If you haven’t really been following eSports until now, you might think that this is a new addition to the world of sports. That is not the case, though, as the LPL, which is the main league for League of Legends in China, has now been around for 9 years. League of Legends is one of the biggest professional eSports leagues out there, with several regional leagues operating all over the world. The LPL is seeing its spring regular season draw to a close, with the top 8 teams in 17-team league set to head to the playoffs in search of some serious prize money. There is some business to attend to before we get into the playoffs, though, so let’s start by looking ahead to the 3 games on the Saturday schedule in the LPL. Please keep in mind that some of these teams will have played games between now and Saturday, so the stats mentioned here are as of Thursday morning.
eSports League of Legends LPL Apr 18 Matches
Vici Gaming Vs Victory Five – 3 AM EST
For both of these teams, the goal of reaching the playoffs is not going to be attained this time around. The loss for Vici Gaming in their last outing dropped then to 6-9 on the season and down into a tie for 11th in the LPL. While it’s still a disappointing year, it is worth remembering that it’s also a step forward, as Vici went just 2-13 in both the spring and summer league in 2019. While they are out of things now, they will certainly be looking ahead to the summer session with some confidence. The same cannot be said for Victory Five, as they are having an absolute nightmare season. They are sitting at the bottom of the league and still in search of their first win of the year. It’s tough to imagine them getting it here, so my money is on Vici.
Rogue Warriors Vs FunPlus Phoenix – 6 AM EST
Mathematically speaking, Rogue Warriors are still in with a shot at landing in the top 8 and making the playoffs, but it is not a bet that I would place at this time, especially with them set to go against one of the best teams in the league. Rogue Warriors are sitting down in the #10 spot with a 6-8 record, with their defeat in their last game putting them in a pretty tough position as far as the playoffs go. It’s not a huge surprise, though, given that they missed the playoffs in spring and summer last year. FunPlus Phoenix, who are sitting in second with a record of 11-3, will be heading to the playoffs as they look to defend the crown that they won last summer. An easy win for the Phoenix here.
Suning (+190) Vs Royal Never Give Up (-294) – 8 AM EST
While they currently look to be safe in regards a playoff spot, this is a game that Royal Never Give Up would like to win as they get ready to head into the postseason. Suning, though, are not going to be a total pushover, despite their 6-9 record on the season. They are coming into this one on the heels of a win, but they are also sure to be disappointed at missing the playoffs after getting in during the summer league. Royal Never Give Up are sitting in 7th with an 8-7 record, but they missed their chance to move up higher after losing their last game. They were the runner-up in the summer league and will be a danger again this season. This is a game that Royal should win.
