If you primarily care about English or German soccer, then you might focus your betting on the Premier League and the Bundesliga, respectively. However, if you are passionate about European football in general, then your favored tournament gambling should be the UEFA Champions League.
A tournament that pits the best teams from each of Europe’s leagues against one another, the Champions League frequently delivers some of the most exciting and unpredictable action in the entire sports world.
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So how can you get in on the action and start betting on the Champions League? Read on for a few key pointers.
Understand the tournament format
Every year, 32 teams from around Europe are drawn into the Champions League tournament depending on 1) their domestic league performances from the year before, or 2) a series of qualifying rounds. The draw usually occurs in late August and splits the 32 teams into eight groups of four. The teams in each group then compete in a round-robin fashion, with each team playing every other team in the group twice. Teams get points for victories or draws in this round robin tournament, but no points for losses. After all the match-ups are finished, the two teams with the most points in each group progress to the knockout stage.
The knockout stage follows a classic tournament bracket style, with a round of 16, a quarter-final, a semi-final, and a final. In each round, teams are drawn against one another to compete in two match-ups—one at home and one away. The team with the highest aggregate goal score at the end of the two matches progresses to the next round. The exception is the final round, which consists of just one championship match between the two teams left standing.
Understand your betting opportunities
Champions League betting can take several different forms, depending on your preference. You can make outright bets and put money on the team you expect to win the Champions League. You can also place match bets, where you predict the result or even bet on how many goals a particular team will score.
These types of betting are available in most soccer contests. The Champions League also offers some exciting bonuses, thanks to its format. During the group stage, for example, you can bet on who will finish at the top of each group (or, if you prefer, at the bottom). Alternatively, if you prefer tracking specific players through the action of a sporting tournament, you can bet on who you expect will be the top goal scorer for the Champions League by the time the competition comes to an end.
Watch for good odds
The fun thing about the Champions League is that it is so competitive. All the world’s best football leagues (and the world’s best football players) are a part of this contest each year. As a result, you can get decent odds even if you are betting on a heavyweight team. For instance, Real Madrid has won the tournament 11 times (a record) and are the current holders of the title, after winning in 2016. Still, for the 2016-17 incarnation of the tournament, you could pick up 6-1 odds on Real Madrid—just because other heavyweight teams (like Barcelona, Bayern Munich, and Juventus) can never be counted out.
Just like you would if you were on an online casino like Netbet, you should watch for good odds throughout the Champions League season. Unlike the Premier League, you don’t have to place your outright bets from the outset of the tournament. Instead, you can watch a few weeks of Champions League action and then bet on a team to win. Be careful, though: while waiting could help you make up your mind, it might also mean you get shorter odds than you would have with an earlier bet.
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