The UEFA Champions League is an annual soccer competition that determines the overall champion of Europe’s top soccer leagues. It is considered one of the most prestigious soccer tournaments in the world.
UEFA stands for the Union of European Football Associations, and it started this tournament in 1955, when it was known as the European Cup. It was rebranded to its current name in 1992.
In its current format, a total of 79 to 81 teams from various European leagues compete in a series of qualifying rounds and group play. The top 16 teams reach the knockout part of the tournament. Teams hail from the English Premier League, Spanish La Liga, Germany’s Bundesliga, France’s Ligue 1, Italy’s Serie A, and other top-tier soccer European leagues.
The various stages are contested throughout the year, beginning with qualifying rounds in June and ending with the Champions League Final in May.
The Champions League Final is the most-watched single-day sporting event in the world, as the 2021 edition drew between 380 and 400 million viewers worldwide. In comparison, the Super Bowl draws about 150 million viewers from around the world.
UEFA Champions League
League Markets|
Game |
 BetRiversBet |
 BetMGMBet |
|---|---|---|
Internazionale
Manchester City
Draw
6/10/23 3:00pm EDT |
Champions League Futures Odds
|
Team | BetRivers |
|---|---|
| Manchester City | |
| Internazionale |
How to Read Sports Betting Odds Video
Chapters
- Champions League Betting
- Champions League Betting Events
- When to Bet on Champions League Matches
- Popular Teams
- Champions League Betting Strategies
- Champions League Standings
Champions League Bets
Soccer may be a low-scoring sport, but there are quite a few ways to place a bet on a soccer match. Some require more explanation than others, particularly the Asian Handicap.
Moneyline Bet
The moneyline is a simple bet where you try and predict the final outcome of the match. Wager on either team to win or choose a draw with a 3-way moneyline bet.
You can also wager on either team to win with a 2-way moneyline bet. With this bet, a draw would result in a push and your bet being refunded.
3-Way Moneyline Bet
The 3-way moneyline is one of the most popular bets due to draws being a consistent outcome in soccer. You can choose either team to win or bet on a draw.
Sportsbooks determine the likelihood of each outcome along with how the public might bet on a matchup to set the odds. If the public takes more action on one of the three outcomes than expected, sportsbooks will adjust the odds accordingly.
3-Way Moneyline Example
Real Madrid -165
Manchester City +450
Draw +330
In this example, Real Madrid winning is the most likely outcome. The minus sign before the odds indicates their status as the betting favorite. A minus before the number means you have to risk $165 to win $100 on Real Madrid.
A plus sign ahead of the odds indicates an underdog outcome. A bet on Manchester City to win is the most unlikely result according to oddsmakers. A Manchester City win would pay $450 on a $100 bet.
The odds for a draw in this case are +330, so bet $100 to win $330 in the event of a tie.
Note that 3-way moneyline odds can all have plus values. When this occurs, the favorite would be the lowest value.
In the following example, Tottenham is the +115 favorite. Juventus is +250, so a Juventus win is considered slightly less likely than a draw at +245.
Tottenham +115
Juventus +250
Draw +245
2-Way Moneyline Bet (aka “Tie No Bet”)
As we touched on above, the 2-way moneyline bet means there are two outcomes instead of three. This bet takes the draw out of the equation, as you would get your initial bet amount back in case of a tie. Hence, this bet is also called a 2-Way Tie No Bet.
2-Way Moneyline Bet Example
Real Madrid -425
Manchester City +310
Using the same game as our first 3-way moneyline example, you’ll see that you would have to risk a lot more to win the same amount on a bet for Real Madrid. That’s because a draw isn’t a losing outcome here.
Since a draw isn’t a negative for a bettor on the 2-way moneyline, you would have to risk more to back the favored team. In this case, it’s $425 on Real Madrid to win $100. If the match is a draw, you get your $425 bet back.
On the other side, you’re also protected against a draw by betting on Manchester City. The payout for a Manchester City win decreases to $310 on a $100 bet. Again, if the final result is a draw, you get your $100 bet back.
UEFA Champions League Odds Example
|
Game |
BetRivers Bet |
|---|---|
Internazionale
Manchester City
Draw
6/10/23 3:00pm EDT |
- Internazionale bettors risk $100 to win $600 at +600 odds. The implied probability for Internazionale is 14.29%.
- Manchester City bettors risk $100 to win $46.51 at -215 odds. The implied probability for Manchester City is 68.25%.
- Draw bettors risk $100 to win $360 at +360 odds. The implied probability for Draw is 21.74%.
Totals Bet (Over-Under)
A totals bet is where oddsmakers set a specific number of goals to be scored in the match. You bet whether the final result will be over or under that number.
It’s important to note that the number set for a totals bet isn’t the number of goals oddsmakers think will be scored. Rather, it’s the number of goals oddsmakers think will cause equal betting on both sides of their line. This ensures a sportsbook doesn’t take too much of a loss on a certain result.
Totals Bet Example
AC Milan 2.5 o -110
Barcelona 2.5 u -110
Here, you would be betting on whether the total number of goals in this match will go over or under 2.5.
The -110 next to each number indicates the odds. You would need to bet $110 to win $100 in either case. Sometimes, oddsmakers will adjust the odds if they believe betting on one side will be heavier than the other.
You’ll notice that the odds here are the same for each side. In either case, you have to risk more than you can win. This $10 difference is called the vig or juice. Sportsbooks use losing bets to pay the winners.
When there’s an equal amount of betting on each side, the book gets a profit of $10 on each losing bet. Think of the vig as a service fee. It allows the sportsbook a better chance to profit and also ensures that your bet will be paid out in case you win.
Asian Handicap – Goal Line Bet (Soccer Point Spread)
The Asian handicap, or goal line bet, is placing a wager on the matchup with a point spread like a hockey puck line or baseball run line. Teams are typically favored by half goal, but more lopsided matchups have been known to have spreads of 1.5 or 2.5 on the goal line.
Asian Handicap – Goal Line Bet Example
Paris Saint-Germain -0.5 -110
Liverpool +0.5 -110
In this example, a bet on Paris Saint-Germain would only be successful if PSG wins by 1 or more goals.
Betting on Liverpool gives you two ways to win. If Liverpool wins outright, you win. If the final result is a draw, you also win. That +0.5 goal line means Liverpool can’t lose by more than 1 goal. It includes the possibility of a draw.
If the goal line were -1.5 in favor of Paris Saint-Germain, the bet would only be a winner if PSG was to win the match by two or more goals.
Asian Handicap Split Bet (Split Goal Line Bet)
Asian handicap split lines, or split goal lines, are written in quarter goal increments of 0.25 or 0.75. Examples include 0.25, 0.75, 1.25 or 1.75.
Whenever you see a split line, you’re actually making 2 bets at once. Your wager will be equally split between the two closest half line numbers with the same odds.
Asian Handicap Split Bet Example
Here’s how a $120 bet on Bayern Munich with a -0.75 -120 Asian handicap split bet works.
Bayern Munich -0.75 -120
Marseilles +0.75 +100
The closest half number below -0.75 is -1, so $60 goes for Bayern Munich -1. The closest half number above -0.75 is -0.5. The other $60 goes to Marseilles by -0.5.
The -120 odds is what determines your winning payout. Remember, a minus value is how much you risk to win $100. In this case, you are risking $120 total to win a $100 split between two different lines.
If both bets win, you get $50 for each totaling $100. If one wins and one pushes, you get $50 plus $60 refunded. And if both lose, you get $0.
Asian Handicap Split Bet Detailed Example
How much you win or lose on the Asian handicap split bet depends on the game’s final outcome. Here’s how your bet on Bayern Munich -0.75 at -120 odds plays out.
Bayern Munich wins by 2 or more goals
Both bets win. Bayern Munich’s 2 goal victory is greater than each bet at -0.5 and -1.
The $120 bet to win $100 was split $60 each for Bayern Munich -0.5 and Bayern Munich -1. You win $50 each for a total of $100.
Bayern Munich wins by 1 goal
Bayern Munich by -0.5 wins, Bayern Munich by -1 pushes. In this case, Bayern Munich’s 1 goal victory is only greater than the bet at -0.5.
Your $120 bet to win $100 was split 2 ways for $60 on each line, -0.5 and -1. You win $50 on the bet against -0.5 and get $60 refunded for the push against -1. Total win: $50.
Bayern Munich draws or loses outright
Both bets lose. A draw means a 0-goal margin of victory over Marseilles, and 0 is less than both -0.5 and -1.
You lose the $60 against -0.5 and the $60 against -1. Total loss: $120.
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Futures Bet
A futures bet is exactly what it sounds like. Instead of betting on a single-match result, you’re placing a wager on an event in the future.
The most popular UEFA Champions League futures bet is the tournament winner. You can also bet on individual honors like who the top goal scorer will be over the course of the entire Champions League.
| Team | Odds |
|---|---|
| Manchester City | +275 |
| Liverpool | +500 |
| Paris Saint-Germain | +550 |
| Bayern Munich | +700 |
| Chelsea | +1200 |
| Real Madrid | +1200 |
| Barcelona | +1200 |
| Tottenham | +2000 |
| Juventus | +2800 |
| Inter Milan | +3300 |
Unless one team is a heavy favorite to win a championship, most teams will have plus odds. So the smallest number would indicate the favorite. With so many quality teams (including several who have won their league championships), it’s rarer to have overwhelming favorites in the UEFA Champions League than it may be in a national club league.
Longshot Champions League Teams Don’t Win
According to oddsmakers, Manchester City is the most likely 2022-23 champion. A $100 bet on them would net $275 if they were to win the title. Teams like Liverpool, PSG, Bayern Munich, Chelsea, etc. are all deemed less likely to win. Their payouts are much higher if they in fact do.
In the 2021-22 UEFA Champions League, Real Madrid won at +1400. Six teams were favored more than they were that same year. PSG were the favorites at +350, losing in the semifinal round.
Champions League Futures Betting Odds Will Change
You can typically bet on futures as soon as the previous season ends. As the year progresses, a variety of factors will influence and change the odds throughout the season. Things that affect futures odds include players joining and leaving a team, injuries, and how the team performs during the season.
Champions League Prop Bets
Review the following prop bets for upcoming matches. Our soccer betting guide explains how soccer prop bets work.
| BetRivers Bet |
|
|---|---|
Internazionale
Manchester City
Both Teams to Score
6/10/23 3:00pm EDT | Bet |
Internazionale
Total Goals
Internazionale vs Manchester City 6/10/23 3:00pm EDT | Bet |
Manchester City
Total Goals
Internazionale vs Manchester City 6/10/23 3:00pm EDT | Bet |
Internazionale
Manchester City
Total Corners
6/10/23 3:00pm EDT | Bet |
| BetRivers | |
Erling Haaland
To Score 2 Goals
Internazionale vs Manchester City 6/10/23 3:00pm EDT | Bet |
Champions League Major Events
The Champions League begins in June each year with a series of qualifying rounds and a playoff round between smaller teams. Play continues through August. The top six teams move to the Group Stage along with 26 others who previously qualified by finishing atop their league’s standings. Major contributing leagues include the English Premier League, Spanish La Liga, France Ligue 1, Germany Bundesliga, and Italy Serie A.
Group Stage
The Group Stage runs throughout the fall months. The 32 teams are drawn into eight groups of four, similar to the FIFA World Cup. The four teams play each other twice (once at each team’s home stadium). A win is worth three points, a draw is worth one, and a loss gets zero points. The top two teams from each group advance, with a total of 16 teams going to the knockout round.
Knockout Phase
Unlike Europe’s top leagues that determine a champion by season standings, the UEFA Champions League follows more of a tournament format. This will be familiar to United States fans who are used to playoffs for most North American sports.
The Champions League round of 16 begins in February. Each group’s winner and runner-up are placed in a bracket. Teams from the same group or home league cannot play each other. Tournament officials arranged them into different brackets.
The teams play two matches total. The first is held at the runner-up’s stadium, the group winner hosts the second match. The scores of the two matches are combined to determine the winner.
If the teams’ aggregate score is tied, two 15-minute periods of extra time are played after the conclusion of the second match. If it’s still tied, a penalty-kick shootout is held as a tiebreaker.
Winners advance to April quarterfinal and semifinal rounds. These are played in the same manner as the knockout phase.
UEFA Champions League Final
The UEFA Champions League Final is played in May at a neutral site and consists of just one match. In 2022, the final between Chelsea and Real Madrid was held at the Stade de France in suburban Paris with Real Madrid winning 1-0.
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When to Bet on Champions League Matches
The UEFA Champions League differs from other leagues that play on a weekly basis. The Champions League schedule is worked into each team’s existing home league schedule. In most cases, it’s advantageous to wait until close to match time before placing a wager.
Waiting until closer to kickoff gives you time for any late injuries or other news to develop that could affect the match result, and you’ll also see how these teams are performing in their home leagues leading up to their Champions League matchup.
Single-Game Alternatives
We discussed the variety of bets you can make during the regular season, but that changes a bit for the UEFA Champions League after group play concludes.
For matchups in the round of 16, quarterfinals, and semifinals, you can bet on each match separately via the methods above.
You can also bet on which of the two teams will advance. If you make that bet, you’re rooting for the aggregate score and potential tiebreakers to determine the result of your wager.
Even though there are no ties in the UEFA Champions League Final, there is still a 3-way moneyline bet option. This bet takes just the first 90 minutes of a regulation match into account. For instance, here are the odds from the 2021-22 Final:
Liverpool -105
Draw +275
Real Madrid +260
Try the 2-way Moneyline
A 2-way moneyline bet is just a bet on who will win the match with extra time and penalty kicks included. A draw after 90 minutes is not a possible result on this bet. The 2-way moneyline odds for the championship in 2022 were as follows:
Liverpool -155
Real Madrid +235
For reference, Real Madrid won the match 1-0 with a goal in the 59th minute. So the underdog payout won on both the 3-way and 2-way moneyline bets.
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Popular Champions League Teams
Real Madrid
Real Madrid, the most successful team in the Spanish La Liga with 35 Primera Division titles as of 2022, owns the most UEFA Champions League titles as well. They captured their 14th by defeating Liverpool in the 2022 Final.
Real Madrid won the first five titles from 1956-60. Then they only won one other until 1998. In more recent years, the club won three in a row from 2016-18 and won again in 2022.
Along with Real Madrid’s 14 titles, Barcelona also has five, giving Spain the most tournament wins with 19. Cristiano Ronaldo is the club’s all-time leading goal-scorer with 450. He also holds the Champions League records for goals scored (140) and appearances (183) through 2022.
AC Milan
The Serie A side from Italy has the second-most titles with seven, the most recent coming in 2007. Though AC Milan won Serie A in 2021-22, that hasn’t translated to UEFA Champions League success in recent years. They do hold the Champions League record for fewest goals allowed in an entire tournament, giving up just two in the 1993-94 edition.
AC Milan is the second-most popular team in Italy behind Juventus. They also hold the European record for winning 58 consecutive games. Gunnar Nordahi is the long-standing record holder when it comes to AC Milan goals, tallying 221 total from 1949-56.
Bayern Munich
The most dominant team in the Germany Bundesliga has six championships to its credit, winning three in the 1970s and then ones in 2001, 2013, and 2020. The club has won the Bundesliga in 31 of its 59 seasons through 2022. Its 2022 title marked the 10th league championship in a row.
Robert Lewandowski played for Bayern Munich from 2014-22 and is tied for third with 86 goals scored through the 2021-22 Champions League season. Bayern Munich’s home stadium, Allianz Arena, is considered one of the best in Europe. The 75,000-seat stadium hosted the Champions League Final in 2012 and will again in 2025.
Liverpool
Liverpool is tied with Bayern Munich for third in Champions League titles with six. They came just short of getting No. 7 in a 1-0 loss to Real Madrid in the 2022 Final. The Reds won three times from 1977-81 and also won 11 English Premier League titles from 1973-90. Liverpool is second to Manchester United for Premier League championships but leads Man U 6-3 in Champions League titles.
The club has had a resurgence in recent years, reaching three Champions League Finals from 2018-22, winning in 2019. The star of this most recent run has been Mohamed Salah, who has led the EPL in goals three times in a span of five seasons from 2017-18 to 2021-22.
Champions League Betting Handicapping Strategies
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Do Your Research
It’s estimated that 70% of all of the sports betting that takes place worldwide is wagered on soccer. As we mentioned, the Champions League is enormously popular. The Final is watched by far more people worldwide than the Super Bowl. Because of this, oddsmakers are paying close attention to the lines they’re setting. This makes it difficult to find weaknesses or value in a lot of wagers.
To counter this, you need to be as prepared as possible. Watch the matches involving the teams you’re looking to bet on. Be sure to:
- Pay close attention to injury reports and suspensions.
- Review each team’s performance in their recent home league matches.
- If the teams have met in other competitions, analyze their head-to-head records.
Finally, consider each team’s recent results. How a team performed in their last three or four matches could provide more useful information than their statistics over the course of an entire season.
Fortunately, there are plenty of websites with useful handicapping information. Handicapping is the process of studying data to make informed sports betting wagers. Here are some helpful resources:
- UEFA Champions League Official Stats
- ESPN UEFA Champions League Homepage
- Footy Stats: UEFA Champions League
Know What Home Field Advantage Is Worth
Soccer game scoring is limited. Therefore, any scoring advantage is in your favor. Footy Stats has a page showing which clubs in the UEFA Champions League have home-field advantage each season.
In the 2021-22 season, 66 of the 80 teams were either neutral or had a home-field advantage when considering the goals they scored versus the goals they allowed. Sixty-two of the 80 teams scored more goals at home. Just 20 teams allowed more goals at home than they did in away matches.
Overall, home-field advantage in the Champions League is strong, but it’s not quite as prominent as it is in the individual European leagues. This is likely due to tougher competition and a smaller sample size. Recall that Champions League teams only play a maximum of 13 matches during group play.
Real Madrid won the Champions League in 2021-22. Over the course of the entire tournament, they scored slightly fewer goals at home (2.17) than on the road (2.29). Real Madrid also allowed 1.33 goals in home matches compared to 0.86 on the road.
Knowing when to take an away team can lead to big wins since the oddsmakers will typically give a bump to the home team.
Exploit Public Bias
Use public biases to increase the value of your bets. Given that 70% of all sports bets in the world are placed on soccer, you can be sure that a great many of them are being made on the favorite team to win.
Popular clubs will also see more betting action from the public than other clubs. As a result, oddsmakers will nudge odds in favor of teams opposing the fan favorites. A bet on an opposing team may offer higher value, especially if you determine they have a real chance to win after doing your research.
Another popular public bias is on the totals bet. Casual bettors like scoring and want to root for goals. That means they gravitate towards taking the over. However, if your research suggests a lower number of goals than the current totals odds, grab the value that comes with betting on the under.
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Standings
| # | Team | GP | W | D | L | F | A | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Napoli Qualifies for round of 16 | 6 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 20 | 6 | +14 | 15 |
| 2 | Liverpool Qualifies for round of 16 | 6 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 17 | 6 | +11 | 15 |
| 3 | Ajax Amsterdam Europa League knockout round playoffs | 6 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 11 | 16 | -5 | 6 |
| 4 | Rangers | 6 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 2 | 22 | -20 | 0 |
UEFA Champions League Odds FAQs
UEFA Champions League is a year-long tournament that takes the top teams from top-tier European soccer leagues to determine an overall champion.
A total of 79 to 81 teams compete in several qualifying rounds and group-play stages. Once the field is at 16, teams play each other twice with aggregate (combined) goals determining the winner. The Final consists of just one match.
The UEFA Champions League schedule is worked into the regular schedules of the clubs’ home leagues. This means travel, fatigue, recent play, and injuries can affect the result of a match. This is information that is best gathered just before the match is set to take place.
Bet on either team to win or select a draw. The favorite outcome will have a minus sign or the lowest plus sign value of all 3 outcomes.
An Asian Handicap, or split goal line, has .25 goal increments. Your bet is split equally against the nearest half-point lines above and below the quarter goal line.
Oddsmakers will set lines for the combined goal total of both teams. Decide whether the actual total will be over or under this line.
Soccer Betting Resources
Learn how to bet on soccer, or study up on some basic soccer betting strategies. Then, be sure to look over our suggested soccer betting sites before kickoff.
North American
- MLS Betting Odds – Review the latest 3-way moneylines, 2-way moneylines (Draw, No Bet), totals, and Asian Handicap for upcoming USA Major League Soccer games, plus MLS Cup futures odds.
- Liga MX Betting Odds – Whether it’s the Torneo Apertura or Torneo Clausura, Mexico Liga MX soccer is among the most exciting and competitive in the world. We’ve got moneylines, totals, and Asian Handicaps for upcoming Liga MX matchups, plus futures for each tournament.
UEFA Competitions
- Champions League Betting Odds – The UEFA Champion’s League is the world’s most prestigious soccer league, with top-tier teams hailing from various European club leagues, all vying to win the trophy each season. See moneylines for matches and tournament futures odds.
- Europa League Betting Odds – The UEFA Europa League is Europe’s second-tier soccer tournament, contested each year July to the following May. Check out moneylines for upcoming matches and review the latest odds to win the Europa League.
European Club Leagues
- Premier League Betting Odds – The English Premiership is among the world’s most popular soccer leagues. See the latest moneylines, totals, and Asian Handicaps for its next matches.
- La Liga Betting Odds – Bet on Spain’s greatest soccer teams like Real Madrid or Barcelona. We’ve got the latest moneylines, totals, Asian Handicaps, and odds to win La Liga this season.
- Bundesliga Betting Odds – Germany’s Bundesliga 1 is the most competitive league in this soccer loving country. Review odds for upcoming German Bundesliga matchups and see which team is favored to win this season.
- Ligue 1 Betting Odds – Paris Saint-Germain and Marseille dominate France’s top-tier soccer league. Our page has odds for the next scheduled Ligue 1 matchups, including money lines, totals, and Asian Handicaps, plus league futures.
- Serie A Betting Odds – Italy’s Serie A is among the greatest club leagues in the world, so be sure to review the odds on its next matchups before the season comes to a close. See moneylines, totals, and Asian Handicaps for teams like Juventus and Napoli.
- Primeira Liga Betting Odds – Don’t overlook Portugal’s energetic and gifted soccer teams, like Porto and Benfica. Be sure to review the odds to win the Primeira Liga and moneylines for its next scheduled games this season.
- Eredivisie Betting Odds – Dutch Soccer is not to be ignored, sporting powerhouse teams like PSV Eindhoven and Feyenoord Rotterdam. Analyze the odds on Netherlands soccer carefully, you might find an opportunity to win betting on your favorite Dutch soccer team.
Global Competitions
- World Cup Betting Odds – The next FIFA World Cup is around the corner. SportsBetting3.com has World Cup Futures odds, plus moneylines, totals, and Asian Handicaps individual matchups between countries during group play all the way through to the World Cup Final.