Soccer is a sport that is more predictable than many others. The teams with the most money tend to remain on top, and it is always pretty easy to pick the likely winners of every league based on each team’s budget. However, there are upsets, and crazy things happen. Part of being a fan is gambling with the underdog, betting on the odds against the favourite, and hoping the craziest outcome happens.
With that in mind, let’s look at some of the teams that are not favourites on online betting sites that could still shock the world and win their league next season.
Arsenal (+500)
Arsenal has low odds simply because of how talented Manchester City is. In reality, Arsenal was incredibly close to getting the job done last year and winning their first Premier League since 2004. But the team came up short, and now they are the heavy underdogs against City. But Arsenal had an excellent offseason, bringing in players like Kai Havertz and Declan Rice to complement the talent they already have with players like Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Jesus. They are a young, promising team that can put it all together and overcome the odds against them. You can catch all the Arsenal games with legal football streams this season.
Manchester United (+1100)
Their cross-town rivals have overshadowed Manchester United for the past few seasons, but that doesn’t mean they can’t reclaim their spot as the top team in England. United has put together a quality summer transfer window, bringing in Mason Mount and Rasmus Hojlund to make the team more dangerous. While they lack the star power of some of the top teams in the country, they have plenty of quality up and down the roster. Erik Ten Hag seems like he will be a great boss for the team, and they are not done making moves yet.
AC Milan (+500)
Serie A is jumbled up amongst oddsmakers right now, with no team as the definitive favourite. But after Napoli has lost a ton of talent, the league is wide open, and AC Milan could make a run to glory. Milan has brought in players like Samuel Chukwueze and Christian Pulisic, as well as many other players with upside. They have had a quality offseason, and they now have one of the deepest, most talented teams in Serie A. With no clear established hierarchy, there’s no real reason that Milan can’t surpass expectations with a league-winning season.
Marseille (+1200)
Ligue One has had a pretty established hierarchy for the past several years. Since 2013, Paris Saint-Germain has won every year save for two. So why would anything change now? There are more questions than there have been in Paris for a while, with Mbappe likely on his way out and Messi already gone. While they still have a hugely talented roster and plenty of money to spend, Marseille could sneak in and get the job done. Marseille has the second-best odds in the division, which shows how heavily PSG is favourited. But Marseille is consistently solid and well-rounded, and they could claim their first league championship since 2010.
Atletico Madrid (+900)
Both Barcelona and Real Madrid are neck-and-neck in La Liga as the presumptive favourites. It is pretty easy to see why, as both teams are massively talented and have huge budgets. But if everything breaks right, Atletico could surprise them both. Atletico has incredible players like Antoine Griezmann, Joao Felix, and Memphis Depay, as well as manager Diego Simeone, who ensures they always play a disciplined, opportunistic style. Atletico will be hard-pressed to compete with Barcelona and Real, but if they are consistent and don’t make lapses, they could find themselves at the top of the table.