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Early on, HLE’s strategic executions saw them outplay Gen.G’s Kim “Kiin” Ki-in through smart middle and jungle manoeuvres, while Park “Viper” Do-hyeon’s performance during a critical late-game team fight set the tone in the first game.
After trading maps for most of the series, the clash went the distance, and the LCK Cup final would be decided on a fifth map.
CONGRATULATIONS #LCK CUP CHAMPIONS, HLE!
pic.twitter.com/LyvfDgzgpB
— LCK (@LCK) February 23, 2025
With the match moving at a measured pace—only one kill by the 28-minute mark—a massive team fight erupted at 33 minutes.
HLE capitalised on the chaos, taking down pivotal Gen.G players, including the renowned Jung “Chovy” Ji-hun, and stormed the enemy Nexus by the 38-minute mark.
In a storyline reminiscent of last year’s LCK Summer grand final, Hanwha Life Esports once again toppled Gen.G in a gruelling 5-game saga.
Despite Gen.G’s high-profile roster moves—like the much-anticipated return of Park “Ruler” Jae-hyuk—their efforts couldn’t withstand the combined star power and composure of HLE.
Central to the victory was Choi “Zeus” Woo-je, whose high-impact performance after his controversial move from T1 not only proved decisive in three wins but also earned him final MVP honours.
His ability to flexibly play nearly any champion, aided by a fearless draft strategy, turned the tide when the series hung in the balance.
Congratulations to the Woori Bank 2025 #LCK CUP Finals MVP, Zeus!
pic.twitter.com/kzAH8rK3su
— LCK (@LCK) February 23, 2025
While the LCK Cup doesn’t directly alter seasonal records, the victory is a significant milestone.
As champions, Hanwha Life Esports now secure their spot as the LCK’s representative at the inaugural First Stand Tournament—a global event set to debut in March.
This win sends a resounding message that HLE are primed for bigger stages, with their eyes already set on LoL Worlds 2025 and beyond.
With both teams vying for a spot in the grand final, the series delivered electrifying moments, unconventional drafts, and nail-biting gameplay.
Ultimately, HLE emerged victorious with a 3-2 series win, sending DK to the lower bracket.
THEY CANNOT BE STOPPED IN GAME 5!
@HLEofficial win in Round 3 and are first to advance to the 2025 #LCK CUP FINALS! pic.twitter.com/81pZD0ttBf
— LCK (@LCK) February 19, 2025
HLE kicked off the series with a commanding 17-4 victory.
Park “Viper” Do-hyeon’s Xayah was the driving force, delivering a flawless 7/0/6 performance while topping the damage charts.
Kim “Zeka” Geon-woo also shined on Yone, posting a 3/1/10 KDA and controlling the mid lane.
With calculated team play and superior macro, HLE secured an early lead in the series.
DK answered in dominant fashion, securing a crushing 29-7 victory to even the series.
Kim “Aiming” Ha-ram’s Varus (11/1/9) spearheaded the assault, relentlessly dismantling HLE in team fights.
Choi “Lucid” Yong-hyeok on Lillia (8/1/7) controlled the jungle with aggressive pathing and objective control.
DK’s superior execution set the stage for a fierce contest.
The momentum stayed with DK in game three, as they overpowered HLE with a 25-11 win.
Aiming continued his stellar form, this time on Zeri (9/1/11), while Heo “ShowMaker” Su’s Ryze (6/3/13) orchestrated crucial plays from the mid lane.
DK’s early-game dominance and precise coordination in team fights secured them a 2-1 series lead, putting them on match point.
IT'S NOT OVER UNTIL IT'S REALLY OVER!
AIMING & LUCID GO 2v5 AND ACE!! #LCK pic.twitter.com/iRHdoztMnI— LCK (@LCK) February 19, 2025
HLE refused to back down, delivering a clinical 12-5 win in game four.
Viper’s Ashe (3/1/4) provided consistent pressure with long-range poke, while Han “Peanut” Wang-ho’s Nidalee (5/1/5) played an aggressive jungle style that kept DK on the back foot.
However, the defining moment came from Zeka’s Sylas, who executed a brilliant backdoor play to force game five and keep HLE’s hopes alive.
Zeka starts up SILVER SCRAPES with a BACKDOOR! #LCK pic.twitter.com/RlCtMk0kjf
— LCK (@LCK) February 19, 2025
With everything on the line, the final game was a spectacle of strategic depth and mechanical brilliance.
DK surprised with an unconventional draft featuring ShowMaker on Kled, Aiming on Mel, and Choi “Zeus” Woo-je on Olaf.
The game remained razor-thin even past the 30-minute mark as both teams traded objectives and kills.
The turning point came when HLE secured Baron Nashor and their third drake.
Seizing the moment, Zeus’s Olaf charged into DK’s backline, eliminating Aiming and relentlessly hunting down Jeon “Siwoo” Si-woo’s Gragas.
His performance proved pivotal in securing HLE’s 18-13 victory, sealing the series and earning him the MVP title.
With this thrilling victory, Hanwha Life Esports advanced to the LCK Cup final, just one step away from claiming the inaugural championship.
Meanwhile, Dplus KIA now awaits the winner of the Gen.G vs. Nongshim RedForce match as they fight for another chance at the title.
T1 and Hanwha Life Esports will cross swords on Thursday, February 13, in the first round of the League of Legends Champions Korea (LCK) Cup 2025 playoffs, marking their first meeting of the season.
T1 reached the LCK Cup 2025 playoffs with a 4-1 record in the group stage, which included a 1-2 loss against Dplus KIA and victories against DRX, KT Rolster, Nongshim RedForce, and Gen.G.
Hanwha Life Esports finished the group stage with two losses against Dplus KIA and Gen.G, which is not significantly worse compared to T1, but there is more to it than meets the eye.
Both teams made it past their LCK Cup 2025 play-in opponents in two maps. T1 swept Nongshim RedForce, while Hanwha Life Esports bested DRX; however, HLE had to dig much deeper to come out ahead.
DRX are a feisty team, so Hanwha Life Esports deserve some slack for not looking as dominant as expected. But even during the group stage, Kim “Zeka” Geon-woo and co. started to show some cracks.
Hanwha Life Esports are playing a lot like the team we saw throughout 2024. They will rarely make something happen on the map, instead waiting for openings after their opponents make mistakes.
This approach might be good enough to trash on weaker teams, but it did not help them against Dplus KIA or Gen.G, and it should not help against a squad like T1. Especially in the current meta, which awards more proactive approach, Hanwha Life Esports will struggle.
HLE are a scary team on paper, but their strategy is flawed, which explains why they are priced as $2.75 underdogs with the best LoL betting sites. T1 have looked very good so far this season and have side choice for this match, so it is their game to lose.
Nongshim RedForce and KT Rolster will meet for the first time this season when they clash in the first round of the League of Legends Champions Korea (LCK) Cup 2025 playoffs on Wednesday, February 12.
After beating OKSavingsBRION and losing to T1, RedForce qualified for the playoffs by defeating DRX 3-1 in the final play-in match. KT Rolster, on the other side, secured a direct bye to the knockout stage by placing third in Group Elder with wins against BNK FEARX, BRION, and DN Freecs.
Despite skipping the play-in stage, KT Rolster have been performing well this season. They have good players, but co-ordination is lacking, which has showed in their setups and manoeuvring around the map in the mid-late game.
Nongshim RedForce have not been one of the top-performing teams in the league, but they did well during the group stage and in the LCK Cup 2025 play-in.
Their most recent match against DRX was a weird one, as both teams picked up a map they arguably should not have. However, Nongshim RedForce secured two decisive wins on maps three and four.
There is more to like about what we have seen from Nongshim RedForce, yet KT Rolster are still priced as favourites with the top LoL betting sites. KT have better individual players but are lacking as a unit, so are a solid fade at these odds.
With the Six Invitational in full swing, the remaining five days of the event will feature the final stages of the playoffs.
The League of Legends Champions Korea (LCK) Cup playoffs will kick off on Wednesday, February 12.
Beginning two days later on Friday, February 14, the PGL Cluj-Napoca Counter-Strike 2 tournament will take place in Romania.
Meanwhile, the 25th season of the Dota 2 DreamHack DreamLeague will start on Sunday, February 16.
Following the completion of the upper bracket quarterfinals on Sunday, the first three rounds of the lower bracket will take place on Monday and Tuesday before a break.
16 squads will take their place in the playoffs, with Team BDS, Spacestation Gaming, RazaH Company Academy and FURIA Esports competing for two upper bracket final spots.
The grand final of the Six Invitational will be held on Sunday, February 6, when the top two teams will clash in a best-of-five series for the US$1,000,000 winners cheque.
Check out our extensive Six Invitational betting guide to get the latest odds and tournament information.
The inaugural edition of the LCK Cup playoffs will start on Wednesday, February 12, with the opening rounds scheduled for the following five days.
Gen.G Esports, Dplus KIA, KT Rolster, Nongshim RedForce, T1 and Hanwha Life Esports will compete in the playoffs, with each of them aiming to make the grand final on Sunday, February 23.
Esports betting sites have marked Gen.G as the $2.75 favourite to claim the 2025 LCK Cup, ahead of T1 ($3.50) and Hanwha Life Esports ($4.00).
Check out our extensive LCK betting guide to get the latest odds and tournament information.
The first of several regular Counter-Strike 2 tournaments that PGL will host in 2025 and 2026 will be held in Cluj-Napoca, Romania, with 16 squads set to compete in the US$1.25 million event.
With the likes of Team Spirit, Team Vitality, Natus Vincere and G2 Esports choosing not to take their place in Romania, it gives a chance for a lower-ranked squad to win an S-Tier event and jump up the global rankings.
FaZe Clan will be the highest-ranked outfit attending PGL Cluj-Napoca, and therefore, GG Bet have marked them as a clear $3.25 favourite to lift the trophy.
Check out our extensive PGL Cluj-Napoca betting guide to get the latest odds and tournament information.
Season 25 of the DreamHack DreamLeague will kick off on February 16, with 16 of the best Dota 2 teams set to compete in the two-week event in Europe.
Team Falcons have won the last three editions of the DreamHack DreamLeague, and they are expected to be very tough to beat once again.
After claiming the first two Dota 2 events of 2025, Tundra Esports will attempt to end Team Falcons’ historic run by continuing their own streak.
Check out our extensive DreamHack DreamLeague betting guide to get the latest odds and tournament information.
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DN FREECS vs KT ROLSTER LOL BETTING & MATCH DETAILS |
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Best Odds: | DNF $2.90 at GG Bet | KT $1.39 at BetOnline |
When: | January 31, 2025 | 17:00 KST |
Watch Live: | Lolesports, Twitch |
KT Rolster ended their two-game losing streak on Sunday when they swept OKSavingsBank BRION, improving their record ahead of the final week to 2-2. DN Freecs, on the other side, lost their third consecutive match when they were ran over by Gen.G in quick time on Saturday.
Both teams have suffered tough losses against elite teams and have been a bit inconsistent. That especially holds true for KT Rolster and their bottom lane, as Han “Way” Gil is still struggling to adapt to the LCK.
DN Freecs can be hit-or-miss, but they have solid individual players who can take over games — namely Kim “Berserker” Min-cheol, who had a pop-off performance against DRX last week. DN Freecs will also have side choice for this match, which bumps them up a bit more.
At $2.90, DN Freecs are underrated and an excellent outsider pick.
DRX vs HANWHA LIFE ESPORTS LOL BETTING & MATCH DETAILS |
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Best Odds: | DRX $5.62 at Betway | HLE $1.13 at William Hill |
When: | January 31, 2025 | 19:30 KST |
Watch Live: | Lolesports, Twitch |
DRX have done surprisingly well across the first two weeks of LCK Cup 2025. They are 3-1 with wins against OKSavingsBank BRION, DN Freecs, and BNK FEARX, all ending 2-1.
They have been a bit over the place, however, and have looked good at times and much worse at others. But like DN Freecs, DRX have players like mid laner Son “ucal” Woo-hyeon who can take over the game.
Hanwha Life Esports had their moments in their recent loss against Dplus KIA but were outmatched in the mid-late game on maps one and three. Hanwha Life Esports again proved just how vulnerable they are when faced with an elite team.
Priced at $1.13 with the top LoL betting sites, Hanwha Life Esports are at very short odds despite their reputation as a team who do well against weaker opponents. DRX have side choice and a lot of potential, so backing them to win a map at plus money is an appealing option.
T1 vs NONGSHIM REDFORCE LOL BETTING & MATCH DETAILS |
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Best Odds: | T1 $1.14 at GG Bet | NS $5.23 at GG Bet |
When: | January 26, 2025 | 15:00 KST |
Watch Live: | Lolesports, Twitch |
T1 are 2-1 entering their fourth match of LCK Cup 2025, which includes a tough loss to Dplus KIA, a dominant victory against DRX, and a shaky win against KT Rolster on Friday. Nongshim RedForce have been less successful, managing just one victory from three against OKSavingsBank BRION.
RedForce’s recent loss to Hanwha Life Esports was weird, with both teams throwing away advantageous positions. The game ended with HLE utilising their long-range composition for which Jung “Jiwoo” Ji-woo and co. did not have an answer.
T1 have been unconvincing so far; however, they are set to face one of the weakest teams in the league. Top LoL betting sites have it right to price T1 as huge favourites; this match should play out similarly to their clash with DRX.
KT ROLSTER vs OKSAVINGSBANK BRION LOL BETTING & MATCH DETAILS |
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Best Odds: | KT $1.37 at GG Bet | BRO $2.98 at GG Bet |
When: | January 26, 2025 | 17:30 KST |
Watch Live: | Lolesports, Twitch |
OKSavingsBank BRION picked up a stunning victory on Thursday when they humiliated Gen.G, living up to their name as Giant Slayers, despite making significant roster changes this offseason. It would be the most on-brand thing for BRION to get stomped by KT Rolster on Sunday; however, KT Rolster have looked pretty bad of late.
KT Rolster have a solid lineup, and they could find a lot of success by the end of the season; however, they are not quite there yet, as shown in their last three outings. Moreover, it is typically unwise to side with heavy favourites so early in the season, and this week was a perfect example of why.
Despite beating Gen.G, OKSavingsBank BRION are not the new league leaders. But BRION have shown they can fight over the two weeks, which inspires confidence they can do well against the shaky KT Rolster.
DPLUS KIA vs BNK FEARX LOL BETTING & MATCH DETAILS |
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Best Odds: | Dplus $1.15 at GG Bet | BFX $5.07 at GG Bet |
When: | January 22, 2025 | 17:00 KST |
Watch Live: | Lolesports, Twitch |
Dplus KIA started the 2025 season with a bang. They took down T1 on Saturday and added a 2-0 sweep against DN Freecs. The latter game was close until Dplus turned on their jets and closed out the maps in short order.
As expected, the return of support Cho “BeryL” Geon-hee has made Dplus KIA much deadlier, as they are no longer afraid to pull the trigger when the time is right. Moreover, the current meta fits them and the players’ map pool well.
BNK FEARX are fresh off a confusing game against Gen.G. While they got stomped in game two, FEARX threw the other one away. Aside from the slip-up, FEARX played well, proving they can perform even against elite teams.
Dplus KIA are the better team, especially with BeryL back; however, the top LoL betting sites seem to underestimate BNK FEARX a bit, as they can take a bite out of Heo “ShowMaker” Su and his crew.
DN FREECS vs DRX LOL BETTING & MATCH DETAILS |
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Best Odds: | DNF $1.42 at GG Bet | DRX $2.78 at GG Bet |
When: | January 22, 2025 | 19:30 KST |
Watch Live: | Lolesports, Twitch |
DRX edged out a win against OKSavingsBank BRION in the first match of the LCK 2025 Cup but got demolished by T1 on Saturday. While it is still very early into the new season, DRX have not looked too inspiring.
DN Freecs managed to defeat the new-look Nongshim RedForce but had to admit defeat to the new and improved Dplus KIA. Even in that loss, the Freecs showed good things and were right up there with ShowMaker and co. until the mid-late game, when Dplus came online.
DN Freecs have the potential to be great, but they will need consistently good performances from jungler Hong “Pyosik” Chang-hyeon. That might not happen often, but even if the 2022 world champion does not step up, the Freecs should not be in danger of losing against the shaky DRX.
KT ROLSTER vs HANWHA LIFE ESPORTS LOL BETTING & MATCH DETAILS |
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Best Odds: | KT $4.46 at GG Bet | HLE $1.17 at GG Bet |
When: | January 19, 2025 | 15:00 KST |
Watch Live: | Lolesports, Twitch |
KT Rolster started the 2025 LCK season with a 2-1 victory against BNK FEARX, which was too close for comfort. They crushed FEARX in game one, got stomped in game two, and edged out a win on the decider.
Overall, a very sloppy series from KT Rolster and BNK FEARX, but so early into the season, shakier performances were expected. Hanwha Life Esports enter this match fresh off a 0-2 loss against Gen.G, which is not too inspiring.
Like last season, Hanwha Life Esports continue to play very passively, waiting for their opponents to slip rather than creating their own opportunities. In the current meta, which heavily favours getting an early lead and rolling with it, that approach will not work.
Hanwha Life Esports are qualitatively the better team. But their style of play will be punished by any half-decent team.
BNK FEARX vs GEN.G LOL BETTING & MATCH DETAILS |
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Best Odds: | FEARX $9.22 at GG Bet | Gen.G $1.03 at GG Bet |
When: | January 19, 2025 | 17:30 KST |
Watch Live: | Lolesports, Twitch |
Gen.G rolled over Hanwha Life Esports in their opening match of the LCK 2025 Cup and will now face a weaker opponent in BNK FEARX, who are fresh off a crushing 1-2 loss against KT Rolster.
Even though they lost the game, BNK FEARX showed some good things, namely that they are not scared to just “send it,” which is an approach that is rewarded in the current snowballing meta. Despite having the right idea of how to play, qualitatively, FEARX are roughly as good as in LCK 2024, when they went 0-8 against Gen.G across the two splits.
This explains why the top LoL betting sites have Gen.G priced as $1.03 favourites, but so early into the season, that’s too high of a number. Gen.G should win, but the kill handicap is too high to ignore.
BNK FEARX vs KT ROLSTER LOL BETTING & MATCH DETAILS |
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Best Odds: | FEARX $3.81 at GG Bet | KT $1.23 at GG Bet |
When: | January 16, 2025 | 17:00 KST |
Watch Live: | Lolesports, Twitch |
BNK FEARX added three new players ahead of the 2025 LCK season, including mid laner Lee “VicLa” Dae-kwang, ADC Nam “Diable” Dae-geun from the academy lineup, and Kim “Kellin” Hyeong-gyu. With two experienced players and a promising ADC, BNK FEARX seem to be in a fine spot, although the departure of support Joo “Duro” Min-kyu and mid laner Lee “Clozer” Ju-hyeon will be noticeable.
KT Rolster also replaced three members. They kept top laner Lee “PerfecT” Seung-min and mid laner Gwak “Bdd” Bo-sung and re-added jungler Mun “Cuzz” U-chan and got ADC Seo “deokdam” Dae-gil from FunPlus Phoenix and promoted support Han “Way” Gil.
KT Rolster seem like they downgraded from last season, fielding a fairly underwhelming roster with a great mid laner but mediocre players in other positions. They should do fine against BNK FEARX and other bottom-tier teams, but even this match likely won’t be as clean as suggested by the esports odds found on the top LoL betting sites.
DPLUS KIA vs T1 LOL BETTING & MATCH DETAILS |
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Best Odds: | DK $3.31 at GG Bet | T1 $1.29 at GG Bet |
When: | January 16, 2025 | 19:30 KST |
Watch Live: | Lolesports, Twitch |
Dplus KIA brought back support Cho “BeryL” Geon-hee and added a new top laner, Jeon “Siwoo” Si-woo, for the 2025 season. The top lane change can go both ways, but the return of BeryL is a big deal.
Last season, Dplus KIA were competitive but a bit all over the place, without any real direction, indicating a lack of leadership. BeryL will fix that, and if he can get the team in order and if mid laner Heo “ShowMaker” Su has a good season, we could be looking at a very scary Dplus KIA.
T1 made just one change this offseason, as they were unable to keep top laner Choi “Zeus” Woo-je, who swapped places with Choi “Doran” Hyeon-jun. Widely considered a downgrade, Doran is still an elite player, especially domestically, so it is fair to say T1 will be just as potent in 2025.
T1 are the better team out of the gate, but if things fall into place, Dplus KIA can become equally as good. So early into the season, a smaller position on the underdogs to win a map is worth a look.