Football is the biggest online betting sport in the UK by a distance, and – in turn – the Champions League is the biggest club competition in the game. The best teams in Europe slug it out each year for this prestigious trophy, making this not only a great tournament to watch, but Champions League betting an extremely exciting opportunity too.
Read on to discover everything you need to learn about Champions League betting in the UK. We’ve covered not only the best bookies on which to carry it out, but also explained the odds and special offers you can use, listed some betting tips for the Champions League, and provided plenty more besides.
Top 10 Champions League Betting Sites
- All
Bet £10, Get £30 In Free Bets
Bet £10, Get £30 In Free Bets
- Great all-round bookie for Champions League betting
- Generous welcome offer and ongoing promotions
- Handy ‘Schedule’ helps with in-play betting
Bet £10 Get £40 In Bonuses
Bet £10 Get £40 In Bonuses
- Great bookie for football betting
- Fantastic ongoing promotions
- Plenty of acca betting options
Bet £10 & Get £30 in Free Bets for new customers at bet365
Bet £10 & Get £30 in Free Bets for new customers at bet365
- Brilliant 2 Goals Ahead Early Payout offer
- Regular providers of Champions League betting offers
- Great live streaming options and mobile app
Free Bet Up to £25
Free Bet Up to £25
- Acca Bonus for football
- 30+ different sports are covered
- Highly competitive football odds
Bet £10 Get £40 in Free Bets
Bet £10 Get £40 in Free Bets
- Top option for football spread betting
- Excellent prices on football
- No minimum deposit requirement
Bet £10 Get £20 In Free Bets
Bet £10 Get £20 In Free Bets
- Get a free bet every single week
- Very good selection of Champions League betting offers
- Impressive track record
Deposit £10 Get £30 in Free Bets
Deposit £10 Get £30 in Free Bets
- Brilliantly-designed mobile app
- Innovative social features
- Market-driven prices
Deposit & Stake £10, Get £30 In Free Bets
Deposit & Stake £10, Get £30 In Free Bets
- Pools-betting specialists
- Cash out available
- Get creative, with the Create a Bet feature
50% First Deposit Bonus Up To £50
50% First Deposit Bonus Up To £50
- Unique football offers put on weekly
- Get regular free bets
- Daily enhanced odds deals
Explore Our Football Betting Sites
Top 10 List of the Best Champions League Betting Sites in the UK 2024
- 888sport – Our #1 Champions League betting site
- FansBet – Highly-competitive Champions League betting odds
- Betfred – Outstanding reputation in the industry
- Bet365 – Brilliant all-round sportsbook
- QuinnBet – Enjoy fantastic special offers
- SpreadEx – Choose between fixed-odds and spread bets
- BoyleSports – Boost or insure your Champions League accas
- SBK – The best mobile app around for Champions League betting
- The Pools – Experienced pools-betting specialist
- 10Bet – Get free bets each and every week
How We Rank Champions League Betting Sites
Being such a massive tournament, it should come as no surprise to learn that Champions League betting is enormously popular. In turn, Champions League betting coverage among sportsbooks is also vast, with these being five of the key criteria we used to narrow down the many available options.
- Betting MarketsObviously, a bookie needs to provide Champions League football betting markets to even qualify for this list. That’s actually common to just about every major bookie around though, meaning it’s the actual quality of those markets which can act as a distinguisher. We’re looking for two things here - breadth and depth - with Bet365 being a great example of a bookie which delivers both. In the first case, we want every single Champions League game to be covered - both pre-match and in-play - and outright markets (including Champions League Winner betting odds) to be provided too. Regarding the latter, we believe punters should be given enough bet types to wager on a game exactly as they see fit.
- Mobile FeaturesMobile features on sportsbooks have gone from a luxury to a necessity. Nowadays, we expect not only that a betting app or mobile website will be in place, but that it will be of a certain quality, with SBK leading the market right now.In both cases, we look for all the same betting odds for the Champions League, special offers, account management tools, and so on to be carried over from the desktop website. We also evaluate the map for its user-friendliness, speed, stability, and more.
- Special OffersPromotions really can have a sizable impact on your long-term success when betting on the Champions League. That’s why we take the time to assess both the welcome offer and ongoing deals which bookies put in place.In the former case, we’re looking not only at the sheer size of the bonus, but also any qualifying wagers or rollover requirements which come attached. In the latter, we’re analysing whether or not the promotions truly reward bettors for their loyalty, and also looking for some nice variety in the deals on display, with the ongoing promotions offered by FansBet being particularly good.
- Customer SupportIndulge in Champions League betting for long enough, and - sooner or later - you will encounter an issue. It’s simply inevitable, whichever sportsbook you happen to be using. The key thing, however, is that you can get that issue solved as quickly as possible.That’s why we’ve taken the time to analyse the customer service offerings at all of our recommended bookies. In the process, we’ve checked the options available to users (preferably including live chat), the coverage hours, the quality of the FAQ section, and so on, with Betfred coming up trumps in all sectors.
- Wider ReputationThe vast majority of our opinions on these Champions League betting sites was based on our own experiences. That said, we’ve also taken the time to look at each brand’s wider reputation, among both experts and regular users. Doing so has helped us to confirm not only that each brand is legit, but also that it enjoys a solid reputation in general. Not only that, but it allowed us to catch any common complaints and issues which we didn’t experience during our own testing. Betfred was the strongest of our 10 bookies here, with a brilliant general reputation.
Champions League Betting Odds
For many fans of Champions League football betting, the odds are - quite simply - the odds. You’re given a price on a certain market, and there’s nothing you can do about it. In reality though, the actual quality of that price is incredibly important, particularly over the long-term where it really can have an effect on your profits. As such, we’d recommend having at least a handful of different betting accounts. This means that - once you’ve identified a market you like - you can quickly and easily pick the best odds and get your bet down.
For the committed bettor though, we’d also recommend taking a little time to understand how Champions League betting odds are actually calculated. Most casual punters assume that they’re simply based on sheer probability. But while that is indeed a factor, there are several other considerations which bookies take into account.
One is their ‘vig’, or ‘overround’, which helps to ensure that bookies always make a long-term profit. In short, this means that the implied probabilities of all the outcomes of a market won’t add up to 100%. Even in a clear 50/50 market - like a pre-match coin flip, for example - you won’t be given even odds for both outcomes.
Another key factor in Champions League betting odds is the amount of action a particular market is getting. A bookie will happily raise the price on a bet if it’s not getting enough action, or lower it if too many punters are piling in. They also take their competitors’ prices into consideration, with no single brand wanting to be significantly out of line with other brands.
All these considerations go into calculating Champions League betting odds to win a match or the entire competition. And, since all bookies are using the same major factors, they typically end up with very similar odds. For a perfect example, look no further than the outright Champions League betting odds to win the upcoming edition.
2023 Champions League Odds to Win
Champions League Final Betting
As you surely already know, the Champions League progresses from qualifying, to a group stage, then onwards to a knockout phase. The latter involves 16 teams duking it out across the ‘last 16’, quarter finals, semi finals, and - at last - the final.
Unlike the other knockout games, which are played across two legs, Champions League final betting comes down to one single match. As such, it’s often a cagey affair, with both sides desperate not to concede and see their chances go up in flames. For the keen fan of Champions League final betting it’s also extremely tense, with this representing your last chance to wager on continental football for several months.
Since it’s only one game, outright markets obviously go out of the window when it comes to betting odds for the Champions League final. You can certainly place both pre-match and in-play wagers, however. In the case of the former, you’ll find a huge amount of material out there providing high quality predictions and previews. Many bookies will also provide ‘specials’ markets for betting on the Champions League final. Once the game’s kicked off, you’ll then have ample opportunity to read the situation and get more Champions League final betting action in. Or, if it looks like your pre-match picks were ill-advised, you can bail on them and avoid losing your stake entirely.
Top Champions League Betting Tips
As in all forms of sports-related gambling, there’s never any guarantee that you’ll make money from betting on the Champions League. There are certainly still measures you can take to improve your chances though, with these being five of our top betting tips for the Champions League.
Tip 1 – Create a Staking Plan
The quickest way to blow up your Champions League betting account is simply to stick a load of big wagers down, with no coherent plan. We’d advise taking a more measured and scientific approach instead.
A staking plan is the perfect way to do just that. Begin by identifying how much you’re willing to stake – and potentially lose – across a given time frame. Then, work out how many wagers you want to place within that time. After that, you can simply divide the first number by the second to work out your average stake size, which you should stick to thereafter.
Tip 2 – Put the Time In
As in many areas of life, there’s no substitute for hard work when it comes to betting on the Champions League. The more time you put into it, the more likely you are to enjoy success.
The best way to spend your time, in this respect, is in pre-pick research. Gather as much information as you can before a match you’re interested in, whether it’s provided by betting tipsters or regular football experts. All this data will inform your Champions League betting predictions, with your chances of making good choices improving concurrently.
Tip 3 – Use Those Offers
Betting promotions aren’t purely there to lure new customers into signing up with a brand. When used correctly, they can also provide tremendous value. A big welcome offer can give your new account a fantastic kick start, while ongoing promotions can both boost your winnings and reduce your losses. Leading off with one, then following with the other – while making sensible wagers, of course – can be a fantastic combination.
Tip 4 – Have Multiple Accounts
We touched on this earlier, but it bears repeating. There’s absolutely nothing limiting you to one betting account, and – in fact – opening multiple accounts comes with two sizable benefits.
The first is that you can trigger the welcome offer in each case, and use the ensuing free bets instead of your cash balance. Secondly, once you’ve identified a selection you like the look of, you can quickly look around each of your chosen bookies, compare their Champions League betting odds, and place the wager with whoever has the best price.
Tip 5 – Mix and Match
As a bettor, it’s easy to fall into the rut of placing the same old bet types. If you’ve found yourself falling back constantly on Match Result Champions League betting predictions, then it’s high time to change things up.
We don’t advise sticking huge stakes down on crazy, 10-team accas. What we do advise, however, is finding a good mixture – in both your bet types and odds – between risk and reward. Trying out new bet types is also a great way to keep things fresh and enjoyable over the long haul.
Popular Champions League Betting Markets
When it comes to betting on the Champions League, the world really is your oyster. Football already tends to have the most bet types, compared to other sports, and this prestigious competition sees arguably the most varied selection of all. Below, we’ve broken your main options down for you into three main categories.
Outright Markets
These are the longest-term wagers you can place in football. For Champions League betting specifically, they will tend to cover the entire competition for that season.
Due to the nature of the competition, you won’t actually find an especially wide variety of bet types here. Compared to the Premier League, for example, there are obviously no markets for To Be Relegated, Top Four Finish, and so on. In fact, in most cases, you’ll be limited exclusively to Champions League Winner betting odds. That can still be an extremely fun wager to place though, and - if you’re looking for the best prices for betting on the Champions League winner - then Betfred should be your first port of call.
Which Team Will Make It to the Top?
Team-Related Wagers
This category makes up the bulk of the Champions League betting markets which are typically available. If you’re looking for the most balanced blend of risk and reward, we’d recommend sticking primarily to team props.
The most common bet type here is obviously Match Result. There are plenty more options out there though, including safer options like Over/Under Goals and Draw No Bet, and riskier picks like Correct Score, with Bet365 routinely providing one of the best selections around.
Player Props
As the name suggests, player props involve wagering on a particular player to complete a specific outcome. They represent a riskier alternative to team props, but tend to have higher odds in turn.
The most common bet types here revolve around goalscorers, with Anytime Goalscorer being particularly popular. To Be Carded can be both a fun and savvy pick, though, if you spot a player who has a ‘track record’. Betfred is usually a great place to check out player props like these, and tends to offer excellent odds on them too.
Explore Our Betting Site Guides
Champions League Betting Offers
Champions League betting drives a huge amount of action for sportsbooks, particularly those based in the UK. As such, it’s no surprise that they offer plenty of special offers for the competition, in a bid to entice punters into choosing them over their many competitors. Below, we’ve listed three categories of Champions League betting offers which we’d recommend focusing on.
Early Payout
It goes without saying that - with a normal wager - you must wait for the game to end before your bet either triumphs or fails. Early Payout Champions League betting offers, however, turn this typical trend on its head.
With an Early Payout deal, you must simply wait for a certain threshold to be met. If it is, then your wager will be counted as a winner there and then, with no need to wait for the final whistle.
The most popular example here, and surely still the best, is Bet365’s version. Its famous 2 Goals Ahead Early Payout deal will automatically count your Match Result bet as a winner if your chosen team goes two goals up at any stage in the match.
Odds Boosts
All of our recommended Champions League betting sites will already provide you with good odds by default. These can still be significantly improved, however, via odds boosts.
These boosts come in two different forms. The more common type involves the bookie picking a certain market, and artificially inflating its odds. Certain sportsbooks, however, will actually give you odds boosts tokens, which you can use to improve the Champions League betting odds of your choosing.
Game-Specific Deals
All top bookies keep an eye out for the biggest sporting occasions. Then, when they come around, the sportsbooks pounce and offer promotions specifically for those contests.
This is the case with Champions League betting too, and especially with the final. Every May - when the game is typically held - it’s worth looking around all of our recommended betting sites, and seeing what short-term Champions League betting offers they have available. These can often include insurance deals, free bet offers, boosts to Champions League betting odds, and more.
Champions League Free Betting
We’ve already noted the importance of special offers, and the impact they can have on your Champions League betting success. The very best such rewards you can get from such deals is obviously cash. Bookies are understandably reluctant to dish this out, however, so the next best thing – for both them, and punters – is the mighty free bet.
Targeting free bets should be a priority for any fan of Champions League betting. These handy tokens allow you to place all the wagers you normally would, without risking any of your cash balance, and still net you real winnings.
Nowadays, there are plenty of different ways to access Champions League free betting. The biggest ones are acquired via welcome offers, with ‘Bet X, Get Y’ being the most common format in the UK. Many top bookies will also give their existing customers chances to gain free bets though, with the Free Bet Club – in which you can gain tokens each and every week – arguably the best example.
Most top brands nowadays will provide bonuses in one form or another. The trio below, however, really are the best of the best when it comes to Champions League free betting:
- Bet365 – Bet £10 Get £30 In Free Bets
- 888sport –Bet £10, Get £30 In Free Bets
- Betfred – Bet £10 Get £60 In Bonuses
Champions League Betting Predictions
Most Champions League betting sites have around eight teams listed as genuine contenders for the 2022-23 tournament, and we already listed the odds in each case earlier in this article. Of those, however, five clubs would seem to be the most realistic options to take home the trophy. Let’s take a closer look at some Champions League betting predictions for each side in turn.
Man City
For most punters, it will likely come as no surprise to see that Man City are the consensus favourite for the 2022-23 Champions League. They’ve been the favourites every year for the past few seasons, after all.
The question as to whether they can actually win the tournament, however, is a different matter entirely. On paper, they’ve got a top coach, an amazing squad, and have won four of the last five Premier League titles. In practice though, they have consistently failed to clear the final hurdle, with a 1-0 loss to Chelsea in 2021 being the closest they’ve come.
Top Champions League Betting Odds: Betfred - 3/1
Liverpool
Liverpool’s status as the consensus second-favourite is also unlikely to surprise any fans of Champions League betting. They’ve finished narrowly behind City on multiple occasions in the Premier League over recent years, but most football experts would likely have them pegged as the second-best side in Europe.
More importantly, they’ve also performed brilliantly in the Champions League. In the past five seasons Liverpool have won the competition once, and made the final on two other occasions. Based on this pedigree, they’re actually arguably a safer pick than Man City for betting on the Champions League winner, despite the latter’s domestic dominance.
Top Champions League Betting Odds: Bet365 - 5/1
PSG
2021-22 saw the latest in a long line of humiliating Champions League exits for PSG. The Parisians looked to be cruising against Real Madrid, only to blow the tie in spectacular fashion with half an hour to go.
Heading into the 2022-23 tournament, it’s hard not to feel as if it will be the same old story. On paper, PSG have all the talent in the world. In practice, they’ve shown a lack of fortitude which makes them very hard for a punter to trust when betting on the Champions League winner.
Top Champions League Betting Odds: 888sport - 6/1
Bayern Munich
It’s been a period of uncharacteristic unrest at one of Europe’s best-run clubs. Manager Hansi Flick was let go in June 2021, despite winning the previous season’s Champions League in spectacular fashion, and replaced by the heralded but extremely youthful Julian Nagelsmann. The following summer, the club’s outstanding striker - Robert Lewandowski - forced a move to Barcelona.
Bayern Munich’s domestic dominance has continued for a decade now, but they disappointed in the Champions League last season, suffering a surprising loss to Villarreal. This, combined with Lewandowski’s loss, makes them a riskier proposition than usual in Europe. If you believe in their wunderkind manager, however, this could represent a fantastic opportunity to grab some value for early betting on the Champions League final outcome.
Top Champions League Betting Odds: Betfred - 7/1
Real Madrid
The words ‘European Cup’ are basically synonymous with Real Madrid. They’ve won the tournament more than any other side, doubling the number of cups held by their nearest competitors, AC Milan. Likewise, their manager - Carlo Ancelotti - is one of the competition’s true legends.
For both club and manager, however, the 2022 success was something special. In each knockout round, Los Blancos looked to be dead and buried before storming back. The effort was capped by a famous victory over pre-match favourites Liverpool, and - with all of this such a recent memory, and with Real Madrid winning five Champions Leagues in the last decade - the holders look to be fantastic value at their current price.
Top Champions League Betting Odds: Bet365 - 12/1
Previous Champions League Winners
A common criticism of the Champions League is that it features the same old teams battling it out in the knockout stages each year. Not only that, but there’s relatively little variety in the winners of the competition.
Fans of Champions League betting couldn’t care less. In fact, this makes their lives a whole lot easier, since recent history tends to have such a major impact on the upcoming tournament. To help guide your Champions League betting predictions for the next edition, therefore, here’s a handy table of all the most recent winners, runners-up, and top scorers.
Year
Winner
Runner Up
Top Scorer
2021-22
Real Madrid
Liverpool
Karim Benzema
2020-21
Chelsea
Man City
Erling Haaland
2019-20
Bayern Munich
PSG
Robert Lewandowski
2018-19
Liverpool
Spurs
Lionel Messi
2017-18
Real Madrid
Liverpool
Cristiano Ronaldo
2016-17
Real Madrid
Juventus
Cristiano Ronaldo
2015-16
Real Madrid
Atletico Madrid
Cristiano Ronaldo
2014-15
Barcelona
Juventus
Lionel Messi / Neymar / Cristiano Ronaldo
2013-14
Real Madrid
Atletico Madrid
Cristiano Ronaldo
2012-13
Bayern Munich
Borussia Dortmund
Cristiano Ronaldo
Champions League Betting Sites & Live Streaming
We’ve already listed five of our top Champions League betting tips. If we could add one piece of advice to this list, however, it would be to watch the games live if you possibly can.
After all, you can do all the research and preparation in the world. We still believe, however, that there’s no substitute to seeing a player or team for yourself. Not only that, but - by watching a game live - you can spot the perfect time to place an in-play wager, or to bail on a bet that’s heading in the wrong direction.
The most convenient way to do so would naturally be via the same app or website you use for your Champions League betting. Unfortunately, this isn’t really possible. Champions League rights are highly lucrative for broadcasters, so - unsurprisingly - they’re closely-guarded in the UK. As such, the only legitimate way you have to watch the Champions League is through BT Sport, who have exclusive broadcasting rights.
Final Thoughts
The Champions League is arguably the most prestigious competition in club football. As such, it’s already exciting enough to simply watch as a fan of the beautiful game. If you want to take your enjoyment and involvement to another level though, then Champions League betting is a great way to do it.
After reading this article, you should now be armed with all the knowledge you need in order to begin your Champions League betting adventure. All you need to do now is pick one of our recommended sites, create an account, follow our betting tips for the Champions League, and start having fun.