Champions League Betting Guide – Odds & Tips 2024

When it comes to football betting, nothing beats the Champions League. However, betting on this top European competition can be difficult, as anything can happen. The good news is that I've compiled an in-depth guide on sports betting that will walk you through the top teams and the bets you can place.

Recommended Operators For Champions League Betting

The following bookmakers are known among Champions League betting enthusiasts for their diverse markets and competitive odds. Look through the short descriptions below and choose your favourite:

William Hill - Best Welcome Bonus

William Hill is a well-established bookmaker for UK punters. The site offers some of the most competitive odds and a wide variety of football markets to bet on.

BetUk - Best for Free Bets

If you enjoy wagering with free bets, I’m sure you’ll love BetUK. In addition, most football events have over 400 markets, making BetUK a great option for experienced punters.

888Sport - Best Sports Betting Variety

888 Sport is a popular betting site known for its intuitive design, so you won’t have issues placing a bet. It also benefits from fair odds and exciting promotions.

Betway -  Best for Boosted Odds

Most of the football events at Betway come with boosted markets. It also has a generous acca insurance bonus that allows you to claim a refund if your bet loses by one selection.

BetVictor - Best Odds

BetVictor is all about diversity and fairness. BetVictor has an extensive list of football markets with some of the best odds in the business.

Champions League 2024 Key Facts

You can’t deny it – the Champions League is the world’s second most popular football competition, which is only surpassed by the World Cup. Here are a few impressive statistics and facts related to the ultimate European challenge:

Bayern Munich is the only team to win all the group-stage matches in the 2022/2023 Champions League.

Real Madrid won the 2021/2022 Champions League, beating Liverpool in the final (1-0).

Real Madrid is the most successful club in the Champions League, with 14 trophies.

Cristiano Ronaldo is the top scorer in the Champions League, with 140 goals.

Cristiano Ronaldo also has the most assists in the Champions League, a total of 42.

The fastest Champions League goal was scored by Roy Makaay from Bayern Munich against Real Madrid in 10.12 seconds.

Spain is the most successful country in the competition, with 19 trophies.

Only five English clubs have won the Champions League: Liverpool, Manchester United, Nottingham Forest, Aston Villa, and Chelsea.

The Atatürk Olympic Stadium in Istanbul is the location for the 2023 Champions League final.

Only two teams have more losses in the Champions League final than trophies – SL Benfica with five and Juventus with seven.

AC Milan hasn’t been to a final since 2007, although it’s the second most successful club in the competition.

The fastest hat-trick in the Champions League was scored in less than eight minutes by Bafétimbi Gomis from Lyon in 2011.

AC Milan x Inter Milan is the first derby in the Champions League semi-finals since 2017.

Three out of the four managers in the Champions League semi-finals are Italian: Carlo Ancelotti, Simone Inzaghi, and Stefano Pioli.

According to the latest odds, Manchester City is the club most likely to win the 2022/2023 Champions League.

Key Dates for 2024 Champions League Betting

Are you looking to get started with Champions League betting? If so, I recommend noting the following key dates:

Semi-finals

• Real Madrid x Manchester City – May 9th (Tuesday)
• AC Milan x Inter Milan – May 10th (Wednesday)
• Inter Milan x AC Milan – May 16th (Tuesday)
• Manchester City x Real Madrid – May 17th (Wednesday)

Final

• Manchester City x Inter Milan – June 10th (Saturday)

Recent Champions League Winners

Real Madrid is by far the most successful club in the last 10 years of the competition, winning five times. Among the winners, you’ll also find Chelsea, Bayern Munich, Liverpool, and FC Barcelona. Look through the table for more information about the past winners:

Season	Club	Runner-Up	Score
21/22	Real Madrid	Liverpool	1-0
20/21	Chelsea	Manchester City	1-0
19/20	Bayern Munich	Paris Saint-Germain	1-0
18/19	Liverpool	Tottenham Hotspur	2-0
17/18	Real Madrid	Liverpool	3-1
16/17	Real Madrid	Juventus	4-1
15/16	Real Madrid	Atlético Madrid	1-1 (5-3 pen)
14/15	FC Barcelona	Juventus	3-1
13/14	Real Madrid	Atlético Madrid	4-1
12/13	Bayern Munich	Borussia Dortmund	2-1

Which Teams Won the Champions League More Than Once?

13 teams out of the total of 22 teams that have won the Champions League since 1955, have won more than once. The sections below will walk you through the winners, the seasons they won, the runner-ups, and the score for each final.

Real Madrid

Real Madrid is the club with the most Champions League titles – 14. It’s also the only club that has won five consecutive titles, from 1955 to 1960.

Season	Runner-Up	Score
55/56	Stade Reims	4-3
56/57	Fiorentina	2-0
57/58	AC Milan	3-2
58/59	Stade Reims	2-0
59/60	Frankfurt	7-3
65/66	Partizan	2-1
97/98	Juventus	1-0
99/00	Valencia	3-0
01/02	Bayer Leverkusen	2-1
13/14	Atlético Madrid	4-1
15/16	Atlético Madrid	1-1 (5-3 pen)
16/17	Juventus	4-1
17/18	Liverpool	3-1
21/22	Liverpool	1-0

AC Milan

AC Milan hasn’t won a Champions League since 2007. However, it’s still one of the clubs with the most titles. The club has won the Champions League on seven occasions.

Season	Runner-Up	Score
62/63	Benfica	2-1
68/69	Ajax	4-1
88/89	Steaua Bucharest	4-0
89/90	Benfica	1-0
93/94	Barcelona	4-0
02/03	Juventus	0-0 (3-2 pen)
06/07	Liverpool	2-1

Bayern Munich

Bayern Munich won the Champions League three times in a row, between 1973 and 1976. It has six titles, the last being in the 2019/2020 season.

Season	Runner-Up	Score
73/74	Atlético	4-0
74/75	Leeds	2-0
75/76	St. Étienne	1-0
00/01	Valencia	1-1 (5-4 pen)
12/13	Borussia Dortmund	2-1
19/20	Paris Saint-Germain	1-0

Liverpool

Like Bayern Munich, Liverpool has also won the Champions League six times. It’s also the club with the most penalty victories, in the 1983/1984 and 2004/2005 seasons.

Season	Runner-Up	Score
76/77	Mönchengladbach	3-1
77/78	Club Brugge	1-0
80/81	Real Madrid	1-0
83/84	Roma	1-1 (4-2 pen)
04/05	AC Milan	3-3 (3-2 pen)
18/19	Tottenham Hotspur	2-0

FC Barcelona

FC Barcelona is the second most successful Spanish club in the Champions League, with five titles. Its last title was won in the 2014/2015 season.

Season	Runner-Up	Score
91/92	Sampdoria	1-0
05/06	Arsenal	2-1
08/09	Manchester United	2-0
10/11	Manchester United	3-1
14/15	Juventus	3-1

Ajax

Ajax is the only Dutch club with two or more Champions League titles. However, it hasn’t won a Champions League since 1995. 

Season	Runner-Up	Score
70/71	Panathinaikos	2-0
71/7	Inter Milan	2-0
72/73	Juventus	1-0
94/95	AC Milan	1-0

Inter Milan

Inter Milan won the Champions League on three occasions, the last being in the 2009/2019 season, where it beat Bayern Munich by 2-0.

Season	Runner-Up	Score
63/64	Real Madrid	3-1
64/65	Benfica	1-0
09/10	Bayern Munich	2-0

Manchester United

Manchester United is the second most successful English football club in the Champions League, with three victories – 1968, 1999, and 2008. 

Season	Runner-Up	Score
67/68	Benfica	4-1
98/99	Bayern Munich	2-1
07/08	Chelsea	1-1 (6-5 pen)

SL Benfica

The Portuguese giant has two Champions League titles. However, the club hasn’t won the Champions League in over 60 years. 

Season	Runner-Up	Score
60/61	Barcelona	3-2
61/62	Real Madrid	5-3

Chelsea

Chelsea beat some of the best European teams to win its Champions League titles – Bayern Munich in 2011/2012 and Manchester City in 2021/2021.

Season	Runner-Up	Score
11/12	Bayern Munich	1-1 (4-3 pen)
20/21	Manchester City	1-0

Juventus

Although it’s the team with the most Serie A trophies, Juventus only won the Champions League twice – in 1985 and 1996. 

Season	Runner-Up	Score
84/85	Liverpool	1-0
95/96	Ajax	1-1 (4-2 pen)

Nottingham Forest

2022 was Nottingham Forest’s first year in the Premier League since 1999. But did you know the club won the Champions League in 1979 and 1980?

Season	Runner-Up	Score
78/79	Malmö	1-0
79/80	Hamburg	1-0

FC Porto

Like SL Benfica, FC Porto has two Champions League titles. The Dragons last lifted the trophy in the 2003/2004 season, under Mourinho’s wing.

Season	Runner-Up	Score
86/87	Bayern Munich	2-1
03/04	AS Monaco	3-0

How Bookmakers Calculate Their Odds

 They’re calculated through complex algorithms that analyse several criteria, such as the teams’ performance and the players’ current form. The odds correspond to the likelihood of an outcome. For instance, odds of 1/4 equal an 80% probability, while odds of 2/5 correspond to a probability of 71.40%.

Why Do Odds by Different Bookies Vary?

Different bookmakers will have different opinions about who will win this year's Champions League. Since betting odds are determined based on various factors, including team strength, past performance, player availability, and public opinion, they don't tend to vary majorly since the mathematical algorithm used would be somewhat similar. Odds can also vary between bookmakers to attract more punters, as it’s always better to bet through the bookies with the highest odds.

How Do Champions League Odds Work?

Champions League odds refer to the probability assigned to different outcomes of matches and overall tournament results in the Champions League. In general, Champions League odds are represented in either of three formats: decimal, fractional, or American.

• Decimal Odds: Decimal odds are commonly used in Europe and are expressed as a decimal number. For example, if a team has odds of 2.50, it means that if you bet €/£1 and the team wins, you will receive €/£2.50 in total (including your original stake).
• Fractional Odds: Fractional odds are more common in the UK and are displayed as a fraction. For instance, if a team has odds of 3/1, it means that for every €/£1 you bet, you will receive a profit of €/£3 if the team wins, plus your initial stake.
• American Odds: American odds are primarily used in the United States. Positive (+) and negative (-) symbols are used to indicate the underdogs and favourites, respectively. For instance, if a team has odds of +200, it means that a €/£100 bet on that team will result in a €/£200 profit if they win. On the other hand, if a team has odds of -150, it means you would need to bet €/£150 to win €/£100 in profit if that team is successful.

Odds are usually updated throughout the competition as teams progress and their chances of winning change. It's important to note that odds are not solely based on objective factors but also incorporate the bookmakers' assessments and the betting market's activity and can fluctuate based on new information, team performances, and betting patterns.

Champions League odds aren’t much different from other football events, however, bookmakers usually take longer to calculate the odds from the Champions League matches, which means there’s little room for mistakes. This makes it harder to apply certain strategies, such as value betting.

What Are the Current Odds for the Champions League?

Here are the current odds at the time of writing for the Champions League:

Outright Winner

Team	Odds to Win	Bookmaker
Manchester City	1/5	10Bet
Inter Milan	10/3	William Hill

Method of Victory

Method	Odds for Method of Victory	Bookmaker
Man City - Penalties	16/1	Bet365
Man City - Extra Time	8/1	Betway
Inter Milan - Penalties	18/1	Bet365
Inter Milan - Extra Time	22/1	Betway

What Are the Different Bets You Can Place on the Champions League?

Besides being the top football competition in Europe, Champions League betting is also famous for the diversity of markets available. Here are the most common betting markets you’ll find at online bookmakers in the UK.

Match Result

Match result bets are as easy as it gets, as there are only three outcomes – home team to win, away team to win, or draw. These bets are incredibly popular among beginners or punters who enjoy betting with accumulators. 10bet has odds of 1.37 for Man City to win.

My top recommended sportsbook for Match Result odds is 10bet ▶

Outright Winner

Outright bets are usually placed before the competition starts. The goal is to predict which club will lift the trophy. Some bookies allow punters to place outright bets anytime, although the odds will be lower as there are fewer teams to choose from. Betway has odds of 1.18 for Man City to lift the trophy.

My recommended sportsbook for Outright Winner odds is Betway ▶ 

Over/Under

Over/under bets can apply to a range of situations, such as goals, fouls, or corners. To win this bet, you’ll have to guess if the number of occurrences is over or under the number predetermined by the bookie. BetUK has odds of 1.6 for Total Goals over 2.5. 

My recommended sportsbook for Over/Under odds is  BetUK ▶ 

Handicap

As the name implies, handicap bets give one of the teams a disadvantage. For instance, if you wager on Manchester City with a -1 handicap, you can only win your bet if the team wins by two or more goals. Unibet has odds of 1.66 for Man City with a -1 handicap.

My recommended sportsbook for Handicap odds is Unibet ▶

Correct Score

Correct score is one of the hardest bets to get right. This is because you have to predict the exact match result at full-time. For this reason, it also has high odds, making it popular among experienced punters. VBet has odds of 7 for the final score to be Man City 2-0.

My recommended sportsbook for Correct Score odds is VBet ▶

Double Chance

Double chance works like match result bets. The difference is that it covers two or more results. You can bet on a team to win or draw or that the game won’t end as a draw, for instance. William Hill has odds of 1.06 for Man City to win or for the game to end in a draw.

My recommended sportsbook for Double Chance odds is William Hill ▶

Half-Time Result

As the name implies, half-time result bets refer to the match result during the half-time. You can bet on the home team, the away team, or on a draw. BetVictor has odds of 1.9 for Man City to be in the lead at half-time.

My recommended sportsbook for Half-Time Result odds is BetVictor ▶ 

Special Champions League Markets to Bet On

I’ve got great news! Betting sites in the UK have special betting markets, including highly complex bets created for experienced punters. Check out some of our favourites for Champions League betting:

Top Scorer

Top scorer bets are the perfect wager for those who believe in individual performances more than they believe in a team. The best part is that you can win even if your player’s team doesn’t make it to the final.

My recommended sportsbook for Champions League Top Scorer is William Hill ▶

To Score a Hat-Trick

I like to think of this bet as a wildcard. Only 100 players have scored a hat-trick in the Champions League, with Ronaldo and Messi being tied for first place, with eight hat-tricks each. Still, it’s anyone’s game.

My recommended sportsbook for which players will score a hat-trick is Unibet ▶

Both Teams to Score

Both teams to score is a popular bet on balanced matches between teams who usually score. All it takes is a single goal from each team. It’s easy to see why many Champions League betting enthusiasts love this bet, isn’t it? 

My recommended sportsbook for both teams scoring is VBet ▶

Winner’s Nationality

This is a great bet to place, as the number of teams from each country depends on the current Champions League coefficient. For instance, if you bet on Spain, all it takes is a Spanish team to lift the trophy.

My recommended sportsbook for the nationality of the winning team is Betway ▶

First Goalscorer

Unlike other wager we’ve mentioned, this bet only applies to a single match. To win, you’ll have to accurately predict who will be the first player to score a goal.

My top recommended sportsbook for the first goalscorer is 10bet ▶

Last Goalscorer

As the previous bet, this one is also self-explanatory. However, unlike first goalscorer bets, it’s anyone’s game until the match ends.

My recommended sportsbook for the last goalscorer is BetVictor ▶

How Is the Champions League Structured?

The Champions League features 32 teams. The number of teams from each country depends on the Champions League coefficient, which is based on the performance in European competitions. 

Teams can qualify by being the previous Champions League winner, winning the Europa League, or winning their country’s domestic league. The remaining spots are given to the top teams in each country’s league, based on the Champions League coefficient. 

Country	Number of Qualifying Teams
Germany	5
England	4
Italy	4
Spain	4
Portugal	3
France	2
Scotland	2
Austria	1
Belgium	1
Croatia	1
Czech Republic	1
Denmark	1
Israel	1
Netherlands	1
Ukraine	1

Champions League Semi-Finals Highlights

Manchester City vs Real Madrid (4-0) -The semi-final held on the 9th of May at the Etihad Stadium started off strongly for Manchester City, with Bernardo Silva netting two goals in the first half. These early strikes set the tone for the rest of the game as City overwhelmed the defending champions, throwing off their game. Real Madrid attempted to recover after half-time, but they were unable to make any real impact. Eder Militao's own goal increased Manchester City's lead, and Julian Alvarez's final stoppage-time finish only highlighted City’s superiority in quality between the two teams. Manchester City's incredible form, which has seen them go unbeaten in 23 games and win their last 15 at the Etihad Stadium, proved to be too much for Real Madrid to handle.

As a result of this impressive victory, Manchester City will head to the finals of the Champions League, which will take place in Istanbul on June 10.

Inter Milan vs Milan AC (1-0) -The semi-final kicked off at San Siro Stadium on the 10th of May, with Inter designated as the home side at the shared stadium. They had already established a 2-0 advantage in the first leg as the away team and continued their dominance in the second leg. AC Milan had some promising moments in the first half, with Brahim Diaz and Rafael Leao squandering their best opportunities. However, they failed to register a single shot on target in the one-sided second half. Martinez's finish in the 74th minute ensured Inter's spot in the final, as they comfortably sealed a 1-0 victory.

Manchester City vs Inter Milan (TBA) - The final, set to take place in Istanbul on June 10, will see Inter Milan face Manchester City. This eagerly anticipated match will determine who will be crowned the champions of Europe.

My Top 10 Tips on Placing Bets on the Champions League

You’re one step closer to entering the exciting world of Champions League betting. Here are a few tips to help you get started:

1. Avoid accumulator bets: Champions League matches can be unpredictable, making it harder to win your accumulators.
2. Use boosted odds to your advantage: Bookies will often boost the odds for various Champions League markets. This can help you improve your payouts if you win.
3. Check the bonus section regularly: Betting sites are constantly coming up with new promotions. Visiting the promotions page can help you find the best deals.
4. Consider placing system bets: Unlike accumulator bets, you can still win a system bet if you miss one or more selections.
5. Try betting with Bet Builder: Bet Builder is an innovative tool that lets you wager on more than one market within the same match.
6. Statistics are your friend: Experience goes a long way. Look through the past Champions League statistics and use them to your advantage.
7. Don’t bet if you’re feeling anxious: Betting is supposed to be fun. You shouldn’t bet if you’re feeling angry or anxious, as it can cloud your judgement.
8. Create a betting record: Recording your bets will allow you to identify your strengths and weaknesses, improving the way you bet.
9. Don’t chase losses: Most of the time, chasing losses won’t work as intended. You’ll likely experience additional losses.
10. Set a sports betting bankroll: I recommend creating a bankroll before getting started. You shouldn’t bet over your bankroll, even if you’re losing.

If you feel that betting is having a negative impact on your life, you can find out how to control your betting habits and find support in our responsible gambling guide.

Happy Betting on the Champions League

It’s easy to understand what makes Champions League betting so attractive. Having the chance to win money while you watch your favourite teams and players can take the excitement to the next level.

However, betting on the toughest European competition can be challenging. The good news is that you now have everything you need to get started. Sign up at one of my recommended bookies and enter the fun!