UEFA Champions League: More than 60% of bets on Real Madrid

Liam Williams Updated: 29 Aug 24 11:58

After their record-extending 15th success last season, bettors are siding with Real Madrid to make it 16 ahead of the 2024/25 UEFA Champions League.

More than 60% of bets have been placed on Los Blancos repeating their efforts from last term, with Manchester City the second-best backed, albeit with just 12% of bets in comparison.

bet365's Steve Freeth said: "Real Madrid consider it their trophy after winning it 15 times and bet365 customers are on the same wavelength with a whopping 63.6% of Outright bets being placed on Carlo Ancelotti's serial winners compared to just 12.4% on the favourites Manchester City, a side that have only won it once in their history compared to one that has won it six times in the last 11 years."

Of course, while Pep Guardiola appears to have found the formula in Europe, making two finals in the last four years, with their only eliminations coming at the hands of Real Madrid, the Spanish giants often seem capable of the supernatural on the continent.

Last season, they were minutes away from elimination in the semi-finals against Bayern Munich, only to score two late goals to knock the German side out, and we all remember how they beat City back in 2022...

As such, it's not easy to oppose Carlo Ancelotti's men, especially with the addition of Kylian Mbappe.

Arsenal are the only other team at a single-figure price but it's Barcelona at 14/1 who are the next best backed team, taking 5% of wagers.

The Catalan club still don't appear fully settled off the pitch despite the arrival of Hansi Flick in the dugout.

The departure of Ilkay Gundogan wasn't ideal, but the replacement in the shape of Dani Olmo looks a coup, and Barca fans may be quietly optimistic of a better run than last season when they were eliminated by PSG after a red card in the second leg sparked a two-goal comeback from the French side.

UEFA Champions League most backed teams

63.61%	Real Madrid
12.42%	Manchester City
5.01%	Barcelona
3.96%	Bayern Munich
3.23%	Arsenal
2.04%	Atletico Madrid
1.97%	Liverpool
1.49%	Bayer Leverkusen
1.47%	Inter Milan
1.08%	Aston Villa