Swiss Stage Day 8 Preview: Last Chance for Fnatic

This week’s last day of games, day eight of the Swiss Stage, brings us two make-or-break matchups. All four teams in action have records of 1-2. Losing this series sends you home.

We see EU team FNC in action against LPL giants WBG. Then we have the LCS TL in what should be a winnable game against GAM. It is set up to be an excellent watch for Western fans, with the hope that both teams will stay in the tournament.

Game 1 – FNC vs WBG

The day’s first game pits the LEC’s number two seed against the LPL’s number four seed. Both teams’ journeys have been underwhelming so far.

The Teams 

For FNC, the draw has yet to be kind. They have been up against DK and TES, losing both of those. The one game they won was against GAM, which was expected. Their performances so far have been disjointed and erratic. With FNC, we are used to chaos and a rollercoaster of emotions when watching them. They are usually coordinated with that chaos, whereas they have been anything but that here. In their series against TES, they showed no composure or discipline. They over-chased kills and forced picks by leaving other map areas overexposed.  FNC looked desperate, and TES could easily pick them apart and beat them on the macro. They need to be more disciplined and control the map to get a positive result. Razork must be the calming voice for FNC, covering the map and keeping the laners safe early on.

WBG had a difficult time on their last game day against G2. As a representative of the LPL, it was expected that WBG would perform better. Coming into this series, the WBG fans and players will be confident of taking the win. The skill gap between the LPL and LEC is typically evident, and in a Bo3 series, it just makes it harder for FNC to cause an upset. Noah is a primary damage source for FNC, so it will be necessary for WBG to get their bot lane duo Light and Crisp on top early.

Betting on FNC vs WBG

As expected, WBG is the solid favourite to win this series—the current odds on GG.Bet for a WBG win is 1/4. Compared to 5/2 for an FNC win. (Odds are subject to change.) There is a skill gap between these teams, but anything is possible with both underperforming.

Game 2 – TL vs GAM

In game two of the day, the LCS’s number two seed will face the last remaining VCS team in GAM. This series should be straightforward for TL.

The Teams 

TL had a horrendous start to the Worlds. They faced tough draws against teams such as LNG and WBG, which put them 0-2 and in a challenging situation. They responded with a convincing win against PNG and now look to be back on track. This series against GAM is one they will be confident of winning. They performed well in their loss to WBG, which will give them encouragement about being able to compete against the higher-ranked teams. Mid-laner APA has been central to everything good TL has done so far, and that will continue in this series. Top-laner Impact has also been a standout performer for this roster. Both players are massive contributors to any success that may come TLs’ way.

GAM will be confident after their last series. They won against MDK, who were slight favourites in that matchup. It has not been a bad tournament for GAM. There was a close game against FNC where GAM sometimes looked like the better team. The win over MDK certainly boosted morale. They are up against a TL who has not looked at their best. It is unlikely that GAM come out of this Bo3 with a positive result, but they may be able to take a map and force three games out of this series.

Betting on TL vs GAM

It is not much of a surprise that TL is the firm favourite in this series—their current odds on GG.Bet are 2/7 to win the series. Meanwhile, a GAM win has odds of 12/5. (Odds subject to change) It is a matchup that is heavily favoured towards TL. Given the performances of both in this tournament so far, GAM may win one map in the series, but it is unlikely they win the whole series.

Final Thoughts 

For two of these teams, it will be at the end of their Worlds 2024 journey. The EU fan in me hopes that FNC does not go home, but it will be an uphill battle against this WBG team. TL should advance, placing two LCS teams in the 2-2 bracket. Betting on any of these games seems straightforward, as any upset is unlikely. For more tips, check out our LoL Worlds betting page.

Our Recommendations

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Or here’s a list of our favourite esports betting sites for the LoL Words:

• GG.Bet
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• Rivalry
• Bet365
• 1xBet
• Thunderpick
• BC.Game
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• Stake.com