It's never too early to start thinking about UEFA Champions League futures. The 2023-24 European Cup may not be handed out until sometime in the end of May or early June, but the preliminary part of the season is already in full swing. We have enough insight into the lay of the land to invest in big picture betting odds for the UEFA Champions League.
Of course, there is some extra risk attached when making European Cup predictions this early into the schedule. Every eligible club, across all groups, has only played six matches at this writing. There’s a lot of season left to play. But the timing is also part of the appeal. The odds to win the UEFA Champions League are still paying out at handsome rates. If you’re looking to potentially win noticeably more than even money, now is the time to strike.
With this in mind, here’s a look at the latest online soccer betting odds for which team will win the 2023-24 European Cup:
Definitely remember to double-check these UEFA Championship League betting odds until you actually submit your prediction. Our European Cup betting odds are accurate entering Thursday, August 17. Since the championship round won’t take place until the end of May or early June 2024, this gives the best online sportsbooks in the USA plenty of time to futz and fiddle with their lines as the season unfolds and they gain more information on both the wagering markets and European Cup landscape.
Once more, however, that’s not stopping us. Read on to see how the European Cup Final works and then take a gander at our best bets to win the UEFA Champions League.
How Does the UEFA Champions League Playoff Picture Work?
As one of the premier soccer leagues in the World, the UEFA Champions League also boasts one of the most complicated playoff structures. Luckily for us, the official UEFA website has a thorough breakdown of how the bracket unfolds and what’s at stake:
“In its present format, the Champions League begins in late June with a preliminary round, three qualifying rounds and a playoff round, all played over two legs. The six surviving teams enter the group stage, joining 26 teams that qualified in advance. The 32 teams are drawn into eight groups of four teams and play each other in a double round-robin system. The eight group winners and eight runners-up proceed to the knockout phase that culminates with the final match in late May or early June.”
Our best bets to win the 2023-24 European Cup will take into account this group structure, which means the standard for selecting more than one team from the same group will be incredibly high.
Also, keep in mind that the European Cup winner automatically qualifies for the Champions League, the UEFA Super Cup and the FIFA Club World Cup.
Should Manchester City be Favored to Win the UEFA Champions League This Season?
Oddsmakers typically show some benefit of the doubt to reigning title winners. That’s happening to some extent with Manchester City (+200), who won the whole thing last year.
Still, this club isn’t exactly coasting. Finishing with two draws thus far is a disappointment, but Manchester City’s plus-12 goal differential is the third highest among all qualifying teams.
We have questions about the durability of the midfield. But overall Manchester City entered the season in a tier of their own. They might still stand alone.
Bayern Munich Might be Laying the Best European Cup Value in the Entire World
This isn't an overstatement. Bayern Munich (+900) feels like a friggin’ steal at 9-to-1 odds.
Many wondered whether they belonged on the same level as Barcelona (+1400) or Real Madrid (+900) entering the start of the preliminary rounds. It turns out Germany’s finest may actually be the best of a trio.
Through six matches, Bayern Munich already has a goal differential of plus-18. That’s pretty darn good for a club facing questions about their offensive firepower.
Why aren’t Oddsmakers Taking Napoli More Seriously?
In the matches we’ve seen with them thus far, Napoli (+2300) has looked like one of the most lethal European Cup contenders. It still feels as if the club is being penalized for losing star centre-back Kim Min-Jae to Bayern Munich following the end of last year.
Make no mistake, he’s a big loss. But Napoli hasn’t yet felt the ramifications. Their 20 goals ranks as the best among all groups. Perhaps that’s unsustainable. Then again, maybe not. Napoli was able to bring back superstar striker Victor Osimhen, and they’ve enjoyed positive development from a number of younger up-and-comers. We believe they’re more authentic contenders than early-season mirages.
Better Bet to Win the 2023-24 European Cup: Inter or Atletico Madrid?
At this writing, both Inter (+2900) and Atletico Madrid (+2900) have 29-to-1 odds to win it all. That feels like a major discrepancy.
Atletico Madrid has opened up the season with a losing record while averaging fewer than one goal per game. It seems as if their offense is suffering from a handful of departures over the offseason.
Inter, meanwhile, is working off a 2022-23 Europe Cup Final appearance. Many doubt their ability to return. They lost goalkeeper Andre Onan to Manchester United, an exit that overshadowed their retaining striker Lautaro Martinez.
Identical odds for these two squads nevertheless feels like a reach. Inter may play in the harder group, with both Bayern Munich and Barcelona by their side. But they are currently the team with a better goal differential and by far the superior batch of passers and scorers.
Who Will Win the 2023-24 UEFA Champions League?
No club has repeated as UEFA Champions League winners since Real Madrid ripped off three straight titles from 2015-16 through 2017-18.
We think Manchester City is about to break that trend.
Never mind the offense, which is churning out more than two goals per match. Manchester City is further buoyed by a weak grouping. Neither Dortmund (+3400) nor Sevilla (+5000) are nearly as good as they are supposed to be. That makes the first part of Manchester City’s season a much lighter, more favorable.
Beyond that, we just trust the star power. Erling Haaland and Rodri are human blurs when moving both with and without the ball, and Julian Alvarez remains one of the best setup men in the world. Based on the performance of Ederson between the posts so far, Manchester City may also have the best collection of goalkeepers around, as well.
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