TL;DR
- Former pro Olleh exposed illegal betting sites targeting professional players’ solo queue matches
- Faker identified as primary victim with coordinated game-throwing schemes
- Betting manipulation threatens streaming culture and competitive integrity globally
- Riot Games faces new challenges detecting sophisticated match-fixing attempts
- Issue requires immediate industry-wide attention before widespread ecosystem damage
A disturbing new form of match manipulation has emerged within League of Legends, with former professional support player Kim “Olleh” Joo-sung bringing critical attention to illegal betting operations originating from China that now threaten the global competitive ecosystem.
According to Olleh’s detailed revelations, underground betting platforms now enable wagers specifically on professional gamers’ solo queue performances. These illicit services accept bets predicting whether elite players will win or lose their ranked matches, creating financial incentives for coordinated game-throwing that corrupts competitive integrity.
In China , there is illegal betting on pro’s solo Q and abusers who intend to throw games to make money.
I think it should be on Reddit to discuss.
Especially Faker is the biggest victim among streamers.
who knows NA/EU solo Q have the same thing?
pic.twitter.com/bgItShHP3X— Olleh (@Olleh)
December 7, 2020
Lee “Faker” Sang-hyeok stands as the most heavily targeted professional, with betting activity concentrating disproportionately on his match outcomes. As the most recognizable figure in competitive League of Legends with consistent streaming schedules, Faker presents an ideal target for manipulation schemes seeking predictable betting outcomes.
The identities of those orchestrating these match manipulations remain concealed, though Olleh specifically references “abusers who intend to throw games to make money” operating within the system. This introduces complex new challenges for Riot Games’ anti-cheat and fair play enforcement teams, who must now distinguish between ordinary toxic behavior and sophisticated match-fixing operations. While currently documented primarily in Chinese markets, Olleh raises alarming questions about potential parallel operations affecting European and North American ranked environments.
Who is Olleh in LoL?
Olleh established himself as a respected support specialist from South Korea, launching his competitive journey with KT Rolster Academy in 2013 before earning promotion to their primary roster. Following his initial Korean tenure, he expanded his career across international circuits including Brazilian leagues, LMS regions, and North American competitions. His most notable achievements include championship runs with Immortals and Team Liquid, where he secured two LCS titles and participated in two World Championship tournaments.
What team is Olleh on?
Currently, Olleh maintains no active professional team affiliation. His most recent competitive appearance occurred in May 2020 representing Dignitas Academy. He subsequently served as positional coach for Golden Guardians, though hasn’t maintained formal organizational ties since June 2020.
What happened to Olleh?
Since departing Team Liquid in late 2018, Olleh struggled to recapture the elite performance level required for LCS starting positions. Despite completing a full competitive year with Golden Guardians, he couldn’t secure permanent placement. His Academy league participation also failed to generate 2021 roster opportunities, leaving his professional future uncertain.
Olleh claims solo games thrown for bets
Following viral social media dissemination of his initial warnings, Olleh elaborated on his motivations for alerting Western communities. The veteran competitor expressed concerns that current incidents represent merely initial manifestations of a much broader systemic threat that could fundamentally damage streaming culture and professional competitive structures.
“If this manipulation continues unchecked, streamers will dramatically reduce broadcast frequency,” Olleh cautioned. “Proactive intervention is essential before this corruption escalates beyond containment.”
The community rapidly mobilized investigative efforts, with Faker’s matches serving as the most evident case study. Supporters quickly identified patterns of intentional disruption in the T1 mid laner’s recent solo queue experiences. These assessments remain speculative pending official Riot Games commentary or investigative conclusions.
This emerging threat introduces unprecedented complications for competitive integrity preservation. Unlike traditional cheating methods, betting-induced manipulation involves sophisticated social engineering where players intentionally underperform while maintaining plausible deniability. This creates detection nightmares for anti-cheat systems designed to identify overt violations rather than coordinated underperformance.
The economic incentives driving this corruption are substantial, with high-profile matches attracting significant betting volume. This financial motivation often outweighs competitive integrity concerns for participants, creating systemic vulnerabilities that demand immediate industry-wide countermeasures.
Action Checklist
- Document suspicious match patterns with timestamps and player names
- Report detailed evidence through official Riot Games support channels
- Support community awareness initiatives about betting manipulation risks
- Advocate for enhanced detection systems focusing on coordinated underperformance
No reproduction without permission：Game Guides Online » Olleh says illegal betting could ruin solo queue, points to Faker Former pro reveals how illegal betting corrupts League of Legends solo queue and threatens competitive integrity