The League of Legends Worlds 2023 knockout stage has kicked off to a tremendous start, with eight teams fighting for their spot in the semi-finals. The world championships have 22 teams from around the world, all competing against each other for the title in this esports match. League of Legends is a strategy game that needs two teams of five to face off against one another. They must destroy each other’s bases and use strategies by choosing from over 140 players to pave their way to victory. Known as the “Nexus,” the base is the beating heart of all teams, and you must destroy the enemy’s Nexus to win. You have minions spawn from your base’s Nexus, and can gather and replenish your health from your base fountain – sounds strategic? We think so.
Catapulting itself into an eSports phenomenon, LoL was established in 2009 and took till 2011 to turn into a professional tournament. The first World Championship was held in Sweden, and in 2023, it’s now in Seoul, South Korea. The World Championships 2023 are debuting the Swiss-system format that is used in competitive League of Legends games for this year’s tournament, and with over 100 million players worldwide, it’s a tournament worth watching. The Swiss method is replacing the Group Stages of all previous editions, and incorporating new qualifiers to determine the semi-final spaces between Europe and North America.
The tournament is the ultimate showdown of the year, and is ongoing from the 10th of October until the November 19th finale. All 22 teams are fighting to win the Summoner’s Cup, which is the ultimate trophy in eSports history – but it doesn’t stop there. The prize pool is estimated between $2.25 and $3 million, so the teams that grab the win for this year’s final are set to win big. It’s not just the players, either – spectators also have the opportunity to walk away with some large prizes, in both cash and in cryptocurrencies. eSports and betting have been on the same trajectory for some time, but eSports and crypto betting are another story. Though the actual gamers got in total a $2 billion payout in 2022 alone, those who were enjoying crypto esports betting saw payouts exceed this. Let’s do a rundown of some of our top teams, and who you should consider taking a crypto bet on for the chance to win big. Let’s take a look at the four you’ll see in the upcoming semi-finals.
Bilibili Gaming (BLG)
Owned by Bilibili Gaming, a video-sharing platform based in China, BLG is a team that has defied all the odds this year. Only established in 2017, BLG has seen brilliant growth. Finding victories against ZETA division and NRG earlier on in the year for the Chinese Qualifiers Championships, they’re a team to be reckoned with.
In the lead-up to the semi-finals, BLG, who also dabbled in Overwatch, managed to beat Gen.G, who were the heavy favorites to win the tournament this year. Gen.G lost in the first two games with awful decision-making and bad strategizing, though they made it to Game 5 with one win. It was BLG who took the game to the final hurdle, which saw them win their space in the semi-finals. This team is climbing the rankings and is definitely one to watch.
Weibo Gaming
Just like BLG, Weibo Gaming is an underestimated team that’s coming out on top. Ready to face each other in the playoffs for the title, Weibo Gaming is also a Chinese team that defies the odds and is looking for a win. The odds have BLG coming out above this team, but they’ve still done well to get to where they are. With a struggle during the Summer Split of 2023, they’re on a mission to change course and win themselves a good sum.
T1
T1 is a South Korean-based eSports team that is a joint venture by SK Telecom and Comcast Spectator. In this tournament, T1 have only faced one loss, so they’ve dominated their opponents to get to the top. They have a knack for being unpredictable compared to other teams, which is serving them well at present. One player we’re betting our dollars on is Zeus, who is T1’s best top laner and is going to be putting JD Gaming to the test in the finals.
JD Gaming
All eyes will be on T1 and JD Gaming in the infamous knockouts when it gets to the finals. JD Gaming is a Chinese team who have also been going since 2017. They have impressive gameplay with a team of incredible players, so we think they have a good shot of emerging victorious.
The option to make crypto bets has made wagering more accessible for some people, and you have the chance to win big here – all eyes will be on the LoL 2023 World Championships. Sit tight, make your wagers, and get ready for an invigorating win – no matter which team takes the championship.
