The top club teams from across Europe battle it out every year to win the Champions League tournament and the right to call themselves the best club team in all of Europe. Soccer fans are some of the most committed and proud in all of sports, so a lot of die hard fans like to show their support by placing a bet on Champions League matches that their club is involved in.
On this page we look at where you can bet on the Champions League, explain the most common bets and how to read the odds, and finish with a step by step guide to getting started.
Where Can You Bet On The Champions League?
Where you can bet on the Champions League depends on where you live. Here is a quick look at the main options in the United States, Canada, the UK and elsewhere.
United States
Sports betting is legal in more than 35 states plus Washington, D.C. Licensed sportsbooks in every legal state offer odds on Champions League matches and the outright winner, and prediction markets also list contracts on major soccer matches in many states. You must be 21 or older in most states and physically located in a state where the sportsbook is licensed. Offshore sportsbooks also accept bets from Americans, but they are not licensed or regulated by any US state, which means there is no state regulator to turn to if there is a dispute over a bet or a withdrawal.
Canada
Ontario has a regulated market of licensed online sportsbooks, and the other provinces offer online betting through their provincial lottery sites. The legal betting age is 19 in most provinces and 18 in Alberta, Manitoba and Quebec. Coverage of the Champions League varies by site, so check the markets offered before signing up.
United Kingdom
The UK has one of the biggest soccer betting markets in the world, and licensed bookmakers offer odds on every Premier League and Champions League match, with extensive in-play and player prop markets. Use an operator licensed by the Gambling Commission, which requires you to be 18 or older and verifies your identity before you can bet.
Elsewhere
Many other countries regulate online betting with their own licensing systems, while some restrict it. Check the rules in your country before signing up with any betting site, and stick to operators licensed where you live.
Types Of Champions League Bets
Moneyline bets are the most common type of Champions League bet. They involve wagering on which team will win the game outright. Spread bets are another option where the favored team must win by a certain amount of goals. Spread bets are generally used when there is a big favorite in the game like Manchester United against a team from a much weaker league. Another popular Champions League betting option is over/under betting, which involves wagering on the total amount of goals that will be scored in the game. Check out our soccer betting page for a more in depth look at these betting options.
If you are in it for the long haul and want to follow a team that you think has a good chance at winning the title then a Champions League futures bet might be perfect for you. With a futures bet you would wager on a team to win the whole tournament. The payout will generally be very big if you’re correct.
How To Bet On The Champions League – Step By Step
Whichever site you choose, the process of getting started is similar. Here’s a general guide.
Step 1. Choose a Licensed Site
Pick a sportsbook that is licensed where you live and offers Champions League markets. Review the options above before signing up.
Step 2. Check The Age and Location Rules
The minimum age is 21 in most US states, 18 or 19 in Canada depending on the province, and 18 in the UK. Most licensed sites also confirm that you are located where they are licensed.
Step 3. Create and Verify Your Account
Sign up with your legal name, date of birth and address. Licensed sites are required to verify your identity, so you may be asked for a photo of your ID or other documents.
Step 4. Fund Your Account
Deposit using one of the site’s payment methods, which commonly include debit cards and bank transfers. Check how withdrawals work, and how long they take, before you deposit.
Step 5. Find The Market and Place Your Bet
Navigate to the soccer section, select the market you’re interested in, and enter your stake. Before confirming, check the odds and how much you stand to win.
Step 6. Set Limits
Decide on a budget before kickoff and stick to it. Most licensed sites let you set deposit and time limits in your account settings. If betting stops being fun, free help is available: call 1-800-GAMBLER in the US, ConnexOntario at 1-866-531-2600 in Ontario, or the National Gambling Helpline at 0808 8020 133 in the UK.
Champions League Tournament Structure
I thought it was important to add a brief write up on the structure of the tournament. There are four stages of the Champions League tournament: the qualifying rounds (3 in total), the play-off round, the league phase and the knockout rounds. The best team from every top professional league in Europe are entered into a certain round of the tournament depending on the coefficient of the league. Some leagues will also enter more than one team, also based on the coefficient (skill) of the leagues. For example, the English Premier League, Spanish La Liga, German Bundesliga, Italy Serie A, and France Ligue 1 all enter the top 4 teams from the past season, while a lower ranking association such as the Belgian Jupiler League enters 2 teams.
Seven teams earn entrance to the league phase from the qualifying rounds, which consists of 3 qualifying rounds and a play-off round between champions and runner-ups from lower level leagues. The seven qualifying teams are then joined by another 29 teams who gained direct entrance to the league phase. The 36 league phase teams then play 8 games against opponents that are randomly drawn from four pots based on seedings heading into the tournament. The top 8 finishers in the League Phase standings automatically advance to the 16 team knockout round, while the 9th through 24th place finishers play in a knockout phase-playoff to advance to the round of 16. In the knockout round teams play home and away aggregate matches until there are only two teams remaining. The Champions League final is then a single match, winner takes all, played at a predetermined location.
For more information on the Champions League tournament, structure and history check out the Champions League wiki page.