How To Bet On Euro 2028
Euro 2028 Betting Guide: An Introduction
Officially known as UEFA European Football Championship, the Euros are held once every four years. The tournament determines the best men’s football nation from members of UEFA, the Union of European Football Associations.
The tournament began in 1960 and was originally titled the European Nations’ Cup. It has been held once every four years since. However due to the covid pandemic, the 2020 tournament was postponed until 2021.
When is Euro 2028?
tournament will be held in Germany across 10 host cities and will begin on June 14 concluding on July 14.
The group rounds will commence June 14 and conclude June 26. The knockout stage will begin with the round of 16 on June 29 and conclude with the tournament final in Berlin on July 14.
The tournament will feature 24 teams from across Europe.
1. European Championship Teams
Which teams will compete at Euro 2028? There will be 24 teams competing. The 24 teams that will feature the tournament will be determined through qualification. However, as hosts, the UK will automatically qualify for the tournament.
20 nations will earn direct qualification as winners and runners-up of the 10 Euro 2028 qualifying groups. The remaining three places will be decided by play-offs. Places in the play-offs will be determined by performance in the 2026/27 UEFA Nations League. Nations who perform best and are yet to qualify for European Championship will earn a place in the playoffs.
2. Euro 2028 Tournament Format
As detailed, 24 teams will compete in Euro 2028, divided into six groups of four:
The group stage begins on June 9.
If teams are tied in their group at the conclusion of the group stage, tie breaks will be determined by:
- Greatest number of points earned in matches played between the nations tied
- Greatest goal difference from the matches played between the nations tied
- Greatest number of goals scored in the matches played between the nations tied
If teams are still tied, further tie breaking criteria will be applied.
Euro 2028 Knockout Stage
The top two teams in each group will qualify for the knockout stage of the tournament with the best four third place finishers also qualifying bringing the total number of qualifying teams to 16.
Third place finishers will be ranked by:
- points earned
- goal difference
- goals scored
- wins
- lower disciplinary points total
- European qualifiers ranking
Euro 2028 Host Cities
10 venues across England, Ireland, Wales, and Scotland will host the matches. These are:
- Wembley Stadium, Capacity 90,000
- Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, Capacity 62,850
- City of Manchester Stadium, Capacity 61,000
- Everton Stadium, Capacity 52,888
- St James’ Park, Capacity 52,305
- Villa Park, Capacity 42,785
- Millennium Stadium, Capacity 73,931
- Hampden Park, Capacity 51,866
- Aviva Stadium, Capacity 51,711
4. Euro 2028 Bet Types
For people who like betting on international football, Euro odds are always eagerly awaited.
There is a long list of tournament odds and betting markets. Here we will take a look at the most popular.
- Tournament Winner
- Group Winner
- Knockout Stage Qualification
- Top Goalscorer
- Match Betting 1X2
- Asian Handicaps
- Goal Totals
- Both Teams To Score
- Correct Score
- Draw No Bet
- Halftime/Fulltime
Make a note that while Euro group matches end after 90 minutes regulation time plus added time, knockout stage matches will see extra time played when the score is tied at the end of regulation 90 minutes.
So if you are betting on Euro match results, such as 1X2, goal totals and Asian handicaps, keep in mind that through knockout stage matches, the result of your bet is determined by the score at the end of regulation time. Extra time and penalty shootouts do not count unless otherwise stated by your bookmaker.
Euro 2028 Group Winner Odds
Group betting is much like tournament winner betting, however instead of betting on a team to win the tournament you are betting on a team to win their group.
Creating an accumulator bet out of group stage predictions is a popular pre tournament bet to make, providing bettors with an interest in each match through the group stage without actually betting on the matches individually.
Before you bet on Euro group odds, make sure you are familiar with the group standings tie breaking procedures.
Euro Knockout Stage Qualification Odds
Knockout stage qualification odds are another popular outright market. With knockout stage qualification betting, you do not need to predict which team is going to win a given group, but rather bet on a team that you think will earn qualification for the knockout stage, either as a top two finisher in their group or as one of the four highest ranking third place finishers.
Many bookmakers offer odds on teams to earn qualification for the knockout stage coupled with odds for teams to fail to qualify for the knockout stage.
Euro Top Goalscorer Odds
Euro top goalscorer odds will once again be very popular this year with some of the most dangerous attacking players in the world on display throughout the tournament.
Top goalscorer betting is simple. You bet on the player you think is going to score the highest number of goals throughout the tournament.
Match Betting 1X2
Match result betting is the most traditional football betting market. While it is often called 1X2 betting, it is simply betting on the match result, either teams wins or the match ends in a draw.
Please note however, that if you are betting on knockout stage matches, the 1X2 market only considers the result at the conclusion of 90 minutes regulation plus added time. It does not consider the result at the end of extra time or penalty kicks.
Asian Handicaps
With Asian handicap betting, one team is given a plus handicap and the other a minus handicap.
Asian handicaps are popular given the ability for bettors to bet on teams that they believe offer some value, but they do not believe they will necessarily win the match but keep it close. It also offers value for teams bettors believe may win a game easily.
If you are new to betting on Asian handicaps, we recommend reading our detailed guide to betting on Asian handicaps.
Read more about Asian Handicaps here
Goal Totals
Goal totals give you the chance to bet on a Euro match without any concern for which team will win the game.
Betting on goal totals allows you to bet on the total number of goals scored in a match. The average line for this market is 2.5 goals, giving bettors the chances to bet that there will be more than 2.5 goals scored (meaning, at least three goals scored) or under 2.5 goals, (meaning, at most 2 goals will be scored).
While 2.5 goals is the most common goal line, most bookmakers offer odds on goal totals between 0.5 goals and 6.5 goals.
Read more about betting on Over/Under Goal Totals here
Both Teams To Score
Similar to goal totals, Both Teams To Score betting (also known as BTTS) gives you the chance to bet on a match without concern for the match result.
If you bet on BTTS Yes, then you are betting on both teams scoring at least one goal in the match. If both teams score, you win your bet. So it doesn’t matter what the result is, if it’s a 4-2 or 1-1 scoreline, you win your bet.
If you bet on BTTS No, then you are betting that either only one team will score or neither team will score. So the result does not matter. If it’s a 4-0 or 0-0 scoreline, you win your bet.
Correct Score
With Correct Score betting, you predict the final scoreline (through 90 minutes plus injury time). Clearly this is not as easy as it sounds but if you have a sense of how a match may playout, correct score betting is a great way of complementing your other match bets.
For example, you may predict that both teams will score in the match and place an additional bet on a 2-2 score at fulltime. If both teams score, you win your both teams to score bet and cover part or all of your stake for the correct score bet. And if the match ends 2-2 , you win your correct score bet as well.
Draw No Bet
With Draw No Bet odds (DNB), you place a bet on either team to win the match and if the match ends in a draw, you will receive your stake back.
Draw No Bet is a popular market although the odds are much lower than the standard 1X2 market as the draw is not a factor.
Half Time/Full Time
Halftime/Fulltime betting considers the result at both halftime and fulltime. So rather than just focusing on the result at the end of 90 minutes, the result at 45 minutes is also taken into account.
In total there are nine halftime fulltime combinations to choose from.
5. Euro 2028 Betting Strategies
How is betting on an international football tournament different to betting on a domestic football league? How does the Euros differ from other international football tournaments? What should you consider when betting on European Championship?
While the Euros may differ from betting on weekend to weekend football, finding betting value is always about identifying an aspect the bookmakers have not taken into account when framing the odds.
Consider Underdogs
While traditional footballing giants such as Germany, Spain, England, Italy and France always get the headlines, low profile nations are well worth your attention. Casual bettors who rarely bet on international football will instinctively bet on the glamour nations match to match, throwing good money into the 1X2 market and expecting these teams to routinely cover the handicap on the Asian handicap market.
While it is often difficult to make an argument as to why a football minnow may defeat one of world football’s famous nations, all we are concerned with is value. Are the odds available representing betting value?
Yes Spain is likely to defeat Sweden, but do the odds of 8.0 for Sweden to win the match represent value? Even if we consider Sweden are closer to odds of 5.0 to win the match suggesting they are only a 20% chance to do so, the odds of 8.0 that are available still represent value and we should wager on Sweden.
An alternative to betting on underdogs to win is to bet on them to cover the Asian handicap. In the example of Spain vs Sweden, we can currently take Sweden +1.5 goals at odds of 1.72. Do we think it is likely that Sweden will win the match? Perhaps not, but do we believe they will keep the game close and lose by not more than a single goal? This could indeed be quite likely.
Betting on underdogs is more often than not the value play. This is especially true when betting on international football tournaments when betting markets are distorted simply because the average bettor has very little knowledge of the teams competing and will bet heavily on famous nations winning, leaving value opportunities for the shrewd bettor looking to oppose these teams in the markets.
Consider Team Chemistry
Many international football teams are stacked with talent. But football isn’t just about having a roster loaded with talent. What is far more important to team performance is chemistry on the field, especially at an international football tournament where teams have limited preparation.
While a team may feature some of the biggest names in European football, they may not possess great team balance. They may have some of the greatest attacking players in world football, but do they posses the same quality in defence? If they possess a midfield that can command the game, do they have the attacking options required to finish in front of goal?
Don’t be blinded by the big names. Always take into account team chemistry and balance. If a team does not feature a balanced line up, expect their performance to be likewise inconsistent and likely overrated in the betting markets.
Consider Home Advantage
No matter what the sport or what level it’s been played at, home advantage is always a key consideration. This is especially true at this year’s Euro tournament with seven nations playing each of their group games on home turf with the potential for England to play in both the semi finals and final on home territory, Wembley stadium.
Home advantage at domestic level is typically considered to be worth 0.40 of a goal on average, meaning that if two teams of equal quality were to play, the home team would be considered a 0.40 goal better team, simply because they are playing at home.
At international level, not only do home teams receive the advantage of playing in front of home fans that both encourage their beloved home nation not to mention often influencing the decisions of referees, the players are also claim the advantage of playing in a climate they are more accustomed to.
Consider Motivation
Motivation is key in tournaments such as Euro. This is particularly true in the concluding rounds of the group stage. There is a reason why many bookmakers only post match odds for the opening two rounds of the group stage until the opening two rounds have been completed. They simply do not have any idea how the teams will approach the final round.
The final round of the group stage can often be a gold mine for the shrewd bettor who is aware of individual team motivations and understands the strengths and weaknesses of each team’s roster.
For example, if a nation such as Germany has already secured first place in their group through the opening two rounds, they will likely field a less than full strength team in the final round. Which players will play and which will sit and how will these changes impact the performance of the German team in the final round?
And most importantly, do the odds for Germany to win their final round match adequately account for the changes in their line up?
Be Prepared
It’s especially important to be prepared when betting on an international football tournament such as Euro. Not only are there limited opportunities to find betting value with each team only playing a handful of games, it also difficult to gauge team form heading into the tournament with each team participating in limited preparation and team squads not announced until close to tournament kickoff.
The good news is that everyone is in the same boat. While you may have limited chances to assess team form, the same goes for the bookmakers. While finding betting value in such circumstances can feel daunting, it can also be a great opportunity if you’re prepared to do your homework and prepared to hit the ground running. Study hard now in the lead up to the tournament and reap the rewards when the tournament kicks off in June.
While the anomalies of international tournament football may scare many away, the shrewd bettor can see them as a great opportunity and take advantage of each tournament’s unique format and schedule.
6. Euro 2028 Schedule
Euro 2028 runs from mid June through to July. As with every major football league and tournament, the bettingexpert community will be keen to share there insights.
Below is the full fixtures list with links to Euro tips for each match through the tournament.
7. Euro Winners & History
The European football championship was first held in 1960 with France the first of the tournament’s hosts. The Soviet Union won the first European Championshiptournament that year, defeating Yugoslavia in the final 2-1 after extra time.
The tournament has been held 16 times with Germany and Spain each claiming a tournament best three titles, with Germany also runners up three times and Spain once.
Euros Winners & Hosts
Year | Host | Champion | RUNNERs UP | SCORE | TEAMS |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1960 | France | Soviet Union | Yugoslavia | 2-1 aet | 4 |
1964 | Spain | Spain | Soviet Union | 2-1 | 4 |
1968 | Italy | Italy | Yugoslavia | 2-0 replay | 4 |
1972 | Belgium | W. Germany | Soviet Union | 3-0 | 4 |
1976 | Yugoslavia | Czechoslovakia | W. Germany | 2-2 pens | 4 |
1980 | Italy | W. Germany | Belgium | 2-1 | 8 |
1984 | France | France | Spain | 2-0 | 8 |
1988 | W. Germany | Netherlands | Soviet Union | 2-0 | 8 |
1992 | Sweden | Denmark | Germany | 2-0 | 16 |
1996 | England | Germany | Czech Republic | 2-1 gg | 16 |
2000 | Belgium/Netherlands | France | Italy | 2-1 gg | 16 |
2004 | Portugal | Greece | Portugal | 1-0 | 16 |
2008 | Austria/Switzerland | Spain | Germany | 1-0 | 16 |
2012 | Poland/Ukraine | Spain | Italy | 4-0 | 16 |
2016 | France | Portugal | France | 1-0 aet | 24 |
2021 | Europe | Italy | England | 1-1 aet 3-2 pens | 24 |
Euro 2024 Champions: Spain
Spain will enter the European championship as defending champions following their victory in the 2024 final over England.
Euros Medal Totals
TEAM | CHAMPIONSHIPS | RUNNERS UP |
Germany | 3 | 3 |
Spain | 3 | 1 |
Italy | 2 | 2 |
France | 2 | 1 |
Soviet Union | 1 | 3 |
Czech Republic | 1 | 1 |
Portugal | 1 | 1 |
Netherlands | 1 | 0 |
Denmark | 1 | 0 |
Greece | 1 | 0 |
Yugoslavia | 0 | 2 |
England | 0 | 1 |
Belgium | 0 | 1 |
Four nations have won multiple European championships, Germany and Spain with three while France and Italy with two.
8. Euros Stats
Germany has been the most dominant nation across the history of the European championships, winning 27 of their 53 matches played earning a goal difference of +23, just short of an average of half a goal per match. France and Spain have also enjoyed their share of success, with France winning 21 of their 43 matches and Spain 21 of their 46 matches, and like Germany earning roughly half a goal average in goal difference per match.
Euros All Time Performance Table
Rank | Team | Part. | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
1 | Germany[a] | 13 | 53 | 27 | 13 | 13 | 78 | 55 | +23 | 67 |
2 | Italy | 10 | 45 | 21 | 18 | 6 | 52 | 31 | +21 | 60 |
3 | Spain | 11 | 46 | 21 | 15 | 10 | 68 | 42 | +26 | 57 |
4 | France | 10 | 43 | 21 | 12 | 10 | 69 | 50 | +19 | 54 |
5 | Netherlands | 10 | 39 | 20 | 8 | 11 | 65 | 41 | +24 | 48 |
6 | Portugal | 8 | 39 | 19 | 10 | 10 | 56 | 38 | +18 | 48 |
7 | England | 10 | 38 | 15 | 13 | 10 | 51 | 37 | +14 | 43 |
8 | Czech Republic[b] | 10 | 37 | 15 | 7 | 15 | 48 | 47 | +1 | 37 |
9 | Russia[c] | 12 | 36 | 13 | 7 | 16 | 40 | 52 | −12 | 33 |
10 | Denmark | 9 | 33 | 10 | 6 | 17 | 42 | 50 | −8 | 26 |
11 | Belgium | 6 | 22 | 11 | 2 | 9 | 31 | 28 | +3 | 24 |
12 | Croatia | 6 | 22 | 9 | 6 | 7 | 30 | 28 | +2 | 24 |
13 | Sweden | 7 | 24 | 7 | 7 | 10 | 30 | 28 | +2 | 21 |
14 | Switzerland | 5 | 18 | 3 | 8 | 7 | 16 | 24 | −8 | 14 |
15 | Greece | 4 | 16 | 5 | 3 | 8 | 14 | 20 | −6 | 13 |
16 | Wales | 2 | 10 | 5 | 1 | 4 | 13 | 12 | +1 | 11 |
17 | Poland | 4 | 14 | 2 | 7 | 5 | 11 | 15 | −4 | 11 |
18 | Turkey | 5 | 18 | 4 | 2 | 12 | 14 | 30 | −16 | 10 |
19 | Hungary | 4 | 11 | 2 | 4 | 5 | 14 | 20 | −6 | 8 |
20 | Serbia[d] | 5 | 14 | 3 | 2 | 9 | 22 | 39 | −17 | 8 |
21 | Romania | 5 | 16 | 1 | 5 | 10 | 10 | 21 | −11 | 7 |
22 | Scotland | 3 | 9 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 5 | 10 | −5 | 6 |
23 | Austria | 3 | 10 | 2 | 2 | 6 | 7 | 12 | −5 | 6 |
24 | Republic of Ireland | 3 | 10 | 2 | 2 | 6 | 6 | 17 | −11 | 6 |
25 | Iceland | 1 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 8 | 9 | −1 | 6 |
26 | Ukraine | 3 | 11 | 3 | 0 | 8 | 8 | 19 | −11 | 6 |
27 | Slovakia | 2 | 7 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 13 | −8 | 5 |
28 | Norway | 1 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 |
29 | Bulgaria | 2 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 13 | −9 | 3 |
30 | Northern Ireland | 1 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 3 | −1 | 2 |
31 | Albania | 1 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 3 | −2 | 2 |
32 | Finland | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 3 | −2 | 2 | |
33 | Slovenia | 1 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 5 | −1 | 2 |
34 | Latvia | 1 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 5 | −4 | 1 |
35 | North Macedonia | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 8 | −6 | 0 |
1. Includes results of West Germany between 1972–1988
2. Includes results of Czechoslovakia between 1960–1980
3. Includes results of Soviet Union and CIS between 1960–1992
4. Includes results of Yugoslavia and FR Yugoslavia between 1960–2000
9. Euros 2028 Bookmakers
While it may not grab the global audience of the World Cup, the Euros will receive identical coverage from bookmakers across the industry with a deep list of betting markets available for both tournament outrights and individual matches.
You will find odds for tournament and group winners, with many bookmakers also offering odds on teams to either qualify for the knockout stage or fail to do so. Bookmakers across the industry will also offers odds on tournament top goalscorer, player of the tournament and even young player of the tournament.
When it comes to individual match odds, bookmakers will offer deep menus of options, from traditional markets such as 1X2 odds, goal totals and Asian handicaps, to a range of alternative markets and exotics. While the margins on odds for exotic markets such as total corners, total cards and total shots generally quite aggressive, for the shrewd bettor these markets still offer plenty of value.
Although it pays to do your research, we recommend the following five bookmakers for Euro betting: