European Glory: A betting guide for the 24/25 Champions League

The UEFA Champions League has been the pinnacle of European football for a long time, which makes it quite popular amongst viewers and football fans worldwide. Every time the Champions League rolls around, people want to get in on the action with their betting, but some still need to be familiar with it.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• The UCL is the biggest club competition in the world, which makes it especially huge for football fans and bettors. 
• The UCL has undergone some changes to its format, so bettors familiar with the old format should know more before betting.

To make your UEFA Champions League predictions successful, have a look at the best tips that can help you learn more about the UCL. Dive into the UCL and the betting journey it can take you here at Gamdom!

What you should know about the new UCL format

The 2024/25 Champions League is a new chapter in the story of the biggest European club competition. Its major change has been taking the 32-team field to 36, which takes it to its most competitive level. 

The group stage has also changed since it was divided into multiple groups in the past, but now, there is a league phase where all 36 teams are pooled together in one big group. Teams are ranked 1st to 36th, influencing the pots they draw their match-ups from. 

Every team plays against eight different clubs in a single-legged match to score as many goals as possible to boost the goal difference. However, the biggest achievement should be winning as it means three points and a better spot in the league table. 

There will be a Knockout Play-offs stage for the clubs ranked 9th to 24th to decide who joins the top eight in the knockout phase. That proceeds as normal, as it is a single-elimination bracket with two matches every match-up, and a Final game at the end of the bracket to decide the winner. That is the structure you should know when you bet on UEFA Champions League 2024 markets, so be prepared!

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The Champions League betting tips you need

Now that you have become more familiar with the Champions League’s format, look forward to some bets you can make and know more about the UEFA betting side. Here are some tips that could elevate your betting to the next level: 

Stay up to date with the dealings in the transfer market

You should always be on top of the dealings in the transfer market amongst the UCL clubs. They are important in gauging the quality of the teams since adding players to a team could lead to being one of the best sides in European football. 

Think of how Erling Haaland’s arrival at Manchester City changed their fortunes in Europe, as they won the UEFA Champions League for the first time, and made it a treble after winning the Premier League and FA Cup. However, you should also look at some high-profile exits as that could also change the fate of a club but on a negative trajectory.

Make sure you look into the injury reports before betting

When you are preparing your research ahead of a game, you should always consider the injury report and see which players are active or missing out on the match. This could change the trajectory of a match, so it’s essential to check it.

As long as you know which players are important, you should also look into their status ahead of a game, and adjust from there. Look at those reports and make your bet after you analyse everything alluding to an injury and their timetables.

Analyse the UCL fixtures list before betting

Before you decide to bet on the UCL, you should also look at their fixtures list before you bet. That could be important since they have to prepare for other fixtures, so they might play harder in a specific game than most. 

Check out the clubs’ form across their competitions

As you traverse the fixture list, look into the clubs’ form in their domestic leagues and cup competitions. By knowing this, you can get a good understanding of their play styles and their preferences when it comes to match-ups. 

Checking can help with your bets since you are paying more attention to other leagues, as all the clubs' results could influence their UCL performance.

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The favourites in the Champions League

Identifying who will likely win is essential when making bets so you can become more aware of what bets you can make. Here are the UEFA Champions League favorites you should know about: 

Real Madrid

The reigning champions and the club that holds the record for most UCL trophies, Real Madrid is a natural choice as a favourite for this tournament. They already have strengthened their squad with new additions, but none are bigger than the addition of Kylian Mbappé.

The attacking talent on this squad involves Vinícius Jr., Rodrygo, Jude Bellingham, and Mbappé leading the line. Madrid has the pedigree of champions, especially in this tournament where they are specialists. Expect Madrid to be superb with their talent and tactically with Carlo Ancelotti.

Manchester City

The English giants have been one of the most successful clubs over the past decade, and their Champions League runs have been superb. They might have only won once in 2023, but they are one of the most talented teams. With Pep Guardiola at the helm, this club cannot be counted out since they are tactically superior to most opponents.

The team includes world-class players, so you can always rely on Man City to win your bets since there are plenty of amazing rewards for getting the bet right. Players like Erling Haaland should be on your radar, as they can prove everyone wrong in the UCL.

Arsenal 

England’s second-best team is a dark horse to win this competition because they have the talent to keep up with everyone else. The club has been one of the best over the past few years and their trajectory has continued to improve year-on-year. 

With Mikel Arteta at the helm, this club is ready to compete for major trophies with the amazing football they play on both ends of the pitch. Players like Bukayo Saka and Martin Ødegaard lead this team, but their defenders like Gabriel Magalhães and William Saliba are the most challenging defenders to play against.

Players you should keep an eye on in the Champions League

It’s better to have a good idea of the best players behind your bets, as that could lead to making informed betting decisions. Here are some players who could become integral to your wagers:

Kylian Mbappé (Real Madrid)

Real is the biggest club in the Champions League, but with the addition of Mbappé, they are the clear favourites to win. Since Kylian is considered the greatest player in the world at the moment, his goal-scoring and playmaking could be the key to Madrid’s potential success for this team. 

It will be a challenging match-up for any defender since he has an unreal pace and possesses a superb skill set. Mbappé is also one of the most clinical finishers out there, which means Madrid has a strong player who could finish off their chances, considering the rest of the team is filled with playmakers who could create for him.

Bukayo Saka (Arsenal)

The Arsenal team can go as far as they can be due to Saka leading the team. He is their creative force from the right wing who can also score plenty of goals. Arsenal is centred on him, as the system revolves around his skill set as a creative winger, who could do everything asked of him. 

Expect Saka to be a major force for Arsenal as they look to win their first-ever Champions League trophy. They might not have the pedigree just yet, but Saka’s stardom could lead to some of the best results in the long run.

Erling Haaland (Man City)

The Norwegian is the best goalscorer in the world, who could be the difference between a win or not. His size makes him a handful for any defender since he could be physical with them and win his duels. It is one of the toughest tasks to defend Haaland because he has everything a centre-forward should have. 

Haaland has the winner’s pedigree, so he and Man City are perfect for competitions like this. Keep a close eye on his numbers and look for match-ups to discover the best rewards.

How to bet on the UEFA Champions League at Gamdom

Now that you are more aware of the Champions League factors, check out the steps for betting at Gamdom. Follow them below: 

1. Sign in to your Gamdom account and go to the ‘Sports betting’ tab.
2. Click the ‘Sports’ tab in the upper-left corner to open a separate menu. 
3. Navigate through the menu and find Football. Click it and then navigate to find ‘Champions League’.
4. You have multiple matches to bet on. Browse the markets and select which one you want to bet on. 
5. Browse the markets and find the one that best fits what you are looking for. Your selection will appear on the Bet Slip found on the right-hand side. 
6. Enter the amount you wish to bet on that chosen market and finalise it by clicking the ‘Place bet’ button to submit your wager.

Popular Champions League betting markets at Gamdom

Now that you know more about the Champions League process, you should know what kind of betting markets you are going to be predicting. Here are the top markets: 

• Match winner: Predict which team will win the match. You can choose the draw if you think that can happen.
• Total: Gamdom gives you a specific number, and you must predict if the total of goals scored will be over or under the number.
• Handicap: Level the playing field between the favourite and the underdog. Predict if the favourite can beat the point spread while the underdog just has to close the gap or they can outright win.
• Both to score: A yes or no market where you must predict whether both clubs will score a goal.
• Club to score: This is exclusively for a club, as you predict whether they score a goal or not.
• Correct score: Predict the exact scoreline for the match. 
• Match result and total: This combines the match result prediction with an over or under prediction for the score relating to the number given.

UEFA Champions League betting odds at Gamdom

With the six types of odds here at Gamdom, you can calculate the amount of payout to win and have better game predictions. You can cycle through the different types of UEFA Champions League odds by clicking the drop-down settings menu on the right side of your screen.

Here are the odds at Gamdom: 

• Decimal odds: This is expressed in decimal form like 1.25. The payout is calculated by multiplying the stake by the 1.25 odds.
• American odds: A potential profit from a US$100 bet is indicated by the positive (+) odds while negative (-) odds show what you need to bet to get a US$100 payout.
• Fractional odds: This number is the potential payout based on your stake, as 5/3 represents a US$5 payout for every US$3 wager. 
• Hong Kong odds: The positive (+) odds help indicate the payout from a US$1 bet while the negative (-) HK odds represent the stake you must place to get the $1 reward.
• Malaysian odds: It is also expressed in decimal format but with plus (+) and minus (-) signs. The former indicates the underdogs while the latter are the favourites. 
• Indonesian odds: These odds help you indicate the payout for every IDR 100 wager. The favourite has a negative (-) symbol while no sign shows the underdog. If you wager 100 IDR with the odds of 1.25, your potential winnings is 125 IDR. 

Enjoy betting on the Champions League at Gamdom

Now that you know how you can place football bets at Gamdom, you can enjoy the Champions League more. You can even become part of the King of the Hill promotion with your bets, which can lead to even better rewards. Maximise your Gamdom betting experience with the bets you can place at the UCL!

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