LCS Summer Outrights: Cloud9 are Looking Good to Defend Their Title

• The LCS Summer season will start on June 1st and end on July 21st. The LCS is usually hypercompetitive, which shouldn’t change in the new season.   
• FlyQuest have got the best odds heading into the new season, with Cloud9 not too far behind. Cloud9 won the LCS Spring season, but they aren’t the favorites according to the bookmakers. 
• 100 Thieves and Golden Guardians have also got great odds and look set to be the biggest challengers to Cloud9’s crown. Former champions Evil Geniuses are one to keep an eye on as they have got really valuable odds.

LCS Summer Outrights Odds

Odds taken from bet365

LCS Summer Outrights Pick

• Cloud 9 (+250)

LCS Summer Outrights Predictions

The LCS is one of the strongest LoL esports leagues, and a new season is set to start from June 1st to July 21st. Surprisingly, spring season winners Cloud9 are not the bookmakers’ favorites to win this summer. Instead, FlyQuest are leading the odds table. 

This is a bit strange, considering FlyQuest and Cloud9 had the same points tally in the group stages last season, and FlyQuest were knocked out of the competition by Golden Guardians in Round 3. Speaking of Golden Guardians, last season’s runners-up have got the fourth-best odds on the table, with 100 Thieves getting the nod ahead of them. 

This is strange, considering 100 Thieves didn’t go past Round 1’s losers bracket last season. Evil Geniuses’ stock has also dropped. They no longer seem like the team to beat after losing 3-0 to Golden Guardians in Round 2 last season. Evil Geniuses don’t usually turn up in the group stages but tend to take the playoffs by fire, but they couldn’t repeat the trick last season. 

The bookmakers rate NRG and Team Liquid more than Evil Geniuses, which will certainly raise eyebrows. There are always a few surprises in store, and the summer season shouldn’t be any different. Let’s now take a deeper look at some of the teams. 

Favorites to Win LCS Summer 2023

FlyQuest’s Time to Shine?

FlyQuest were arguably the best team in the Spring season group stages. Still, they were beaten quite convincingly by Cloud9 in Round 2 of the playoffs last season and then lost 3-2 to Golden Guardians to end their season with a whimper. 

They've added a new support player in Vulcan, but it remains to be seen if his addition will turn them into champions. Former support Eyla averaged 9.56 assists per game this year for FlyQuest before leaving the team, so replacing his output will be no easy task. 

We think it’s too early to put your eggs in the FlyQuest basket. Other teams in the league have got more valuable odds, and FlyQuest haven’t proven that they’re a better bet than Spring champions Cloud9. 

Cloud9 are Looking Good to Defend Their Title 

It’s a bit of a surprise that the bookmakers don’t have Cloud9 clear at the top of the odds table. They were fantastic last season in the groups and even better in the playoffs. They had some big wins in the playoffs, including a 3-0 thrashing of FlyQuest, so there’s no reason to look past them. 

They’ve also retained the team that won them the championship last season, so they’ve got continuity on their side. Berseker will be their key player again – he has averaged a phenomenal 4.8 kills, 1.45 deaths, and 4.68 assists per match this year.

His teammates have ably supported him – none of them have averaged over 2.8 deaths per match this year. The stubborn defense has been key to their success this year, and no team has yet to find a weakness in their game. They’ve also got better odds than expected, so if you’re looking for a safe bet, they make much more sense than FlyQuest. 

Value Picks to Win LCS Summer 2023

Evil Geniuses Have Got Great Odds 

Evil Geniuses seem to be undervalued by the bookmakers, which is great news for those betting on the LCS Summer 2023 outright odds. Evil Geniuses have been one of the strongest sides in the LCS over the years and won the LCS last summer. The issue is that many of their top players have left, so there’s some uncertainty around the franchise. Only two players have been held onto.

They didn’t play to their usual standard last season, so it was time for some changes. They had a bad day in the office against Golden Guardians in Round 2 of the playoffs, but that shouldn’t see them in seventh place on the odds table. They’re an organization that’s always looking to win silverware, so we suggest you keep your eyes on the news surrounding Evil Geniuses. If they’re being linked to some top players, they should continue being one of the top teams in the league. 

They finished fifth in the league table and still went as far as round 2 of the playoffs. For many teams, this would be a great season. That’s how high the standards have been over the years, and it’s not likely to drop this season. 

100 Thieves Have Shaken Up Their Roster 

100 Thieves did well in the league last season but were extremely disappointing in the playoffs with two losses – the first was a 3-0 loss to FlyQuest, and the second was a 3-2 loss to Golden Guardians. 

They’ve added Ssumday and Quid to their squad, who should add some much-needed quality and take them a bit further in the playoffs. Doublelift was outstanding last season, but he can’t carry the side alone. 

He has averaged an incredible 5.18 kills, 2.36 deaths, and 4.89 assists per match this year. He’s the caliber of player that a championship-winning team tends to have, so it’s important that 100 Thieves win something big while he’s still in the side. 

Golden Guardians are a Decent Shout

Golden Guardians surprised everyone by entering the finals last season, and they beat some strong sides en route to the final. A 3-0 win against Evil Geniuses surprised everyone, but they showed they’re the real deal in the next round by beating FlyQuest 3-2. 

They couldn’t continue the run against Cloud9 in the final, losing 3-1 in the end, but they showed that they’re capable of challenging the top team in the league. Staixxay was incredible last season; if he gets support from his teammates, there’s no reason why they can’t repeat something similar or go one better this season. He has averaged 4.88 kills, 2.17 deaths, and 4.02 assists per match. 

Golden Guardians are a good wildcard pick. Their odds aren’t too safe, nor are they as valuable as the likes of Evil Geniuses, but somewhere in the middle. 

How to Watch LCS Summer

• Venue: United States 
• Time: June 1st to July 21st
• How to watch: Twitch