League of Legends Champions Korea (LCK) is one of those events where the competition is so fierce that it really seems like anyone could win. And that’s exactly why it’s become such a thrilling tournament for LoL esports fans.
In this guide, we’ve compiled the full event schedule, format, competing teams, and our expert betting predictions to prepare you for the LCK 2025 Season.
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LCK 2025 Season Schedule & Format
The LCK 2025 Season features several stages of competition over its five-month-long runtime.
Rounds 1 & 2
Rounds 1 & 2 take place from April 2 to June 1, boasting a double Round-Robin format. All matches are best-of-three, and the top six teams qualify for the Road to MSI event.
The Road to MSI tournament forms part of the LCK 2025 Season, and it runs from June 7 to 15. It features best-of-five matches, with the top two teams qualifying for the Mid-Season Invitational and the Esports World Cup.
Rounds 3-5
Once the dust settles over the international MSI event, the LCK 2025 Season Rounds 3 to 5 will run from July 23 until Aug. 31. In this stage, the 10 participating teams are split into two groups based on their standings in Rounds 1 & 2, with the top five teams claiming spots in the Legend Group, and the bottom five teams moving into the Rise Group. The results of Rounds 1 & 2 are carried over to this stage of competition, and the format is Triple Round-Robin, where all matches are best-of-three.
The top two teams from the Legend Group will advance to Round 2 of the Playoffs, while the 3rd and 4th-placed teams will advance to Round 1. The 5th-place team from the Legend Group will compete with the top three teams from the Rise Group in the Play-In Stage, while the bottom two teams from the Rise Group are eliminated. In the Play-In stage, four teams will fight for only two spots in Round 1 of the Playoffs. All matches are best-of-five in a double-elimination bracket format.
Playoffs Stage
The final stage is the Playoffs, where the top eight teams will compete in a double-elimination bracket format, with all matches being best-of-five. The top three teams from the Playoffs Stage will qualify for the prestigious LoL Worlds 2025 event.
All competition stages feature the Fearless Draft system, where no Champion can be played more than once per series. This ensures that no two games in a best-of-three or best-of-five series are alike.
You can see the complete schedule of matches on the LoL esports website.
Prize Pool Distribution
The table below outlines how much money each team can earn in the LCK 2025 Season.
| Place | Prize Money (In Korean Won) |
| 1st | ₩300,000,000 |
| 2nd | ₩150,000,000 |
| 3rd | ₩75,000,000 |
| 4th | ₩37,500,000 |
| Total | ₩562,500,000 |
The top three teams earn spots at Worlds 2025.
How To Watch LCK 2025 Season
Thunderpick is your home for all LCK 2025 Season action, including placing wagers on in-play matches and watching every moment live. Navigate to the “Live” tab in our LoL betting section, and select a game you want to watch. You can then view a live stream of each match and bet on them, too!
You can also watch the entire LCK 2025 Season on the official LCK Twitch and LCK Global YouTube channels.
Teams Competing In LCK 2025 Season
The 10 best teams from South Korea are competing in the LCK 2025 Season, so let’s check them out:
- BRION
- Dplus
- DRX
- FearX
- Freecs
- Gen.G
- Hanwha Life Esports
- KT Rolster
- Nongshim RedForce
- T1
Our Predictions For LCK 2025 Season
According to Riot Games’ Global Power Rankings, the LCK 2025 Season features the best in the business, including the top three LoL teams in the world. But who will rise to the top to take home the top prize? Let’s find out!
Important note: We considered various factors, including the LCK Cup and 2025 First Stand performances, current team form, roster changes, comprehensive matchup data, and Global Power Rankings to make our LCK 2025 Season predictions. Despite the in-depth nature of the research, our analysis should not be considered betting advice to act upon. Past performances do not guarantee future results. Always gamble responsibly.
1. Hanwha Life
Hanwha Life is on an absolute rampage, making them a clear favorite to win the entire LCK 2025 Season. The squad won the LCK Cup (beating Gen.G 3-2) and then became the First Stand champions, beating Karmine Corp 3-1 in the Grand Final.
At the heart of Hanwha Life is Zeus, the two-time world champion toplaner who is in frightening form as the MVP of the LCK Cup, and midlaner Zeka, an unstoppable force and MVP of First Stand. Many fans would consider Hanwha Life not making it to a podium position in the LCK 2025 Season a massive upset.
Hanwha Life roster:
- Choi “Zeus” Woo-je (Top)
- Kim “Zeka” Geon-woo (Mid)
- Han “Peanut” Wang-ho (Jungle)
- Park “Viper” Do-hyeon (Bot)
- Yu “Delight” Hwan-jung (Support)
- Choi “DanDy” In-kyu (Coach)
- Lee “Mowgli” Jae-ha (Coach)
- Shin “Shine” Dong-wook (Coach)
2. Gen.G Esports
The last significant trophy win for Gen.G Esports was on May 19, 2024, when they lifted the MSI 2024 trophy. Despite the lack of additional trophies, Gen.G Esports remains one of the strongest contenders in the LCK.
The MSI-winning trio of Canyon, Chovy, and Kinn is shining on Summoner’s Rift, evident by the team’s second-place finish at the LCK Cup. There’s a good chance Gen.G Esports will make it to the top of the LCK 2025 Season.
Gen.G Esports roster:
- Kim “Kiin” Ki-in (Top)
- Jeong “Chovy” Ji-hoon (Mid)
- Kim “Canyon” Geon-bu (Jungle)
- Park “Ruler” Jae-hyuk (Bot)
- Joo “Duro” Min-kyu (Support)
- Kwon “Helper” Young-jae (Coach)
- Kim “Kim” Jung-su (Coach)
- Kim “Lyn” Da-bin (Coach)
3. T1
Leaving T1 out of our top three picks would indicate that we think the squad won’t make it to Worlds 2025. Let’s be real—that sounds absurd! The team is a powerhouse despite ending 6th in the LCK Cup, thereby not making the cut for First Stand.
Boasting the legendary “unkillable demon king,” midlaner Faker, and the farming beast Gumayusi, T1 can and likely will beat most teams in the LCK 2025 Season. After all, T1 are the back-to-back world champions, having won Worlds 2023 and Worlds 2024 as well as the Esports World Cup.
T1 roster:
- Choi “Doran” Hyeon-jun (Top)
- Lee “Faker” Sang-hyeok (Mid)
- Mun “Oner” Hyeon-jun (Jungle)
- Lee “Gumayusi” Min-hyung (Bot)
- Sin “Smash” Guem-jae (Bot)
- Ryu “Keria” Min-seok (Support)
- Cho “Mata” Se-hyoung (Coach)
- Kim “kkOma” Jeong-gyun (Coach)
- Im “Tom” Jae-hyeon (Coach)
4. Dplus
While Dplus is an underdog, the team has a lot of potential to perform above expectations throughout the LCK 2025 Season. They showed strong form at the LCK Cup, narrowly missing out on a Grand Final spot after a devastating 3-2 loss against Hanwha Life.
The sky’s the limit for Dplus if ShowMaker is on form. Plus, the young toplaner Siwoo will only get better as he gains more experience on the biggest LoL esports stages. And with the Worlds 2022 champion, BeryL, in the support role, Dplus may just earn a podium finish—and a spot at Worlds 2025.
Dplus roster:
- Jeon “Siwoo” Si-woo (Top)
- Heo “ShowMaker” Su (Mid)
- Choi “Lucid” Yong-hyeok (Jungle)
- Kim “Aiming” Ha-ram (Bot)
- Cho “BeryL” Geon-hee (Support)
- Bae “Bengi” Seong-woong (Coach)
- Ha “Hachani” Seung-chan (Coach)
- Lee “PoohManDu” Jeong-hyeon (Coach)
Who’s Your Pick For The LCK 2025 Season?
The LCK 2025 Season is shaping up to be one of the most intense League tournaments yet. With powerhouse teams like Hanwha Life, Gen.G, and T1 going head-to-head, you won’t want to miss a single match. Whether you’re here for the wild upsets, the perfect drafts, or the thrill of a well-placed bet, we’ve got you covered at Thunderpick.
Follow the action live and make your picks on our League betting page. But just remember—even the best teams can surprise you.
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