How to Bet on the Champions Cup
Betting on the Champions Cup runs from one long outright bet to a full card of markets on every match, across the pool stage and the knockouts. Here is how each works, with the South African angle in mind.
The main markets
- Outright winner — one club to win the competition; see the Champions Cup odds page.
- Match result — the winner of a single game, with a draw priced in the pool stage.
- Handicap — a points start or deficit to level the cross-border mismatches; see handicap betting.
- Total points — over or under a line on the combined score; see over/under.
- First try scorer and top try scorer — player markets, the latter running the whole competition.
- To qualify — in the knockouts, which club advances from a tie, including extra time.
A sensible approach
The pool stage throws up big mismatches between clubs from different leagues, so the handicap and total-points markets often offer more value than backing a heavy favourite at short odds on the match result. An accumulator across pool favourites is popular but risky — one upset and it is gone — and squad rotation makes pool results harder to call than they look. See the Champions Cup guide for the full picture and the Champions Cup predictions page for our take.
Frequently asked questions
What is the easiest Champions Cup bet to start with?
The match result — simply backing the winner of a single game. From there, the handicap and total points add value, especially in one-sided cross-border pool matches.
What is a 'to qualify' bet in the Champions Cup?
In the knockout rounds it is a bet on which club advances from a tie, settled including extra time — a separate market from the 80-minute match result.