This year's League of Legends World Championship is up and running and on Saturday the action continues in the main event's group stage.
Teams in Groups A, B and D have all played their opening matches and on day two, Group C also gets underway with DRX, GAM Esports, Rogue and Top Esports playing their first games.
At the end of the group stage, the top two teams in each section will progress to the knockout phase and battle it out to be crowned champions of Worlds 2022.
DRX can make winning start to Worlds
| What | Rogue vs DRX, LOL World Champs |
| Where | USA |
| When | 22:00, Saturday 8th October 2022 |
| How to watch | Riot Games Twitch channel / League of Legends Youtube channel / bet365 Live Streaming |
| Odds | Rogue 6/4, DRX 1/2 |
There are better teams in South Korea than DRX but they could surprise a few at this year's Worlds and look a solid bet to beat Rogue in their Group C opener.
DRX missed out on a place at Worlds 2021 but switched up their roster and the return of Kim "Deft" Hyuk-kyul this year appears to have had a positive impact.
The LCK Summer season did not go as well as expected - they picked up nine wins and nine defeats in the regular season - but they still qualified for the playoffs and are used to playing in a much stronger division than LEC outfit Rogue.
DRX were flawless in the play-in stage for Worlds 2022, winning all five of their matches, with Royal Never Give Up and MAD Lions among their opponents, and while they are a solid bet at 1/2 to win this one, they could also represent value at -5.5 on the kill handicap at 5/6.
G2 Esports can bounce back from opening defeat
| What | Evil Geniuses vs G2 Esports, LOL World Champs |
| Where | USA |
| When | 23:00, Saturday 8th October 2022 |
| How to watch | Riot Games Twitch channel / League of Legends Youtube channel / bet365 Live Streaming |
| Odds | Evil Geniuses 13/8, G2 Esports 4/9 |
G2 Esports fell to defeat in their Worlds opener against 2020 champions DWG KIA last time out but it is in the team's nature to blow hot and cold and they can return to winning ways against Evil Geniuses.
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It was a convincing defeat for G2 Esports, who were beaten in 32 minutes and quickly trailed in gold by more than 10,000 but they are an established side and are arguably the most likely of the teams outside of Asia to go on a run at Worlds.
They still made the last four at the Mid-Season Invitational earlier this year and were the first team to qualify for Worlds 2022.
Evil Geniuses were also given a reality check by JD Gaming in their opener, having allowed their opponents to rack up 24 kills, and they were far from convincing in the Worlds play-in stage, losing two matches in their group and having to go through the tiebreakers.
G2 will not be pleased with their start but they are a much stronger side than Evil Geniuses and are worth backing at -7.5 on the kill handicap at 5/6.
JD Gaming can send out a statement with DWG KIA victory
| What | JD Gaming vs DWG KIA, LOL World Champs |
| Where | USA |
| When | 03:00, Sunday 9th October 2022 |
| How to watch | Riot Games Twitch channel / League of Legends Youtube channel / bet365 Live Streaming |
| Odds | JD Gaming 8/15, DWG KIA 11/8 |
JD Gaming looked like a team with a point to prove in their Worlds opener against Evil Geniuses, swatting aside the North American outfit in under 30 minutes.
Clinical when it came to the team-fighting, JD Gaming racked up more than 60,000 in gold, recorded 24 kills and destroyed nine towers to show they mean business.
This year has been all about proving a point after an underwhelming 2021 and, whisper it quietly, but this could well be JD Gaming's season.
If they are to go the distance, beating DWG KIA, who also opened with a victory over G2 Esports, will be crucial in the apparent 'Group of Death' and JD Gaming look about right at 8/15 to win this one.
They ripped up the LPL Summer earlier in the year, posting a 14-2 win-loss record in the regular season before making it to the final of the playoffs and getting the better of Top Esports.
It is hard not to get excited about this side and with such versatility in their roster and, given how many kills they racked up last time out, they are worth backing at -5.5 on the kill handicap at 5/6.
Such is the professional nature of the team, they can also be expected to make a fast start and they are a good bet at 4/5 to register first blood.
