The English Championship is the second tier league in England that provides the huge attraction and financial benefits of the Premiership for those who succeed and get promoted. The current version of the league was established in 2004, but it has also been known as the Football League First Division and the Second Division before the Premiership was born. There is a huge following for the Championship clubs with loyal supporters and full stadiums week in, and week out. Competition between the teams, managers, and players is always fierce, and this is mainly because the end goal is so big. The Premiership awaits meaning millions of pounds in sponsorship and TV deals, and the chance to play against some of the best teams and players in the world.

Betting markets for the English Championship are popular, and you can expect them to be covered by most online betting sites. The attraction of this league is based on the close balance between many of the clubs, and this is reflected in the odds across the 1x2 market. Many games are hard to call and so you can find decent odds for both the home and away selections, which can become a lucrative betting market with the right research on the latest team news. Very rarely will you find such huge coverage from a second-tier football league, but when the English Premiership is just one promotion away, then it's clear to see the reasons why. Betting on the Championship is one that requires dedicated research but the profits are there to be found for those who put the time in.

The roots of Scottish football goes back to 1890, but this new incarnation of the Premier League has seen many famous players over the years, including Giovanni Van Bronckhorst, Stiliyan Petrov, Shunsuke Nakamura, and of course, the iconic Henrik Larsson. The Scottish Premier League has been ruled by two teams for many years now but the passion and loyal supporters still turn up in their thousands for each of the games across the whole league. Only 12 teams make up the league and so this brings a slightly different schedule of matches than you would normally see from a typical football league. Teams play with each other three times over the season with a two-phase system that sees the league split in half four the second phase, and each club then plays five additional games.

Scottish football is dominated by the two Glasgow teams Rangers and Celtic, and this brings about some poor betting value when they are both playing any of the other clubs. However, there is still plenty of betting action within the rest of the fixtures with a level playing field across most of the other clubs in the league. The popular markets are often goal based with the Over/Under market and Both Teams to Score always providing value for money with the right research. The Glasgow Derby can always bring about drama and the odds for a win on either side usually offers good value. Scottish football has always been closely followed by its passionate fans, and as their top teams look for more success in Europe, the number of betting markets is sure to rise as the best betting sites look to meet the demand of their loyal supporters who are looking to make some profits on their team.

The second tier of the German football league is known as 2. Bundesliga, and as the top tier continues to attract star players and international supporters. The importance for teams to get promoted up from the second tier becomes even more important in terms of publicity and financial gain. Formed in 1974, the league enjoys a good standard of football with high-quality first-tier clubs frequently dropping into the league for a season or two, which helps the rest of the clubs to get used to the experiences that await them if they do get promoted. German football is famous for its grassroots facilities, and the emphasis on giving young talent a chance in the first team makes for some interesting betting opportunities. A team of youngsters can either produce a stunning, energetic performance and win, or they lack the composure and experience against a team of seasoned pros.

The end goal of reaching the topflight Bundesliga league means that there will be drama right up until the last kick of the season. There is so much to play for in every fixture list, and that means a long list of betting options to study in both the pre-match and live markets. Teams like St Pauli, FC Nuremberg, and Union Berlin have all got huge supportive crowds behind them and so there is a lot of betting demand for these clubs and the games they play throughout the season. The number of betting markets available will be up to the bookmaker, but you can be sure that markets such as correct score, anytime goalscorer, and 1x2 are all included in all the best betting sites. As in the top Bundesliga, there is an ongoing expectancy to see goals in any typical 2. Bundesliga game and this is reflected in the many goal markets available.

The Austrian Bundesliga is Austria’s number one football league and it has slowly gained popularity across the wider European football scene. Many of the teams are starting to enjoy some minor success in the European leagues and an influx of investment has allowed teams to pay the modern wages to attract higher quality players. The top tier league was formed in 1974 although football has been played in the country as far back as around 1890. There are currently only 12 teams involved in total with the two Vienna-based clubs enjoying the most success across the years. Rapid Wien is the club with most championship titles with over 30 to their name already.

Betting on the Austrian Bundesliga is a relatively new experience to most stakers and unless you are from Austria then some research is going to be required. As with most leagues, there is a handful of clubs who enjoy more success than most and the aforementioned Vienna clubs of Rapid Wien and Austria Wien have a long history, but clubs such as Red Bull Salzburg and LASK are now proving to be potential stars of the league. Betting on the Bundesliga in Austria clearly has its benefits and with the right research there is some betting value to be found. Deciding to include some of these games in your European football accumulator, or even picking out individual games in the 1x2 betting markets could be a worthwhile move if you have done the necessary homework.

The Primeira Liga is the top football league in Portugal and while it does not have the same level of status as its neighbour in Spain, La Liga, it has provided the world of football with some hugely talented footballers, and arguably one of the greatest that has ever played. Founded in 1934, the Primeira Liga was once known as the Campeonato Nacional da Primeira Divisão up until 1999, but now the current naming or ‘Liga NOS’ is used to represent the league. Much like its Spanish neighbours, the league has been dominated by a small number of clubs with Benfica, Porto, and Sporting CP being known as the ‘Big Three’ in the country. Benfica hold the record for winning the most titles and only two other clubs have managed to beat these three to the top spot in the history of the league.

A lot of attention is given to the Primeira Liga and this is down to the huge pool of young talent that is known to come out of the country. Bigger clubs from around Europe are known to scout the Portuguese teams with the aim of signing the next big star. With the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo who we all know about and young starlet Felix currently making a name for himself, the talent is clearly obvious. The quality of the football being played in the Primeira and the constant appearances of the big three in the European competitions means that there are always betting markets available. The big three markets of 1x2, over/under goals, and the correct score can be found for every game in the fixture list. For those of you who like to dig a little deeper for your betting possibilities, the best betting sites deliver a complete list of betting options as well.