How Long Will It Take to Rank Up?
The key metric for ranked climbing is your expected net LP per game. This value must be positive to make consistent progress over time. Even a small positive value is enough — it just takes more games.
Understanding Net LP per Game
Net LP = (Win Rate × LP Gain) − (Loss Rate × LP Loss). For example, at 55% win rate with +20/-18 LP: (0.55 × 20) − (0.45 × 18) = 11 − 8.1 = +2.9 LP per game. With a 25 LP gap, you'd need roughly 9 games on average to climb one tier.
Setting Realistic Expectations
A win rate close to 50% means very slow progress — hundreds of games for a single tier. The most reliable path is improving skill: narrow your champion pool, analyze your mistakes in replays, and focus on consistent fundamentals rather than hoping for lucky streaks.
Frequently Asked Questions
Theoretically, no — you'll trend downward over many games. You might climb short-term due to variance, but sustaining it requires raising your actual win rate.
Your hidden MMR relative to your current rank determines LP adjustments. If your MMR is above your displayed rank, you gain more LP than you lose. Below your rank, the opposite occurs.