Portugal doesn’t exactly boast the most popular leagues in Europe but you can bet on Portuguese football online and many punters look to Portugal for some midweek action.
On this page is a comparison of the best betting sites for Portuguese football along with a detailed explanation of how the top leagues in Portugal work, who the best teams have been historically and where you can find match previews, teams news, fixtures and league tables for Portuguese football online.
Bookmakers for Portuguese Football Compared
Latest Primeira Liga Odds
How Does the Portuguese League Work?
If you’re new to Portuguese football then check out this guide to how the leagues work:
The Portuguese League (Primeira Liga) is not the strongest in Europe, but it still has a number of different teams that consistently do well both in European competitions and in their domestic league. With strong hints of South American attitudes and Spanish skills in their game, the matches in this league are usually full of excitement and entertainment and re watched by fanatical supporters.
The top league consists of 16 different teams, although this is only a recent development as until the 2005-2006 season the league had 18 competitors in it. The fixture list is pretty standard and each team plays the other teams in the league twice per season – once at home and once away. This means that by the end of the season each team will have played 30 league games.
Promotion & Relegation
Promotion and relegation is a simple affair in the Primeira Liga, which makes a change from some of the more complex systems that other countries have implemented.
The bottom two teams in the league are automatically relegated to the Liga de Honra – the second tier of Portuguese football – and the top two teams from the Liga de Honra replace them in the top division for the next season. As always the teams coming up are usually seen as prime candidates for relegation the next season, but this is not always the case – some of the bigger names do sometimes find themselves in trouble.
When it comes to European qualification it could be argued that Portugal is over-represented in the places they are allocated for the Champions League, as they get three places. This is more than other leagues rated as good as the Portuguese League, such as the Dutch League and the Russian League. In fact, it is the same amount of places awarded to Italy and France! The Champions League places are awarded to the teams finishing in the top three spots in the league.
They also get three teams entered into the Europa League as well and these are given to 4th, 5th and 6th placed teams.
Who are the Top Teams in the Portuguese League?
In the Portuguese League there are three teams collectively known as the “Big Three” – Benfica, Porto and Sporting.
Benfica are the most successful club in the league’s history, with 37 titles in total. Other than these three teams, there have only ever been two other teams to win the league – Belenenses in 1945-1946 and Boavista in the 2000-2001 season. It would take a very bold punter indeed to back against on anyone other than a team from the “Big Three” winning the title again. You’ll find all bookmakers offering short odds on the Big Three and very long odds on anyone else.
Resources for Previews & League Info
Although it is not the most popular league in Europe, the Portuguese League still has sufficient followers in the UK to mean that most bookmakers include a comprehensive section on all games played in the league, as well as in-play options for all of the games. Because all of the major bookies offer odds on this league, it means that you will have a selection of different sites you can use – meaning that you can be sure to find odds that you like somewhere.
In terms of Portuguese football information and results – including the goal scorers – and for an up to date league table, the BBC probably offers the best choice. Stats for the league can also be found in our dedicated section: Primeira Liga Stats
*Tip – Check out the live streaming schedules here as live streaming football from Portugal is often available meaning you can bet on Portuguese football while you watch for free.
Author: David Lenton
