League of Legends (LoL) is one of the biggest esports titles in the world. Millions of players and fans from every corner of the planet are passionate about the game and have made it a true cultural phenomenon.
The annual LoL World Championship tournament is underway, and the excitement around this year’s competition is palpable. Let’s take a look at the tournament in more detail and discuss who might be the favourite to reach the Grand Final.
What is the LoL Worlds?
The LoL World Championship, commonly referred to as the LoL World, is an annual LoL tournament organised and hosted by video games developer Riot Games.
The tournament was launched in 2011, with a prize pot of $100,000 up for grabs. The inaugural competition attracted 1.6 million viewers and featured teams from the US, Europe and Asia.
Fast-forward to last year’s LoL Worlds, and the tournament attracted 5.15 million viewers, with an in-person audience of 18,000 for the Grand Final where the winner, DRX, claimed a 22% share of the $2.23 million jackpot.
This Year’s Tournament
This year’s edition of the LoL Worlds kicked off on the 10th of October. It is being held in South Korea, with events in Seoul and in the city of Busan.
This year has seen the tournament change to a Swiss-style format, reducing the number of games played. There is a prize pot of $2.25 million up for grabs for the winner of this year’s competition.
Who are the Favourites?
Who could we see in the final of this year’s LoL Worlds? Esports is big these days, you’ll see odds across all major betting platforms.
Last year’s champion DRX would usually be a strong favourite to reach the final again this year, but they failed to make it through the competition’s qualifying rounds and will not be present in the final stages.
Other names that have been hotly tipped to go all the way include JD Gaming, Gen.G Esports, LNG Esports and Weibo Gaming.
When is the Final of the 2023 LoL Worlds?
The finals stage of the 2023 LoL Worlds kicks off on the second of November after teams have navigated their way through the preliminary rounds.
The quarter finals will be held on the 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th of November, before the semi finals take place on the 11th and the 12th. The Grand Final will be held on the 19th of November at the Gocheok Sky Dome stadium in Seoul. Will one of the favourites mentioned above make all the way to this final hurdle? You’ll just need to tune in and find out.
What Does the Future Hold for Esports?
The esports industry has grown at an incredible rate, valued at $1.39 billion in 2022. The LoL Worlds has been something of a flagship event for the sector. It draws incredible numbers and perfectly demonstrates just how big the industry has become. Fans around the world will be eagerly awaiting the final of this year’s tournament to see if one of the favourites lifts the trophy.
