Real Madrid defeated Bayern Munich on Wednesday and advanced to the UEFA Champions League Final with yet another incredible victory. Borussia Dortmund, the ultimate underdog, will be playing them in an attempt to cap off a remarkable journey.
In the final game of the premier league for European club football, the La Liga winners begin as -175 favorites to beat Dortmund; when the draw is eliminated, Madrid is -350 and Dortmund is +230. With a total of 2.5, the under (+115) is favored over the over (-160).
There was almost a different outcome for the pivotal matchup. In the second semifinal leg on Wednesday, Bayern established a 1-0 lead in the 68th minute, and their live line to win the game was as long as 15-1 until Madrid equalized in the 88th.
Dortmund, on the other hand, had to fight their way back into the UCL picture following a difficult tournament debut. BVB’s odds to win the tournament dropped to as high as 80-1 after their group stage loss to PSG; with a draw with AC Milan on the second matchday, their chances to win grew to 66-1; nonetheless, their odds to advance to the final were 40-1, the highest in the competition.
Dortmund was 25-1 to win the championship going into the quarterfinals; this put them last among the remaining clubs and more than double the odds of Atlético Madrid, who was next closest.
Dortmund was therefore not a particularly appealing futures choice. Only 2% of wagers and 3% of handle at DraftKings are on the German team to win it all, while Craig Mucklow, vice president of trading at Caesars Sportsbook, called an all-German championship match between Dortmund and Munich “ideal for the book.”
Conversely, Madrid has garnered a staggering amount of support from the betting public, accounting for a UCL-high 29% of bets and 35% of the handle at DraftKings. The Spanish club is its biggest liability, according to Caesars.
According to Mucklow, “Real Madrid would be the big winner for customers.”