The Champions League is the top club competition in the World, so it isn’t surprising that Champions League betting in the UK is huge.
If you enjoy having a punt on the Champions League, this page makes for essential reading.
You’ll find a treasure trove of useful information on things like previous winners, expert betting advice and a list of the top bookmakers.
Top 7 Champions League Betting Sites
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Top 3 Champions League Betting Sites Up Close
This is where we look at our top 3 Champions League online bookies in much greater detail. We explain exactly what makes them a solid choice for Champions League punters. For us, some of the most important factors include the quality of Champions League betting odds, the range of available markets and the availability of live betting. To find out more keep on reading…
bet365
If you are on the lookout for a top-notch Champions League betting site, your search could be over. Bet365 have established themselves as a favourite betting site with both novices and experts alike and you won’t find many better bookies for betting on the Champions League. Bet365 have some of the best betting odds Champions League.
They run occasional promotions for the Champions League and we couldn’t help but be impressed by the range of markets you can pick from too (over 150). So, whether you are a newcomer to betting on the Champions League or a more experienced punter, bet365 has everything you need.
Unibet
This is one of the fastest-growing Champions League betting sites in the UK. Unibet’s reputation is growing in these parts and they are one of the best bookies for betting on Europe’s premier club football competition. If you are looking for a bookie with some excellent Champions League promotions and a high-class live-betting suite, Unibet fits the bill.
You’ll almost certainly find the Champions League market you are looking for at Unibet. They have well over 300 different markets for every single Champions League match, more than twice as many as bet365. You’ll also find lots of useful Champions League betting tips on the Unibet blog if you are searching for inspiration. If you are looking for a solid Champions League all-rounder, Unibet is an excellent choice.
BetVictor
It is safe to say that the vast majority of punters in the UK will be familiar with BetVictor. One of Britain’s leading high street bookies, they have been around since 1946. They are far from old fashioned though and for us, BetVictor is one of the best Champions League betting sites around.
BetVictor have a decent selection of Champions League pre-match markets, their odds are more than competitive and while it may not be to everyone’s taste, we liked the design of their desktop site. BetVictor have custom apps for Android and iOS and their web app works beautifully if you visit on your mobile browser. The general lack of promotions is a slight negative but overall, BetVictor is a Champions League betting site that is well worth a second look.
How does Champions League Betting Work?
Champions League betting is a piece of cake. It really is easy to start betting online on the Champions League, as you will soon find out. Once you have a betting account and some funds, betting on the Champions League couldn’t be any simpler. Check out our step by step guide to see exactly how to place bets on the Champions League below…
- First up, you need to open an account (bet365, Unibet and BetVictor are recommended by our experts).
- Head to the bookie via one of our links and register your new account.
- Make a deposit and head to the Champions League betting section.
- Make your selection, enter your stake and hit place bet!
UEFA Champions League Live Betting
Pre-match betting on the Champions League is fun, but Champions League live betting brings the excitement to another level. It really doesn’t get much better than sitting at home watching the match and placing bets on your desktop or mobile device. Our favourite bookie for live-betting on the Champions League is Unibet.
First of all, they have over 70 in-play Champions League betting markets for all the biggest games. The Unibet mobile and desktop live betting suites are very similar in design and that makes it easier when switching platforms. It only takes a couple of clicks to place a live bet and that is a big plus as speed is vital when betting in-play on football. Find out more about Unibet’s live suite in our review.
Champions League Live Streaming
Unfortunately, Unibet do not have the rights to offer Champions League live streaming on their site. You can still catch plenty of Champions League matches live on TV though so you’ll be able to bet in-play on both desktop and mobile while you watch the game at home or in the pub with your mates. Unibet have live streaming of other sports as well as live football streaming from some of Europe’s biggest leagues. However, for the moment at least, no Champions League live streaming is available with any UK Champions League betting sites.
Champions League Format
For smaller clubs, the Champions League adventure starts in June with a preliminary round. This is followed by three 2-leg qualifying rounds and a final play-off round. Six teams advance from this stage to the Group Stages where some of the biggest clubs in World football await. In total 32 teams are split into groups of 4 and each team plays each other home and away. Champions League betting odds are available for all prelim and qualifying matches.
The top 2 teams from each group advance to the knockout stages while the 3rd placed teams go into the Europa League. The remaining 16 teams play out the knockout stages over two legs and the final two teams standing contest the Champions League final. The winners of the final automatically qualify for the following season’s Champions League, as well as for the Super Cup and Club World Cup.
Champions League Betting Markets
In this section we look at a few different Champions League betting markets. First of all you will see our risk table which shows the risk level associated with each market and whether it is more suitable for novices or experts. You will then find out how each listed market works and we will also give you some advice on how best to approach them and hopefully generate some profit. If you want to know more, keep on reading…
Betting Market | Risk Level | Recommended For |
Outright Winner | 3/5 | Beginners |
Group Stage Betting | 2/5 | Casual/Beginners |
Anytime Goalscorer Betting | 4/5 | Advanced |
Corner Betting | 2/5 | Expert |
⚽ Champions League Outright Betting
This is a market that the vast majority of punters will be familiar with. It is a mid-risk market and it is a good starting point for beginners. You bet on who you think will win the final outright and it usually pays to focus on the top Champions League clubs. If you are going to have a bet on this market, make sure you hunt down the best Champions League winners odds as Different bookies can have very different opinions about the same team.
That is why it is worth shopping around for the best Champions League outright odds. Each way betting is also available in this market and if you are backing a team at a big price then going each way makes sense. Most bookies pay out 1/2 odds for 1-2 places, so if your team reaches the final you’ll be guaranteed a return.
⚽ Group Stage Betting
Once the 32 participants are finalised after the preliminary and qualifying rounds, the draw is made (see more below in our section on the Champions League format). The teams are seeded into 4 different bands and the seedings are determined by recent Champions League performances. You can expect to see teams like Liverpool, Real Madrid, Barcelona and Bayern Munich as top seeds and more often than not they will be very short odds to win their respective groups.
A better option for punters who want to get a bet on at decent odds would be in the ‘To Qualify From The Group’ market. Here, you only need the team you back to finish in the top 2 and qualify for the next stage. This market is available from most of the Champions League betting sites mentioned on this page. Every year there is usually at least one or two surprise packages that make it to the knockout stages and if you can spot the most likely candidates, you could be quids in!
⚽ Anytime Goalscorer
This is a very good market for those with plenty of Champions League betting experience. The more games you watch the better you’ll get to know the players and this makes finding value in the anytime goalscorer market a real possibility. The first goalscorer market is another option but that is a lot riskier and finding winners is a lot more difficult.
If you want to increase the amount of winning anytime goalscorer bets you place, make sure to put in the time doing research. As you will see in our expert advice section later on, you should utilise as many information resources as you can related to goalscoring stats. The better informed you are, the more likely it is you’ll make betting on Anytime Goalscorer markets pay.
⚽ Corner Betting
There are a number of different totals or over/under Champions League betting markets for punters to pick from. With bet365, for example, you can bet on the total number of goals, cards and Unibet even have betting on the total number of fouls and offsides. In the Corner betting market you have a number of options to pick from.
The bookie nominates the number of corners they think will be scored in a Champions League match, 10 for example. You bet on whether there will be more (over) or less (under) than 10 and you can also bet on there being exactly 10. Other corners markets include Corner Match Betting (which team will have more), handicap corner betting, amount of corners by either team or you can even bet on the time the first corner will be awarded. It is an alternative way to approach Champions League betting and it can be a profitable one too if you play your cards right.
Past Champions League Winners
Season | Winner | Runner Up |
2019 | Liverpool | Tottenham Hotspur |
2018 | Real Madrid | Liverpool |
2017 | Real Madrid | Juventus |
2016 | Real Madrid | Atletico Madrid |
2015 | Barcelona | Juventus |
Champions League Stats
Originally known as the European Cup, the Champions League has been won by a total of 22 different clubs. The most successful team in the history of the competition is Real Madrid who have won the Champions League 13 times. Their local rivals Atletico Madrid hold the dubious record of being the only team to reach the final on three occasions without winning it. You can find out more about the best teams in our top Champions League clubs section.
Liverpool are the most successful team from the UK with 6 Champions League wins. Plenty will be looking for odds on Liverpool to win Champions League again this season. Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi lead the all-time scoring charts and they aren’t finished yet. The 17 goals scored by Cristiano Ronaldo in 2013/14 remains the record amount scored in a single Champions League campaign.
Most Champions League Wins
Team | No. Of Wins |
Real Madrid | 13 |
AC Milan | 7 |
Liverpool | 6 |
Bayern Munich | 5 |
Barcelona | 5 |
Ajax | 4 |
Inter Milan | 3 |
Manchester United | 3 |
Juventus | 2 |
Benfica | 2 |
Champions League Top Goalscorers
- Cristiano Ronaldo – 128 Goals
- Lionel Messi – 114 Goals
- Raul – 71 Goals
- Robert Lewandowski – 64 Goals
- Karim Benzema – 64 Goals
- Ruud Van Nistelrooy – 56 Goals
- Thierry Henry – 50 Goals
- Alfredo Di Stefano – 49 Goals
- Andriy Shevchenko – 48 Goals
- Zlatan Ibrahimovic – 48 Goals
Top Clubs in the UEFA Champions League
Here we will look at some of the top Champions League clubs in Europe in more detail. As you can see from our Most Champions League wins table, some clubs have a much better record than others. Only five clubs have won the Champions League five times or more and they are usually at the top of the Champions League final betting market every season. Keep reading to learn more about the best Champions League clubs…
Real Madrid
No of titles: 13
Top Scorer: Cristiano Ronaldo
There is no doubting the fact that Real Madrid are by far and away the best Champions League team of all time. The La Liga outfit have reached the final on no less than 16 occasions and only lost 3 deciders, lifting the trophy on 13 occasions. That is just under double the total of their nearest rivals AC Milan. Cristiano Ronaldo is the club’s record scorer in the Champions League with 105 goals. He is also the record goalscorer in the Champions League overall. Former goalkeeper Iker Casillas has made the most appearances for the club in Europe with 162. If you fancy backing them to win La Liga, check out our guide to La Liga.
AC Milan
No of titles: 7
Top Scorer: Filippo Inzaghi
The second most successful team in the Champions League is AC Milan with 7 wins. They first lifted the famous trophy in 1963 when they beat Benfica in the final. They last won the Champions League in 2007. Pippo Inzaghi, the striker that Alex Ferguson described as being born offside, is their joint leading scorer with 29 goals alongside Andriy Shevchenko. Paolo Maldini holds the record for the most appearances for AC Milan in the Champions League with a total of 113.
Liverpool
No of titles: 6
Top Scorer: Steven Gerrard
The 2019 UEFA Champions League winners, Liverpool have a rich tradition in Europe’s top competition. They are the most successful side in England with a total of 6 wins, 3 more than their nearest rivals Manchester United. Red legend Steven Gerrard holds the record for most goals in the Champions League for Liverpool with 30. Jamie Carragher has made the most appearances in the Champions League with 91, 5 more than Gerrard. You can check out more stats on the Liverpool official website.
Bayern Munich
No of titles: 5
Top Scorer: Robert Lewandowski
Bayern Munich are the only German team to make this list. They are five time European Champions with their last triumph coming in 2012/13. Their dominant team in the 1970s won it 3 times in a row between 1973 and 1976. Robert Lewandowski is their leading scorer in the Champions League with an impressive total of 47 goals in just 58 games and there should be more to come in the future from him. Thomas Muller has scored 44 goals for the club and he holds the record for most appearances with 111.
Barcelona
No of titles: 5
Top Scorer: Lionel Messi
It is pretty surprising that Barcelona have only won the Champions League 5 times. When you think about some of the stars that have played at the club it is a disappointing return. The likes of Cruyff, Ronaldinho, Rivaldo and Xavi all starred for Barca over the years, but the main man in recent years has been record scorer Lionel Messi (114 goals). Xavi has the most appearances in the Champions League with 151 but Messi is only 10 behind and could overtake him in the coming seasons.
Expert Advice: Champions League Betting Tips
We already gave you some tips on how to place a Champions League bet above. Once you have picked out the Champions League market you want to bet on, it is then time to take heed of the advice and tips offered up by our experts in this section. If you want to have a proper chance of producing a profit from Champions League betting, the next few paragraphs are well worth a read…
- ⚽ Get the Best Odds When you are betting on the Champions League there are lots of variables you cannot control. One thing you can control is the odds you take and it is vital that you get the best price at your chosen Champions League betting site for every bet you place. If you are betting on the decider, make sure you get the best Champions League final odds before you put your money down.
- ⚽ Experience is Vital Once the Champions League reaches the Group Stages, things get serious. Some teams take a couple of seasons to adjust to the pace, no matter how good their players are. Man City, for example, struggled early on in the Champions League despite their domestic dominance. So, don’t be afraid to oppose favourites, especially away from home, if they lack experience at this level.
- ⚽ Get Informed Given the massive amount of free sites where Champions League stats can be accessed it would be stupid not to make full use of them. If you are planning on backing a player to score first, look back at previous results and UCL statistics on the official Champions League site. If you are betting on card markets you should check disciplinary stats and suspensions at Transfermarkt.
Champions League Betting FAQs
Where can I bet on the Champions League?
If you are looking for a Champions League betting site then you won’t go too far wrong with the ones that make our top 7 Champions League betting sites list. For us, bet365 is probably one of the best bookies for both Champions League novices and experts alike but you should also check BetVictor and Unibet out as they have their strong points too.
Can I bet on the winner after the Champions League has already started?
Yes, you will be able to get Champions League winner odds well after it has started. In fact, theoretically you can bet on the winner right up until the last minute of the final thanks to Champions League live betting. If you want to get odds on Liverpool to win Champions League then you can wait until after the Group Stage to have a bet.
Which team is likely to win the Champions League?
Premier League heroes Liverpool are the current team to beat. They justified short Champions League winner odds 2019 and it would take a brave person to bet against Jurgen Klopp’s men to lift the trophy again in the future. In fact, plenty of punters will be looking for Liverpool to win Premier League and Champions League odds next season. Our recent Champions League winners table shows that Real Madrid are a force to be reckoned with too.
Who is the most successful team in the Champions League?
As you can see in our table of most frequent Champions League winners, Real Madrid are the most successful team in Champions League history. They have won the trophy 13 times in total and they have finished runners up on 3 occasions too. For those who are interested in Champions League betting, outright and pre-match, Real Madrid are often worth backing.