Champions League betting

Europe’s top five leagues - the Premier League, Bundesliga, Serie A, Ligue 1, and La Liga – provide endless opportunities for football betting throughout the season. If you haven’t already encountered it, the French Ligue 1 has some of the game’s best players showing off world-class skills across 38 matches every season.

Getting to know Ligue 1

The top French professional league is administered by the Ligue de Football Professionnel, contested by 20 clubs and operating on a promotion and relegation system with Ligue 2. The Ligue 1 season runs from August to May with clubs playing two matches against each of the other teams in the league – home and away. Most games are played on Saturdays and Sundays, with a few games played during the week.

Fun facts about Ligue 1

• Ligue 1 was inaugurated on 11 September 1932 as ‘National’ before changing to ‘Division 1’ the following year.
• In 2002, the name officially changed to Ligue 1 which it remains today.
• AS Saint-Étienne is the most successful club in Ligue 1 with 10 league titles.
• Olympique Lyonnais is the Ligue 1 club that has won the most consecutive titles (seven Ligue 1 titles between 2002 and 2008).

Top Ligue 1 contenders to watch

The French league has a number of big-name players that offer some interesting betting opportunities. One of the biggest newcomers is Kylian Mbappe, a 20-year-old Paris Saint-Germain player whose finishing, dribbling, and speed skills are already seeing him touted as one of the world’s best players. Others that have made an impact on Ligue 1 – and global football - are fellow Paris Saint-Germain players, Angel Di Maria and Neymar da Silva Santos Júnior (AKA Neymar).

Sportingbet South Africa makes betting Ligue 1 betting as hassle-free as possible, providing you with the best odds on all the top matches, including the exciting Live Betting option and various betting promotions.