What is Win Trading in League of Legends and How to Spot It?

Win trading is when players arrange to lose games on purpose so that another player wins and climbs. It is a form of ranked manipulation, and Riot treats it as a violation of its rules. This guide explains how win trading works, why it is more of a problem at the top of the ladder, what signs players report, and what to do if you suspect it.

What Is Win Trading?

Win trading involves players deliberately losing matches to help friends or acquaintances climb the ranks. A simple example:

• Two high-ranked players queue at the same time and try to land in the same game.
• When they end up on opposite teams, one of them plays badly on purpose, for example by feeding or walking away from the fight.
• The other player wins, and later the first player gets a favor in return.
• They repeat this to push one or both accounts higher than normal play would.

It can be organized between friends or between strangers who find each other online. Whatever the arrangement, it undermines the purpose of the ranked ladder, which is to show how well you play against opponents who are really trying.

Why It Is More Common at the Top

The higher you go, the fewer players there are in the queue. In Master, Grandmaster and Challenger, the pool is small, so two people who queue together can land in the same match more often. In lower ranks the player base is huge, so coordinating a match with a specific person is much harder. That is why discussions of win trading usually focus on the top of the ladder.

Players are also motivated by what the top of the ladder offers: leaderboard status, visibility and, for some, a chance to be noticed by teams. These incentives make manipulation tempting.

How to Spot Possible Win Trading

You cannot prove win trading from one game, and a bad game is not proof of anything. Players commonly report these signs when they review a suspicious match:

Odd in-game behavior

• A player walks into the enemy without fighting back or ignores objectives.
• A strong player chooses a champion they rarely play and plays far below their usual level.
• Repeated deaths in the same position, or a player who stops contesting anything after the first few minutes.

Odd account patterns

• Match history that shows the same account names appearing as opponents again and again.
• A big gap between a player's results when duoing with the same partner and results with other players.
• A win-loss record that looks very uneven against particular accounts.

Treat these as reasons to report, not as proof. Do not accuse a player publicly based on a single match.

What Riot's Rules Say

Riot's rules prohibit ranked manipulation, which includes boosting and win trading. Penalties depend on the case and can change over time, so read the current rules on Riot's support site instead of relying on a number in an article. If you see behavior that looks like win trading, the best action is to report the player through the in-game report tool and, if there is a pattern, through Riot support.

How Win Trading Differs From Playing With a Friend

Duo queueing, playing with friends and getting help from a coach are all normal ways to play. The difference is intent: win trading depends on one player losing deliberately. Playing a game as well as you can, even if your opponent is a friend, is not win trading.

If You Want to Climb Fairly

You can improve without any shortcut by understanding the ladder and working on your own habits. Read how MMR works in League of Legends and the League of Legends ranking system guide. For personal feedback, see LoL coaching.

If you want to compare ranked services, see the LoL rank boost page. At N1Boost, boosts are played by hand by verified high-ranked players, not by arranged losses.

How to Report a Suspected Win Trade

1. Stay calm during the match. Finish the game and avoid arguing in chat, since heated chat can lead to penalties for you.
2. Use the in-game report tool. Choose the category that fits what you saw, such as intentional feeding.
3. Add details if you can. Note the time, the champion and what the player did. Short, factual notes are more useful than long accusations.
4. Do not name players publicly. Public accusations can be wrong and can break community rules.

Reports are reviewed by Riot, and you will not always see the result. That does not mean the report was ignored, only that Riot generally does not share the outcome of individual cases.

FAQ

Is win trading the same as boosting?

They are related forms of ranked manipulation. Boosting usually means another person plays on your account. Win trading means players lose on purpose to benefit each other.

Can I prove someone is win trading?

Not easily from one game. Report what you saw and let Riot review the pattern.

Why is it more common at high ranks?

The pool of players is smaller there, so players who queue together can land in the same match more often.

What should I do if I suspect it?

Use the report tool after the match and avoid public accusations.