Football is the most popular sport in the world, with millions of players and even more bettors just waiting for the latest match. Unsurprisingly, a number of football leagues have grown across the globe, particularly in Europe. France’s Ligue 1 is one of the most popular of these, standing next to the likes of Italy’s Serie A and Spain’s La Liga. As such, there are plenty of Ligue 1 betting markets available.

About the French Ligue 1

In 1930, professional football in France became legal. Two years later, in 1932, what is known today as Ligue 1 was born. It was initially known as Division 1 and received its current name in 2002. The league has become synonymous with talented players and breathtaking wins, making it a favourite among bettors. The most notable team in Ligue 1 are Paris Saint-Germain, who have won 10 titles overall, with eight of those coming since 2012. Other historically dominant clubs include Lyon, Marseille, and Saint-Étienne.

How to Bet on Ligue 1

Betting on Ligue 1 is relatively straightforward, and works in a similar way to other sports and football leagues. First, you must pick your betting market: outright, game, or player. To do this, you should have a good understanding of the league and the players and teams involved. You must also understand the basics of football betting. Once you’ve selected the bet you wish to place, enter your wager, and then that amount will be deducted from your overall balance.

Ligue 1 Outright Betting Markets

When you bet ‘outright,’ you are betting on a team to lift the title at the end of a season. This is in comparison to some of the other betting markets, which focus on players or specific events within a match. At the time of writing, the league is dominated by Paris Saint-Germain and has been for a while. This means that outright bets will largely favour them, and the odds might not be as competitive as they are in other markets. Therefore, more value can be found in backing a different team to win Ligue 1, although there is increased likelihood of losing your bet.

Ligue 1 Match Betting Markets

Ligue 1 match betting markets focus on specific games, and what will happen during them. Match events such as the number of goals, cards, corners, and shots all fit under this market, as does predicting the result of a game; either win, lose, or draw. You may find more value in games that are between two closely-matched teams on paper, as there won’t be a clear favourite.

Ligue 1 Player Betting Markets

Ligue 1 player betting markets, as the name implies, are centred on football players. There are a few different kinds of bets you can make here, including match-specific events (such as who will score the most goals) and season-wide betting (such as which player will score the most goals overall). These are essentially expansions of outright and match betting markets that focus on individuals.

2023 Ligue 1 Betting Odds

Which player will score the most goals in Ligue 1 this season? And which team will come out victorious when all is said and done? Take a look at the favourites to dominate French football this season.

2023 Ligue 1 Winner

Given their dominance in the past decade, it’s very difficult to look beyond Paris Saint-Germain establishing themselves as the most successful team in the history of the French top flight by securing an 11th title in 2023. 2021 winners Lille fell wildly short of a challenge in their 2022 campaign, while second-placed Marseille finished a disappointing 15 points behind the champions.

That said, Marseille have undergone a significant turnover of personnel in the summer, which could go one of two ways. There’s arguably been an upgrade to the goalkeeper with the acquisition of Pau Lopez on a permanent basis, while a new-look back line that includes Chancel Mbemba, Jonathan Clauss, and Samuel Gigot is untested, but if they deliver, there’s no reason why Marseille can’t compete.

2023 Ligue 1 Top Scorer

Much like PSG as a club, Kylian Mbappe has been the standout player when it comes to registering the goals, taking the golden boot in 2019, 2020, 2021, and 2022 (although he shared the honour with Wissam Ben Yedder of Monaco in 2020). He’s been a revelation on the domestic and global stage, and his legendary status in the game is confirmed even at a tender age.

If you want to go further afield with a top goalscorer bet, the likes of Lille’s Jonathan David, Lyon’s Alexandre Lacazette, and Mbappe’s PSG teammate Neymar are a few of the names with the potential to challenge in addition to Ben Yedder.