Misfits vs Fnatic

This is where things get a lot more interesting. Right away, if you're looking to bet on this match, you absolutely need to keep in mind that it's completely up in the air. Both teams have a chance of winning, and no one can give out any kind of guarantee. Furthermore, the sample size that's currently at our disposal regarding their performances isn't exactly all that usable.

Misfits Gaming have a lot more hype and momentum at this point in time, but they're up against Fnatic -- they're always dangerous regardless of the meta or game plan in mind. On the one hand, Misfits have improved tenfold and have earned everyone's benefit of the doubt. They might not be perfect but they're definitely a dangerous challenger that can tango with the best teams the LEC has to offer. Their win over MAD Lions two weeks ago was by no means a fluke, but rather an indication of their overall, long-term strength and growth as a team. They're extremely dangerous and have some of the best players in the region. But they're not as good on paper as Fnatic, nor are they better than the boys in black and orange on an individual level. Still, despite the obvious discrepancies here (and evident skill gap), Fnatic haven't been utilizing their most potent tools particularly well.

Nemesis has regressed beyond reason and is weighing his team down game after game, Hylissang ints more often than not, and Bwipo is, as always, a coin-flip performer. You never really know which kind of Fnatic will step foot on stage to compete, but if recent history is any indication they aren't performing up to everyone's expectations. They're making egregious mistakes left, right, and center, and have gone 1W-5L over the last three weeks of play. Let that one sink in. They've only won against SK Gaming and have lost against Schalke 04, MAD Lions, Rogue, G2 Esports, and Origen. By the looks of it, they certainly aren't playing at a high enough level to compete on even footing with the who's who of the LEC.

But we also know that they have the talent and depth to correct course and once against start dominating much like they always do. They've had enough time to recuperate and fix their most obvious flaws. Whether they succeeded or not still remains to be seen, but we know they have what it takes to improve in a staggeringly short amount of time.

This is why betting on this one match is so darn complicated. On the one hand, there's very little sense in betting against Fnatic as their name still evokes respect and admiration -- they've earned it after years of dominating. On the other hand, they just haven't been playing good League of Legends and have plummeted performance-wise beyond reason. Will they kick things into high gear and correct course, now that we've gone past the halfway point of the split? Or will their downfall continue? No one's quite sure, but the odds on Misfits are quite high, and it'd be stupid not to take the chance, as ill-advised as it might seem.

All of that said, if you're looking for guaranteed earning, the LEC is not the region to bet on this week.