The Europa League takes place every single and is played throughout the domestic European football season. It’s UEFA’s secondary club competition and although it is often eclipsed by the Champions League, it is one of the most-watched tournaments in the world and it regularly provides numerous betting opportunities.

Clubs qualify for the tournament based on performance in their domestic leagues although there are a number of qualifying rounds which precede the start of the competition and these allow so-called minnows a chance of qualification for the group stage.

The competition was previously known as the UEFA Cup and has produced a number of terrific stories and matches over the last forty years.

The group stage of the competition begins in September and consists of six match-days with the knock-out rounds commencing from February onwards. Teams who finish third in their Champions League groups will be allowed to enter the Europa League at this stage.

Spanish clubs tend to fare well in the Europa League with Sevilla having secured five titles and Atletico Madrid also enjoying recent success in the competition. Other winners of the competition include Liverpool, Inter Milan and Feyenoord.

Each country will have a number of co-efficients and some teams will also gain entry to the competition by winning their domestic cup competitions. In England, teams who finish seventh in the Premier League will often be given the opportunity to qualify for the tournament (depending on the FA Cup result).

When and Where?

The Europa League follows the same format each season. Many teams will begin their qualification campaign in July before domestic seasons have got underway. In September, twelve groups of four teams will battle it out for a place in the knock-out rounds.

The knock-out rounds begin in February and mirror the Champions League schedule.

Each team will have three home and three away games during the group stage. Knock-out ties are played over two legs, home and away.

Why is the Europa League so Popular?

The Europa League showcases a number of Europe’s top sides and although it doesn’t possess the glamour of the Champions League, it still manages to throw up a number of interesting ties throughout the season.

Top teams such as Sevilla, Ajax, Spurs and AC Milan have all recently featured in the competition and it provides a chance of European silverware for these clubs. It can also significantly raise the profile of relative unknowns such as Ostersunds, who reached the knock-out round in 2018 and played Arsenal over two legs.

Another possible reason for its popularity is that the competition is staged on Thursday evenings. This helps bridge the gap between the midweek Champions League matches and the weekend’s action. Thursday nights are not a hive of sporting activity and the Europa League is a superb way of keeping fans entertained.

What Betting Opportunities are Available?

There are hundreds of betting opportunities available on the Europa League. Pre-season, bettors can wager on the tournament winner market and group winners and these provide long-term propositions.

On a weekly basis, there are number betting opportunities with all of the usual match markets priced up alongside total goal markets for the entire set of fixtures. Several bookmakers will also provide enhancements on the games each round.

Popular Betting Markets

Europa League Winner – This is a long-term bet and these markets are ideal for patient punters who don’t mind waiting for their cash. Before the tournament gets underway, every participating side will be priced up according to their chances of winning the Europa League. Bigger names can usually be found towards the top of the market. This market will remain in place throughout the campaign and will take shape following the group stage when the Champions League dropouts enter the competition.Big odds are available on this market.

To Finish Top Of… – This is a market which is available pre-season and applies to the group stage only. Each section will consist of four sides and each team will be priced up accordingly.

Match Winner – Each week, every match will be priced up and there will be numerous markets available for each clash. Match Winner markets are still the most popular way of playing and this is simply a case of deciding the outcome. It is also known as 1X2. All group stage matches will be played over 90 minutes whilst second leg matches during the knock-out stage may require extra time and penalties.

Under/Over – Goals markets are incredibly popular with Europa League bettors. The competition does have the habit of being relatively low-scoring and therefore Under 2.5 markets are often utilised. However, the tournament does all throw up drama and match-days 5 and 6 will often produce entertaining clashes.One of the major reasons for the popularity of Under/Over is that it doesn’t require a match prediction and it can often land with thirty minutes to spare. The Europa League regularly produces late goals.

Both Teams to Score – A similar goals-based bet for every single match in the competition. This requires both sides to get on the scoresheet in order to pay-out. Once again, it’s a great way of betting without having to predict which sides will win the game.

Handicaps – Many Europa League games can be seemingly one-sided affairs and teams such as AC Milan can often start games at prices such as 1/12 and 1/8. This is ideal for utilising the handicap markets. -1 and -2 are good ways of betting in these types of clashes.

To Qualify – This market comes into play during the knock-out round. Over the two-legs, punters can back either side to secure their place in the next stage of the competition. This is less risky than backing a team in 90 minutes.

Total Europa League Goals – With the majority of games kicking off at a similar time, many bookies now price up a total goals market for all of the game. This will often be set in the mid-30s and is based on the total accumulation of goals across all of the matches. It is a great way of keeping interest across all of the action without drilling down into specifics.

 Bobby’s Big Betting Tips for the Europa League

• Check Distances and travel plans – The Europa League is usually sat between two sets of domestic fixtures and it can be a testing time for the teams involved. I always check where a team are playing and who they are facing at the weekend. If a team from Norway come off the back of a tough away fixture and then have to travel to Greece, Cyprus of Kazakhstan just days later, they could be worth opposing. Home teams do tend to win often during the group stage, particularly those who are situated in far flung countries. There are no easy games in the Europa League but performances aren’t helped by fatigue and the possibility of jet lag.Scandinavian sides tend to fare poorly in southern Europe whilst the Greeks and Turkish sides don’t travel well in this tournament.

• Team News is Vital – I usually like to have my bets an hour before the game as I always try to check team news first. Some managers treat the competition with respect whilst others aren’t so keen on the format. Many sides give youngsters the opportunity in this competition and that can help swing the result.

• Match-day 5 and 6 can throw up strange results – Whilst the opening few games tend to go to form, match-days 5 and 6 are often erratic and unpredictable. At this stage of the competition, sides require particular results in order to qualify for the knock-out rounds. Teams who are already through will often rest players and play at half-pace whilst those who require three points will often come up trumps despite being underdogs.

• Outright Bets are Often Best Struck in January – The outright market is available all season but the full line-up for the knock-out round will not be known until the end of the group stage. Champions League sides often prevail in the competition and until their participation is confirmed, I’d advise waiting until after Christmas.

 Where Can I Watch the Europa League on TV in the UK?

BT Sport have recently acquired the rights to the Europa League and they show main games on their two channels in the UK. With the staggered kick-off times, this can often mean that four games are televised each Thursday.

Every single match is also available via their BT Sport App.