The Bundesliga in a Nutshell
The Bundesliga is the top tier of German football, where players like Robert Lewandowski and Thomas Muller of Bayern Munich, Erling Haaland of Borussia Dortmund, and Nico Elvedi of Borussia Monchengladbach ply their trade.
There are 18 clubs in the German Bundesliga, and each plays the other twice – once at home, and once away. The club with the highest number of points at the end of the season takes the Bundesliga title. The top four clubs qualify for the Champions League, while those placed fifth and sixth progress to the Europa League. On the other end of the table, the two bottom-ranked clubs are relegated to the second division of German football, the 2. Bundesliga, whose top two clubs are promoted.
Meanwhile, the club that finishes third-last in the Bundesliga must play a two-leg playoff against the third-highest club in the 2. Bundesliga, to determine which of these will be promoted and which will be relegated. Anyone interested in German football should also be aware of the DFB-Pokal, a knockout championship that features all the clubs from the Bundesliga and the 2. Bundesliga, as well as select clubs from the lower football leagues.
Bayern Munich have long reigned supreme in the Bundesliga, with their triumph in the 2020/21 season being their ninth-consecutive win. The table below lists every team to have bagged a Bundesliga title so far.
Bayern Munich |
30 titles |
Borussia Dortmund |
5 titles |
Borussia Monchengladbach |
5 titles |
Werder Bremen |
4 titles |
VfB Stuttgart |
3 titles |
Hamburger SV |
3 titles |
FC Kaiserslautern |
2 titles |
FC Koln |
2 titles |
FC Nurnberg |
1 titles |
Eintracht Braunschweig |
1 title |
1860 Munich |
1 title |
VfK Wolfsburg |
1 title |
How to Get Started at a Bundesliga Betting Site
There are plenty of ways to place bets on the Bundesliga, but which sportsbook should you use? Here are the four straightforward steps to pinpointing the right bookmaker for you.
Read our reviews
Our experts have reviewed the top betting sites, looking closely at all kinds of important factors including welcome bonuses and user experience. It means you can get the essential information quickly, all in one place.
Sign up
When you’ve selected a bookmaker, you just have to follow our link straight to the registration page. Here, you can create an account by providing some basic personal information. You may need to submit scanned documents such as your passport or bank statement to verify your identity.
Claim your bonus
You may be gifted a no deposit bonus after completing your registration. If not, you should be able to unlock another kind of welcome offer, such as free bets or a matched deposit bonus. The T&Cs will tell you what the minimum requirements for claiming the bonus are. Chance are you’ll need to deposit funds and/or place a qualify bet.
Place bets
Having created your account and claimed any bonuses you’re eligible for, you’re ready to explore the Bundesliga odds and make predictions on everything from the outright winner to what the correct score at half time will be. As with all sports betting, it pays do some research into the recent form of teams and players, and take into account any good Bundesliga betting tips out there. Good luck!
Bundesliga Betting Markets
Whether you’re betting on matches involving Greuther Furth, Mainz, Borussia Monchengladbach or any other teams in the Bundesliga, there’ll be plenty of betting markets to choose from. Here are some of the most popular.
Match Result
This is the quintessential bet for many punters. Quite simply, you’re putting your money on who you think will win a particular match. While it’ll always be tempting to back world-famous teams like Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund, there’s always the possibility of upsets at the hands of the likes of Hertha Berlin, VfL Bochum and FC Augsburg.
Correct Score
Predicting the correct score of a football game is a tricky thing to pull off, especially when compared to simply guessing who’ll win. This is why you’ll likely get longer, potentially more lucrative odds on this particular market. Top bookmakers will also let you predict the correct score at half time.
Over/Under Goals
Here, you’ll be betting on whether the total number of goals scored in a Bundesliga match will be over or under a certain figure. For example, you might put money on over or under 0.5, 1.5 or 2.5 goals being scored by the end of the game. Studying the form of the teams, and knowing whether they tend to play defensively or aggressively, will help you make an informed prediction on whether a match is likely to be a goal-fest or not.
Both Teams to Score
One of the simplest wagers you can put on your betslip, this market does exactly what it says on the tin. You’re simply betting on whether both teams will score at least one goal each, or whether it’ll be a 0-0 bore.
Goalscorers
Have your eye on certain players to find the back of the net? Then you’ll want to head for the goalscorers betting market. Here, you’ll be able to bet on specific players to score in the 1st half, the 2nd half, or at any point in the match. Of course, you can also bet on there being no goalscorer at all in either half, or throughout the whole match.
Outright Betting
Bundesliga sports betting isn’t restricted to predicting outcomes within individual matches. You can play the long game and place bets on who’ll be the outright winner of the league. You can also predict which unfortunate teams will find themselves relegated to the 2. Bundesliga – the fate that befell Werder Bremen and Schalke 04 at the end of the 2020/21 season. Making these kinds of outright bets before the season commences can carry long odds, but the rewards can be worth the risk for seasoned Bundesliga followers.
Bundesliga Betting Tips
Whether you’re based in the UK or Ireland, betting on the Bundesliga is easily done thanks to the plethora of great football bookies out there. But how can you maximise your chances of making rewarding wagers? Here are some rules of thumb to keep in mind.
Research Form
Chances are you already know that the likes of Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund are fairly good at kicking a ball around. But if you really want to make the wisest possible wagers, you’ll need to look closely at the recent form of the teams involved in any match. Have they been performing strongly of late? How did the two clubs fare against each other during their most recent clashes? Are any of the star players recovering from injuries? All of these factors can affect whether the favourite team will live up to their reputation, or whether an upset is on the cards.
Keep an Eye on Transfers
Even the best clubs are only as good as whoever is in the squad during any particular season. That’s why it’s useful to keep track of what happens during the transfer windows, which open in summer and winter. It almost goes without saying that a top player moving from one club to another can have a huge impact on how each team will prefer going forwards. And that can have a knock-on effect not only on their chances of bagging the Bundesliga title, but qualifying for the Champions League and Europa League.
Check the Team Schedules
Footballers are only human – even the elite stars of the Bundesliga. Hectic playing schedules can take their toll and impact performance, so it’s worth checking what’s been on the agenda for different teams. An underdog team may have more of a chance against a top-tier side if the latter has recently been put through the wringer in a Champions League game, for example.
Bundesliga Betting Bonuses
UK sportsbooks offer all kinds of betting bonuses which can be used on all kinds of markets, from horse racing to the Bundesliga. Let’s have a quick look at the kinds of promotions on offer.
Matched Deposits
A matched deposit can significantly boost your bankroll, as the bookmaker will match a certain percentage of your deposit with bonus funds, up to a maximum cap. For example, a Bundesliga betting site may advertise a matched deposit bonus of ‘100% up to £200’. Here, if you were to join and deposit £50, you’d be given another £50 to bet with.
It’s important to check the terms and conditions so you’ll know when the bonus funds will expire, and what the wagering requirement might be. If the latter applies, you’ll have to bet your bonus funds a certain number of times before you’re eligible to cash out anything you win using the bonus.
Free Bets
A free bet is exactly what it sounds like – a chance to wager without putting your own money on the line. You’ll probably have to make a minimum deposit or qualifying bet in order to access the free bet tokens, and wagering requirements may well apply. So, as ever, read those terms and conditions.
Odds Boosts
One of the ways sportsbooks try to keep customers loyal is by offering odds boosts on certain markets. These potentially bring greater rewards with particular bets than the industry average. Bookmakers often like to provide odds boosts for major match-ups such as ‘Der Klassiker’ clashes between arch-rivals Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund, or Rhineland derby games between FC Koln and Borussia Monchengladbach.
In-Play Betting
You aren’t limited to placing Bundesliga bets before matches kick off. Live betting can dial up the excitement, letting you put money on specific outcomes like which team will score next. You can also potentially take advantage of improved betting odds on certain markets, and have the chance to cash out. In other words, close bets and take whatever payout is available at that moment in time, even before the outcome is known.
Say you’ve backed Eintracht Frankfurt to beat Arminia Bielefeld, and they’re 2-0 up at halftime. Then, Bielefeld mount an impressive comeback, scoring one goal and dominating proceedings as the second half progresses. At this point, you might choose to protect yourself and cash out your bet, so that if Bielefeld do equalise or win, you’ll still come away with a payout.
Bundesliga Betting on the Go
Bookmakers know that customers expect to be able to place bets on the move, which is why all the best sites are perfectly optimised for use through your phone or tablet’s browser. You should be able to claim bonuses, deposit and withdraw funds, and access all the usual betting markets from the palm of your hand. Many sportsbooks also go the extra mile by providing bespoke iOS and Android apps you can download.
These native apps are even more seamless to use, as you won’t have to fire up the browser to access the markets. They can also provide push notifications on the latest free bet deals and other bonuses, so you’ll never miss out.
Ready to Bet on the Bundesliga?
Whether you follow Bayern Munich, Leipzig, SC Freiburg or any of the other 18 teams, the Bundesliga is undoubtedly one of the most exciting football leagues in the world. If you’re ready to put money on the action, then have a browse of our best betting sites, then sign up to grab your bonuses and place bets today!
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, it’s possible to create Bundesliga accas by combining different selections on the same betslip. This can lead to improved returns, as the individual betting odds will be multiplied together. What’s more, some bookies offer special acca bonuses that enhance winnings further.
Yes, outright bets aren’t restricted to putting money on who’ll take the Bundesliga title. Top bookies will also let you wager on which teams will finish in the top four places in the table, thereby qualifying for the Champions League.
While the Bundesliga is a huge draw for punters, the very best sports betting sites also cover other football fixtures in Germany. You may be able to bet on the 2. Bundesliga, the third-tier 3. Liga, and fourth-tier Regionalliga, not to mention the DFB-Pokal.
The best UK bookmakers make it as easy as possible to deposit and withdraw money. Widely supported methods include debit cards, Trustly bank transfers, e-wallets like PayPal, Skrill and Neteller, and the prepaid Paysafecard. The fastest withdrawals often come courtesy of e-wallets, though exact timeframes will vary from site to site.
Yes, as long as you stick with bookies which are licensed by the UK Gambling Commission. This will mean the operators must abide by stringent guidelines on fair play, internet security and problem gambling support, so you’ll know you’re in good hands.