What Do the Numbers Mean?
Clinch Numbers
The clinch numbers provided by RIOT Sports can be thought of as improved replacements for traditional magic numbers. They are superior since their calculation accounts for teams' remaining schedules and the KBO's procedure for breaking two-team ties in the final standings.
First Place Clinch Number
The first place clinch number is similar to the commonly reported magic number. If a team wins this number of additional games, it is guaranteed to finish the season with a better record than any of the other teams in the KBO, or to win a two-team tiebreaker for first place. An asterisk (*) indicates that even if a team wins all of its remaining games, it will not necessarily clinch first place. In this case the team does not have a first place clinch number.
Postseason Clinch Number
If a team wins this number of additional games, it is guaranteed a spot in the postseason. As with the first place clinch number, an asterisk (*) indicates that even if a team wins all of its remaining games, it cannot guarantee itself a postseason berth.
Elimination Numbers
The elimination numbers provided by RIOT allow fans to determine which teams are still in contention for the postseason, and how close those teams are to being eliminated.
First Place Elimination Number
This is the minimum number of games that a team must win in order to remain in contention for first place. Teams that are already eliminated from first place contention are labeled "Elim" in this box. See the list of frequently asked questions for an example of the distinction between the interpretations of the First Place Elimination Number and the First Place Clinch Number.
Postseason Elimination Number
This is the minimum number of games that a team must win in order to remain in contention for the postseason. Teams that are already eliminated from the postseason are labeled "Elim" in this box.Caveats
The method used to calculate the RIOT numbers includes the possibility that the team in question could be tied in the standings with one other team, but excludes the possibility of a tie with two or more other teams. The elimination numbers are conservative; it's possible that a team can stay in contention with fewer wins due to a scenario in which it wins the tiebreaker with multiple teams. Similarly, the clinch numbers are technically lower limits on the number of games needed to clinch first place or a postseason berth.