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It’s been a tough Mid-Season Invitational from the perspective of Riot Games. Royal Never Give Up was unable to travel to Korea for the event, forcing all teams to play the game on 30-35 ping, and then RNG was forced to replay three games due to latency issues. That was something of an unforced error, but then the schedule for the Rumble Stage was not released until Wednesday, less than 48 hours before games got underway. Fortunately, a return to action and a more competitive Rumble Stage will wipe away some of those issues starting on Friday.
League of Legends Mid-Season Invitational Rumble Stage Day 2 Odds at SugarHouse Sportsbook
G2 Esports -286
Evil Geniuses +200
We saw G2 Esports and Evil Geniuses square off four times in the Group Stage, and G2 Esports won all four of the previous contests. They were originally somewhere between -175 and -220 in all of those matches by the Esports betting odds, but they should arguably be more of a favorite than they are now because of their dominance.
It’s tough to see a way that Evil Geniuses win this match if Danny and Vulcan don’t play better in the bottom lane. Danny was the toast of the LCS in the playoffs after leading EG to the title with some incredible plays, but he has not performed well in Korea. Flakked and Targamas have been a much better bottom lane, making G2 the play here.
Royal Never Give Up -625
PSG Talon +350
Although PSG Talon is lumped in with Evil Geniuses and Saigon Buffalo as one of the three longshots per the League of Legends betting odds, they are a better team than their LCS and VCS counterparts. PSG Talon have a standout top laner that is proven on the international stage in Hanabi, and both Unified and Kaiwing have performed very well in the bottom lane.
Royal Never Give Up went 2-0 against PSG Talon in the Group Stage, but one of those matches was close, giving PSG hope they can potentially pull off the upset. If mid laner Bay and jungler Juhan can hold their own, they could shock the LPL champions.
T1 -10000
Saigon Buffalo +1100
It’s somewhat laughable to see a team as this much of a favorite in an international competition between champions from different regions, but T1 hammered Saigon Buffalo in both games in the Group Stage. Even though Saigon Buffalo were able to get more kills in the early game, T1’s superior macro carried the day and will again in this rematch.
PSG Talon +100
Evil Geniuses -139
This will be an important game as these are the two most likely teams to grab the fourth spot in the Rumble Stage and earn a place in the semifinals. The bottom lane will be key as Unified and Kaiwing have been playing very well, while Danny and Vulcan have had some issues.
Inspired will be the X-Factor for Evil Geniuses in this match. The jungler has been the most reliable player on EG, and he has the potential to take over in the early game. That will be key for EG if they want to get an early leg up over PSG.
Royal Never Give Up +137
T1 -190
There’s no doubt that this is the match that everyone has been waiting to see since the MSI field was set. T1 and RNG are the overwhelming favorites per the League of Legends futures odds, and they are the only two teams that have multiple MSI championships.
Faker has consistently gotten the better of Xiaohu in the mid lane, and Zeus can take advantage of Bin in the top lane. RNG will need the bottom lane to win in the laning phase, but Keria might be the best support in the world.
Saigon Buffalo +290
G2 Esports -455
G2 is a deserved favorite in this match, but they have had some problems with VCS teams in the past. The fast-paced early game has proved to be problematic for G2, and their three new members have yet to deal with anything like what they will see from Saigon Buffalo in this match.
