NA LCS Finals Betting Tips

Posted on September 5, 2018

We’re at the end of the 2018 Summer Split, and things couldn’t be more exciting! For one, only the top-4 teams remain, so the third-place match and the NA LCS finals are going to be intense. With that in mind, we’re making some betting tips to help you find gambling opportunities for the most anticipated matches of the season!

TSM vs 100 Thieves

Before we start dissecting the NA LCS finals, let’s break down the third-place match. TSM have definitely seen massive improvements towards the end of the split, but these still weren’t enough to score a victory against Cloud9. Even so, it’s refreshing to see Bjergsen putting on a show in the mid lane. Combine that with Hauntzer stepping up in the top lane and Zven and Mithy living up to their best in the West title, and TSM seem to have gotten over their individual shortcomings.

Unfortunately, their macro is still in disarray. This might not be as noticeable in teamfights since the entire TSM roster is made up of veterans who know exactly what they need to do in 5v5s. But once you get to rotations and objective setups, TSM tend to fall apart.

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Meanwhile, 100 Thieves are on a downswing. Their roster has always suffered from a distinct lack of firepower, but their decision to sub out Cody Sun for Rikara was the final nail in the coffin. The new AD carry struggles to hold his own in the laning phase, and the fact that Aphromoo is playing some of his worst games to date certainly doesn’t help either. With that, the only threat 100 Thieves have is Ssumday in the top lane. And that’s just not enough to carry a game.

Granted, 100 Thieves still have a good understanding of macro. Once they reach the late game, they suffocate their foes with a slow and methodical playstyle. But if their laning phase remains this volatile, we just can’t see 100T getting to that point against a foe as powerful as TSM.

BETTING ADVICE: TSM aren’t strong enough to score a clean victory, but they’re still the favorites in this matchup. You can bet on them winning the series with a 3-1 score for LoL betting odds of 3.90 at EsportsBetting. Alternatively, you can place a -1.5 handicap wager on TSM to minimize the variance.

Cloud9 vs Team Liquid

Now, let’s get to the NA LCS finals! Cloud9 enter this series with a ton of momentum behind them. Their roster is stacked with talent, and players like Licorice, Blaber, and Jensen can single-handedly take over the entire game if you let them. On top of that, C9 have the explosive duo of Svenskeren and Goldenglue that can switch up the pace of the entire Bo5.

But Cloud9 wouldn’t reach the NA LCS finals on roster strength alone. Their teamfighting is devastating as they take the slightest openings to land crushing blows against the enemy lineup. Their shot calling isn’t half bad either, and you can always count on C9 to go for the right macro play in the late game. Still, neither Sneaky nor Zeyzal is particularly good in the laning phase.

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And if there’s one lineup that can exploit this weakness, it’s Team Liquid. Doublelift and Olleh are absolute monsters in the bot lane, and their relentless aggression will be sure to put C9’s duo on the back foot. Moreover, Impact and Xmithie are very good at soaking up pressure, so the only one Cloud9 can target is Pobelter in the mid lane.

There’s also no denying TL are at their best outside of the laning phase. Playing against them puts you on a clock as they’re one of the most best macro teams in the league. And even though their teamfighting isn’t as explosive as that of C9, they make up for it with strong synergy and stellar objective control.

BETTING ADVICE: These NA LCS finals will be close! Both teams are powerhouses in every sense of the word. But in the end, Cloud9 have more tools to work with, so we recommend betting on a 3-2 victory in their favor for odds of 4.20 at Betway. If correct score bets aren’t your cup of tea, consider placing a wager on Cloud9 winning the series for odds of 1.95.

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Kieran L. Avatar
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Kieran L.

Kieran is a gaming & esports betting enthusiast, and one of our top contributors based in Australia. He mainly follows the LoL esports scene, focusing on North America, LEC and LCK. Follow Kieran's updates, exclusive stories and bookmaker reviews.

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