Watched in almost every nation on earth, football continues to be one of the most popular sports and major sporting events across the world. Major tournaments such as the World Cup and the English Premier League have global audiences in the billions and some of the game’s best players have become international icons thanks to the popularity of the beautiful sport.
Not surprisingly, there is huge interest in football betting, as the international sports betting sector has grown considerably in the internet era and the liberalisation of betting markets has enabled more fans than ever before to bet on their favourite teams. But with so many football competitions out there, which are the best to bet on?
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English Premier League
Arguably the wealthiest domestic league in the world of football, the English Premier League offers a combination of history and tradition with the very best in world talent. Like all of the top leagues, it is effectively an international competition, featuring players drawn from all over the world. The history of the Premier League itself goes back to 1888, though it was known as the First Division for most of its history until it was reformed as the Premier League in 1992.
Here's a look at the Premier League table at the midway point through the 1992/1993 season.
Oh how the times have changed! pic.twitter.com/vWMnf0w7Yw
— English Premier League History (@PremierLeagHist) January 21, 2022
That long history means that the big English Premier League teams such as Manchester United, Liverpool, Manchester City and Arsenal, are known around the world, and some of the local rivalries extend over 100 years.
The history of the Premier League ball! 😍
Which one's the best? pic.twitter.com/ecAgFGJedX
— Footy Accumulators (@FootyAccums) August 24, 2016
That combination of high-level competition and history has attracted some true greats, including Thierry Henry, Dennis Bergkamp, Cristiano Ronaldo, Gianfranco Zola, Sergio Aguero and Eric Cantona.
‣ The most goals scored for one club in Premier League history (184)
‣ Fourth in the EPL's all-time top scorers listSergio Aguero, Manchester City and Premier League legend. pic.twitter.com/JPWyuM5f6P
— Sporting Life Football & Infogol (@InfogolApp) December 15, 2021
The Premier League is dominated currently by Manchester City and Liverpool, and bettors who started to wager on Liverpool when Jurgen Klopp became a manager back in 2015 will have reaped plenty of profit, although Arsenal and West Ham have also improved markedly in the last few months.
New report shows 5 EPL Clubs in top 10 biggest spenders on players – @ChelseaFC highest ranking EPL club in 4th position with €769m spent – but who topped the chart overall? Download Masters of the Transfer Market to find out!#Transfers #CFC https://t.co/bQEWgOndLv pic.twitter.com/8CMpZMzYrl
— Off The Pitch (@OffThePitch_com) January 27, 2021
Many football betters have seen huge winnings over the years of betting on the Premier League, and the industry still proves to be just as popular today as football as a sport is constantly growing.
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La Liga
Spanish football’s top-flight competition, known in some places as La Liga, is perhaps best known for being home to two of the biggest teams in global football. Barcelona and Real Madrid have a rivalry that is rooted in politics, culture, history and identity.
🤍 24/07/2000 🤍
🆕👕🇵🇹 #TalDíaComoHoy hace 2⃣0⃣ años, ¡el @realmadrid presentaba al GALÁCTICO @LuisFigo! pic.twitter.com/EtXIMUX1tn
— LaLiga (@LaLiga) July 24, 2020
Traditionally they have also been able to outspend other top European clubs, which means that some of the world’s greatest players and rising ballers have played in Spain. Francesco di Stefano, Ferenc Puskas, Lionel Messi, Luis Figo, Johan Cruyuff, Michael Laudrup and Ronaldo are just a few of the all-time legends to appear in La Liga.
New report shows 5 EPL Clubs in top 10 biggest spenders on players – @ChelseaFC highest ranking EPL club in 4th position with €769m spent – but who topped the chart overall? Download Masters of the Transfer Market to find out!#Transfers #CFC https://t.co/bQEWgOndLv pic.twitter.com/8CMpZMzYrl
— Off The Pitch (@OffThePitch_com) January 27, 2021
While Real Madrid and Barcelona have dominated the honours board for most of the league’s history, there have been spells when other teams have broken up the duopoly. Valencia have had their time in the spotlight and currently, Atletico Madrid and Sevilla have overtaken Barcelona to challenge for the title, so spotting the next team to emerge from the pack can be a lucrative move for bettors.
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Bundesliga
The German top division, the Bundesliga, is another with such a strong following among football fans and football bettors. Despite the fact that the Bundesliga has been dominated by Bayern Munich in recent seasons, there is a high level of competition throughout the league, partly due to the fact that only 18 teams take part, compared to the 20 that play in the top leagues of England, Spain and Italy.
WE. ARE. BACK. 🤩
✍️ __________ is going to be the ⭐️ of the #Bundesliga Rückrunde 👇 pic.twitter.com/4T45ZEuS0t
— Bundesliga English (@Bundesliga_EN) January 7, 2022
With the talent concentrated in fewer teams, the battle for honours is often more intense. Another factor that attracts many football fans is the unique atmosphere of German football.
Most of the top clubs are effectively owned by the fans, which means that the Bundesliga has been able to retain its identity, and to ensure that the interests of fans are at the heart of league decisions. The result is a more fan-friendly competition, with many grounds providing an intense atmosphere.
It's that time of the week ⏱️
We need a new #Bundesliga Twitter header 📷
Who are you picking? 🤔 pic.twitter.com/qiOPWkOnJ3
— Bundesliga English (@Bundesliga_EN) November 15, 2021
Throw in some traditional rivalries and the highly technical yet robust nature of German football and the end result is an enduringly popular football league enjoyed by fans and bettors alike.
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Serie A
Serie A was once regarded as the pinnacle of European football, and the main rival to La Liga when it came to attracting the best players. With a long history of domestic football behind it, Serie A could also boast as many well-known clubs as the English Premier League.
THRILLS are back, 90-minutes ADRENALINE is back, CALCIO is back. ⚽🤩❤️
Let the #SerieATIM 2021/2022 begin! 🔥🔝#WeAreCalcio pic.twitter.com/JzHfqsnRDD
— Lega Serie A (@SerieA_EN) August 21, 2021
The likes of Juventus, AC Milan, Inter Milan, Roma, Lazio and Napoli are famous all around the world, and although there have been periods of one-club dominance, Serie A has historically been an extremely competitive league.
Italian football is usually played at a slower pace and with less money to spend on players than the Premier League and La Liga, Serie A clubs have to be better at spotting new talent, so football bettors can often identify stars of the future in the top Italian division. The football odds online are endless, with so many possibilities for bettors to choose from. When it comes to top players, Serie A has a history that is hard to match.
Elegant and infallible: the law of Marco Van Basten!
Happy birthday 👏🎂#SerieATIM #WeAreCalcio pic.twitter.com/lQVv5OgaQs— Lega Serie A (@SerieA_EN) October 31, 2020
Michel Platini, Diego Maradona, Ronaldo, Ruud Gullit, and Marco Van Basten are just a few of the many legendary players to have delighted Serie A fans over the years.
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Ligue 1
While French football has always produced more than its fair share of talent, the domestic game has not always had the attention it deserves. But that has changed in recent seasons, thanks partly to the huge investment made in Paris St Germain by the team’s owners, which has seen some of the world’s biggest stars come to Paris.
🐐 Welcome to @Ligue1_ENG Lionel Messi! pic.twitter.com/43KWb6fzk2
— Ligue1 English (@Ligue1_ENG) August 10, 2021
Right now, PSG has an astonishing array of talent in their ranks, including Lionel Messi, Neymar and Kylian Mbappe.
The farmers have a new 🐐… pic.twitter.com/4Vd2N52z7v
— Ligue1 English (@Ligue1_ENG) August 10, 2021
The standards they have set in recent years has encouraged other teams to raise their game, and the likes of Lyon and Lille, as well as traditional powerhouses Marseille and Monaco, have been resurgent too, driving up the quality of football and helping to attract a big audience.