Spain’s top flight, known as La Liga, begins in August and ends in May as is customary of top European soccer leagues. This week marks the second of the campaign and offers an opportunity for bettors to make their selections for futures bets. You can predict the outcomes of markets such as league winner, to be relegated, to finish in top 4, and more. Read on for an expert La Liga betting preview and explore stats, tips and a breakdown of top La Liga bets.
- La Liga
- August 15, 2024 to May 25, 2025
- 38 matches for each club
- Defending champions: Real Madrid
- 20 teams across Spain, including Mallorca and the Canary Islands
- ESPN+
La Liga Betting Lines for Outright Market
Defending champions Real Madrid are prohibitive favorites to retain the La Liga trophy at (-225). Their bitter rivals Barcelona are (+325) to win their 28th-ever league championship. Atletico Madrid will act as a third wheel of sorts, priced at (+1200) to win it all. Every other team is (+2500) or greater.
Want to better understand the soccer futures market? See our soccer betting tips and learn about La Liga betting in 2024.
Real Madrid: Now a Superteam with Mbappe
One of the biggest moves in soccer history occurred this summer, and it was also one of the worst-kept secrets. After years of speculation, Kylian Mbappe, a lifelong Real Madrid fan, has signed with the Spanish team. The Frenchman declined a nearly billion-dollar contract to play for Real Madrid for a season in Saudi Arabia. With Jude Bellingham, Vinicius Junior, and now Los Blancos joining the ranks of “Galacticos,” there are high hopes for Los Blancos this season.
There is only one ball available, so these players will have to get used to having fewer touches and less consistency on the field. If I were Carlo Ancelotti, I would prefer to deploy Mbappe on the wing since he is quicker and more unpredictable than Vinicius. Vini will be happy to play center forward, where he will receive plenty of great support and yet have the option to push left when a gap opens, while Bellingham will look fine in the #10 position.
But Ancelotti has elected to play Mbappe at center forward, with Rodrygo on the right. Through 2 games in that setup, Real defeated Atalanta 2-0 in the UEFA Super Cup final and drew Mallorca on the road. An opening draw is disappointing for a team so talented, so perhaps we will see some experimentation from Ancelotti.
La Liga Betting: Why Athletic Club Can Clinch Top 4 Spot
Athletic Club, the famous Basque club from Bilbao, Spain, had an eventful past season. The red-and-white-striped outfit won the Copa del Rey over Mallorca in a thrilling penalty shootout. The victory completed a 40-year major trophy drought for Athletic Bilbao, lifting a massive weight off their shoulders. It was a deserved victory for Athletic Club as well, considering they knocked out Barcelona and Atletico Madrid in the preceding rounds to make their 40th-ever final appearance.
While their fellow Basque representatives Real Sociedad will no doubt offer some stiff competition, it is Athletic Club who I trust to make a splash in 2024-25, at least from a betting perspective. They are lined up at (+250) to finish in the top 4 of La Liga, an accomplishment that would earn them qualification for the Champions League. Given such incentive, and coming off the heels of a 5th-placed finish, I think Williams Brothers and Co. can outrun those odds and continue the celebrations along the Nervion River next May.
Can Atletico Madrid, Barcelona Return to Glory? Other La Liga Bets
Atletico Madrid were leapfrogged by surprise title candidate Girona on the La Liga table last season and will undoubtedly be disappointed by their results. They took swift action to reverse their fortunes over the summer, recruiting Argentine star Julian Alvarez along with striker Alexander Sorloth and defender Robin Le Normand. With those key additions and the return of beloved manager Diego Simeone, Atleti can rightfully dream of supplanting their city rivals at the top.
At (+1200), BetOnline Sportsbook is offering a generous line on Atletico Madrid to win it all this season. While such an outcome would be quite unexpected, it is certainly possible, and my projections indicate Atletico Madrid was actually the second-best club in La Liga in 2023-24. I believe there is some value on Atleti to win it all here, especially if Real continue to struggle with some growing pains after acquiring Mbappe.
Barcelona did not hesitate to dispose of former manager Xavi after a subpar year last season. They have replaced the Spanish international with Hansi Flick, mostly known for his achievements in the German world of soccer. Flick led Bayern Munich to a treble in 2019-20, after coaching Germany to a World Cup title in 2014.
But Dani Olmo appears to be the only big fish Barcelona hooked over the summer. So Barca may rely heavily on Lamine Yamal, their young starlet who took the world by storm thanks to his title-winning efforts with the Spanish national team at Euro 2024. It is difficult to say how this team will look under Flick, so I would be cautious of backing the Catalan side with serious money.
Odds are accurate at time of writing but subject to change.
Top Sportsbooks for La Liga Bets
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