The 2021-22 football season has arrived and there is no sweeter feeling for fans and bettors all over the world.
By August 14th, most major European leagues will have kicked off and these are the competitions that attract the most viewers and wagers.
Online betting is widely available across Europe, plus various states in the USA where ‘soccer’ is a growing sport. Canadians can also wager on the top leagues on betting sites such as Sports Interaction.
Below are the best leagues for betting throughout the campaign, in terms of both pre-season outright futures bets and week-to-week action.
Premier League
The English Premier League is the most watched domestic competition in the world, and with good reason.
It is home to some of the biggest clubs on the planet, including Manchester City, Chelsea, Liverpool, and Manchester United, all of whom are looking strong and expected to challenge for honours this season.
City are the favourites, but their rivals have strengthened and it could be a lot closer than 2020-21. The champions get their title defence under way against Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday, August 15th.
La Liga
Football may never be the same in Spain without Lionel Messi in the league, but even without the great Argentine, a fascinating title race beckons, as it does every year.
Real Madrid vs Barcelona is considered the main rivalry in Spain, and they are the top two in the betting market, but Atletico Madrid can never be ruled out as they proved last season.
It is sure to be very close between the three, and any time they meet each other, it lends itself to some interesting betting angles – particularly around yellow cards.
What will also be interesting is the race for the fourth and final Champions League spot, with at least five teams in with a genuine chance.
Serie A
Last season, Inter Milan finally ended Juventus’ run of nine consecutive league titles, and those are the two teams expected to contest the championship this year, too.
Despite finishing fourth and only just sneaking into the Champions League, Juventus are as short as Evens with some sportsbooks to regain the Coppa Campioni d’Italia.
Inter – minus the Chelsea-bound Romelu Lukaku – are at 3/1, while Atalanta, who have finished third in each of the last three seasons, are at 5/1 to take a leap forward and win Serie A.
Ligue 1
All eyes will be on Paris Saint-Germain with Lionel Messi set to join what will be a frightening front three with Neymar Jr and Kylian Mbappe.
Somehow, Lille pipped PSG to the Ligue 1 title last year but it seems almost inconceivable that something similar could happen again. The best price on PSG returning to their perch is 1/7.
Even though the title race could be over quickly, it will be fascinating watching Messi at a new club, and the betting props on a weekly basis will be worth following.
Bundesliga
Like in France, a close title race is not expected in Germany with Bayern Munich at 1/6 to make it 10 in a row, but Borussia Dortmund are one of the most popular teams to watch in Europe even if they may perhaps fall short again.
Marco Rose has taken over as manager at Die Borussen, and more importantly, they have managed to keep Erling Haaland at the club for now.
Known for high-scoring games, attacking football, and noisy crowds, the Bundesliga is one of the most enjoyable competitions to watch and bet on.