2026 Mid-Season Invitational betting odds and LoL markets at Stake

The Mid-Season Invitational (MSI) is one of the biggest and most prestigious Esports tournaments, featuring the best League of Legends (LoL) teams and players from around the world. This summer, South Korea will host the tournament, as 11 teams compete for a share of the $2 million prize pool.

The 2026 Mid-Season Invitational is fully covered by Stake Sportsbook, with betting odds available on every match. Choose from a variety of pre-match and live Esports betting markets , and make the most of our betting promotions as you watch the free live streams.

How the MSI 2026 double elimination format works

The MSI uses a double-elimination bracket for the play-in and bracket stage. That means teams are only eliminated after losing 2 matches, effectively giving them a second chance if they lose a match. What’s more, all matches throughout the tournament are played to the best of 5 games. As a result, you’re less likely to see teams upset the betting odds compared to other events.

4 teams compete in the play-in stage of the MSI 2026 tournament. The winner of the double-elimination play-in bracket advances to the bracket stage, which features 8 teams. If a team loses a match in the bracket stage, they drop down to the Lower Bracket, where they still have a chance of progressing. Bear this in mind when placing outright bets on the tournament winner.

For both stages of the MSI 2026 tournament, the Fearless Draft system is used. This means that once a champion has been picked by either team, it can’t be selected again for the remainder of that match. As a result, teams have to adapt and make use of a wide range of champions, rather than simply relying on the strongest. When choosing your bets, you should consider the versatility of each team and how adaptable they are.

The format of MSI 2026 makes it unique compared to other LoL tournaments, including the League of Legends World Championship. The Worlds uses a single-elimination play-in stage, followed by a Swiss stage and a single-elimination knockout stage. The single-elimination format can make matches tenser and increase the likelihood of a shock elimination.

Teams qualified for the 2026 Mid-Season Invitational

Bracket stage teams

The following teams have already qualified for the bracket stage:

• Bilibili Gaming (LPL) - 2026 First Stand tournament champions

• Top Esports (LPL)

• Hanwha Life Esports (LCK)

• LYON (LCS)

• FURIA (CBLOL)

• G2 Esports (LEC)

• Secret Whales (LCP)

Play-in stage teams

These teams will have to advance through the play-in stage to qualify:

• T1 (LCK) - 2025 World champions

• Team Liquid (LCS)

• Karmine Corp (LEC)

• Deep Cross Gaming (PCS)

For more information on teams, plus analysis and opinions on their chances in the tournament, take a look at our MSI 2026 picks blog.

MSI 2026 betting markets and odds available at Stake

There are lots of betting markets available on every MSI match at Stake. Popular options include:

• Match winner

• Map winner

• Outright winner

• Map handicap

• Total maps

• Total kills

• Correct score

• First blood

• First tower

• Player total kills

Before betting on any of these markets, you should understand how they work by going through our League of Legends betting and MOBA betting guide.

Note that the double-elimination format of this tournament can provide unique betting opportunities. For example, you might find more value in the outright odds on a strong team that has lost an Upper Bracket match. Lower Bracket matches are higher stakes, which can mean teams play with more focus and determination, evening the odds.

MSI 2026 schedule and how to watch live

The 2026 MSI is organised by Riot Games and will be held at the Daejeon Convention Center II. It starts at the end of June and finishes on 12 July. You can follow every match of the tournament from the play-in stage to the Grand Final right here at Stake, with free live streaming available. Just select the match while it’s in-play and open the live stream to enjoy the action.

Here’s the full schedule for the 2026 Mid-Season Invitational:

• 28 June - 1 July - Play-In Stage

• 28 June - Round 1

• 29 June - Round 2

• 30 June - Round 3

• 1 July - Round 4

• 3-12 July - Bracket Stage

• 3-4 July - Bracket Round 1

• 5-8 July - Bracket Round 2

• 9 July - Upper Final

• 10 July - Bracket Round 3

• 11 July - Lower Final

• 12 July - Grand Final

Live betting on MSI 2026 matches at Stake

Make the most of the live betting markets available at Stake while you tune in to the MSI 2026 free live streams. Pay attention to the momentum of the match, particularly the draft composition and how each champion scales during the game. The match winner market is a popular option for in-play betting. The best-of-5 format means a team can go down 2-0 before winning the next 3 maps to win the match 2-3. The odds will also shift based on how each team performed on the last map, giving you opportunities to find value.