Champions League: Outright Betting Predictions & Tips for 2025/26

The top European leagues are all back up and running, and that means that we are getting closer to the next big red circle in the calendar: the start of the Champions League.

As a reminder, the format has changed from the previous traditional 'groups' and teams now play eight games. There was certainly a bit more drama last year, but there are still questions about the new layout.

Nevertheless, let's take a look at the teams and tips.

Champions League 2025/26 Winners - Odds and Tips

The Champions League is so difficult to call; there are several factors to consider, which make it a really difficult landscape to assess properly. Of course, we can sit for hours and find a few things of note.

However, even the biggest teams can succumb to upsets, and last year's final was a great example of two teams who profited as a result. Paris Saint-Germain and Inter were both overlooked a little bit before the competition, yet both reached the final and looked pretty solid in doing so.

The two teams overcame several 'favourites' along the way and looked strong doing so. Anyways, less of the overlook and let's look at the teams.

Only nine teams have retained the Champions League in consecutive seasons, but I am slightly tempted to back PSG to do it again this season. The French giants have a young squad and could well continue in their brilliance.

Luis Enrique is an exceptional manager, and that was proven again last season. His squad, too, are fun and exciting. There are several reasons to back them for this alone, but there is also just the undeniable quality of all parties that makes it difficult to overlook them.

I was, in honesty, a little surprised to see them priced above the favourites this year, all things considered. So, at the price of 13/2, there is definitely some interest from me here.

I'm struggling to really find much value in the top of the market, really, and that is why I am more tempted to look at a few of the bigger prices. Liverpool are a fantastic team, but I have concerns about how the team actually works.

Barcelona look really solid, but I think that they should maybe be a little bit of a higher price than 6/1 to really be an attractive bet right now, at least for me.

My next selection, then, is going to be Manchester City, who are currently at 11/1 with Betway and as low as 8/1 in some places. Frankly speaking, the Citizens have not started the Premier League season brilliantly.

However, they have a brilliant squad and at the price, I am really quite interested in them winning the Champions League once again. Pep Guardiola has faced more questions than ever recently. What would be a better way to bounce back?

Past them, the prices start to jump really high quite quickly. Nevertheless, this can offer us some value elsewhere, which I am going to take a look at.

Champions League 2025/26 Top 8 - Odds and Tips

In our league previews, we looked at promotion, or the top four spots in this section, and we are going to divert slightly. Unfortunately, there are no odds for a side to reach a certain part of the competition.

This means you can bet on winners or clubs to finish within the Top 8 of the League Stage. So, we are going to do the latter and look at some sides that could finish within the top eight.

To preface this section, the odds feel a lot more generous than they did last season, so prices like 4/5 and 8/11 for PSG and Manchester City to get a Top Eight spot feel really tempting. Of course, these can be partnered with other things too to boost value.

However, I am going to avoid them for now and focus on other selections, given that I have already spoken highly of them. Though I will say that Arsenal should be well in contention for a spot, 8/15 does not look awful.

Last season, 16 points were enough to get into the top eight, and I would not be surprised if it was the same this season. So I am going to try to focus on teams that can achieve this value from some 'easier' fixtures.

I'm going to start with Tottenham Hotspur, who are 2/1 with some bookmakers to get a spot in the Top Eight, and I cannot really believe this price. At this stage, it is more important, I feel, to consider their fixtures than quality.

Villarreal, Bodo/Glimt, Monaco, København, Slavia Praha and Frankfurt are some lovely fixtures for the Lilywhites, and I think this could offer them a fantastic chance of the top eight this season. Even if they do also play PSG and Borussia Dortmund.

It would not even surprise me if they got more than the 16 points that may be required, in all honesty.

Juventus are also a bit of an intrigue for me; they have been given quite a nice draw, featuring Bødo/Glimt and Pafos, which should be six points already. Then, barring the Real Madrid fixture, they should at least contest several other games.

Sporting CP, Benfica, Villarreal, Monaco and Borussia Dortmund are not awful fixtures, so they should pick up the odd few points from these too. At 3/1, I quite like their chances; that 16-point mark should be fairly easy to reach, at least on paper.

If anyone fancies a bit of a longer punt, I am not completely against Monaco as a shout, given they have a few nicer fixtures and have a good price at 7/1, at the time of writing.

The big reasoning is their draw is very mixed; they face Bødo/Glimt, Pafos and Galatasaray. However, their other fixtures are very tough. You'd imagine that they'd quite easily get a 9-24 spot, which is priced at 8/11, which I think is value too.

Champions League 2025/26 Top Goalscorer - Odds and Tips

We had a bit of success with the 'Top Goalscorer' markets in the Champions League last season, and I hope that the same can follow us again here. However, it is certainly a little difficult to really get them locked down.

Using last year's stats is difficult because the Golden Boot amount rose, so we don't know if that is going to become the new norm or an anomaly. Either way, I have tried to base my picks on the fixtures in the Group and how far each team could go.

If you are trying to find your own best bets, consider looking at the 'League Phase' fixtures, where they could finish - arguably a 9-24 finish could be best here, as you automatically get 10 games from that player, if they play every game - and then their chances of making it far.

The obvious candidate, to me at least, is Erling Haaland. I think City will do really well and the Norwegian has already shown signs of his menacing self this season. His fixtures represent some nice opportunities, too.

At 13/2, it is a price of intrigue and I think with the four E/W places, it stands out to me as a bet that could do really well this season. However, it is not the only idea that I am really considering for the campaign.

At 25/1, the E/W value of Joao Pedro of Chelsea screams out to me. The Brazilian will likely be a more advanced player for the Blues this season, thanks to injuries, and I can see him racking up a good goal tally in the table stage.

Benfica, Ajax, Qarabag and Pafos are some great chances for goals, and he could hit a really decent number from them alone. However, I also think he could nab a few in the other four games, whilst Chelsea should do well enough in the competition.

25/1, therefore, sticks out as some great E/W value in my mind.

Elsewhere, Viktor Gyokeres' fixtures and Arsenal's chances probably make 15/1 a nice price E/W for his chances of being the top goalscorer. Additionally, Juventus' Jonathan David could do quite well. Last season, he got seven goals in 10 games for Lille, so 66/1 is quite a nice price E/W for us to look at, if you want a long shot.