This year's Champions League final will be hotly contested, but there's one club that most fans expect to come away with the trophy.
As Real Madrid take on Borussia Dortmund at Wembley Stadium in London on Saturday, one club has history on its side. The Spanish giants are the most successful club in European history, aiming for their record 15th Champions League trophy.
As such, Madrid are overwhelming favorites according to the betting market, at least in the context of the Champions League final throughout recent history. And yet, they are not the strongest pre-match favorites in the history of this competition, as far as we know.
The Sporting News brings you the details behind where this year's matchup sits in terms of lopsided pre-match expectations in recent Champions League final history.
MORE: Which manager has the most Champions League titles in the history of the competition?
Biggest favorites in Champions League final history
According to Oddsportal, the most lopsided Champions League final saw last year's match between Manchester City and Inter Milan as the largest disparity in pre-match betting odds in the history of the game, at least as far back as we have data, which goes back now 20 years.
Manchester City were installed as -225 (4/9) favorites to beat Inter Milan in 90 minutes of regulation for the 2023 Champions League final and were tabbed as -550 favorites to win the trophy in any manner, whether it be in regulation, extra time, or penalty shootout. They made good on that promise, as they emerged as 1-0 winners on a goal by Rodri in the 68th minute.
Prior to that, the largest pre-match betting favorite for a Champions League final was Barcelona in 2015, as Lionel Messi led the Blaugrana to a 3-1 victory over Juventus, coming into the game as -161 favorites on the three-way moneyline, or -323 to lift the trophy.
The biggest pre-match betting favorite to lose a Champions League final across the 19 years of data was Bayern Munich in 2012, who were beaten by Chelsea 2-1 despite coming into the game as -143 favorites on the three-way moneyline and -250 to win the title. Chelsea, consequently, were +200 to lift the trophy and +340 to win in 90 minutes, the largest underdogs to emerge victorious.
Across the last 20 years, the match the betting market had the most trouble calling was the 2009 Champions League final between Manchester United and Barcelona, which featured star-studded squads on both sides of the field. Barcelona, as slight +175 underdogs on the three-way moneyline, lifted the trophy with a 2-0 victory behind goals from Samuel Eto'o and Messi, defeating the +161 three-way favorites Man United in Rome.
Champions League final odds 2024
It's no surprise that Real Madrid are solid favorites in this one-off final, sporting around -150 (2/3) odds to win in regulation and -300 (1/3) odds to emerge with a record 15th European title. Still, those numbers are dwarfed by the record pre-match betting favorite for a Champions League final, as Manchester City were -225 to beat Inter before kickoff of the 2023 match.
Dortmund, for their efforts, sit at almost +400 (4/1) odds to win in 90 minutes, installed at over +200 (2/1) odds to win a second Champions League title in club history and a first outside of German soil.
| BetMGM (USA) | |
| Dortmund win (90 mins) | +380 |
| Draw (90 mins) | +310 |
| Real Madrid win (90 mins) | -155 |
| Both teams to score | Y: -145 N: +100 |
| Over / Under 2.5 goals | O: -150 U: +110 |
| Real Madrid to lift the trophy | -300 |
| Dortmund to lift the trophy | +225 |
If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. Sporting News has editorial oversight for this content. Learn more >
