Ligue 1, France’s top flight, began its regular season this month. Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) are heavily favored to win the league again, despite Kylian Mbappe’s departure. It would be their fourth-straight title victory and 12th Ligue 1 title. But Monaco and Marseille are making a push of their own. Continue reading to access an expert Ligue 1 betting preview and explore stats, tips and a breakdown of top Ligue 1 futures picks.
- Ligue 1
- 18 teams
- PSG are three-time defending champions
- August 16, 2024 to May 22, 2025
- France and Monaco
Ligue 1 Betting: PSG Massively Favored
PSG are overwhelming favorites to win their fourth-straight Ligue 1 title at (-335). That implies a probability of winning of 77%. The next-closest club has 10:1 odds, that being Monaco. Marseille (+1100), Lens (+1600), and LOSC Lille (+1600) bring up the remaining contenders. Every other club is (+4000) or greater.
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Ligue 1: A Cross-Border Competition with Monaco
The top division of the French league system is represented by the well-respected soccer competition known as Ligue 1. Originally made up of 20 clubs, there were just 2 promoted teams and 4 demoted teams after the end of the 2023–2024 season, making the total of 18 teams. World-famous Paris Saint-Germain is the dominant team in Ligue 1, which is rated as the fifth-best promotion in Europe. It’s interesting to note that Ligue 1 is technically a cross-border league due to the participation of AS Monaco.
Why PSG Are a Near-Lock to Win
Paris Saint-Germain, fueled by a seemingly infinite influx of cash from owners Qatar Sports Investments, have overwhelmed Ligue 1 with talent in the last few decades. From Zlatan Ibrahomivic to Lionel Messi, there has been no shortage of stars in Paris. But 2024-25 feels like a bit of a lull in terms of superpower following the departure of Kylian Mbappe. Only Ousmane Dembele and veteran goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma could be considered big-time soccer names at PSG.
PSG will still be coached by Luis Enrique, considered one of the most successful managers of his generation. And even without the big names, Paris Saint-Germain are loaded with money and skill. If they struggle, they can quickly scoop up players in the transfer pool to fill any void. PSG seem to fulfilling Enrique’s transfer desires as well, leading to a thriving role for the Spaniard at a place known for tarnishing the reputations of elite managers.
The amount of financial discrepancy between themselves and anyone in Ligue 1 is gigantic and in all honesty, unfair. Betting against PSG would be hoping for an utter catastrophe for the French giants.
Ligue 1 Betting: The Intrigue of Marseille in 2024-25
Marseille enter the 2024-25 season with reason to be hopeful. Despite finishing in 8th last season, they advanced to the semifinals of the Europa League. An aggregate defeat to the eventual champions Atalanta ended their run, but there were plenty of positives to take away from.
Marseille cycled through four different managers last term and were still able to secure a top-four finish in a European competition. Marcelino coached the club until September 20, with Jacques Abardonado acting as caretaker for a week after. Gennaro Gattuso took over until February 19, lasting just five months in charge. Finally, Jean-Louis Gasset signed up for the job until the end of the season.
Now esteemed manager Roberto de Zerbi gets his chance at fixing the issue. Labeled as one of the most influential managers of the last 20 years by Pep Guardiola, de Zerbi comes from an impressive spell at Brighton. He must figure out how to incorporate Marseille’s summer signings effectively. Those include Ismael Kone, Mason Greenwood, Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, Lilian Brassier, Elye Wahi and Valentin Carboni.
My projections indicate that Marseille, despite all the turmoil surrounding the club and its patchwork roster, actually deserved to earn 64 points and finish 2nd in Ligue 1. They are pegged at (+150) to finish in the top 3 this season and earn immediate qualification to the Champions League. But they have improved their roster and coaching. I think they are a great bet to finish at least 3rd at this price and will be wagering a full unit on them to do so.
Can Nice Earn Back-to-Back Champions League Appearances?
Nice are one of the smaller teams in Ligue 1 but still have big aspirations. Last year’s 5th-placed finish impressed not only French soccer fans but also caught the attention of Dutch side Ajax, who swiftly picked up Nice manager Francesco Farioli. Nice hired Franck Haise to fill their head coaching role, who spent the last 5 seasons with Lens.
Haise’s experience running a 3-5-2 formation with Lens could bode well for Nice, who have a trustworthy defender in Dante and a right midfielder in Jonathan Clauss, who could thrive in a wing-back role. My projections indicate Nice deserved a 3rd-place finish in Ligue 1 last season. So at (+650), there is plenty of value on Nice to do so this time around.
Odds are accurate at time of writing but subject to change.
Top Sportsbooks for Ligue 1 Futures
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