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

The Champions League is back, and that means the Europa League is only shortly behind. So, that means there are more chances to fill our weeks with value.

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.

Europa League 2025/26 Winners - Odds and Tips

European competitions are never easy to call, as we all should know by now. Nevertheless, we can certainly try to get a few predictions that should be well-suited to doing well this season.

I'm going to start in the Midlands and put forward Aston Villa to win the competition. As of right now, the Villains are the favourite to win the Europa League, and it is difficult to look past them in all honesty.

They have certainly not started brilliantly, which could be off-putting. So, in fact, it may be worth looking at them next week if their poor Premier League form continues. However, the price of 13/2 is stable enough now.

Unai Emery has won the Europa League four times, which is a record in itself. In fact, his teams are associated with their runs in these competitions more than any others. So, I think they should do quite well.

Past them, I think the market offers us a bit of value. I quite like the idea of Roma, who are managed by Gian Piero Gasperini, who won the competition with Atalanta in 2023/24. However, I think there could be an Italian team that are more attractive to back.

That would be Bologna, who are only just higher at 12/1, which I feel could be a tad overpriced, dare I say...

In Vincenzo Italiano's past three seasons, he has been runner-up in the Coppa Italia and UEFA Conference League, and then, the season after, he finished as a runner-up in the Conference League again, both times with Fiorentina.

Last season, he moved to the Rossoblu and won the Coppa Italia in his first year. He is currently establishing himself as one of Italy's best coaches.

The Bologna story as a whole is fantastic, even without Italiano; they qualified for the Champions League in the season before, and they keep achieving milestones that are seemingly above their level.

It would be fair to suggest that they are one of Italy's best-run clubs, and a strong run in Europe's secondary competition would not really be a surprise to me.

Europa 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 there are certainly some shorter prices which I like the look of. For example, Bologna to qualify via the Top Eight is 1/1, whilst Roma are 8/11.

However, in the interest of value, I am only going to be looking at Evens and beyond. Only five teams are below that price right now, so I think there could certainly be a lot of value to be found this season.

Last season, 14 points got you into the top eight, so I am going to be starting around that mark with teams, or teams that I think could push for that points tally.

I'm going to start with Lyon, who are just pushing it to get into this list at 1/1. However, sometimes there are prices which are too good to look away from, and I think this is one of them.

In Ligue 1, they have started phenomenally, winning three of their opening four games, and only succumbing in their fourth after a red card in the 75th minute. Until that point, they held a 1-0 lead against Rennes.

Last year, they surpassed the 14-point mark and made it into the Top Eight, losing just one game, and I can see the same happening here. Facing Utrecht, Salzburg, Basel, Maccabi Tel-Aviv, Go Ahead Eagles, Young Boys and Paok present too good an opportunity.

In fact, I'd even be slightly tempted on a bet for them to win the League Phase, given that price is 14/1.

For a more value-centred pick, Celtic look good at 14/5, and I'm surprised they are not a little lower. They have won four of their five Scottish Premiership games so far, and whilst they were knocked out of the Champions League by Kairat, I think they are a very strong side still.

In fact, that event has probably knocked their price a little, and we could capitalise here.

Crvena Zezda, Sturm Graz, Midtjylland and Utrecht are games that the Bhoys will be expected to win. However, they are also likely to put in shifts against Braga and Feyenoord. Again, if they can hit the 14-point mark, they should be good to qualify.

Now, I know that I've just included Midtjylland in the 'should beat' area for Celtic. However, I am eyeing up that 9/1 price offered for a Top Eight spot quite a lot.

So far, they have won four of their Eight Superliga games, scoring 21 goals, the most of any team in the division. However, they do sit third, after a loss against Nordsjælland.

Nevertheless, their fixtures look rather nice. Sturm Graz kicks them off, whilst they also face Tel-Aviv, Celtic, Genk, Brann and GNK Dinamo. In terms of teams faced, that is among the highest favours you can maybe get.

There are certainly five winnable games in that mix, and even if there are not, you can get four wins and a few draws, which would also do the job. Games against Nottingham Forest and Roma do stand out as ones to fear.

However, at 9/1, I think this could be a really good value pick.