(-110) Damwon KIA v FunPlus Phoenix (-110)

(-285) Royal Never Give Up v PSG Talon (+195)

(-120) Fnatic v Hanwha Life Esports (-110)

(-155) LNG Esports v Gen.G (+120)

(-400) T1 v Detonation FocusMe (+275)

(+240) 100 Thieves v EDward Gaming (-325)

(+130) Team Liquid v MAD Lions (-170)

(-155) Rogue v Cloud9 (+120)

Day 1 of the worlds groups starts on Monday with too many match-ups to mention: the stand outs are likely in Damwon vs FPX, which is FPX favored despite the odds being neutral. Furthermore, T1 vs DFM is solidly in the favor of T1. MAD Lions are likely to beat Team Liquid, and likewise with Rogue versus Cloud9. Hanwha looks uneasy, and may fall to Fnatic, additionally.

Captain

Lwx ($10,800)

While FPX’s bottom lane isn’t a resounding standout for the squad like their solo laners, Lwx and Crisp do comprise a strong bottom lane that can take advantage of weaker enemies consistently- and it just so happens that Damwon KIA’s bottom lane is by far their weakest point, alongside shaky performances from Khan. Lwx and Crisp should handedly crush Ghost and Beryl- and it helps that Lwx comes in cheap, too. If you favor a more premium option, I’d take Scout who has been on a tear across the LPL against 100’s Abbedagge: a good player, but completely new to the international stage.

Alternatives to consider: Scout ($11,700)

Top lane

Adam ($6,800)

The rookie for FNC is a superstar in the making. He was one of the best top laners in the LEC by far, and he has a brilliant match-up against Morgan, one of the weakest top laners in the group stage. Adam’s aggressive playstyle is excellent for punishing the underpowered Morgan, who is frequently a liability for HLE. If you want a cheaper, but still fantastic option, LNG’s Ale is likely one of- if not the best top laners in the tournament alongside FPX’s Nuguri.

Alternatives to consider: Ale ($6,600)

Jungle

Elyoya ($7,200)

Mid-jungle has been a hard synergy to create for most NA teams; especially ones that involve Jensen. A mid laner who doesn’t frequently move to help his jungle or side laners: this is excellent for a jungler like Elyoya, who generally has a strong control of the map, with laners willing to do their part to see their jungler succeed. Otherwise, I’d choose Oner against DFM, who are likely the weakest overall team in groups: Oner should be able to pick up many kills against the wildcard squad.

Alternatives to consider: Oner ($7,600)

Mid lane

Larssen ($7,400)

Rogue’s mid laner has had his fair share of games against Cloud9’s legendary mid laner, Perkz. However, by the end of Perkz’s time in EU, it was mostly Rogue who were coming into their own and getting the better of G2 as time went on. Larssen is a full fledged superstar at this point, and I think Rogue will dominate C9 after a shaky play-ins performance. Otherwise, I’d select Humanoid, Larssen’s long time rival, against Liquid’s Jensen, pairing him with his jungler Elyoya.

Alternatives to consider: Humanoid ($7,200)

ADC

Gumayusi ($8,400)

T1’s ADC is a rising star. Both Teddy and Gumayusi have their perks, but Gumayusi will likely be the starter against DFM, as they aim to give the rookie some international exposure. DFM are likely the weakest team in the groups stage, so Gumayusi will not face much resistance alongside his star studded squad. My other choice would just be to grab Viper, who may be the best ADC in the entire tournament.

Alternatives to consider: Viper ($8,000)

Support

Crisp ($4,800)

FPX’s support is one of the most underrated players on the squad- Crisp is the definition of a “veteran”, playing professionally since around season 4. It’s his leadership that makes him a valuable support player, especially against a weak bottom lane like Damwon’s. Lwx and Crisp together form a formidable bottom lane that can easily exploit Damwon’s. Otherwise, I’d try to pick up Meiko against Huhi- Meiko is one of the best supports in the world, whereas Huhi can be a weakness for his squad if he gets behind.

Alternatives to consider: Meiko ($5,800)

Team

Rogue ($5,000)

Cloud9 has not looked great at worlds so far. Falling to both Unicorns of Love and Detonation FocusMe isn’t the statement C9 should have looked for going into the event. Rogue has the raw strength to dominate Europe, and they’ve shown glimpses of it in the past. For a different option, I’d grab LPL’s second seed FPX against Damwon KIA: FPX just seem like a more complete team, whereas DK have skipped leg day.

Alternatives to consider: FunPlus Phoenix ($4,600)

Stacks

Elyoya & Humanoid

The two-time champion mid-jungle comprise one of the most impressive stacks on Monday: Jensen and Santorin have had issues working well together, whereas Elyoya and Humanoid are the perfect connection top laner Armut needs with bottom lane Carzzy and Kaiser. MAD have 5 strong players on their team, but it’s their mid and jungle that enable the entire map to perform well.

Lwx & Crisp

FPX’s bottom lane is a strong value option for the roles: Lwx is a high damage ADC that plays on a knife’s edge, whereas Crisp is an intelligent veteran that leads his team. Damwon KIA consistently have had problems with their bottom lane, and it’s likely that FPX’s bottom lane (alongside top laner Nuguri) will exploit their weak points across the rift.

Oner & Gumayusi

Oner was just what T1 needed to have a second wind throughout the split, alongside the rookie Gumayusi, T1 shouldn’t face any problems against DFM, especially with the legendary Faker matching up against Aria in the middle lane.

 

Top Picks Adam, Gumayusi, Viper

Adam versus Morgan is a complete wash, even with Bean subbing in for Upset. Adam is a young star and one of the best LEC top laners, while Morgan would probably struggle to be mid tier at best in the same league. Gumayusi has a pretty easy match-up against Yutapon and Gaeng, while Viper is a strong player against another strong bottom lane in 100 Thieves, but Viper is the best ADC in the world for a reason.

Top Value: Adam, Lwx, Crisp

The FPX bottom lane is consistently underrated, while they aren’t an outstanding set of players, they are definitely enough to plow through Ghost and Beryl, who struggle against bottom lanes that receive significant attention from their team. Adam, as mentioned before, has a dream of a match-up, and shouldn’t be overlooked.