After the first day of action, Korean teams are proving why many still consider them to be the best in the world. The LCK is in first place with a 3-1 record at Rift Rivals Red, with the LPL right behind them at 2-2, and the LMS in last place at 1-3. That puts Korea’s LCK in the driver’s seat for the automatic spot in the finals, but China’s LPL is aiming to catch them. Taiwan’s LMS is going to have a hard time doing it though, especially considering their last four matches.
At Rift Rivals Red, four teams from the LCK, the LPL, and the LMS will each play twice in order to determine seeding for the semifinals and finals. The organization with the best record will get an automatic bid into the finals on Sunday, while the other two regions will have to fight for the other spot in the finals on Saturday.
2018 League of Legends Rift Rivals Red Betting Odds (Courtesy of BetDSI)
Edward Gaming -370
G-Rex +248
EDG gave China its most impressive victory on the first day of Rift Rivals. Thanks to a great performance from Scout on Zoe, they were able to knock off the LCK’s Afreeca Freecs. That gave Korea its lone loss to this point. Scout had seven kills and six assists on the champion, with only one death, and he was the deserved MVP after the match.
They are deserved heavy favorites against G-Rex in this match. G-Rex has yet to play at Rift Rivals, but they are winless through three matches in the LMS Summer Split. It’s tough to see them having a chance against EDG without a big helping of cheese.
Kingzone DragonX -250
Flash Wolves +176
Flash Wolves pulled off Day 1’s biggest upset by knocking off reigning MSI champions Royal Never Give Up. They were able to successfully pull off team fights against RNG multiple times, despite not putting together a relatively good team composition.
This year, the best team in the world was supposed to be Kingzone. They put together one of the most talented rosters we have ever seen, and they have largely performed well. However, they have had their fair share of missteps. Kingzone was a pretty large disappointment at MSI, but they were able to take care of business against Flash Wolves.
Rogue Warriors -400
Mad Team +263
Mad Team are a live dog in this game. They are one of two undefeated LMS teams domestically, and they didn’t look bad in their earlier loss to KT Rolster. The Rogue Warriors are probably China’s weakest team, and they should not be this big of a favorite. They do have an advantage with former Flash Wolves head coach Steak as their head coach, but they are largely dependent on Doinb and smlz to get everything done.
Invictus Gaming -233
SK Telecom T1 +166
If this line were based on recent performances and nothing else, Invictus would be a -500 favorite. SKT has been a massive disappointment this year, and they have really had a hard time figuring out this meta. SKT has a huge fan base and a history of coming up big in international tournaments though, so the price on them is lower than it should be. Take advantage of this and grab Invictus. TheShy should have a fantastic game in the top lane against Thal, bullying him in an IG win.
Afreeca Freecs -417
G-Rex +272
Afreeca is out to make amends. They were the lone Korean team to lose on Day 1, and they have a relatively easy match-up. G-Rex has not had near the success that Afreeca has had recently, and Afreeca will be able to win this match in under 30 minutes.
Kingzone DragonX -143
Royal Never Give Up +105
There is a decent chance that this match determines whether China or Korea gets the No. 1 seed entering the playoffs. It’s interesting to see Kingzone as the favorite coming into this one. RNG dominated them at MSI and has continued to play well in domestic action. They did not play well in their first match though, and that might be a concern for some. Still yet, this meta does not seem to suit them as well as the one at MSI did, so Kingzone may be able to get a small measure of revenge.
