at GG Bet | RNG $2.47 at GG Bet |
When: | July 18, 2024 | 15:00 CST |
Watch Live: | Lolesports, Twitch |
According to the top esports betting sites, Ultra Prime should defeat Royal Never Give Up in 65.8% of scenarios. That’s a generous number, especially considering this is a match between two weak LoL esports teams.
Ultra Prime have side choice, which helps, but they’ve not shown much more than Royal Never Give Up over the last three weeks. UP are averaging 1911 gold per minute (GPM) and 71 gold difference per minute (GDM), compared to RNG’s 1797 GPM and -226 GDM, but the latter had to play EDward Gaming, Oh My God, and Team WE, all three offside.
Ultra Prime should be favoured with side choice, but they have not done enough to deserve this number. The value is with Royal Never Give Up to win at outsider odds.
LNG ESPORTS vs BILIBILI GAMING LoL BETTING & MATCH DETAILS |
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Best Odds: | LNG $2.86 at GG Bet | BLG $1.40 at GG Bet |
When: | July 18, 2024 | 19:00 CST |
Watch Live: | Lolesports, Twitch |
LNG Esports are the only team besides Bilibili Gaming in Group Ascend with a perfect record, having beaten Ninjas in Pyjamas, Weibo Gaming, and Top Esports over the last two weeks. The question here is: how long can they keep playing like this?
Bilibili Gaming remain the LPL’s top dogs. However, the eye test and stats show that there is not much to set them apart from LNG Esports besides their more explosive early game.
Even though Bilibili Gaming should win this match more times than not, LNG Esports are running hot and have enough quality to push the defending LPL champions to their limits.
TOP ESPORTS vs RARE ATOM LoL BETTING & MATCH DETAILS |
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Best Odds: | TES $1.04 at GG Bet | RA $10.16 at GG Bet |
When: | June 26, 2024 | 17:00 CST |
Watch Live: | Lolesports, Twitch |
At the offered LoL esports betting odds on this match, it’s fair to wonder whether backing the underdogs is the wiser option. Yet there are reasons to believe Top Esports are simply that much better.
Top Esports are 5-0 in LPL play since their early exit from Mid-Season Invitational 2024, with four of those series ending in clean sweeps. Rare Atom have managed a respectable 3-2 record, but they showed some cracks against Oh My God and LNG Esports in the first and second weeks.
Rare Atom look like one of the best non-contender teams in the LPL and have shown enough to suggest they can do well against other mid-table teams. Beating elite teams such as Top Esports won’t come as easy, but from a betting perspective, siding with the underdogs on the kill handicap makes sense.
Top Esports will start with a side choice, which makes the idea of an upset less likely. However, on their map pick, Rare Atom should be able to keep the score within 10 kills.
LNG ESPORTS vs OH MY GOD LoL BETTING & MATCH DETAILS |
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Best Odds: | LNG $1.17 at GG Bet | OMG $4.84 at GG Bet |
When: | June 26, 2024 | 20:00 CST |
Watch Live: | Lolesports, Twitch |
Oh My God have not won a single game across the first three weeks of LoL Pro League 2024 Summer Placements. They have not looked good in any of the five series played, and while there’s room for improvement, they need to show something before we can put any trust in them.
LNG Esports are not a very trustworthy team either. They rarely try to make something happen on the map, instead opting to pray on their opponents’ mistakes. While this can be effective against lesser opposition, it means LNG often struggle against the better teams in the league.
Regardless of their lack of consistency and questionable strategy, LNG Esports are an inviting bet to sweep at $1.66 with esports betting sites.
RARE ATOM vs LNG ESPORTS LoL BETTING & MATCH DETAILS |
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Best Odds: | RA $5.13 at GG Bet | LNG $1.15 at GG Bet |
When: | March 27, 2024 | 17:00 CST |
Watch Live: | Lolesports, Twitch |
For Rare Atom, the LPL 2024 Spring split ended a couple of weeks ago, as they��ve managed just four wins across 15 series. On the other side, LNG Esports still have a shot at finishing the regular season in sixth place and securing a direct bye into the second round of the playoffs.
LNG Esports come into this match as heavy favourites with top esports betting sites. Unlike Rare Atom, who have lost their last three series, LNG are on a four-game winning streak.
LNG Esports�� recent resurgence is promising, as it was only a matter of time before they started performing at a high level. But even though LNG still have a lot more to prove, it seems unlikely they will struggle against this Rare Atom outfit.
TOP ESPORTS vs NINJAS IN PYJAMAS LoL BETTING & MATCH DETAILS |
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Best Odds: | TES $1.71 at GG Bet | NiP $2.01 at GG Bet |
When: | March 27, 2024 | 19:00 CST |
Watch Live: | Lolesports, Twitch |
Top Esports were by far the most dominant team in the LPL for most of the split and are unquestionably one of the LPL’s top three squads. They have so far lost only against Bilibili Gaming, FunPlus Phoenix, and JD Gaming, but more importantly, Top Esports have been very consistent in crushing any weaker opponent.
While Ninjas in Pyjamas are talented enough to compete at the top level, their early game isn��t great. They are also passive and tend to gain leads by taking advantage of their opponent��s mistakes. This approach works against most LPL teams, but it won��t fly against Top Esports.
Stylistically, this will be a very tough match for Ninjas in Pyjamas.
LNG ESPORTS vs ANYONE’S LEGEND LoL BETTING & MATCH DETAILS |
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Best Odds: | LNG $1.40 at GG Bet | Weibo $2.75 at GG Bet |
When: | March 20, 2024 | 17:00 CST |
Watch Live: | Lolesports, Twitch |
Anyone’s Legend looked very competitive throughout the first five weeks of the LPL 2024 Spring, but they’ve lost four straight games since the sixth week of the split. That includes defeats against Rare Atom, Invictus Gaming, Royal Never Give Up, and JD Gaming on Saturday.
Anyone’s Legend took a map from JD Gaming, which sounds promising, but they’ve also lost against Rare Atom and Royal Never Give Up, which isn’t a good look for them.
LNG Esports are 4-1 over their last five games; however, they’ve had a very easy schedule to fight through. Over their last five, LNG has beaten EDward Gaming, Invictus Gaming, Ultra Prime, and Royal Never Give Up but lost against LGD Gaming.
LNG have the talent to do well, but they’ve yet to show the high-level gameplay everyone expected of them. So even though it’s more than fair to question Anyone’s Legend’s quality, it’s even harder to believe that LNG Esports can justify their tag as $1.40 favourites.
OH MY GOD vs BILIBILI GAMING LoL BETTING & MATCH DETAILS |
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Best Odds: | OMG $7.00 at GG Bet | BLG $1.08 at GG Bet |
When: | March 20, 2024 | 19:00 CST |
Watch Live: | Lolesports, Twitch |
Bilibili Gaming sits atop the LPL 2024 Spring standings with a 13-1 record and an equally impressive +22 map difference. They’re on an eight-game winning streak, with seven games ending in 2-0 sweeps.
Bilibili Gaming looks like the best team in the league; however, they’ve reached a point where they’ve started to test their limits. This can and will backfire; the only question is which team will catch Bilibili Gaming off-guard.
Oh My God won their seventh series of the split on Sunday when they swept Ultra Prime, improving the impression they left on Friday when Oh My God lost to Royal Never Give Up. This team has been decent when faced with weaker opponents, and they showed some fight when paired with the LPL’s top teams, but qualitatively, they’re not up there with the best.
Oh My God’s success against stronger opponents came down mainly to them praying for mistakes. However, while Bilibili Gaming is not known for making errors, their careless approach to the games makes backing Oh My God with a kill handicap on their map pick an appealing choice.