The 14th competitive season of League of Legends is gaining momentum, with professional league matches taking place across all regions. However, some stand out from the rest. When we talk about tournaments that hold special significance for the competitive LoL ecosystem, we naturally refer to the LCK.
The LCK is the regional league of South Korea, where the strongest teams on the professional League of Legends scene compete. These aren’t just empty words; you only need to look at the number of World Championships won by South Korean teams to understand this.
Every year, the LCK hosts two splits: LCK Spring and LCK Summer which become a center of league of legends betting during their duration. Both are very important and have their own unique features. For example, LCK Spring determines Korea’s representative at the Mid-Season Invitational, while the Summer split sends a participant to Worlds. And it’s the LCK Summer that we’ll discuss in more detail.
The LCK Summer 2024 playoffs will kick off in mid-August 2024. We eagerly await the start of this event and want to analyze who might win the LCK Summer 2024 title.
What is LCK Summer 2024?
LCK Summer 2024 is the second split of the professional LCK league in 2024 and the center of lol esports betting. It is the most prestigious regional competition in South Korea, featuring 10 teams.
The participants of LCK Summer 2024 are “stable,” meaning that the teams retain their slots regardless of their performance in other LCK series tournaments. This practice is standard for Riot, and they use it in all regional championships around the globe.
Overall, 10 teams compete in LCK Summer 2024. They are vying for a prize pool of $271,000 and a ticket to Worlds 2024—the main tournament of the season. All LCK Summer 2024 matches are held in LAN format at the LoL PARK arena. The playoffs also feature Goyang Sono Arena and Gyeongju Indoor Stadium, where the lower bracket finals and the grand final are played.
Format of LCK Summer 2024
Earlier, we briefly mentioned the LCK Summer 2024 format, and now it’s worth explaining it in more detail. There’s nothing particularly unique about it, but that doesn’t diminish its importance.
The entire summer split is divided into two parts: the group stage and the championship playoffs. Here are their key features:
- Group Stage: Single-Round Robin with a single group of 10 teams playing against each other in best-of-three (Bo3) matches. The group stage is divided into two “rounds” separated by weeks. The first half of the group stage lasts for 5 weeks, while the second lasts for 4. The top 6 teams advance to the playoffs.
- Playoffs: Mixed Double-Elimination. In the first round of the main stage, teams play elimination matches, while from the second round onwards, a double-elimination bracket is used. All matches are played in a best-of-five (Bo5) format.
It’s worth noting that LCK Summer 2024 features a rather unique opponent selection system. The winner of the group stage picks their opponent for the second round, while the team that finished second in the group stage plays against the remaining team.
Having understood the format a bit better, we can move on to the main participants of LCK Summer 2024: the tournament favorites, dark horses, and so on.
Gen.G – The Main Contender for the LCK Summer 2024 Title
The LCK is one of the most prestigious and powerful regions in the world of professional League of Legends, yet far from the most competitive. Over the years, the LCK has forged its heroes, who consistently rank high in series tournaments and are almost always favorites. The most obvious team fitting the description of “the strongest” is Gen.G, which is confirmed by almost all lol betting sites.
Gen.G has long earned its status as a powerhouse in the LCK. This Korean super-club has dominated the region for three years, starting in 2022. Since 2022, Gen.G has won 4 championships: LCK Summer 2022, LCK Spring 2023, LCK Summer 2023, and LCK Spring 2024.
In LCK Summer 2024, Gen.G reached new heights. They breezed through the group stage, losing only one series and dropping only three games overall. Such a result is almost unbelievable. Add to that their championship win at MSI 2024—a prestigious international tournament—and it’s clear that this team is aiming to take yet another trophy. So, if you want to gamble a bit and make league of legends bet, Gen.G victory at LCK Summer 2024 probably the most possible outcome
T1 – The Eternal Runner-Up
T1 has always been and remains the greatest team in the history of LoL and esports as a whole. This club has won 4 World Championships, and so far, no one has come close to them. However, things aren’t as rosy on the domestic scene.
The last time T1 won in the LCK was back in 2022, during LCK Spring 2022. Since then, Faker and his team have struggled to become champions of their home league, which frustrates both the players and their fans in South Korea. This frustration has even led fans to organize “flash mobs” outside T1 headquarters, accusing the coaching staff and players of all manner of sins.
Nonetheless, T1 remains a formidable force and could challenge Gen.G at LCK Summer 2024, as they have done in previous years.
Dark Horses: KT, HLE, DPlus
In addition to Gen.G and T1, other well-known clubs will compete for the LCK Summer 2024 title. These include KT Rolster, Hanwha Life Esports, and DPlus KIA.
This trio has everything it takes to succeed: top-tier players, serious club infrastructure, and a wealth of experience. During the group stage, they looked strong and posed a challenge to both Gen.G and T1. This could happen again during the playoffs, although their chances of winning in a Bo5 match are much lower than they were during the Bo3 matches in the group stage.
Conclusion
LCK Summer 2024 is a top-tier spectacle in the world of League of Legends, and I wouldn’t recommend missing such matches. No matter who wins this tournament, the level of play will be high, and if you’re a fan of competitive League of Legends, watching it is a must.