The 2025 LCK grand final is on the horizon, and it will pit split favorite Gen.G against upper bracket victor HLE.
| Match | Gen.G vs HLE – LCK 2025 |
|---|---|
| Kick-off | September 28, 2025, at 1 am ET |
| Top Pick | Gen.G to win, over 3.5 maps |
| Best Price | GG.BET live odds |
| Betting favorite | Gen.G |
Despite the group stage being full of ups and downs for Hanwha Life Esports, the 2025 First Stand winner bounced back stronger than ever late in the year, being the first LCK team to reach the grand final. Gen.G may have narrowly lost to KT Rolster in the upper bracket, but it fought hard to stand alongside HLE, showing why it’s been the favorite all along. While both teams have qualified for the 2025 World Championship, victory here would lead to the split’s number 1 seed at Worlds and a major boost in confidence.
Betting tip: HLE is currently in excellent form and could very well win against Gen.G in a close and drawn-out match.
My Gen.G vs HLE pick: HLE to cause an upset at 2.92 odds at GG.BET.
It wouldn’t be a stretch to say that Gen.G’s performance hit a new level since it failed to qualify for First Stand. The team smoothly got past the initial LCK group stage, MSI, and Esports World Cup, winning every match at each event with a perfect record. But Hanwha Life Esports seems to have reignited the fire it had at the start of the year and could pose a real challenge here.
HLE’s biggest strength may be the team’s support player Delight. With some of the most reliably consistent initiations out of any professional support player today, Hanwha Life Esports will likely have a significant advantage in any team fight against Gen.G. Not to mention, Peanut and Zeus have seemingly gotten out of the slump they previously found themselves in, making it a good idea to side with HLE for a stronger return.
This isn’t to say that things will be easy here. Gen.G’s Kiin is also in excellent form and has beaten Zeus multiple times in the top lane this split, though Zeus may still emerge victorious after the laning phase. Gen.G also has an advantage in the middle lane because of Chovy’s proven strength, which means the jungle and bottom lane will likely determine the match’s outcome. Considering Peanut and Canyon both have similar objective-prioritizing approaches to jungling, Delight’s support will be invaluable in HLE potentially winning the match.
Expect this match to go five games, regardless of who ultimately comes out on top.
Image credit: HLE
| Metric | Gen.G | HLE | Edge |
|---|---|---|---|
| Map winrate | 73% | 66% | Gen.G |
| First blood | 54.2% | 50.3% | Gen.G |
| First Tower | 60% | 65.6% | HLE |
| Market | Odds |
|---|---|
| Gen.G to win | 1.37 |
| Hanwha Life Esports to win | 2.92 |
| Total maps over 3.5 | 1.41 |
League of Legends odds via GG.BET, 4:44 am ET September 27, 2025.
Hanwha Life Esports and Gen.G have proven themselves to be the strongest teams in the LCK. Both teams have showcased great ability by defeating KT Rolster with a score of 3-0, though Gen.G’s recent playoff loss was uncharacteristic and added new cause for concern for the team. With HLE’s extremely strong bottom lane, a reliable jungler, and the drive to win what may be Peanut’s last LCK split, there’s a real chance that it will find a close victory over Gen.G.
Our Gen.G vs HLE prediction: HLE to find an upset 3-2 @ 2.92 odds at GG.BET.
Feature image credits: Gen.G
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