Our Top 5 Bookmakers for Ballon d'Or Betting
As you can see from the list above, there are many Ballon d'Or betting sites you can choose from. We've selected five of these as our top choices for Ballon d'Or odds and betting markets, as well as offering an excellent betting service in general.
As well as offering Ballon d'Or odds and betting markets, these bookmakers excel in other areas. Many offer Free bets and bet credits opportunities, along with a variety of other bonuses and promotions, including a casino bonus at selected operators. We'll delve into this as we discuss each bookmaker in detail.
Let's take a look at our top Ballon d'Or choices now. These are our top choices for betting on the Ballon d'Or winner 2023.
#1 Ballon d'Or Betting Site – 888sport
An incredibly popular bookmaker, 888sport are a great choice amongst Ballon d'Or betting sites. There are a range of Ballon d'Or betting odds available, with all top choices catered for. In addition to Ballon d'Or winner odds, you'll find a range of promotions and bonuses available to both new and existing customers. These can change regularly, but you can expect to find Free bets or bet credits available when you sign up. As with all bookmaker promotions, terms and conditions apply. These can include min odds restrictions and it's possible that payment method exclusions apply too.
888sport have gained a wide range of betting fans in recent years. Considered one of the best bookmakers for football in particular, there's lots that this operator can offer you. They offer competitive odds on a range of sports and markets.
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Good range of Ballon d'Or odds
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Free bet opportunities
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Mobile play available
#2 Ballon d'Or Betting Site – Bet UK
Bet UK might not be the first name you think of when looking for the best bookmakers, but they have plenty to offer betting fans. Ballon d'Or odds are available here, along with a range of odds on a range of football tournaments, including the World Cup and the Premier League.
There are also a variety of betting promotions and bonus options you can use at Bet UK. These can include Free bets for new customers and other Free bet opportunities.
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A range of Ballon d'Or betting odds
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Variety of markets
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Range of promotions
#3 Ballon d'Or Betting Site – VBET
Another excellent choice of Ballon d'Or betting sites is VBET. Their range of odds and markets across a number of sports is certainly impressive, and they offer Ballon d'Or winner odds too. You'll find competitive odds on Premier League action, along with odds on the top divisions across Europe and beyond.
You can also qualify for a variety of Free bets and promotions, terms and conditions apply to all.
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Ballon d'Or odds available
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Good range of markets
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Good range of bonus options
#4 Ballon d'Or Betting Site – Unibet
A bookmaker that has gained a fantastic reputation for odds and markets across a range of sports, you can bet on Ballon d'Or odds at Unibet. This operator also offers a range of promotions and bonuses on a number of events that can enhance your betting. Terms and conditions apply to all Unibet offers.
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Great range of promotions
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Competitive odds
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Live streaming available
#5 Ballon d'Or Betting Site – CopyBet
A bookmaker that may be unfamiliar with some, experienced bettors consider CopyBet to be a great choice for betting. There are a range of odds and markets available here, including odds for the Ballon d'Or. There is also the possibility of promotions and bonus opportunities available, terms and conditions apply to all offers.
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Good range of odds
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Promotions available
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Competitive odds on a range of sports
What is the Ballon d'Or?
The Ballon d'Or, otherwise known as the Golden Ball, is awarded to an individual football player every year. It's considered to be the most important individual award a player can receive during their career. The prestigious award is what every player strives for.
The Ballon d'Or is awarded by France Football magazine. It first began in 1956, with England's Stanley Matthews the first Ballon d'Or winner. The current holder of the trophy is France's Karim Benzema.
Betting odds for the Ballon d'Or are well sought after. While the favourites to win the award are generally incredibly short-priced, there's still value to be found. For the 2023 Ballon d'Or, Lionel Messi is the odds on favourite, followed by Erling Haaland, Kevin de Bruyne and Rodri, all of Manchester City.
History of the Ballon d'Or
The first Ballon d'Or winner was the legendary player Stanley Matthews. Playing for Blackpool in England's top division at the time, Matthews picked up the award at the first ever ceremony in 1956 with 47 points. The runner up that year was Alfredo Di Stefano, who won the first of his two Ballon d'Or trophies the following year.
Di Stefano completely dominated the awards in 1957, awarded an astonishing 72 points. The runner up, England's Billy Wright, earned 19 points.
Raymond Kopa became France football's first ever winner in 1958, after finishing in third place in the first two installments of these prestigious awards.
The player with the most Ballon d'Ors is Lionel Messi. The Argentinian has won the award on seven occasions. Messi also holds the record for most consecutive Ballon d'Or victories, winning each year from 2009 to 2012.
While Lionel Messi holds the record for most wins, it's Cristiano Ronaldo who has the record for most nominations. At the time of writing, Ronaldo has achieved 18 nominations, winning on five occasions and finishing in second place six times. Between 2008 and 2017, the winners of the award were one of these two legendary players.
The awards were dominated by European players until 1995. George Weah, then of AC Milan, became the first non-European player to win the award. Weah was also the first African recipient of the Ballon d'Or.
These prestigious awards tend to be dominated by attacking players. Lev Yashin is the only goalkeeper to have won a Ballon d'Or. Franze Beckenbauer is the only defender to have won it twice.
Germany and France football players hold the record for most wins by country. Five players from both countries have won the award, with a total number of wins recorded at seven. The Netherlands and Portugal also have seven wins, from three players. Argentina also have seven wins thanks to one player, Lionel Messi.
In terms of clubs, Spanish giants Barcelona and Real Madrid lead the way. Both clubs have 12 wins each, with eight players winning while playing for Real Madrid and six while playing for Barcelona.
Top Winners of the Ballon d'Or Award
There are a number of players who have won this prestigious award numerous times. Lionel Messi holds the record for most Ballon d'Ors, with seven wins. CR7 has won it five times, with Michel Platini, Johan Cruyff and Marco van Basten winning the award on three occasions each.
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Player |
Ballon d’Or Wins |
|---|---|
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Lionel Messi |
7 |
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Cristiano Ronaldo |
5 |
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Michel Platini |
3 |
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Johan Cruyff |
3 |
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Marco van Basten |
3 |
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Franz Beckenbauer |
2 |
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Ronaldo |
2 |
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Alfredo de Stéfano |
2 |
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Kevin Keegan |
2 |
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Karl-Heinze Rummenigge |
2 |
Ballon d'Or Voting Rules
Ballon d'Or voting involves a number of aspects. For last year's awards, it was the first time in its history that the award was given to a player based on their performances over the course of the season. Previously, Ballon d'Or voting was based on the performance across a calendar year. Karim Benzema, then of Real Madrid, became the first player to win the award based on the new rules.
The award is decided by 100 journalists from across the globe. These journalists are chosen from the 100 top ranked FIFA nations. From the 30 Ballon d'Or nominees, the journalist chooses their top five, each selection earning a different number of points. The journalist's top choice gets six points, second choice gets four points, third choice gets three points, fourth two points and fifth gets one point. The player who earns the most amount of points overall is the one who will win the award.
Ballon d'Or Betting Markets
The Ballon d'Or can provide a variety of betting markets. The most common market is, of course, the Winner market. There are many bookmakers who offer this market, but there are many who also offer variations, such as to win by a specific year and the runner up. Let's take a look at the most popular Ballon d'Or betting markets now. These markets can be found at a range of bookmakers that you'll find when you bet on Ballon d'Or odds 2023.
Betting on the Winner
This is the most popular market when it comes to Ballon d'Or betting. Simply pick the player you think will win the award and place your bet. You'll find Ballon d'Or winner markets at a variety of bookmakers.
To Win by a Specific Year
This is a market offered by a handful of bookmakers. For this market, you can bet on a particular player to win the Ballon d'Or by a particular year. For example, if there's an up and coming Premier League striker who you think will reach the very top of the game, you might think they're worth a bet on this market.
To Win During Career
As we've discussed, winning the Ballon d'Or is seen by many as the pinnacle of a player's career. There are a range of bookmakers who allow you to bet on a player to win the Ballon d'Or at any point during their careeer.
The Runner-Up
The potential winner of the Ballon d'Or is always a huge debate among bettors and football fans in equal measure. The runner-up market can actually be more difficult to get right than the Winner market itself. You'll find Runner Up Ballon d'Or odds at a variety of betting sites.
Ballon d'Or 2023 Odds
Odds on the Ballon d'Or can vary dramatically, particularly as we get closer to the awards ceremony itself. The current odds on favourite for a bookmaker, Lionel Messi, tops the table below. Also in the running to win, certainly in terms of what Ballon d'Or betting sites are thinking, are Cristiano Ronaldo, Erling Haaland, Kevin de Bruyne and Rodri, the latter three in the chasing pack playing huge roles in the success of Man City last season. Pep Guardiola's side won the treble, a major reason why de Bruyne, along with six other Manchester City players, made the top list.
There are a variety of betting markets you can choose from, we discussed some of these earlier. The table below shows the current odds for the Ballon d'Or Winner market.
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Player |
Odds |
Betting Site |
Bet Here |
|---|---|---|---|
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Lionel Messi |
1/7 |
Vbet |
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Cristiano Ronaldo |
20/21 |
Betfair |
|
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Erling Haaland |
9/2 |
William Hill |
|
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Kevin de Bruyne |
50/1 |
William Hill |
|
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Rodri |
50/1 |
William Hill |
|
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Kylian Mbappe |
80/1 |
Skybet |
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Marcus Rashford |
80/1 |
Skybet |
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Harry Kane |
100/1 |
Vbet |
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Vinicius Junior |
100/1 |
Skybet |
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Karim Benzema |
100/1 |
William Hill |
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Ilkay Gundogan |
100/1 |
William Hill |
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Jude Bellingham |
100/1 |
Vbet |
|
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Bukayo Saka |
250/1 |
Skybet |
|
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Khvicha Kvaratskhelia |
250/1 |
Skybet |
|
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Victor Osimhen |
250/1 |
Skybet |
|
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Julian Alvarez |
250/1 |
William Hill |
|
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Mohamed Salah |
500/1 |
Skybet |
|
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Neymar |
500/1 |
Skybet |
|
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Sadio Mane |
500/1 |
Skybet |
|
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Phil Foden |
500/1 |
Skybet |
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Robert Lewandowski |
500/1 |
Skybet |
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Enzo Fernandez |
500/1 |
Skybet |
Prices are subject to change. Please check for any changes on the recommended betting site.
Ballon d'Or Betting Tips
Finding value in Ballon d'Or betting odds can be a difficult task. It's tough to find value in Winner odds for odds on favourite, Lionel Messi. Messi odds are currently at around 1/7. Other markets might be more suitable. While it's difficult to win any bet, there are some tips and strategies you could employ to help you stand a better chance of success with your betting. We'll take a look at some of these now.
Research players
Key to any form of betting, it's important to research players. Analyse what they've achieved, both as an individual, at club level and at international level, for the time period. How many goals did they score? What did their team achieve? Did they win anything at international level? One of the reasons why Lionel Messi is favourite is due to the fact he captained Argentina to a World Cup Finals victory. We can take a player like Harry Kane, for example, who scored a fantastic number of goals for Tottenham, but he failed to win anything either at club level or international level. While a player doesn't necessarily have to win anything for club or for country to win the Ballon d'Or, it certainly helps their chances. Many could argue now Harry Kane has moved to Bayern Munich, this helps his Ballon d'Or chances in the future.
Erling Haaland is second favourite to win with many bookmakers. This is due to his record breaking goalscoring form for Man City, along with Premier League, Champions League and FA Cup wins. Equally, Kevin de Bruyne has brilliant statistics for Manchester City during the treble winning achievements of Pep Guardiola's side.
Learn how voting works
Ballon d'Or voting has recently changed. Previously, a player's performance over a calendar year was what was taken into consideration. Now, it's purely based on the performances of a season. This is important to remember when you're considering Ballon d'Or odds.
Any aspect that many get confused over is how the voting actually works. It's decided by 100 journalists from 100 of FIFA's member states. Instead of just picking one player, each journalist picks five players from the shortlist, with each choice collecting different points. The voter's first choice gets six points. Second gets four points, with third getting three. Their fourth and fifth choices receive two points and one point respectively. The player who accumulates the most points overall, regardless of their position in a journalist's order, will win the Ballon d'Or.
So, even if 50 journalists pick the same player as their number one choice in their Ballon d'Or voting, this doesn't mean that that player will necessarily win the Ballon d'Or.
For the 2023 Ballon d'Or, the voters are analysing performances from the 2022/2023 season.
Find the best bookmakers
This is also hugely important for all types of betting. Finding the best bookmakers can certainly benefit your betting. Competitive odds, of course, are a huge part of choosing a bookie. There are many more aspects involved, too. Promotions and welcome bonuses can also be of benefit. Most operators offer some form of welcome bonus for new customers. These often come in the form of Free bets or deposit matches.
Whether you're awarded a Free bet or a matched deposit, note that all promotions and bonus offers come with terms and conditions. These terms can include restrictions such as min odds greater than a specified number or you could find payment method exclusions apply. Generally, you'll find your bonus offer awarded immediately after you've met all terms and conditions.
Ballon d’Or 2023 Frontrunners
With almost every bookmaker, Lionel Messi is the far and away favourite to win the latest edition of these most prestigious awards. Already a legendary player, if Messi was to win this year's award, it would be his eighth Ballon d'Or win in his career. There are, though, a number of players who many believe could challenge Messi to this year's title. We're going to take a look at the frontrunners for your Ballon d'Or betting.
Lionel Messi
By far and away the favourite with every bookmaker Lionel Messi looks like he could win his eighth Ballon d'Or. While he now plays for Inter Miami in the MLS, and his last season at PSG wasn't particularly productive, Messi captained his country to a World Cup win. Achieving such a feat is huge in the race for the Ballon d'Or. The latest odds on favourite is priced at around 1/7 to win.
Kylian Mbappé
Kylian Mbappe is often challenging for the best player in the world title. He performed excellently in the World Cup, falling just short as France were defeated by Argentina in the Final. Mbappe did also score 41 goals in 43 games for PSG in all competitions in the 22/23 season, including seven goals in eight games in the Champions League. Despite this, he is considered an outsider in the race for the Ballon d'Or. The latest odds on Mbappe to win are 66/1.
Erling Haaland
Erling Haaland enjoyed an incredible debut season for Manchester City in the 22/23 season. Breaking a huge number of records, Haaland scored 52 goals in 53 games as Man City won the treble with Premier League, Champions League and FA Cup titles. Winning either the Champions League or the World Cup is considered necessary, in general terms, to win the Ballon d'Or. The Manchester City striker is second favourite to do so with the majority of bookmakers, with latest odds of 9/2 available.
Kevin De Bruyne
Finishing in third place in last season's Ballon d'Or, Kevin de Bruyne of Manchester City is considered amongst the favourites to go further and win the Ballon d'Or this time around. The Belgian has played a huge part in the success of Manchester City in recent years, and was certainly instrumental as Man City won the Premier League, Champions League and FA Cup in their treble-winning season last time around. In the 2022/2023 season, de Bruyne had an incredible 31 assists in his 49 appearances in all club competitions, along with scoring ten goals.
Rodri
Also making up the chasing pack is Rodri of Manchester City. Now considered to be the best defensive midfielder in the world, Rodri scored the only goal in the game of the Champions League Final. His performances were instrumental in Pep Guardiola's side achieving such a feat. Rodri is still considered an outsider in winning the Ballon d'Or 2023.
Robert Lewandowski
While Robert Lewandowski did have an excellent season with Barcelona, the bookmakers consider it extremely unlikely the Poland striker will have an impact on this season's Ballon d'Or voting. Lewandowski did score 33 goals in 46 games in all club competitions last season, but it's unlikely this will have any impact on the voting for the Ballon d'Or 2023. The latest odds on Lewandowski to win are 200/1.
N’Golo Kanté
While N'Golo Kante has been considered as one of the best midfielders in the world in recent years, he did not make the shortlist for this year's Ballon d'Or.
Harry Kane
England captain Harry Kane had a fantastic season for Spurs, particularly considering they were never really in the running for any titles during that campaign. Kane scored 30 goals in 38 Premier League games in the 22/23 season. Harry Kane has since moved to Bayern Munich, where he is continuing his excellent run of form. In terms of becoming the Ballon d'Or winner 2023, this is incredibly unlikely. He's considered a rank outsider, the latest odds are around 80/1, along with fellow England striker Marcus Rashford, currently of Manchester United.
Cristiano Ronaldo
Former Manchester United player Ronaldo has five Ballon d'Or wins to his name. While, according to most bookmakers he's unlikely to add to that tally, there are latest odds of around 20/21 available at betting exchanges.
All Nominees for the Ballon d'Or 2023
There was a 30 man shortlist for the Ballon d'Or 2023. In the table below, you'll find all nominees, along with the club they currently play for. For those players who changed clubs in the close season, we've added, in brackets, the name of the club they played for in the season for which they earned their nomination.
|
Player |
Club |
Country |
|---|---|---|
|
Julian Alvarez |
Manchester City |
Argentina |
|
Nicolo Barella |
Inter Milan |
Italy |
|
Jude Bellingham |
Real Madrid (Borussia Dortmund) |
England |
|
Karim Benzema |
Al-Ittihad (Real Madrid) |
France |
|
Yassine Bounou |
Al-Hilal (Sevilla) |
Morocco |
|
Kevin De Bruyne |
Manchester City |
Belgium |
|
Ruben Dias |
Manchester City |
Portugal |
|
Antoine Griezmann |
Atletico Madrid |
France |
|
Ilkay Gundogan |
Barcelona (Manchester City) |
Germany |
|
Josko Gvardiol |
Manchester City (RB Leipzig) |
Croatia |
|
Erling Haaland |
Manchester City |
Norway |
|
Harry Kane |
Bayern Munich (Tottenham Hotspur) |
England |
|
Kim Min-jae |
Bayern Munich (Napoli) |
South Korea |
|
Randal Kolo Muani |
Paris Saint-Germain (Eintracht Frankfurt) |
France |
|
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia |
Napoli |
Georgia |
|
Robert Lewandowski |
Barcelona |
Poland |
|
Emiliano Martinez |
Aston Villa |
Argentina |
|
Lautaro Martinez |
Inter Milan |
Argentina |
|
Kylian Mbappe |
Paris Saint-Germain |
France |
|
Lionel Messi |
Inter Miami (Paris Saint-Germain) |
Argentina |
|
Luka Modric |
Real Madrid |
Croatia |
|
Jamal Musiala |
Bayern Munich |
Germany |
|
Martin Odegaard |
Arsenal |
Norway |
|
Andre Onana |
Manchester United (Inter Milan) |
Cameroon |
|
Victor Osimhen |
Napoli |
Nigeria |
|
Rodri |
Manchester City |
Spain |
|
Bukayo Saka |
Arsenal |
England |
|
Mohamed Salah |
Liverpool |
Egypt |
|
Bernardo Silva |
Manchester City |
Portugal |
|
Vinicius Junior |
Real Madrid |
Brazil |
Who Will Win the Ballon d'Or 2023?
Who are the Ballon d'Or favourites? Let's take a closer look at the main contenders for Ballon d'Or winner 2023. We'll start with the odds on favourite Lionel Messi. Messi scored 31 goals in 53 games for Paris Saint Germain in all competitions, but it's his exploits with Argentina that has led him to the cusp of an eighth Ballon d'Or victory. Odds on Messi are incredibly short, with most bookmakers pricing him at around 1/7 currently.
The Man City trio of Erling Haaland, Kevin de Bruyne and Rodri are next on the list. Haaland's record breaking debut season has already seen him pick up a handful of individual awards, with many expecting him to finish in at least the top three of the Ballon d'Or voting, the most prestigious awards of all for an individual player. De Bruyne is considered one of the best midfielders in the world in recent times, with his assists record in particular extremely impressive. He finished third in last year's vote, many expect him to achieve top three finish once more.
Rodri has established himself as one of the best defensive midfielders in recent years. His impact on his side's treble winning season cannot be underestimated. His performances, as well as his goals throughout the campaign were a main reason of Man City's success, including his winner in the Champions League Final against Inter Milan.
One of the heroes of the French national team, Kylian Mbappe individually had a great World Cup campaign. The France football team came very close to picking up another World Cup Final victory, beaten on penalties by Argentina.
Players such as Marcus Rashford of Manchester United; Harry Kane, now of Bayern Munich; Vinicius Junior or Real Madrid and last season's winner Karim Benzema are in the running, though bookmakers have seemingly dismissed their chances of success. Similarly, last season's treble winning captain Ilkay Gundogan, along with Jude Bellingham and Bukayo Saka, are priced at 100/1 or more to be successful in this year's Ballon d'Or.
Frequently Asked Questions
Next, we'll answer some frequently asked questions surrounding the Ballon d'Or and how you can bet on these most prestigious awards.
The Ballon d'Or 2023 will take place on October 30th. It will be the 67th edition of these awards, which are presented by France Football magazine. The ceremony will be held at the Theatre du Chatelet in Paris, and Didier Drogba will be the host of the awards. In addition to the Ballon d'Or, the trophies for the Ballon d'Or Feminin, the Kopa Trophy, the Socrates Award, the Gerd Muller Trophy, the Yashin Trophy and the Club of the Year award will also be handed out.
Lionel Messi has won the Ballon d'Or the most times. The Argentinian has won seven awards so far, finishing in second place on five occasions and in third place once. In terms of countries, players from both France and Germany have won the award on five occasions and finished runners up seven times. In terms of clubs, Real Madrid lead the way.
Due to the Coronavirus pandemic, the Ballon d'Or was not awarded in 2020.
Messi has seven Ballon d'Or victories to his name so far. The Argentine captain won in 2009,2010,2011 and 2012, following up with victories in 2015, 2019 and 2021.
The Ballon d'Or is being broadcast on a range of television channels across the globe. You can also watch the event live directly from L'Equipe's social media channels.
The odds on favourite with bookmakers is Lionel Messi. Odds on Messi to win are currently at around 1/7 with most bookmakers. Erling Haaland is considered second favourite in Ballon d'Or winner odds, with Kevin de Bruyne and Rodri just behind.
We've spoke about the best Ballon d'Or betting sites earlier. Head back to the top of the page where we discuss the best bookies. The list includes VBet, Unibet and Bet UK.
For those based in the UK, you can legally bet if you're aged 18 or above. You're able to sign up to betting sites or to place bets in land-based shops. Many bookmakers are offering odds on the Ballon d'Or, we've listed these at the top of this page.
The current favourite to win the Ballon d'Or is Messi, with odds of around 1/7 with the majority of betting sites.
It's possible to find promotions and bonuses for betting on the Ballon d'Or. There are a range of new customer promotions and welcome offers. These promotions and bonuses can include Free bets if you place qualifying bets or a real money bet. Terms and conditions apply to all bookmaker offers, such as qualifying bet settlement and qualifying bets requirements. Terms also apply to Free bet stakes and bet credits stake. Before you attempt to claim any offer or promotion, make sure you read and understand all associated terms.
