What is wintrading and how can i Spot it?

Understanding Win Trading

Win trading refers to a systematic manipulation of matches with the aim of artificially inflating a player's ranking or Elo in games that employ a matchmaking system. In the context of League of Legends, win trading involves two or more players deliberately arranging to be matched against each other in order to ensure a predetermined outcome – often an easy victory for one of the players.
The process generally involves two players – a "booster" and a "boostee." The booster is a higher-skilled player who helps the boostee to win matches, thereby elevating their rank. This is often done in exchange for monetary compensation or other incentives. Win trading can also occur between two or more players who collude to manipulate match outcomes.

Here is 2 oversimplified examples of wintrading:

1)You are queueing with a friend to see if you both can get in the same game, and it works but you are versing each other. Your friend needs to win this game to be promoted to diamond, and so you let him win by feeding, trolling, telling your friend where your jungler is, etc. Anything you can do to help your friend win, thus you are win trading. Trading LP in simple words.
2)Tyler1 is in the enemy team (or any famous LOL player). He is playing as support going for Challenger in his Challenger series on every role. You decide to help him by trolling your game and intentionally losing, that way, Tyler1 gets your LP for free (trading LP).

How can i spot wintrading?

Unusual Match Outcomes:

• Look for instances where a player or team consistently loses games in suspicious patterns, such as deliberately dying repeatedly or making poor decisions that seem out of character.
• Observe sudden and extreme shifts in performance, like a player with a high skill rating suddenly playing at a much lower level, especially when matched against opponents with significantly lower skill levels.

Uncommon Champion Picks and Behavior:

• Pay attention to players using unconventional or off-meta champion picks that they have little to no experience with. This could indicate they are intentionally handicapping themselves to lose games.
• Watch for unusual behaviors like players repeatedly walking into the enemy team without attempting to fight back, avoiding objectives, or making decisions that directly harm their team's chances of winning.

Unusual Account Patterns:

• Investigate accounts that frequently duo queue with one another but exhibit inconsistent performance when not paired. This might indicate that one player is intentionally throwing matches to help the other player climb the ranks.
• Analyze win-loss ratios that are disproportionately skewed in favor of specific opponents or allies. Excessive losses to one player followed by numerous wins against the same player can indicate wintrading.

Implications and Consequences

Win trading undermines the integrity of competitive gameplay in League of Legends and other games. It creates an uneven playing field where players who engage in this practice gain an unfair advantage by artificially boosting their rank. This not only devalues the achievements of legitimate players who have earned their ranks through skill and effort but also distorts the accuracy of the matchmaking system. Consequently, players of varying skill levels might be matched against opponents who are significantly better or worse than them, leading to unsatisfying gameplay experiences.

Furthermore, win trading also impacts the in-game economy and the rewards system. In LoL, higher ranks often come with exclusive rewards such as skins, icons, and other cosmetic items. When players illegitimately boost their ranks through win trading, they gain access to rewards that they haven't truly earned. This undermines the sense of accomplishment associated with unlocking these rewards and can lead to a devaluation of these items within the community.

Can i buy wintrading in LoL?

Even though you can't directly buy wintrading online unless you do it throught people you know, you purchase lol boosting , valorant boosting or wild rift boosting and get the same result without having a negative effect on the game (griefing,inting etc).

Final thoughts

Win trading is a shadowy practice that threatens the integrity of competitive gaming in League of Legends and similar online games. Its adverse effects extend beyond just the players involved, impacting the entire gaming community and the legitimacy of the ranking system. As developers and players join forces to combat this unethical behavior, it's essential for the gaming community to uphold the principles of fair play, ensuring that everyone can enjoy competitive gaming in a level playing field.