Are you a soccer fan in the United States looking for a new league to test out your luck? Well, we've got you covered. Despite all the different state laws for sports betting across the US, there are still plenty of opportunities for you to place your wagers on international sports.
Today, we'll be taking a look at how you can bet on Bundesliga matches from the USA. We’ll cover the basics of the league, betting types, odds formats and of course, the best online sportsbooks for betting on the Bundesliga in the US.
What is the Bundesliga?
Before we bet on any sports event, it's important to know a little bit about the history and structure of the league so we can make informed decisions. So here's a brief breakdown of the Bundesliga.
The Bundesliga is Germany's premier professional soccer league, established in 1963. It features 18 teams that compete in a round-robin format, playing 34 matches each season. The team with the most points at the end of the season becomes the champion.
Relegation and promotion exist between the Bundesliga and the 2. Bundesliga, with teams at the bottom of the Bundesliga table moving down, and the top performers in the 2. Bundesliga moving up. The league is known for its passionate fan base, high-scoring matches, and strong competitive spirit, making it one of the top football leagues in Europe.
Whether you're a die hard soccer fan or you're just getting started, you've probably heard of the Bundesliga. As the top German soccer league, it hosts some of the best teams in the world like Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund and RB Leipzig. The top clubs regularly compete on an international level in the UEFA Championships League, which is a testament to how competitive the games can be.
If you're searching for a new betting market to try your sports wagers, the Bundesliga is a great option, offering some of the most entertaining and competitive soccer matches in the world.
Bundesliga Betting Odds
Sports betting sites make use of three different odds formats: American, Fractional and Decimal. To fully understand how your wager affects your payout, it's important to know the basics of each of these formats.
American Odds:
American odds are the primary odds format used in the United States and Canada. These odds can be presented as either positive or negative numbers, and they are used to indicate the potential profit or the amount needed to wager to make a $100 profit.
Positive Odds (+): These odds are associated with the underdog in a given matchup (or the less likely event in a betting line), and they indicate the potential profit on a $100 bet.
Negative Odds (-): These odds are associated with the favourite (or more likely event in a betting line), and they represent how much you need to wager to make a profit of $100.
For more information, check out our Full Breakdown of American Odds.
Fractional Odds:
Fractional odds are commonly used in the United Kingdom and Ireland, and they are presented as fractions or ratios, such as 3/1 or 5/2.
Interpreting Fractional Odds: To understand fractional odds, consider an example like 3/1. In this case, for every $1 you wager, you have the potential to win $3 in profit. If you placed a $50 bet on 3/1 odds, your potential profit would be $150, resulting in a total payout of $200 (including your initial wager).
Fractional odds can sometimes be more intuitive for bettors who are accustomed to this format, as they readily indicate both potential profit and the initial wager.
Decimal Odds:
Decimal odds are widely used in Europe and many other parts of the world. These odds represent the total potential payout, including your initial wager. To calculate your potential winnings, simply multiply your bet by the decimal odds.
Understanding Decimal Odds: If you encounter decimal odds of 2.50, it means that for every $1 you bet, you could potentially win $2.50. If you placed a $100 bet at odds of 2.50, your potential total return would be $250 ($100 initial wager + $150 profit).
Now we understand the different odds formats, it's time to move on to the types of bets you can place on the Bundesliga.
Check out our Odds Converter for more information.
Bundesliga Bet Types
When it comes to betting on Bundesliga matches, sportsbooks offer a variety of bet types to choose from, but the three most popular betting options are the Moneyline, Spread, and Totals (Over/Under).
You can bet on all of these before a game starts, but you can wager using live betting as the match is being played. But be aware that the odds and lines for each bet type will constantly change as the match progresses.
We'll use a hypothetical Bundesliga match between FC Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund to illustrate how each of these soccer betting lines works.
Moneyline Bets
Moneyline bets are the most straightforward way to wager on the outcome of a match. In a Moneyline bet, you're simply picking the team you believe will win the game.
Example:
FC Bayern Munich (-150)
Borussia Dortmund (+200)
In this hypothetical match, FC Bayern Munich is the favourite, represented by negative odds (-150). To win $100 on Bayern, you would need to wager $150. On the other hand, Borussia Dortmund is the underdog, indicated by positive odds (+200). A $100 bet on Dortmund would yield a $200 profit if they win.
Spread Bets
Spread bets, also known as point spread or handicap bets, add a handicap to the favourite team to create a more balanced betting proposition. This means that even if one team is significantly favoured, the point spread levels the playing field.
Example:
FC Bayern Munich (-1.5)
Borussia Dortmund (+1.5)
In this scenario, FC Bayern Munich is favoured to win by 1.5 goals, while Borussia Dortmund is given a 1.5-goal advantage. To win a spread bet on Bayern, they must win by at least two goals. If Bayern wins 2-0, a bet on them wins. Meanwhile, a bet on Dortmund wins if they win the match or lose by less than two goals.
Totals (Over/Under) Bets
Total bets focus on the combined score of both teams in a Bundesliga match. Sportsbooks set a line, and bettors wager on whether the total number of goals scored will be over or under that line.
Example:
Over 3.5 Goals (-110)
Under 3.5 Goals (-110)
In this example, the sportsbook has set the total at 3.5 goals. If you believe the match will have four or more goals, you would bet on "Over 3.5 Goals" on your bet slip. On the other hand, if you think there will be three or fewer goals, you would bet on "Under 3.5 Goals." The (-110) indicates the odds, meaning you'd need to wager $110 to win $100 on either side of the bet.
US Sportsbooks to bet on the Bundesliga
There are plenty of sportsbooks that operate in the United States, but please be aware that sports betting legislation varies from state to state. For simplicity, today we're going to list the best sportsbooks for the state of New Jersey, where online sports betting is fully legal.
Best Bundesliga Online Sportsbooks in New Jersey:
If you want to see whether you can bet on the Bundesliga in your state, check out our Best Odds Comparison tool, which shows you the live odds for every Bundesliga league, clearly displaying the best odds for each betting line. Just make sure to select your state with the drop down menu in the top right corner.
Note: Please ensure you are aware of the sports betting regulations in your state or jurisdiction before you visit betting sites and place wagers.
For more information, check out our article: Where is Sports Betting Legal? A Guide to all 50 States (Updated 01.09.23)
And there you have it! A complete guide to betting on the Bundesliga in the United States.
At BestSportsOdds we've got you covered. New to the world of soccer? Here's our Beginner's Guide to Soccer. If you want to learn more about sports leagues all over the world, or the various aspects of sports betting, check out our guides section here.
