International League of Legends action finally returns with the Mid-Season Invitational taking place from May 5 to 29.
The annual LoL event sees the best teams from each region battle it out in what is a mini-preview for the game’s world championship. We get to see how teams from different regions match up, as well as getting something different from the usual regional action.
As always, there’s a lot to the event, so make sure to refresh yourself on all things League of Legends, and let’s check out the juicy details.
Who’s Playing At The Mid-Season Invitational 2022?
There are a total of 11 teams battling it out at this year’s MSI – the champions of each competitive region in League of Legends (except the LCL representatives, who are missing out due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine).
These teams represent the best of their regions and will be looking to bring glory back home with an impressive MSI showing. Of course, there is a bit of a power dynamic, with heavy favorites like Korea’s T1 and China’s RNG overshadowing minor region representatives like RED Canids from Brazil, Detonation FM from Japan, and Order from Oceania. However, this is exactly what makes MSI exciting – seeing just what each region can do.
When it comes to the event itself, we see a pretty standard format. Teams are seeded into four groups based on regional rankings and battle it out in a double round-robin format (quadruple for Group C, which features just three teams). This means each team plays the others in its group twice (or four times in Group C) and afterward the top two of each group advance to the next stage.
The remaining six teams enter another group stage, once again playing in a double round robin. This time, the top four advance, moving on to the playoffs, while the others are eliminated. Last but not least come the playoffs – this is played in a single-elimination format, meaning once a team loses a series, they are out. The last team standing takes home the MSI trophy.
| Team | Odds |
|---|---|
| T1 | -175 |
| RNG | +175 |
| G2 Esports | +800 |
| Evil Geniuses | +2500 |
| PSG Talon | +6600 |
| FastPay Wildcats | +15000 |
| Detonation FocusMe | +20000 |
| Saigon Buffalo | +25000 |
| Team Aze | +40000 |
| RED Canids | +50000 |
| Order | +100000 |
Odds as of May 9 at Sportsbook
T1 Looks To Continue Flawless Spring Season Run
T1 enters MSI as the favorite, coming into the event after an outstanding LCK spring season in which the team completed an undefeated run.
The Korean favorites dominated their region, losing just eight maps all season long and looking to be head and shoulders above their competition. With Korea being historically one of the best regions, it’s no surprise to see T1 come in at -175, which signifies implied odds of 63.69 percent according to our Super Calculator.
They’re definitely the team to watch and it will be very interesting to see if they can keep up their form against international competition – and whether anyone can stop them.
Can RNG Make History With A Third MSI Triumph?
Royal Never Give Up enters the tournament with an illustrious history. Alongside T1, they have the best MSI record, winning two events in the past. The Chinese team will be looking to make history and become the only team to win MSI three times, as well as the second to take back-to-back trophies.
Coming from the LPL, they’re another team well worth keeping your eyes on. The region has always produced amazing players and this RNG roster is no exception, having won at MSI last year and defeating current world champion Edward Gaming to earn their spot at the event this year.
Much like T1, Royal Never Give Up should be by far the best team in their group and in the latter stages of the event. It’s very likely that an eventual matchup between the two favorites will be the tournament decider, so the best bet will be backing one of T1 or RNG.
Is G2 Esports’ New Lineup Good Enough To Return To The Top?
If you’re a western League of Legends fan, G2 is the team for you at MSI. They’re the only western team to ever win an MSI event, back in 2019, and have by far the best history internationally.
The team hit some bumps in the road in 2021, with their super-team failing to do much of anything, but they’ve come back in a big way this year. After a slow playoffs start, G2 completed a lower-bracket comeback, winning four series in a row without dropping a match, while taking down all of Europe’s best.
G2 showed impressive growth over the course of the spring season and if they’ve continued doing so in the lead-up to MSI, they could very well be a threat to the favorites. With that being said, the eastern competition looks tougher than ever, so it will take a massive effort for G2 to take home the MSI trophy this year.
