Confused about MMR, can someone stop by and explain?

Weathered·12/15/2015, 1:33:54 PM·1 votes·542 views

I looked at my stats on op.gg compared to my brother's in ranked. I have a higher rank (S3 to S5), winrate (45% to 39%), equal kill participation (around 55%), and am about 200,000 above him on the ladder. But I have a lower MMR (1117 to 1144). Why is this? From what I know about ranked these and the other statistics op.gg gives makes it seem like I should have a better MMR. Can someone explain number wise why this is the way it is and how MMR actually works in relation to LP?

3 Comments

disregardable12/15/2015, 1:51:04 PM2 votes

I'd like to add in some context that a 15 MMR difference is one game. The higher MMR player won a single game that the lower MMR player did not. You two basically have the same skill level.

Onto the question. The lower your MMR, the worse players that you're getting matched against. Your rank is completely separate from who you're matched with. You could be in Bronze playing in a 1500 MMR game (typically gold), and you could be in Platinum and play in a 800 MMR game (typically Bronze). It's highly unlikey those extremes would ever occur, but usually you'll be matched with people all over the 2 or 3 divisions surrounding yours.

Why is your MMR one game lower? Who cares, really. It could go switch in an instant.

ThePartyLeader12/15/2015, 1:55:26 PM1 votes

MMR is how good you are currently as believed by riot. It determines who you play in matchmaking. The difference between the average mmr of your game and the average mmr of your league determines lp gain and loss. Higher mmr than your league you gain more for wins lose less for loss.

If you are looking at op.gg the ranking should be correct but the estimated mmr can be hundreds off sometimes depending on a lot of variables. Best to look at who you are playing. If you play gold v players you probably have silver 1 gold v mmr if you play bronze 1 etc.