LCK 2023 Summer Playoffs: DRX Undervalued?
Step into the scorching summer heat as the LCK 2023 Summer playoffs prepare to ignite the competitive scene again. With the sun casting its radiant glow, the league’s biggest stars are ready to shine alongside it.
From London, Gen.G and T1 emerged triumphantly, carrying with them the invaluable experience gained from the Mid-Season Invitational. Outperforming the western League of Legends powerhouses, Gen.G secured fourth place finish, while T1 claimed an impressive third place.
All playoff matches are conducted in a Bo5 series format, meaning that the first team to win three games advances to the next round of the competition. The only exception is the wildcard match that still takes the form of a Bo3.
Here’s everything you need to know about the LCK 2023 Summer playoffs!
Participating Teams
Out of the ten franchised esports organizations competing in the LCK Summer 2023 split, only the top six qualify for playoffs. Their placement determines which round they are seeded into.
The champion qualifies for Worlds 2023 as the LCK’s first seed. The rest of the participating teams will receive championship points based on their LCK standings, determining if they qualify for Worlds.
Here are the six teams competing in the LCK 2023 Summer Playoffs and esports betting odds.
| Team | Odds *Last Updated: 8/7/2023 |
|---|---|
| T1 | +220 |
| Gen.G | +300 |
| KT Rolster | +550 |
| Dplus KIA | +750 |
| Hanwha Life Esports | +1100 |
| DRX | +5000 |
LCK Schedule and Format
The top six will advance to the LCK 2023 Summer playoffs, which will occur from August 8 to August 20. The top two teams in the final six will receive byes into the next round.
The remaining top four teams in championship points will attempt to qualify for Worlds through the Regional Finals from August 25 to 27 once the LCK 2023 Summer champion and second LCK seed are determined. The final two teams to represent Korea at the 2023 Worlds will be chosen after a rigorous three-day LCK schedule in the Regional Finals.
Schedule
- Tuesday 8/8
- Hanwha Life Esports (-1250) vs. DRX (+656)
- Wednesday 8/9
- Dplus KIA (+156) vs. T1 (-21)
- Thursday 8/10
- KT Rolster vs. DRX/Hanwha Life Esports
- Friday 8/11
- Gen.G vs. T1/Dplus KIA
- Saturday/Sunday 8/12-8/13
- Playoff Round 3
- Friday 8/19
- Lower Bracket Final
- Saturday 8/20
- Grand Final
Best Bets
T1 and Gen.G are always considered the favorites in the region at every tournament they play in. But for esports bettors looking for the best payout, two others can give them just that. Those two teams are DRX and KT Rolster.
DRX
DRX has had a disappointing season to their standards leading up to the playoffs, after only finishing 6th in the regular with a record of six wins and 12 losses. Now the team has to face Hanwha Life Esports in the first round of the playoffs to start the redemption run. But out of the six participating teams, the bookies would rank them the lowest.
However, with experienced veteran players like Kim “Rascal” Kwang-hee and support Cho “BeryL” Geon-hee, a team like DRX will always be able to upset. With their odds at +5000, they could be a primary dark horse in the tournament.
KT Rolster
This KT Rolster team should have been the favorite to win the LCK playoffs this year since they finished first place in the regular season. With 17 wins and just one loss, KT Rolster stomped their way through the season and surely won’t stop in the playoffs. Fans haven’t seen a team as dominant as KTR since Gen.G many years ago.
KT is waiting in the second round and will choose the opponent out of the two winning teams of Round One. Considering they have an extra day off, it will be interesting to see if KTR will keep their form and momentum throughout the playoffs. The only match they lost throughout the season was against second-place Gen.G, whom they would only meet in the semi-finals. A team as good as KTR at +550 could be an absolute steal.
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