Reigning world champions DAMWON Gaming haven’t missed a beat since bringing glory back to South Korea on the international stage. They were one of the favorites coming into this tournament two weeks ago, and they have lived up to the expectations. DAMWON Gaming have only dropped one game during this event after going 4-0 in the Group Stage and beat Hanwha Life 3-1 in the semifinals. This powerhouse is expected to hammer Nongshim Red Force in the KeSPA Cup Finals, and that’s reflected in these League of Legends betting odds.
2020 KeSPA Cup Finals Betting Odds
DAMWON Gaming -1800
Nongshim Red Force +750
Previous Meeting
Nongshim Red Force and DAMWON Gaming were drawn in the same group and faced off in the very first match of the 2020 KeSPA Cup. Nongshim were sizable underdogs, and they were dismantled by DAMWON in their previous meeting. The world champions won in under 30 minutes as Ghost dominated on the new Samira, posting a 13/3/10 KDA.
There were some positives to take out of the loss. Nongshim allowed DAMWON to select the two most powerful picks available in Samira and Graves, but they still played well and nearly won some team fights. Additionally, they showed they weren’t afraid of DAMWON, challenging them throughout the game rather than allowing their opponents to slowly suffocate them as is the penchant for many teams.
Mid laner Bay will have to play better for Nongshim to have a chance at pulling off the upset though. He finished with a 1.6 KDA in the first game, and he made two disastrous Twisted Fate ultimates.
Matchup
DAMWON Gaming brought back four of their five starters from last year’s championship winning team. The one change happened in the top lane as Nuguri left for a huge contract in the LPL, but DAMWON made a nice signing in Khan.
Khan has been considered one of the best top laners in the world for the last three years. He rose to prominence with Kingzone DragonX and spent a year as the top laner for SK Telecom T1 before leaving for the LPL and FunPlus Phoenix last year. There were some chemistry issues as the notoriously resource heavy Khan struggled to play off-lane compositions, but he is hoping to turn over a new leaf in his return to the LCK.
Nuguri had the same reputation before last season, so DAMWON Gaming are hoping to turn another extremely talented top laner into a more well-rounded team member. He has looked strong in that role so far with an 8.1 KDA per Games of Legends. Khan has played a tank in six of DAMWON’s eight games, and his worst performance has come on one of the strongest champions of the game right now in Aatrox.
He will be matched up against top laner Rich. Rich was one of the greatest Heroes of the Storm players ever before moving to League of Legends, and he was known for his aggressive play in that game. We saw a lot of that aggressiveness on display in the first meeting as Rich usually triggered the start of team fights with his Malphite ultimates. He currently has a 2.6 KDA, but DAMWON are unlikely to allow him to draft Aatrox as he has looked great on the pick.
Nongshim jungler Peanut will have a big role to play if his team pulls off the upset too. Peanut is one of the most beloved Korean players ever, and he is finally back in his home country after spending the last two years in the LPL. He has looked great at KeSPA Cup with some nice smite steals, and he has the second-best KDA on the team.
Prediction
There is a massive gap in favor of DAMWON in the mid lane and a substantial edge for DAMWON in the bottom lane. That will make it very tough for Nongshim to pull off the upset in a best of five series. Nongshim won’t get the win, but they will probably pick up one victory and are a nice play at +2.5 on the game spread.
At BookMaker Sportsbook, our team of writers breaks down every betting matchup on the wagering board. Esports are exploding in popularity and BookMaker has you covered for all of your betting needs. From League of Legends to CS:GO, BookMaker has all the Esports betting lines you can hope for. Open an account and get in on the action today!
