CONCACAF Champions League Betting – Best Picks, Odds, Predictions
By the end of this guide to CONCACAF Champions League betting, you’ll find out everything you need to know about betting on this competition. We’ll go over how this event is structured, how the betting odds work and what you need to think about before doing any CONCACAF Champions League betting.
Following the strategies discussed in this guide will help you have more success than the rest of the confederation has had against Mexico in this tournament.
Best Sportsbooks to Bet on CONCACAF Champions League
The CONCACAF Champions League may not have the same clout as the UEFA Champions League, but there are still plenty of opportunities to bet on the competition. These CONCACAF Champions League betting sites are some of the many options you have to wager on this competition with. This list of bookmakers happens to be the best of the crop of sites with which you can bet on the tournament each year.
CONCACAF Champions League Previous Season Recap
Last season, Monterrey of Liga MX won the CONCACAF Champions League. They were dominant during the knockout rounds of the tournament, outscoring their opponents 16-4 in six matches between the Round of 16 and the semifinals. Monterrey then finished the job against Club América in the CONCACAF Champions League final, despite América being the CONCACAF Champions League betting favorite going in.
For Monterrey, Rogelio Funes Mori was the star down the stretch of the tournament. He scored three goals in the final two matches of the tournament for the eventual champions, including the lone goal of the final against Club América. Funes Mori’s stock is rapidly rising in Mexico both for club and country, and this CONCACAF Champions League campaign was further evidence as to why.
One of the big storylines from this year’s CONCACAF Champions League is the fact that Liga MX and MLS dominated the proceedings even more than they usually do. The entire quarterfinal round of the tournament was made up of teams from MLS and Liga MX, with Toronto FC serving as the only team from outside of the U.S. or Mexico to get that far. Teams from Mexico and the U.S. are typically the CONCACAF Champions League betting favorites each season, but they really crushed the competition this time around.
2021-2022 Transfer Window Recap
The transfer window in a competition like the CONCACAF Champions League is complicated, as it deals with the transfer windows in a number of leagues. Each transfer window can have a huge impact on the CONCACAF Champions League betting odds ahead of each season, and this year was no exception. Here, we’ll run down some of the notable transfers that have taken place among CONCACAF Champions League teams.
It’s worth noting the majority of the notable transfers in this competition involve the MLS and Liga MX clubs. Given the balance of power among CONCACAF nations and the fact that MLS and Liga MX are higher profile leagues than those in countries like Costa Rica and Honduras, incoming transfers are simply more likely to join bigger teams with more money. These moves may not be on the level of elite European competitions, but are still very impactful in North and Central America’s Champions League.
León made a notable move when they brought in Santiago Ormeño from Puebla in the summer 2021 transfer window. Ormeño was an impact player from a Puebla team inferior to León for a couple of seasons. Now, he’s looking to make his mark for León in both Liga MX and the CONCACAF Champions League, though he failed to score in 17 appearances with León.
A transfer that could negatively impact a team that has a chance in CONCACAF Champions League betting markets was the move of Tajon Buchanan away from the New England Revolution. Buchanan scored eight goals last MLS season for a Revs team that finished at the top of the Eastern Conference. He’s since been shipped to Europe to play for Club Brugge, which will undoubtedly make things tougher on the Revs all season long.
Summer 2021 Transfer Window Recap
The transfer window in a competition like the CONCACAF Champions League is complicated, as it deals with the transfer windows in a number of leagues. Each transfer window can have a huge impact on the CONCACAF Champions League betting odds ahead of each season, and this year was no exception. Here, we’ll run down some of the notable transfers that have taken place among CONCACAF Champions League teams.
It’s worth noting the majority of the notable transfers in this competition involve the MLS and Liga MX clubs. Given the balance of power among CONCACAF nations and the fact that MLS and Liga MX are higher profile leagues than those in countries like Costa Rica and Honduras, incoming transfers are simply more likely to join bigger teams with more money. These moves may not be on the level of elite European competitions, but are still very impactful in North and Central America’s Champions League.
León made a notable move when they brought in Santiago Ormeño from Puebla in the summer 2021 transfer window. Ormeño was an impact player from a Puebla team inferior to León for a couple of seasons. Now, he’s looking to make his mark for León in both Liga MX and the CONCACAF Champions League, though he failed to score in 17 appearances with León.
A transfer that could negatively impact a team that has a chance in CONCACAF Champions League betting markets was the move of Tajon Buchanan away from the New England Revolution. Buchanan scored eight goals last MLS season for a Revs team that finished at the top of the Eastern Conference. He’s since been shipped to Europe to play for Club Brugge, which will undoubtedly make things tougher on the Revs all season long.
Winter 2022 Transfer Window Recap
As one would expect, the majority of the signings worth noting in the CONCACAF Champions League come from teams in Major League Soccer and Liga MX. Nearly all of the success in this competition comes from Mexico and the United States, both on the scoreboard and in the transfer market. But the transfer market was quiet for CCL teams, as the MLS and Liga MX participants in this competition did not do much in the transfer market.
The most notable move from an MLS team competing in the CONCACAF Champions League was the acquisition of Jozy Altidore by the New England Revolution. Altidore had been a fixture at Toronto FC over the years, but the club has finally moved on from him and sent him to a team that is in this year’s CONCACAF Champions League. Whether they will play him in this competition remains to be seen, but his possible inclusion in the Revs’ CCL squad is intriguing.
None of the Liga MX teams that are in the CONCACAF Champions League made any moves in the winter transfer market. Given that Mexican teams have historically dominated this competition, there’s no reason to question their logic in that decision making. But if those teams do fall short this season, they could point to their lack of transfer activity as a reason why.
Who are Favorites to Win CONCACAF Champions League this Season?
The favorites in the outright CONCACAF Champions League betting odds each season are the teams that hail from Mexico. Mexican clubs have had a stranglehold on this competition, and that is expected to continue again in 2022. The four Mexican sides involved in the CONCACAF Champions League this year are Cruz Azul, León, UNAM, and Santos Laguna.
Cruz Azul has experience winning the CONCACAF Champions League in seasons past, and appear to be among the best equipped teams to do so again this year. Santos Laguna has made multiple finals in this competition, and will aim to break through for the first time with a championship. León and UNAM also have a perfectly good chance to get to the final and win it.
As far as the MLS sides are concerned, this isn’t the best crop of MLS teams to make the CCL. New York City FC won MLS Cup at the end of the 2021 MLS season, but CONCACAF Champions League betting odds confirm their lack of attention to this competition doesn’t bode well for them here. The Seattle Sounders, Colorado Rapids, New England Revolution and CF Montreal all have the potential to make deep runs, but should falter against the Mexican sides.
Who is in Danger of Relegation?
Fortunately for the competitors in the CONCACAF Champions League, there’s no promotion or relegation to be had in this competition. As a result, you won’t see any CONCACAF Champions League betting odds pertaining to relegation. Instead, there are various points in the tournament where teams are just eliminated from the competition.
This event changed its format in 2018, becoming a 16-team tournament where two-legged matchups are played until a winner is declared. Before that point, there was a group stage where teams were able to qualify for the knockout rounds. Additional changes are expected to come to the tournament starting in 2024, as CONCACAF is planning to expand the event to 27 teams.
One notable difference between the CONCACAF Champions League and the UEFA Champions League is that there’s no downward movement for teams eliminated from the competition. The UEFA Champions League moves third place teams in the group stage down to the Europa League, while no secondary competition exists to do the same in the CONCACAF Champions League.
Outright Predictions for CONCACAF Champions League 2021/22
As far as outright predictions are concerned in the CONCACAF Champions League betting markets, the top four options all have to be the teams from Mexico. If you had to pick one of them above the rest, there’s a decent case to be made for León. However, if you keep up on the outright betting odds to win this tournament after each match day, you may be able to get plus prices on all of those four teams at some point in the tournament.
Outside of the four teams from Mexico, it’s hard to justify taking any of the teams competing in the CONCACAF Champions League, including the five squads from MLS to get there. A team from Mexico has won every CONCACAF Champions League since 2006, and an American team hasn’t won this tournament since the LA Galaxy got the job done in 2000. The CONCACAF Champions League betting markets aren’t a good value for American teams, as American bettors are likely to back them even if they’re unlikely to win the trophy.
There are seven clubs that aren’t in MLS or Liga MX involved in this year’s CONCACAF Champions League. Unfortunately, they aren’t great selections either in outright CONCACAF Champions League betting markets. Saprissa did win this tournament in 2005, but isn’t much of a threat to the bigger clubs in this competition in the more modern version of the tournament.
Players to Keep an Eye on in CONCACAF Champions League this Season
In terms of players to watch in the upcoming CONCACAF Champions League campaign, the player at the top of the list might be Juan Ignacio Dinenno of UNAM
He was a Top 10 player in goals and assists during the Apertura half of the 2021-2022 Liga MX season. His versatility and ability to impact the game in multiple ways could help his team to get through the other Mexican sides that top the CONCACAF Champions League betting markets before the tournament.
Diego Valdes of Santos Laguna is another player who is capable of impacting matches in this CONCACAF Champions League campaign in multiple ways. He finished the Apertura with five goals and four assists, the same numbers as the aforementioned Dinenno. It is possible that we see both of these players carry their respective clubs to deep runs in this event.
It’s difficult to spotlight MLS players for this tournament, as it’s never a certainty a team’s best players will suit up from the American clubs in this event. If the MLS teams used their full star power to try and win this tournament, they may be better equipped to get past the Mexican sides. For now, though, the full participation of MLS teams is sporadic at best.
How do we Provide our Expert Picks for CONCACAF Champions League?
Our CONCACAF Champions League betting picks are the result of in-depth research into all of the teams participating in the competition. Knowledge of the teams from Liga MX and MLS is more common than knowledge of the other teams in this tournament. Our expert soccer handicappers do their homework on all of the teams, though, from the teams from the top two leagues all the way down to the clubs thought of as minnows.
A big part of CONCACAF Champions League betting that isn’t a concern during domestic leagues quite as much is travel. The travel situations ahead of matches in this league can be brutal, with teams tasked with traveling from the corners of the United States deep into the Caribbean or Central America, and vice versa. This kind of demanding travel can cause teams to come out less sharp than usual, and we’re sure to inform you of those situational spots as often as possible.
Something else that’s unique to the CCL is that field conditions are a concern at times in CONCACAF Champions League betting. In European soccer competitions, you usually don’t hear about fields with surfaces that don’t allow the ball to roll and bounce properly. That’s a sad reality of playing against some of the smaller clubs in this competition, though, and has to be taken into account.
Best Sportsbooks that Cover CONCACAF Champions League Games
When deciding on the best site for CONCACAF Champions League betting, context is everything. You have to remember this isn’t a tournament that gets a lot of attention from Americans from a viewing or betting perspective. As a result, there isn’t as much attention paid to this competition by bookmakers for the most part, but there are still some sportsbooks that rise above the rest.
Fanduel Sportsbook
The best sportsbook for CONCACAF Champions League betting may just be Fanduel Sportsbook. They offer interesting features like the same-game parlay, letting you combine bets such as moneylines and goal scorer props within the same ticket. This can spice up betting on a league where many bookmakers stick to the more basic betting options.
Caesars Sportsbook
Another sportsbook that is of high quality for the CCL is Caesars Sportsbook. Caesars is one of the best choices for soccer betting across the board, as their affiliation with William Hill has paired them with a brand that has been operating in more soccer-hungry markets for over a century. Some of that quality has certainly rubbed off on Caesars, to the benefit of you the bettor.
Sportsbook Promo Codes and Best Bonuses for CONCACAF Champions League
At the aforementioned sportsbooks, you can take advantage of multiple four-figure welcome bonuses for your CONCACAF Champions League betting. Fanduel Sportsbook is offering a risk-free bet worth up to $1,000 that can be used on the CCL. There, you can place your first bet for up to $1,000 and either win and keep your profits or lose and get site credit worth the amount that you lost on your first bet.
Caesars, meanwhile, is offering a matched bet bonus with a maximum value of $1,001. There, you can place your first bet for up to $1,001 and receive site credit worth the amount you risked up to $1,001. That site credit is awarded whether your first bet wins or loses, opening up the possibility of you winning your first bet and claiming those profits in addition to getting those free bets.
All You Need to Know about CONCACAF Champions League Betting
Now, we’re going to walk you through some of the more important components of CONCACAF Champions League betting. Here, you’ll learn how the betting odds work for CCL matches, what the most popular forms of betting are in this league, and some strategic elements to maximize the amount you can make betting on it.
If you continue reading from here, you’ll become a better CONCACAF Champions League bettor.
CONCACAF Champions League Odds and Betting Lines
CONCACAF Champions League betting odds are the numbers that you see listed on every betting market when looking through soccer odds. They determine the amount you have to risk to win the amount you wish to, with those amounts being dictated by the number and whether the odds begin with a plus or minus sign. Plus priced odds display the amount you will win if you wager $100 on that market, while odds that begin with a minus sign display the amount you need to risk to win $100.
You’ll notice the odds for an upcoming CCL match may change before the start of a game. Betting line movement is the product of a number of factors, including updated news surrounding each team, injuries, weather, and even the amount that bettors are wagering on each side. When betting on sports, your goal should be to get the best odds you can on each game, which sometimes means waiting for favorable line movement or passing on a game where the line has moved unfavorably.
Compare Odds for CONCACAF Champions League
Another way to get the most favorable CONCACAF Champions League betting odds is to compare the odds for each match between multiple sportsbooks. To do this, you’ll want to look at the odds for that match at as many sportsbooks as you can, with the goal being to find the price that’ll reduce your risk or increase your profits the most. Doing this over a period of months or years can really improve your bankroll’s standing.
For example, say that you’re interested in betting on one team in an upcoming CCL game. At one sportsbook, they are at +125 to win, while a second sportsbook has them at +150. The +125 odds would yield a $125 payout on a $100 bet, while +150 odds would mean a $150 payout on a $100 bet. At +150 odds, you would win $25 more than if you bet at +125, making the +150 odds a no-brainer to utilize.
How do we Generate our CONCACAF Champions League Odds?
The CONCACAF Champions League betting odds that we generate come from comparing the odds at a long list of sportsbooks. Just as we recommend that you do, we compare the betting odds for all of the CONCACAF Champions League picks that we provide. This ensures that we are recommending the best bets at the best odds, to maximize your profitability betting on this competition.
Moneyline CONCACAF Champions League Odds
The moneyline betting market is the most popular soccer betting market, as it’s tied to the goal of every soccer team that takes the field: winning the game.
Your goal in the moneyline market is to simply pick which team is going to win each game, with three options to choose from. Those options are for either team to win the game, or for the game to end in a draw.
To have the most success betting on the moneyline, you must figure out which matchups call for bets on which side. Even the best teams in the CONCACAF Champions League have their share of flaws, and those flaws can create mismatches. Identifying those mismatches can help you figure out when a favorite may fail to win a match or an underdog may be primed for an outright win.
CONCACAF Champions League Over/Under Odds
In over/under betting, your job is to predict how many goals will be scored in an upcoming match.
Bookmakers will hang a number of goals up for each match, and you’ll pick whether you think the goal number of goals will be over or under that quantity. In this form of CONCACAF Champions League betting, it pays to have an in-depth understanding of the style of play on each side.
For example, some teams may play a more aggressive attacking style while others are content to sit back and defend. That can have a massive impact on the number of goals scored in a match. You should develop an idea of which teams fall into which category before locking in any over/under wagers.
How does CONCACAF Champions League Work
As of now, the CONCACAF Champions League consists of 16 teams that play a knockout stage tournament from the Round of 16 through the final. It is important to note for CONCACAF Champions League betting purposes that each of these knockout rounds consists of two legs. The team with the higher score after those two legs moves onto the next round of the tournament.
In 2024, there are plans in place to expand the CCL to 27 teams. That’ll mean more teams from each area of the confederation, including Mexico, the United States, Central America and the Caribbean.
Teams and Venues
The current structure of the CONCACAF Champions League is an integral part of CONCACAF Champions League betting. There are 16 teams in the tournament. Here is a look at those 16 teams, along with the home stadiums that they will use to host matches in this competition as well as their domestic leagues.
| Team | Home Venue |
|---|---|
| León | Estadio León |
| Cruz Azul | Estadio Azteca |
| UNAM | Estadio Olímpico Universitario |
| Santos Laguna | Estadio Corona |
| New York City FC | Yankee Stadium |
| New England Revolution | Gillette Stadium |
| Colorado Rapids | Dick’s Sporting Goods Park |
| Seattle Sounders | Lumen Field |
| CF Montreal | Saputo Stadium |
| Cavaly | Parc Julia Vilbon |
| Comunicaciones | Estadio Nacional Doroteo Guamuch Flores |
| Guastatoya | Estadio David Cordón Hichos |
| Motagua | Estadio Nacional Tegucigalpa |
| Forge FC | Tim Hortons Field |
| Saprissa | Estadio Ricardo Saprissa Aymá |
| Santos de Guápiles | Estadio Ebal Rodriguez |
CONCACAF Champions League Trophy
Thomas Lyte is the entity responsible for designing the CONCACAF Champions League trophy. Their trophy was introduced in 2008, and has handles that feature an angular design at the top that are similar to the CONCACAF Gold Cup. It’s been made with brass and plated in silver and gold, along with 41 diamonds to represent the 41 countries in CONCACAF.
COVID-19 Status
Each season of CONCACAF Champions League betting now has the potential to be impacted by COVID-19. Matches can be postponed or rescheduled depending on the numbers of cases in this part of the world. For now, CONCACAF Champions League betting is unaffected, as there are no plans to change the tournament schedule.
Interesting Facts about CONCACAF Champions League
The CONCACAF Champions League was founded in 1962 and was rebranded as the CCL in 2008. It has been won by Club América seven times, the most of any team in the event’s history, with América regularly being the CONCACAF Champions League betting favorite.
The winner of this event earns a spot in the FIFA Club World Cup, which features the winners of the Champions Leagues of every soccer confederation. Naturally, the European champions are most often the team that wins this event, though CONCACAF’s representatives often put up a great fight in that tournament.
CONCACAF Champions League Conclusion
For fans of American and Mexican soccer, the CONCACAF Champions League can be a source of great entertainment. CONCACAF Champions League betting can be a similar thrill, as you can test your knowledge of the tournament from start to finish.
With our CONCACAF Champions League betting advice above, you’ll give yourself the best chance to turn a profit betting on these matches.