LCK 2026 Rounds 1-2 Week 8 betting tips – Saturday, May 23

League of Legends Champions Korea 2026 Rounds 1-2 Week 8 continues on Saturday, May 23, when Dplus KIA face BNK FEARX before Nongshim RedForce clash with Hanwha Life Esports.

Esportbet brings you free League of Legends betting predictions and expert tips for the two affairs, along with odds courtesy of the top-rated esports bookmakers.

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  Fast Payouts

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DPLUS KIA vs BNK FEARX

Best Odds	DK -333.33 at BetOnline | BFX +240 at SportsBetting
When	May 23, 2026 | 17:00 KST
Watch Live	Lolesports, Twitch

Dplus KIA have been a little unconvincing lately, going 2-3 across their last five outings. Over that stretch, they have beaten DN SOOPers and HAJIN BRION, while losing to Hanwha Life Esports, T1, KT Rolster, and Gen.G.

Even in some of those defeats, Dplus KIA have performed reasonably well. They remain a talented roster with one of the strongest early games in the league, which should be especially useful against BNK FEARX.

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  The bookies' bookie

FEARX have shown signs of life recently, mainly thanks to their explosive starts. When they get ahead early, they can look dangerous and force opponents into uncomfortable spots.

The problem is what happens when they fall behind. BNK FEARX have struggled to claw their way back into games, and their mid-late game remains far from perfect. They also have a habit of becoming too confident when they are in a strong position, which has backfired more than once.

Dplus KIA are exactly the kind of team that can punish those mistakes. If DK control the early game, they should be able to keep FEARX from finding enough room to recover.

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NONGSHIM REDFORCE vs HANWHA LIFE ESPORTS

Best Odds	NS +800 at BetOnline | HLE -2500 at SportsBetting
When	May 23, 2026 | 19:00 KST
Watch Live	Lolesports, Twitch

Hanwha Life Esports are heavy favourites on the top LoL bookmakers to defeat the shaky Nongshim RedForce. At -2500, the market gives HLE an implied 95.2% probability of winning the series, which feels a little extreme.

Hanwha Life Esports have the best record in the league, with 13 wins and two defeats, while Nongshim RedForce are 4-11 and stuck on a nine-game losing streak. On the surface, this looks like a mismatch.

RedForce have been slowly figuring things out, though, and their performances have not been quite as poor as the record suggests. Their early game, in particular, has allowed them to keep pace with some of the LCK’s elite teams.

The issue has been decision-making. Nongshim RedForce have repeatedly put themselves in decent positions, only to let games slip away through poor calls and messy mid-game setups.

That is still a major concern against a team as strong as Hanwha Life, but RedForce’s early-game strength gives them a fighting chance to take a map. HLE’s early game has not been flawless either, which was clear in their recent loss to KT Rolster.

An upset is unlikely, but this has enough ingredients to become a three-map series. At the price, the over is worth a play.