Only three rounds of matches have been played in this year's LCK Summer Split but already the teams are starting to separate.
At the top of the standings are a red-hot Gen.G Esports side who have won all six of their matches and they are closely followed by LCK Spring playoff champions T1, who have lost only once themselves.
At the opposite end of the table, Fredit BRION are in desperate need of points, having lost all six of their matches.
Teams continue to tweak rosters as we edge closer to the Summer Split's conclusion and discover who could be in line for a place at the 2022 League of Legends World Championship.
What | DWG KIA v DRX, LCK Summer 2022 |
Where | South Korea |
When | 04.00 EST Thursday 7th July 2022 |
How to watch | LCK Global Youtube channel / Twitch |
Odds | DWG KIA -333, DRX +240 |
When former Worlds winner Jang "Nuguri" Ha-gwon confirmed he was returning to the DWG KIA roster after a stint with FunPlus Phoenix in the LPL, expectations regarding the team's performance in the LCK Summer 2022 were elevated slightly.
And while DWG KIA are most definitely still in the race for the LCK Summer Split title, they have not been without their vulnerabilities this campaign.
Only a fortnight ago, they were beaten by Gen.G Esports (2-1) and T1 (2-0) but responded with victories over KT Rolster and Nongshim RedForce without dropping a game in the latest matchweek.
There were fine performances from Heo "Showmaker" Su, Kim "Canyon" Geon-bu and "Nuguri" that week, especially in the KT Rolster victory, and the team are now -333 to see off DRX in their week four opener.
That price seems a bit short, though, given both DWG KIA and DRX have identical 4-2 win-loss records in the LCK Summer Split.
Granted, DRX go into the game off the back of defeats to Liiv SANDBOX and T1 last week but they are nonetheless one of the strongest sides in the LCK.
On top of that, they have just enhanced their roster with the addition of jungler Lee "Juhan" Ju-han, who previously plied his trade for PSG Talon, who he helped win the PCS Spring Split earlier this year.
With all of that considered as well as the fact "Nuguri" has been critical of his own performances for DWG KIA lately, this could be a much tighter match than the odds suggest.
Punters should look at backing DRX at 1.5 on the match handicap at -150 given they have lost by two clear maps only once in the LCK Summer this year and that was against red-hot T1.
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What | Hanwha Life Esports v Liiv SANDBOX, LCK Summer 2022 |
Where | South Korea |
When | 07:00 BST Thursday 7th July 2022 |
How to watch | LCK Global Youtube channel / Twitch |
Odds | Hanwha Life Esports +200, Liiv SANDBOX -275 |
Liiv SANDBOX finished only one place above Hanwha Life Esports in the LCK Spring Split earlier this year, disappointing with a 4-14 win-loss record, but the teams have gone in different directions this summer.
With four wins from six matches, SANDBOX found themselves level with highflyers DWG KIA and DRX in the table at the end of week three and they are on a three-match winning streak.
Their recent success is highlighted by the fact jungler Kim "Croco" Dong-beom and bot laner Lee "Prince" Chae-hwan have both picked up three Most Valuable Player awards each already in the LCK Summer Split campaign and they are well-fancied to see off Hanwha Life Esports.
Hanwha were rooted to the foot of the standings in the LCK Spring Split regular season, losing 15 of their 18 matches and they have made a similar start to the LCK Summer.
They have managed only one win from their six fixtures this campaign, beating basement boys Fredit BRION in the last game week, but have largely been unconvincing.
It is Liiv SANDBOX who have the rhythm right now and, in contention for a playoff berth, they are unlikely to take their foot off the pedal. Back them at -1.5 on the match handicap at +120.
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