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How the public is betting UEFA Champions League qualifying among EPL clubs

The competition for the Top 4 isn’t over, and the last nine rounds will determine who is playing on midweek nights next season

Jamie Vardy of Leicester City celebrates scoring his second goal during the Premier League match between Leicester City and Aston Villa at The King Power Stadium on March 09, 2020 in Leicester, United Kingdom. Photo by Visionhaus

The most popular sports league on the planet returns Wednesday when two matches in the English Premier League bring back the the beautiful game to the United Kingdom. Liverpool is all but certain to win the league title, but there’s still plenty of competition for UEFA Champions League berths. Those precious European nights aren’t just places in the most prestigious club soccer competition in the world, but a massive revenue driver for the clubs involved.

Who will be the fortunate four to advance to the midweek cash cow? With nine full rounds to be played to finish the season, here’s a look at the odds for finishing in the top four of the EPL in 2020 at DraftKings Sportsbook. Additionally, we have betting handle available for the contenders.

Note: Liverpool are through already, and Manchester City are not included as they’re on 57 points with a game in hand against Manchester United with 45. This is a competition for the last two spots.

Leicester City: 3rd place, 53 points, +30 goal difference
-715: 14% handle, 14% bets

Chelsea: 4th place, 48 points, +12 goal difference
-167: 10% handle, 12% bets

Manchester United: 5th place, 45 points, +14 goal difference
+175: 8% handle, 12% bets

Wolverhampton Wanderers: 6th place, 43 points, +7 goal difference
+800: 7% handle, 8% bets

Sheffield United: 7th, 43 points, +5 goal difference (game in hand)
+1400: 3% handle, 8% bets

Tottenham: 8th place, 41 points, +7 goal difference
+1400: 32% of handle, 14% of bets

Arsenal: 9th place, 40 points, +4 goal difference (game in hand)
+1600: 21% handle, 14% bets

Everton: 12th place, 37 points, -9 goal difference
+25000: 2% handle, 4% bets.

You can see there’s a big belief by bettors that the glamour clubs of London in Tottenham and Arsenal can not only get back to Europe, but do so in the UCL. That’s a tremendous amount of handle on a pair of long shots, and might be some betting with heart over head.

Tottenham still have matches with most of the top-half of the table remaining, though their focus can now be fully on domestic play as they lost their tie with RB Leipzig. The return of Harry Kane at striker also breathes some hope into what does seem dormant at first.

Arsenal were in form heading to the break, having not lost a domestic match in the calendar year 2020. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has continued his great form at The Emirates, and their schedule is a touch easier than most, though with Liverpool and a North London Derby with Tottenham on July 15th that should be a banger.

And while Chelsea seems to get no respect at all from bettors, their schedule might be a reason. They face all of the Top 3, but otherwise its Villa, West Ham, Watford, Palace, Sheffield, Norwich, and Wolves. Steal a point from the top three and hold serve against the middle, and it’s likely enough.

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