With most of soccer in their offseason (besides MLS mainly), you’d think there’s not a lot of soccer betting options right now. You’d be correct, besides futures like the next Chanoions League or World Cup winner.
But… there is one bet that should be atop of mind. A bet that will pay out in about two months time — the next Ballon d’Or winner. Of course, this is the award given to the best player in the world, counting both club and international play. Keep reading cause we’re breaking down the award and bet in this article.
2025 Ballon d’Or Odds
We’ll know who the next Ballon d’Or winner is on September 22, when it’s announced at the iconic Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris. Of course, the best soccer betting sites are already out in front of it. For months now, they’ve been ebbing and flowing the Ballon d’Or odds. But as of right now, here’s how the betting lines shake out:
| Player |  |  |  |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ousmane Dembele | -600 | -600 | -600 |
| Lamine Yamal | +400 | +400 | +400 |
| Vitinha | +1000 | +1000 | +1000 |
| Raphinha | +1600 | +1600 | +1600 |
| Mo Salah | +1600 | +1600 | +1600 |
| Cole Palmer | +2000 | +2000 | +2000 |
A few things: the 2024 winner, Rodri, is nowhere to be seen on the betting favorite list. That’s because the Man City/Spain star injured himself for the entire season as early as September, paving the way for a new winner.
More than that, it’s a two-player race between just-turned 18-year-old sensation Lamine Yamal and do-everything star Ousmané Dembele. There’s a huge gap between them and the rest of the field. So who of the two should you bet on? Let’s make the case below.
The Case For Yamal To Win Balon D’Or
Honestly, if this award only tracked play until May 6, Yamal would likely have closed this award. Back then, he was the betting favorite. But it all flipped when Barcelona were knocked out of the Champions League by Inter Milan. Not that the 7-6 aggregate loss was Yamal’s fault, though. He scored a goal and almost had several others it felt like.
Still, Yamal’s +400 odds seem too high for us given the teenager’s out-of-this-world rise in the last year. We think there’s some value in taking that bet. It’s the definition of a low-risk, high-reward bet that has a chance at paying out.
Yamal, who was 17 for almost all season long, led Barcelona to a La Liga title and cup double. He combined for 22 goals and assists for Barca. Club play took precedence this year since there was less international action. But even then, Yamal played big time for Spain. Most notably, Yamal scored a brace against Dembele’s French side in the Nations League semi-finals. For what it’s worth, Dembele went scoreless during that match.
Who’s to say that head-to-head performance won’t sway voters toward picking Yamal here? Again, at +400 odds, it’s worth taking just in case voters do break for Yamal.
The Case For Dembele To Win Ballon d’Or
Dembele is up to a staggering -600 odds to win. Again, he pulled away from Yamal in May. Not only when Barcelona was eliminated from the Champions League, but also when PSG finally won it, a first in club history. That helped PSG complete the treble, thanks to wins in Ligue 1 and Coupe de France too. That’s as perfect a club season as you can have.
The only thing that’s would’ve made it more perfect? A Club World Cup championship. PSG were upset in shocking fashion in the final by Chelsea and a one-man show from Cole Palmer, which shot up his Balon d’Oro betting chances drastically.
Team trophies matter greatly, obviously, but Dembele more than backed it up with individual performances. In 44 appearances between Ligue 1 and UCL, Demebele tallied 29 goals and 12 assists. He was simply the best player on a stacked team that cleaned up almost all the hardware this season.
Plus, it’s just the story of it all. PSG was a tortured club, who even with deep pockets from oil money, couldn’t win that illustrious Champions League title. Then their star player and fellow French national, Kylian Mbappe, left them in the summer for Real Madrid (the 2024 UCL winners). Yet, Dembele helped them break through in a big way all year long.
So yes, Dembele is probably going to win the 2025 Balon d’Oro. But… at -700 odds, there’s no much money to make (unless you size up big time.
How To Bet On 2025 Balon D’Or
You can bet on the 2025 Balon d’Oro winner from now until September 22 when it’s announced. We don’t expect odds to change much from now til then since there are no games happening that’ll count toward the award. If you need a reliable offshore sportsbooks to lock your bets at, may we recommend one of the following sites:
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