Denmark Superliga betting tips and odds

If value betting is your goal, finding the right league is very important. Betting experts and veteran punters generally recommend smaller leagues that don’t have every detail constantly analysed by the entire world. However, you can’t really go too small either – that just leaves you without proper information to base your bets on.

The Danish Superliga strikes a nice middle ground here. It has some top-notch football overall but is not hugely popular outside Denmark. In this article, we’ll be taking a look at and its history, teams and players, and other information useful for Danish Superliga betting.

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Danish Superliga History and General Info

Administered by the Danish Football Association, the Superliga is the highest echelon of professional football in Denmark. It was founded relatively recently in 1991 when it replaced the Danish 1st Division as the highest tier in the country.

However, the 1st division was not the first of its kind, either. Professional football in Denmark stretches as far back as 1912, although back then the champions were determined in a tournament format called the National Football Tournament (Landsfodboldturneringen.) This switched to a more typical league format in 1927. However, what became known as the 1st Division only came about after the end of World War 2.

These days, the 1st Division represents the second tier of professional football in Denmark.

Due to various sponsorship deals, the Superliga has changed quite a few names over the years. These have included Coca-Cola, Scandinavian Airways, and several others. For the same reasons, this upcoming season it will be dubbed the 3F Superliga, in honour of the Danish trade union 3F.

Up until the 1995-96 season, the number of teams competing in this league was 10. After that, this number was brought up to 12 which lasted until 2015. During that time, the number was increased again to 14, which remains true today.

According to this new structure, each team plays every other team twice, once home and once away, resulting in 26 matches per season for each team. Once this first round is complete, the league splits into a six-team championship playoff and an eight-team qualifying playoff. The points earned in the first round carry over after this division, but a team can only compete against teams in their respective playoff group.

The championship playoffs consist of each team going up against every other team, again with a full home and away schedule. The team that finishes at the top in of this playoff group is named the Superliga champion and moves on to the second qualifying round of the Champions League. The runners-up are instead sent to the first qualifying round of the Europa League. The third-placed team advances to a one-off playoff match for another Europa League placement.

The qualifying playoff round is again split into two groups, with the teams that finished the regular season in 7th, 10th, 11th, and 14th in one group and those finishing 8th, 9th, 12th, and 13th in the other. Whoever wins this tournament has a chance to move on to the Europa League after facing the 3rd-placed championship playoff team in a one-off match.

The two bottom-placed teams from each of these groups instead have to play relegation playoffs. This process works through a system of knockouts and may result in a team being relegated to the Danish 1st Division – while the best-placed teams from this second-tier league get a chance to move up to the Superliga.

If we were to account for all of the Danish top-level leagues we mentioned previously, the club that took home the most titles would be Kjøbenhavns Boldklub, often referred to as KB. Under that name, they won the league title 15 times and were runners-up another 13.

In 1991, however, this club merged with B 1903 to form F.C. Copenhagen. This club would go on to become the Superliga’s most decorated team with 13 titles. They are followed by Brøndby IF with 10 wins and Ab with 9. If we only take into account the years after 1991, though, third place would go to Aalborg BK.

The all-time top scorer record is currently held by striker Morten "Duncan" Rasmussen with 145 goals total, who played for Brøndby, AGF, Aalborg, and Midtjylland at different stages of his career. He currently works as a coach for Midtjylland.

However, last season saw a new record set in terms of most goals scored during a single season, which went to Copenhagen’s Robert Skov.

Danish Superliga Title Challengers (UPDATED 2020)

These are exciting times in the North as far as football goes. This is especially noticeable in Denmark, which remains a small league with no easy favourite to pick. Midtjylland have grown to become one of the country’s leading clubs – if not the top dogs. Things will be heated in the 2020/21 season, but that doesn’t mean Danish Superliga betting will be easy.

A quick look at outright Danish Superliga betting odds reveals that Copenhagen and Midtjylland are the main contenders this year. These two are generally priced at 2.25 and 3.00 for a championship title, respectively. As far as the other teams are concerned, Brøndby are relatively close with a 5.00. These three will probably go on to form the Top 3 at the end, as far as top online bookmakers are concerned.

To be fair, though, Aarhus are also given a rather short 2.10 for a Top 3 Finish. Aalborg BK would be 5th in this ranking system though considerably behind Aarhus.

F.C Copenhagen

Denmark’s most decorated team have been behind their main rivals Midtjylland for the past 2 seasons or so. They took the position of runners-up both times, but they’ll be trying to climb back up to the Champions’ podium. They had a fairly successful campaign during the previous regular season, but it kind of fell apart in the championship round.

Still, the issue has more to do with improved competition than with Copenhagen’s lineup. They are one of the most consistent European clubs as dar as results are concerned. Though they rarely excel beyond expectations, they don’t have unwarranted mishaps either. This makes them quite handy for betting on Danish Superliga matches.

They’ve also expressed great hopes for expanding the country’s presence in international competitions. To that end, Copenhagen have collected a formidable yet well-rounded lineup. Their roster includes noted strikers like Jonas Wind, wingers like the young star Mohammed Daramy, and even valuable defenders such as Victor Nelsson.

Marios Ikonomou of Athens is likely their biggest arrival over the summer, but the departures remain largely low-profile.

FC Midtjylland

The Wolves are Copenhagen's main rivals in more ways than one. For starters, compared to The Lions’ legendary consistency, they are crowd favourites due to their ability to pull out a surprise victory when no one expects them to. They have a noticeably methodical style of play, which includes an organized 4-1-4-1 formation and neat, one-touch football.

All of this brought them 2 consecutive championship titles in the past two seasons, placing them right at the peak of Danish football. Matthew Benham’s ownership (and thus funding) also brought them to the 2020/21 Champions League group stage for the first time in their history.

You can expect a lot from this team going forward. Their roster may seem somewhat lacking in terms of big names, but the best part about the Wolves is how all the pieces fit together. For instance, they lack a traditional forward striker in most starting formations, instead of focusing on the wings which were recently reinforced by Pione Sisto. With the help of a dynamic backline and midfield with Frank Onyeka and team captain Erik Sviatchenko, Midtjylland are a joy to watch if you’re a hardcore football fan.

Brøndby IF

Though widely regarded as the country’s third-best team at this time, Brøndby have a hard time confirming the fact. They’ve recorded a 4th placement for the previous 4 seasons – though no other team can seem to hold on to the third spot for more than a year.

The past few years have seen some unexpected performances from them as well, such as the top position in the standard 2017/18 season. Still, poor performance in the championship playoffs prevented them from grabbing the title for the first time since the end of their golden years in 2005. Most fans are hoping for more consistency going forward, though an actual title seems a little far-fetched.

They boast a flexible lineup with team captain Andreas Maxsö at the helm. Throughout last season they used a fairly straightforward 3-5-2, but it will be interesting to see if Brøndby will change tactics to accommodate recent roster changes. These include the arrivals of Basel’s left-back Blas Riveros and central midfielder Anis Slimane.

Aarhus GF

Speaking of lacking consistency, Aarhus seem to be moving up the ladder for the first time in years. Not content to remain a middle-of-the-table sort of club, they’ve climbed up to 3rd place for the past 2 seasons. Overall, though, they seem to go through many more blunders compared to Brondby, which explains the longer betting odds.

That being said, Aarhus won the hearts of many by showcasing an ability to punch way above their weight class. Though a solid international campaign seems unrealistic unless their financial strength grows, they managed to take traditional favourites completely by surprise. The trick seems to be in their effective scouting, which allowed them to build a balanced roster of experienced Superligaen veterans and rising stars. A good chunk of the lineup is comprised of relative unknowns – yet it brought them a solid Top 3 Finish for 2 years in a row.

Speaking of which, they have made some notable transfers for the upcoming season. The biggest is the loan of Liverpool’s goalie Kamil Grabara, though it is set to end during the mid-season. Aalborg’s midfielder Patrick Olsen was signed on a more permanent basis, giving them even more experienced Superliga players.

Danish Superliga Relegation Favourites

Depending on the market in which you want to bet on the Danish Superliga, it is also worthwhile to note which teams are most likely to be relegated to the 1st Division.

Horsens

1.33 odds for relegation can’t bode well for any team, especially one that recorded a respectable 8th place last season. Horsens have a more-or-less established pattern at this point: they end up in the relegation table each year, and each year they manage to pull through. However, the 2020/21 season seems particularly harsh on them. For starters, there seem to be worrying indications of financial trouble. Their rising star striker Jeppe Kjaer left for Ajax’ U18 squad, leaving them desperately in need of a strong roster. Coupled with a change in management, most experts predict that Horsens’ days as a middle-of-the-table team are over.

Lyngby BK

With only a single Superliga season behind them, Lyngby are relative newcomers to the Danish top-flight. They ended the previous season in 10th place, which is decent for a freshly promoted team. Still, they overall seem woefully unprepared for the demands of this level of football. On the bright side, they are giving their best to freshen up the lineup for the upcoming challenges. Still, considering all they have to work with are free transfers and loans, it’s questionable how much they’ll be able to achieve on such short notice.

Danish Superliga Top Players

Great players are what makes great teams, and knowing who to pay attention to is essential for successful Danish Superliga betting. Let’s take a quick look at some of the league’s most distinguished footballers.

Viktor Fischer

This 26-year-old left-winger rose to prominence a few seasons ago with Ajax and has been one of Denmark’s most noted football stars ever since. He joined Copenhagen’s lineup two seasons ago, where the Lions’ strategy and formation allowed him to truly shine. Fischer has been described as a “silky operator”, alluding to the impressive control on the ball which allows him to manoeuvre his way around the opposition’s defence with ease.

Evander

Evander da Silva Ferreira is this young Brazillian player’s full name – although he is mostly referred to simply as Evander. He is the attacking midfielder for Midtjylland and is a perfect example of this club’s superb ability to scout out promising young players. The Wolves’ supporters will be glad to know that he opted to remain with the team for a bit longer than was initially expected – no doubt due to their successes.

Victor Nelsson

Aged only 21, Nelsson is already one of the most valued players in the entire league – which is an impressive feat for a defensive player, who always seem to be undervalued relative to flashy goal-getters. His unwavering defence ability has earned him the nickname “The Danish Rock”, and it fits his physicality and ability to ruin the opposition’s plans in a heartbeat.

Danish Superliga Rising Stars

This league has a bit of a reputation for being a great place to kick off a young player’s career. On average, Danish Superliga players are younger than almost all other European leagues. Let’s take a quick look at some standout examples.

Mohammed Daramy

This 18-year-old right-winger is often called a wunderkind and an absolute sensation in terms of young strikers. Daramy seems to be comfortable in any forward position and is constantly racking up goals despite his limited playtime. Reportedly, he has caught the eyes of prominent British clubs such as Liverpool and Celtic. To be fair, Daramy's performances during the 2019/20 season did not meet the high expectations placed on him. Still, his role in Copenhagen’s attacking side appears to be more focused on assists than striking.

Kamil Grabara

At just 21, Grabara already bears the honour of being the best goalkeeper in the entire league. He is likely the most prominent name in Aarhus’s starting 11, though this may be the only season of Superligaen he appears in. Grabara is currently on loan from Liverpool, but there are already rumours abound about finding him a more permanent home.

Danish Superliga Derby Matches

Let’s take a look at Denmark’s most fiery rivalries and exciting match-ups. Interestingly, the Danish enjoy referring to their biggest derbies as “Battles”, which just adds to the intensity.

Copenhagen Derby

The name is given to the rivalry between teams traditionally perceived as Denmark’s best and biggest - FC Copenhagen and Brøndby IF. Colloquially, it is sometimes also referred to as The New Classic or The New Firm, after Scotland’s Old Firm. The rivalry has been described as so important that during the match, the whole of Copenhagen is divided into either white or yellow and blue.

Battle of Jutland

This rivalry is between Aalborg BK and Aarhus GF, which happen to be two of the oldest football clubs in Denmark (founded in 1885 and 1880, respectively.) It’s also a manifestation of the rivalry between the cities of Aalborg and Aarhus, which are some of the largest cities in the country and the most important settlements in the Jutland peninsula.

Danish Superliga Best Stadiums

Parken Stadium

Nowadays known as TeliaParken for sponsorship reasons, this stadium is home to F. C. Copenhagen and the Danish national team. Built in 1992, it features a retractable roof and a capacity of around 38,000. It has also been selected as one of the venues for UEFA Euro 2020.

Brøndby Stadium

Brondby IF’s home turf, this stadium boasts a capacity of around 28,000, most of which are seats. It was originally founded in 1965 but was little more than a grass field at that point. As Brondby rose through the ranks as a professional football club, the stadium was slowly expanded to fit their growing needs.