UEFA Champions League Betting
Football fans around the world have a few ‘can’t miss’ events. One of the most important of these is the Champions League, where some of the best teams in Europe battle it out to be crowned the best of the best. This elite tournament has been around for the better part of a century and remains the most highly anticipated event of the year for football fans, many of whom are interested in wagering on their favourites.
Are you interested in betting on the UEFA Champions League? If so, read on, as we’ve put together a guide to make the process as simple as possible.
About the UEFA Champions League
The Champions League is the top football tournament in Europe. It consists of 32 football teams (in the group stage) and five rounds of competition. The winner of the tournament is crowned the best football club in Europe.
The first Champions League competition was held in 1955. Originally known as the European Cup, and with 16 competing teams, the tournament was renamed in 1992 and expanded to 32 teams in 1960. Real Madrid were the first-ever winner of the competition when they defeated Reims 4-3.
How to bet on UEFA Champions League football
Betting on the Champions League is a pretty simple process. Once you find a trustworthy bookmaker like LeoVegas, all you technically need to do is decide how much money to bet and place your wager. If you would like to make a somewhat smarter, more informed bet, however, then you really should understand the different Champions League betting markets and exactly what you’re betting on before you risk your money.
UEFA Champions League outright betting markets
The first Champions League betting market to consider is the outright betting market. This market revolves around who is the most likely team to win the competition outright. This is not a wager on a single aspect of the game, such as the active players and the points they score individually, but rather the competition as a whole.
The betting odds in the outright market will fluctuate depending on which teams are still playing and their performances throughout the season. This means that they might be very lopsided, with most of the odds in favour of a single team, or they might be more even, offering an arguably more improved betting experience.
UEFA Champions League game betting markets
The Champions League game betting market involves live betting. These are bets that are made during the match itself, once it has begun. As you might imagine, the odds for game betting can change quickly and sharply depending on the players involved and the performances they give, so this is not a market for the faint of heart.
Make sure that you’re betting with a reliable sportsbook if you decide to place live bets! You want a bookie with a smooth service with real-time odds.
UEFA Champions League player betting markets
The player betting market, as the name implies, revolves around the players involved in the competition, but not necessarily the outcome of the match. This kind of bet is placed on player performance, such as individual player stats, or even which player will score the most points during the game (regardless of who ultimately wins).
More than any other kind of market, it is essential that you do your homework before wagering in the player betting markets.
Who are the most successful teams in the history of the competition?
There are many successful teams involved in the UEFA Champions League. Some simply do better than others, however, and earn themselves a name as elite competitors.
Real Madrid are the most successful Champions League team, and it’s not even close. They have won 14 titles, twice as many as the team with the next-highest number (AC Milan). Behind AC Milan are Liverpool and Bayern Munich, both of whom have six title wins each.
Who are the best teams in each country?
In the 2021-2022 season, a total of 79 teams from more than 50 European football leagues participated for the chance to win. This was whittled down through the preliminary round, qualifying rounds, and playoff round to 32 competitors in the group stage.
Some of the best teams to compete included Spain’s Real Madrid and Barcelona, Italy’s Juventus and Inter Milan, England’s Liverpool and Manchester United, Germany’s Bayern Munich, the Netherlands’ Ajax, and France’s Paris Saint-Germain.
Who are the best team to have never won the Champions League?
Not all good teams have won the Champions League. In fact, there are many who simply haven’t managed to clinch the prize but are still some of the most formidable teams in the sport.
One of our favourite teams to have never won the Champions League are Manchester City. More commonly known as ‘City’ or ‘Citeh’, Manchester City have won six Premier League titles, eight League Cups and six FA Cups. Another team without a Champions League win, but a formidable win record all the same, are Arsenal. The Gunners have won a staggering 13 league titles, 14 FA Cups and two League Cups! They have also come close to winning a Champions League title, with a near miss in the 2005-2006 season against Barcelona.
Other excellent teams without Champions League titles include Atlético Madrid, with 11 La Liga and 10 Copa del Rey wins; Paris Saint-Germain, with 10 league titles; and AS Roma, with three Serie A wins and a near miss at the European Cup title during the 1983-1984 season.
Which surprise teams could win the UEFA Champions League in the next five years?
The Champions League is home to numerous successful teams with talented players. As we mentioned above, not all of them have won a title, but some of them will come closer than others. We think that these are some of the teams poised to win the Champions League in the next five years:
- Manchester City
- Liverpool
- Paris-Saint Germain
- Bayern Munich
Do you agree? Keep an eye on the competition over the next few years to see if our picks are right!
Are you a fan of the Champions League? Fans around the world tune in to see the industry’s best football clubs compete for the top spot every year. If you are interested in betting on Champions League events, keep our guide in mind! Just join the LeoVegas sportsbook, and you should be good to go.