The European Championships is UEFA’s premier international competition and sees Europe’s elite footballing nations face-off once every four years to decide the continent’s best team. Bringing together players from the best leagues on the planet, including the Premier League, Serie A, La Liga and Bundesliga, you can be assured of some best football betting action around.
Euros in a Nutshell
Tournament Format
The tournament will begin with a group stage including the twenty teams who finished top or runners-up in qualifying, plus the four nations who qualified via the UEFA Nations League playoffs. High-profile teams such as England, Spain and France regularly reach the finals, but you will often see minnows such as Iceland and North Macedonia make it through the qualifiers to compete on the European stage.
Sixteen teams will then qualify for the round of 16, where the tournament will become a knockout competition. The winners will then battle it out through the quarter-finals and semi-finals for a coveted spot in the final.
Euros History
The first European Championships were held in France in 1960 and were won by the Soviet Union after they beat Yugoslavia 2-1 in Paris’ Parc de Princes. Germany and Spain are the tournament’s most successful nations, having both won the tournament on three occasions, while Italy are the current Champions, beating England in 2020 (held in 2021). Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo is highest goalscorer in the competition’s history with fourteen goals. France legend Michel Platini is second with nine goals. England’s Alan Shearer is just behind on seven, tied with France’s Antoine Griezmann.
Best Historical Betting Odds
The competition is no stranger to an upset with outsiders being crowned champions on several occasions. The knockout format means that every team is only a few good results away from lifting the trophy. As such, there’s potential for speculative punters to cash in on one of the less fancied sides.
Denmark were unlikely 20/1 winners in 1992 before they beat world champions Germany in the final, despite only qualifying after Yugoslavia were forced to drop out of the tournament. But it is Greece that pulled off the tournament’s biggest upset back in 2004. They defied the bookies’ 80/1 odds to lift the trophy after beating other finalists and hosts Portugal. The Portuguese themselves pulled off somewhat of a shock when they were crowned champions in 2016, with the bookmakers pricing them at 20/1 and seventh favourites pre-tournament.
| Team |
Winners |
Runners-up |
|
|
3 (1972, 1980, 1996) |
3 (1976, 1992, 2008) |
|
|
3 (1964, 2008, 2012) |
1 (1984) |
|
|
2 (1984, 2000) |
1 (2016) |
|
|
2 (1968, 2020) |
2 (2000, 2012) |
|
|
1 (1960) |
3 (1964, 1972, 1988) |
|
|
1 (1976) |
1 (1996) |
|
|
1 (2016) |
1 (2004) |
|
|
1 (1988) |
– |
|
|
1 (1992) |
– |
|
|
1 (2004) |
– |
|
|
– |
2 (1960, 1968) |
|
|
– |
1 (1980) |
|
|
– |
1 (2020) |
Available Euros Betting Markets
With its star-studded matchups, do or die knockout games and penalty shootouts, the European Championships provide one of sport’s most exciting betting experiences. The best bookmakers offer a range of markets, giving customers a wide variety of betting options. Here’s a look at some of the most popular football markets:
Match Result
Who’s going to outplay who? Is there an upset on the cards? Or do you fancy these two to cancel each other out? With the match result market, all you have to do is decide how you think the game will finish after ninety minutes. Choose which side you think will win or if you think the game will end in a draw. Some match result bets may not take into account extra time, so it’s best to check the terms and conditions before you lay a wager on any games beyond the group stages.
Correct Score
Just like the match result market, the correct score market is pretty straightforward. Just select what you think the score will be over ninety minutes and if your selection is correct, you win. The most common scoreline in European Championship matches is 1-0, nonetheless, picking the correct score is much harder than choosing a winner. As such, the odds will often be longer. As such, these bets are much harder to win.
Over/Under Goals
This market can be a little more complex than others but is ever-popular amongst football punters. All you have to do is select whether you think there will be more or less than a certain number of goals scored in a game. So for instance, if you think there’ll be three or more goals scored in a particular match, you can select over 2.5 goals to be scored.
The last six European Championships have all averaged over two goals per game.
Both Teams to Score
The Both Teams to Score (BTTS) market is pretty straightforward. It simply hinges on whether both teams will score in a single game. The market will offer both ‘yes’ and ‘no’ selections, so if you fancy betting against both teams scoring you’ll be able to back that. Additionally, if you think either one or none of the teams will score, then you can back that too by selecting ‘no’.
Popular Goalscorer Markets
Goalscorer markets are a particular favourite amongst punters and most betting sites allow you to bet on a player to score in a particular game, be their nation’s top goalscorer or score the most goals in the tournament outright. Understanding the form a player takes into the tournament is a good way to judge this market. On the way to winning the Golden Boot in 2016, Cristiano Ronaldo scored 51 goals in all competitions for Real Madrid and won the Champions League. He was, therefore, full of confidence heading into the tournament which helps explain his exceptional performances throughout.
Outright Betting
One of the best betting features of international tournaments is the outright winner market. You can choose a team that you fancy to go all the way and watch how their journey pans out. If you don’t think you can pick a winner, then you can play it safer and simply wager on who you think will reach the final. With so much football played in such a short space of time, however, there is a lot that could happen. As such, we would recommend waiting until the first few games have been played before you place any outright bets.
Claim a Betting Bonus
Matched Deposit
Matched deposits can potentially be one of the most lucrative welcome bonuses on offer to new customers. These bonuses see the bookie match the value of your initial deposit up to a certain amount. For instance, if a site offers a 100% matched deposit bonus, you’ll receive bonus funds up to the value of $100 but no higher. Always make sure you read all the terms and conditions of these offers. There are usually wagering requirements that you need to play through before you can make a withdrawal, however, so keep an eye out for those.
Free Bets
Free bets are amongst the most common offers you’ll find on betting sites. Often new customers will qualify for a free bet if they deposit and place a qualifying bet above a certain amount. They’ll then be credited with free bets to play with on the site. Like matched deposits, these offers have wagering requirements and other terms and conditions attached to them, so make sure you’ve read the fine print before signing up.
Enhanced Odds
Punters can also benefit from enhanced odds offers, which allow you to bet on a particular selection at an improved price. The good news for existing customers is that they can claim these bonuses too. Many bookies regularly price boost a range of different markets for big sporting events like the Euros, as well as the Premier League, Champions League and the World Cup.
Check out Bonus Terms and Conditions
Check out Bonus Terms and Conditions
Wagering Requirements
Wagering requirements are a common feature that come with almost all bonuses. They will often require users to bet a certain amount of cash before they can make a withdrawal from the site. For instance, a sportsbook may require users to play through the value of their bonus ten times before making a withdrawal. This would mean that for a $10 free bet, you’d have to wager $100 of your own cash before you can withdraw any funds won using the promotion.
Time Limits
Time limits are another restriction you’ll come across when using bonuses. Typically, you’ll find that there is a set amount of time within which bonuses can be claimed and played with. After the specified time period has passed, you’ll no longer be able to access or use that bonus.
Winning Restrictions
Another thing to take into consideration when using bonuses are the winning restrictions. The maximum winnable amount can be found in the terms and conditions of the bonus so it’s a good idea to read the small print before you claim. These limits will even apply if the odds of your selection offer a much higher return.
Bet on the Euros In-Play
In-play betting has added another exciting dimension to the online betting sphere and allows customers to make and cash out bets before an event has finished. Most top online bookies now have purpose-built desktop interfaces and mobile apps that allow punters to live stream games and follow the latest stats. This can be a real advantage if you’re betting on the live market as you’ll be able to pick the perfect moment to place your bet.
Withdraw Your Cash Early
Many online betting sites offer punters a variety of cash out options including full, partial and automatic cash out. These options can give you more flexibility when it comes to withdrawing your winnings in-play. For instance, you could use a partial cash out option to lock in some profit or cut your losses and still leave some of your stake to run. The automatic cash out feature allows you to create a rule which will withdraw your winnings automatically as soon as the cash-out value goes above a certain amount.
How to Make the Most Informed Bets
Check the Form
This is perhaps the most important tip on this list. Whether you’re betting on a player or a whole team, understanding their form is a great way to help you make the most informed bet. If you’re backing a goalscorer, check out how they’ve been playing for their club side and take a look at their form for the national team too. Do your research on what kind of games they usually score in and whether they struggle to find the net in big games. You should also check whether key creative players will be lining up alongside goalscorers too; it’s no use backing a finisher if their supply line has been cut off.
Check how players have performed in competitions such as the Champions League. These games are an opportunity to see the biggest names in world football face off against another as the likes of Chelsea, Liverpool, Bayern Munich and more compete for the biggest prize in club football.
Know Your Team
With national teams, it’s important to take into account the make-up of the squad. A run of form for a national team may be over the course of months or years rather than a few weeks. But you should also be wary that a team may consist of entirely different players to the last tournament they played in. It’s also important to check how they usually fare on the big stage.
Don’t be put off if a player plays for a smaller club like Athletic Bilbao, Porto or Leicester City. What’s important is their record for the national team.
Work Out a Potential Route to the Final
With fixtures already decided before the tournament, it’s possible to study the groups and the knockout ladder and try to work out how each team will fare. This can be particularly important if you’re looking to place a bet on the tournament’s top goalscorer, a team to reach the final or the outright winner.
Remember that tournament football is unpredictable and the one-off nature of knockout games means that fortunes can change in an instant. Always keep this in mind and only bet what you can afford to lose.
Bet on the Euros from Your Mobile
Native apps and mobile sites allow you to place and cash out bets, claim bonuses and stream live sport all from the palm of your hand. Purpose-built apps offer the best user-experience as slick interfaces and rapid load times mean you can bet and play anywhere. So no matter where you are you can tune in to a live stream, add selections to your betslip and place a bet. You’ll also have the same access to special offers like free bets and enhanced odds just as you would with a desktop site.
Euros Betting Banking Options
Debit Cards
Visa and Mastercard debit cards are amongst the most popular accepted payment methods for punters. Deposits can be made instantly but one downside is that debit card that withdrawals can sometimes take a few days to be processed. The processing time will depend on who you bank with but it is often between one to five banking days.
E-wallets
Another payment method that’s increasing in popularity is e-wallets. Services like PayPal, Neteller and Skrill allow you to make swift transactions from your smartphone, mobile device or computer without having to share your bank details. A key benefit to using an e-wallet is that the wait times for withdrawals are often much shorter than using a debit card and can reach your account within hours.
Prepaid Cards
Prepaid cards like Paysafecard offer players a useful way of funding their betting account. You can purchase a Paysafecard in one of several values from either an online vendor or at a physical outlet. You can then use this card to make deposits to your betting account, but you won’t be able to withdraw your funds using Paysafecard. You will, therefore, have to use a different payment method in order to claim your funds.
Some sites operate a closed-loop policy which means you have to use the same payment method when depositing and withdrawing your funds.
How to Keep Your Betting Safe and Responsible
It’s important to remember that gambling should always be a form of entertainment and not a way to make money. If betting stops being fun, you should consider taking some action. Here’s a look at some of the ways that you can stay in control:
Set Deposit Limits
All betting sites will have an option for you to set deposit limits on your account. Deposit limits put restrictions on how much and at what times you can deposit funds into your betting account. You’ll be able to set weekly and monthly limits that will take effect instantly and will prevent you from depositing over that set amount in that period of time.
Take Time Outs
If you feel the need to take a break from betting for a while, online bookmakers also give you the option to take a time out period. You can activate this yourself from your account and you will no longer be able to access the site for periods ranging from 24 hours to a number of months. If you think you’d benefit from taking a longer break from betting, you can also self-exclude yourself from all gambling sites for six months or more.
Get in Touch With Charities
If you’re worried that your gambling is becoming an addiction or are concerned about someone else’s gambling, you can get in touch with a variety of charities. There you can talk to a trained advisor who will offer free, confidential support.
Ready to Place Your Bets?
Now that you know about betting on the European Championships, all that’s left is for you to get in on the action. If you fancy making use of some of our tips or claiming a welcome bonus, you can use the links on our site to head over to one of our top-rated bookies and create an account.
Accumulators are one of the most popular forms of football betting and you’ll be glad to know that, just like any regular league or cup competition, you’ll be able to place a multiple on European Championship games.
Most betting sites will state that the match result market only applies to results in ninety minutes. So if a Euro knockout-stage game goes to extra time or penalties, the initial match result will be a draw. If you think a game will go the distance, you can back a team to qualify, win in extra time or on penalties.
There is no one bookmaker that consistently has the best odds. If there were, we’d only ever recommend one site! The reality is that odds change all the time and some sites will have better prices than others for certain events and markets.
Our expert reviewers have scoured the market to find the betting sites with the best value, bonuses and user experience so you don’t have to! All you need to do is take a look at our Best Betting Sites page for a list of the top online bookmakers.
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