Spanish La Liga Betting Odds, Spreads & Lines

The Campeonato Nacional de Liga de Primera Division, referred to as the Primera Division in Spain and La Liga in countries with English as their first language, is the top-tier professional soccer division of the Spanish football league system. Since its birth in 1929, only nine teams have won the La Liga title, and none more famous than world-class teams Barcelona and Real Madrid – two teams that have housed the likes of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.

La Liga has been ranked as the top league in Europe more than any other country, and teams from this division have won more UEFA Champions League (19), UEFA Europa League, UEFA Super Cup (16) and FIFA Club World Cup (7) titles than any other nation. Players belonging to the biggest clubs in Spain have the highest number of Ballon d'Or awards, and the list goes on, thus making it one of the most talent-rich domestic leagues in the sport's history.

With the soccer prestige of European champions, you can bet your bottom dollar that sports betting markets and new betting opportunities aren't far behind. On that note, our soccer experts have written today's guide on La Liga odds and soccer betting lines to raise your knowledge of the game and its surrounding betting odds, markets and tips. Knowing the facts will give you an advantage over other bettors.

Before leaping into La Liga betting odds, you must first understand them. Three format variations of soccer odds are available at most online sportsbooks: American, decimal and fractional odds.

American odds are regarded as the most simplistic and easy to understand. Each betting line involved with American odds has a baseline value of $100, don't confuse it for a wagering limit.

The betting favorites are placed with a minus (-) icon alongside a number, and the bettor wins $100 when staking the number displayed. So, if the odds are -120, a $120 stake would return $100 profit (and the stake of your original wager).

The opposite team or athlete to the betting favorite is referred to as "the underdog." These are located by finding odds with a (+) symbol and showing a bettor how much is won from a $100 stake. So, if the odds are +120, every $100 wagered would profit $120 (and your original stake).

As mentioned, $100 is just a baseline value and doesn't reflect a minimum or maximum limit of how much you need to wager. Most sportsbooks will allow you to bet as low as $1 or less or as high as $10,000 or more.

Decimal odds are commonly used in Europe, and they display one number. This number translates as the amount a winning bet would receive from a $1 bet. If you find decimal odds of 2.00, a winning bet will return $1 profit for every $1 staked and the original $1 stake. Decimal odds between 1.00 and 1.99 are considered favorites, 2.00 is evens and anything 2.1 or above is classed as an underdog.

Fractional odds are regularly used within horse racing betting markets and display two numbers. The left-hand number represents how much is won, and the number on the right highlights how much you'll need to stake. If you find fractional odds of 1/3, every $3 wagered would net $1 of profit and your initial stake. If the number on the right exceeds the left, it's considered a favorite. Even odds are displayed as 1/1; an underdog wager is when the left-sided number is higher than the right.

La Liga Odds Betting Example (American Format)

Due to its popularity within offshore sportsbooks, we've provided an example of a La Liga wager using the American odds format below:

Betting the favorite:

If Barcelona is the betting favorite with a moneyline price of -110. Bettors would need to stake $110 to win $100. Your initial $100 stake is also returned if the wager wins.

Betting the underdog:

If Real Madrid is the betting underdog with a moneyline price of +110. Bettors would win $110 for every $100 staked. Your initial $100 stake is also returned with winning bets.

Opening betting lines in La Liga is the first line that's made available for on. The bookmakers set an initial on, and it's referred to as "the opening line." Suppose you believe a specific team will receive much betting action from the public. In that case, catching the opening line is important to avoid losing potential profits because the odds will shift and become lower in value for your soccer picks.

Most Spanish La Liga bettors flock to the 3-way moneyline soccer market. While this option is preferred, it's just one of many soccer betting types available alongside player odds, totals, outright and futures.

Here are the most approached La Liga betting markets:

Once you're familiar with La Liga betting formats and the available markets, you'll head straight to the sportsbook to place your wagers. However, before you do, following a set of basic rules is imperative to assist your long-term betting profits.

Below you'll find a set of sports betting guidelines that beginners should utilize before approaching the Spanish La Liga betting markets:

Which team has won La Liga the most times in the past?

Nine Spanish teams have won the La Liga title since its birth in 1929. However, no team has more Spanish league titles than Real Madrid, who has won 35 times.

How many teams in total have won La Liga?

Nine Spanish clubs have lifted the La Liga trophy since 1929; they are:

What is the biggest win in La Liga history?

The biggest landslide victory in La Liga history was in 1932 when Athletic Bilbao defeated FC Barcelona 12-1.

Which team has defeated Real Madrid the most times?

In head-to-head history, Barcelona has 105 wins over Real Madrid – making them the team with more wins over their archrivals than any other club.

Has any team scored 100 points in La Liga?

Obtaining 100 points within a topflight domestic European league is rare and is often referred to as "The 100-point club." Only four teams have ever achieved this, two of which were Real Madrid and Barcelona, the other two teams outside of La Liga were Juventus and Manchester City.