First up is an enticing clash between G2 Esports and Rogue in the LEC Summer and specifically the semi-finals of the playoffs.
Table-toppers G2 Esports finished the regular season with 12 wins from their 18 matches and won their opening playoff contest 3-1 against Misfits Gaming to reach this stage.
As for their opponents Rogue, who lost to G2 Esports in the final of the LEC Spring earlier this year, they were placed third in the LEC Summer standings before edging MAD Lions 3-2 in their first playoff encounter.
In the LCS Summer, meanwhile, Cloud9, who surprised both Counter Logic Gaming and Evil Geniuses in the playoffs, will face a strong 100 Thieves side, who finished the regular season with a 14-4 win-loss record, for a place in the Grand Final.
G2 Esports likely to be far too strong for Rogue
| What: | G2 Esports vs Rogue, LEC Summer Playoffs |
| Where: | Germany/Sweden |
| When: | 16.00pm, Saturday 3rd September 2022 |
| How to watch: | LEC Youtube & Twitch channels/bet365 Sports Live Streaming |
| Odds: | G2 Esports (-188), Rogue (+138) |
In the LEC Summer 2022 regular season, G2 Esports (12-6) picked up only one more win than Rogue Esports (11-7) but find themselves -188 to come out on top when the sides meet in the semi-finals of the LEC Summer Playoffs.
Upon closer inspection, though, it is easy to see why.
G2 Esports have gone from strength to strength in the LEC Summer this year, finishing the regular season with five straight wins.
They played against Rogue in weeks one and five of the regular season and won both battles, so they also have the advantage in the head-to-head going into this contest.
But it was perhaps the ruthless approach the team took to their first knockout match in the LEC Summer which is why they are expected to come out on top in this one.
They have already booked their spot at this year's League of Legends World Championship but show no signs of holding back, having played on the front foot from the start against Misfits Gaming last time out.
G2 Esports were thoroughly dominant on map one in that contest, winning the kill count 27-2, having reached the ten-kill mark before Misfits had picked up their first.
They took down the Nexus with only around 30 minutes on the clock.
A poor selection by the usually reliable Rasmus "caPs" Borregaard Winther on map two prompted a wobble from G2 Esports but they recovered to win the final two games and book their place in the semi-finals.
Recently G2 Esports have earned the reputation of being a side who typically rest on their laurels but they responded well against Misfits and the way they started the contest suggested they are not going to settle for anything less than a win at the LEC Summer.
Given how they started the last match, they are worth a bet at -150 to win the first map, while they could also be worth backing at -4.5 on the map one kill handicap.
100 Thieves can avoid slip-up against Cloud9
| What: | Cloud9 vs 100 Thieves, LCS Summer Playoffs |
| Where: | USA |
| When: | 21.00, Saturday 3rd September 2022 |
| How to watch: | LCS Youtube & Twitch channels / bet365 Sports Live Streaming |
| Odds: | Cloud9 (+100), 100 Thieves (-138) |
After finishing fifth in the LCS Summer regular season with ten wins and eight defeats to their name, Cloud9 have turned on the style in the playoffs.
They opened the playoffs with an impressive 3-2 defeat of a Counter Logic Gaming side who finished above them in the standings before pulling off a shock 3-1 win over regular-season table-toppers Evil Geniuses.
Evil Geniuses remain one of the biggest names in the Esport and had won the LCS Spring earlier this year, dismantling 100 Thieves 3-0 in the final.
That was a huge win from Cloud9 and should have done their confidence the world of good but punters should not necessarily rush to back them against 100 Thieves, who could be a decent price at -138 to win this one and progress.
The Thieves were only just off the pace of Evil Geniuses in the regular season, winning 14 of their 18 matches, and they got the better of Cloud9 as recently as week seven.
In top laner Kim "Ssumday" Chan-ho and mid laner Felix "Abbedagge" Braun, they have two of the most reliable players in the split and, although another shock result cannot be completely ruled out, the Thieves are worth backing to hold their nerve and win this one.
