LEC Summer 2023 Outrights: Can MAD Lions Repeat the Trick?

• The LEC Summer season will commence on June 17th and end on July 3rd. The LEC is one of the best and most-watched LoL esports leagues in the world.   
• According to the bookmakers, G2 Esports and Finetwork KOI are the two favorites pre-tournament. G2 go into most seasons as the favorites, but KOI are a bit of a surprise. 
• Fnatic are the biggest challenger, with Team Vitality also in the mix. Spring champions MAD Lions have highly valuable odds, so they’re worth looking into. 

LEC Summer 2023 Outrights Predictions

The LEC is one of the most competitive LoL esports leagues in the world. Just by looking at the odds table, we have a clear idea that there isn’t a lot separating the sides at the top in terms of quality. The fact that spring season champions MAD Lions were eighth in the group stages and went on to win the competition shows just how open it is. 

Despite their win last season, the bookmakers don’t see MAD Lions defending their crown. Nor do they rate Team BDS’ chances, who were runners-up last season. Fnatic, who’ve historically been one of the strongest teams in the league, are being prepped for a comeback season. 

G2 and KOI have stayed competitive in recent times and the bookmakers have them as the odds-on-favorites to win the competition. G2 have been given the slightest of edges, but there’s no great difference in values between the two sides. Team Vitality are the other contenders and are fourth on the odds list. It should be another cracking season of LEC with so many contenders for the title. 

Favorites to Win LEC Summer 2023

G2 Are Always In With a Shout  

G2 go into most LEC seasons as the team to beat, and it’s no different this time. When they’re at it, they can go past teams with ease. They weren’t at their best last season but still managed to enter the playoffs, which shows just how their standards are. 

No G2 roster members has a KDA ratio below 3, which shows just how packed with talent they are. The jungler Yike is the star of the team. He has averaged 4.34 kills, 2.4 deaths, and 7.78 assists this year. The team is never fully dependent on him, though. This is why G2 have been the top team in the LEC for the last couple of years. 

G2 were below their usual standards last season but still managed some big wins along the way. The aim for this season is to become more consistent and not just turn up on the odd occasions. They are still a great bet, but it might also be good to look at other options. 

KOI Should Make the Leap 

KOI didn’t get past the group stage last season and only finished in seventh place last season, but the bookmakers believe that they’re up there with G2 as one of the favorites for this season’s title. Part of this is their recent form. KOI are still quite new to the LEC, but this might just be the season where they make the leap.

In Comp and Larsenn, they’ve got two players who have the potential to be one of the best in the coming years. Comp has averaged 3.55 kills, 2,03 deaths, and 4.87 assists per match, and Larsenn has averaged 3.76 kills, 2.61 deaths, and 4.18 assists per match in the last year. Both of them are just short of superstar numbers, but there aren’t too many teams with two players who average over 3.5 kills per match. 

This gives KOI a unique advantage as teams can’t target any one player. They’ve got to focus on both, which is not easy. KOI have to take advantage of it this season. They’ve been building towards something but haven’t exploded yet. We still think it’s a bit too early to hand your hat on them, so it’s best to look elsewhere. 

Value Picks to Win LEC Summer 2023

Can MAD Lions Repeat the Trick?

MAD Lions had the craziest of seasons last year. They went into the season as one of the strongest sides but were a disappointment in the league stages with an eighth-placed finish and had to win a tie-breaker to enter the group stages. Once they got into the group stages, they looked like the team we’d gotten to know over the years and went on to win the playoffs. It was a remarkable season full of ups and downs. 

Despite the big win last season, the bookmakers don’t believe they can repeat the trick. MAD Lions are a little hard to predict: will we get the team that started last season or the one that ended it? It’s all up in the air currently. 

They’re certainly not short of quality. Bot Laner Carzzy is one LPL’s finest. He has averaged 4.6 kills, 2.89 deaths, and 4.93 assists per game this year. The problem for MAD Lions has been defense, but they’re still able to power through teams when the likes of Carzzy get some momentum. They are way down in sixth place on the odds table, so risky players should certainly look at MAD Lions as an option. 

Fnatic’s Reputation Always Makes Them a Contender

Fnatic have had to endure a difficult last 12 months, but they showed signs of a resurgence in spring, and we feel like they’ll continue on an upward trajectory this season. The additions of rhuckz and wunder have helped the team go up a level, and it’s now a question of winning in the group stages and playoffs. 

They made an awful start last year, forcing them to make some changes to the roster, which seems to have worked. They’re still not the team they were over a year back, but they can make a fresh start now.

Rekkles will be the key player for another season. He has averaged 3.88 kills, 2.04 deaths, and 4.64 assists this year, and those stats should go up this season as he’ll be getting a full season with his new teammates. Fnatic have massive expectations heading into every season, and that’s not going to change regardless of what happens. Sometimes, this can go against you, but it can also push you. They’re definitely a good value pick for this season. If they make a good start to the league campaign, anything’s possible. 

How to Watch LEC Summer 2023

• Venue: Europe
• Time: June 17th to July 3rd 
• How to watch: Twitch