League is a very complex and hard-to-master game. It is no surprise that people with the highest rank in League have been playing for a long time and understand the game fully. Learning about all the little bits and pieces of this game takes time. However, learning all of these mechanics is the first step to becoming a top 1% League player.
One of these mechanics is matchmaking. Matchmaking can be defined as the automated process that matches players to (and) against other players. Riot has put this system in place to make sure that no one gets smurfed on and everyone gets to enjoy Ranked with their level of players.
Of course, it doesn’t always go the way it is supposed to. Sometimes, Riot might deliberately put you on the losing team which is unfair to your skill level. This phenomenon is called the “Loss Spree Queue”
Loss Spree Queue occurs when Riot Games think that the account you are currently playing on is boosted. This happens when you start performing poorly after a winning streak. To get out of the Loss Spree Queue, you just have to prove yourself by winning a couple of games while having bad teammates.
With the basics out of the way, let’s talk about how matchmaking works and how to even out your LP gains and losses.
Note: This article explains matchmaking and LP gains in detail. So read it thoroughly if you wish to understand it properly.
Also check out: How to increase MMR in LoL
How Does Matchmaking Work in LOL?
Before talking about uneven LP gains/losses, you have to understand the basics of Riot’s matchmaking systems. It is a misunderstanding that players are matched against other players of the same rank. It is actually the MMR of the player that determines what level of players he/she should play against.
The fundamentals of Riot’s matchmaking are based on MMR. MMR can be called “the perceived rank of your account”. There is “the” rank of your account, which is Gold IV etc. And then there is a perceived rank of your account.
The actual rank of your account, such as Gold IV, is attained by winning more LP than you lose. However, this perceived rank is attained by winning more games than you lose. LP gains in League are very unpredictable. In one game you might gain 15 LP, and in another game, you might lose 22.
However, the perceived rank of your account (MMR) solely depends on your wins minus your losses. MMR is very predictable and if you get good at the math behind it, you can easily predict your MMR.
How Does MMR Affect Matchmaking?
As previously explained, MMR is a fundamental part of matchmaking in LoL. Riot places you in a match against and with players of the same MMR. It is not your rank that determines what skill level of players you play with, but your MMR.
The second thing is uneven LP gains and losses. This happens when the perceived rank of your account (MMR) does not match the actual rank of your account. So for example, your actual rank in League is Plat I, however, you have been on a losing streak and your MMR is way below that of a Plat player.
Now Riot thinks that you don’t deserve to be a Plat player because your MMR is too low. So now Riot is matching you against players of the same MMR. This would mean that the LP gains from these matches will be significantly lower than the LP losses since you are playing against players who might be Gold.
Now vice versa to that, if you have been on a winning streak recently and your current MMR outranks your actual rank, your LP gains would be significantly higher than your LP losses because Riot thinks you deserve to be a player of a higher rank.
This phenomenon of winning significantly more LP than you lose and vice versa is called Uneven LP Gains.
P.S: If all of this sounds confusing to you, I would recommend watching Bonks’ YouTube video about this topic.
How To Fix Uneven LP gains?
Fixing your uneven LP gains is quite simple. All you have to do is just play as many games as you can and it will all balance out by itself. By playing a lot of games you’re allowing your MMR to catch up with the actual value of your account and vice versa. In the end, you would be at the rank that you deserve.
If you watch a lot of League YouTubers/Streamers, you have probably heard the phrase “my MMR is messed up”. All of this that we’ve explained to you is what that phrase means.
Also check: How Do Flex Queue Placements Work?
Conclusion
Riot’s matchmaking system might be a bit hit or miss to the average player. However, it is one of the best in its league (no pun intended) when it comes to actual gameplay.
Even though the player base complains a lot about unfair matchmaking, you have to understand that Riot Games is also run by human beings, and humans make mistakes. We’re sure they are trying their absolute best to make the game enjoyable for everyone.
If you’ve liked what you’ve just read or if you have any questions regarding this topic, drop a comment down below and let us know.
For more similar tips, here is an article on how to reset MMR in LoL.
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