Norway Eliteserien predictions and odds

Some of the best betting advice any newbie punter will get is to dig through as many betting offers as possible before committing to one. There is almost always a better option around the corner if you know what to look for.

Combine this with the fact that if you’re looking for value bets – the smaller the league, the better it is. Therefore, you can start to see why familiarizing yourself with as many leagues as possible is a good idea.

To that end, in this article we’ll be taking a close look at Norway’s Eliteserien. This overview will feature this league’s history and format, key teams and players, as well as a lot of other information useful for betting on the Eliteserien league.

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Norway Eliteserien Predictions

21/04/2024

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Norway Eliteserien Results

Eliteserien History and General Info

Eliteserien is the top-level professional league for association football clubs in Norway. It was founded back in 1937, although back then it went by the name of Norgesserien, which translates to The League of Norway. It has gone through quite a lot of changes in terms of both structure and organization since then, however, along with all other Norwegian football leagues.

The UEFA association coefficient system ranks the Eliteserien as the 23rd-best national league in the world at the time this review was compiled.

Before 1937, only regional leagues existed in the country, and the Norwegian Cup was the only competition played on a national level. Starting with the 1937-38 season, however, these smaller championships were divided into 8 regional districts and tied together in playoff series that would determine the national champion. There were still plans to merge these loosely connected leagues into a national competition, however, but such plans were interrupted by the outbreak of World War 2.

They finally came to fruition in 1948, when the Hovedserien was created, which roughly translates to The Main League.It consisted of the top 16 teams from the district leagues. These teams were divided into two groups of eight, and the group winners would play a two-legged final to determine the ultimate winner. This system ended in a transitional league season which lasted for a jaw-dropping 15 months, where half the teams were relegated.

In 1963, the top-tier league was renamed to 1. Divisjon, or the First Division. This name also proved to be temporary and lasted until 1990, when Eliteserien finally developed its current format. The name 1. Divisjon was instead used for the second-tier league in Norway.

Up until 2016, this league was dubbed the Tippeligaen due to a sponsorship deal with Norsk Tipping, Norway's national lottery.

Currently, the Eliteserien consists of the 16 highest-ranked Norwegian professional football teams. Seasons run from March to November, during which each team plays every other team twice – once home and once away. This means 30 matches for each team, for a combined total of 240 matches per season.

Games are usually played during the weekend, mostly on Sundays. For the final two rounds, all games are played simultaneously, so that no club has an advantage by knowing the results of the other matches. The round played on the 16 of May is usually given special attention as the “national day of football”, because it’s played the day before Norway’s Constitution Day, and thus has higher attendance.

Eliteserien uses a fairly standard point system, where teams receive 3 points for a win and 1 point for a draw. Teams are then ranked by total points, then goal difference, goals scored, and then head to head records.

There are no playoffs in this league: the team with the most points is crowned the League Winner. The title of “Norwegian Champions” is instead reserved for the winners of the Norwegian Football Cup.

The two teams with the least points are automatically relegated to the 1st Division, from which the top two teams are promoted to take their place. Also, he fourteenth-placed team in Eliteserien must enter play-offs against the third-placed team from the second-tier league to determine if they get to keep their place.

The top three teams are also awarded medals, like in competitions such as the Olympics.

The most decorated team in the history of Eliteserien are Rosenborg by far, which boast 25 gold medals, 7 silvers, and 4 bronze medals. Behind Rosenborg are Fredrikstad with 9 gold medals, 9 silver medals, and 4 bronze medals. Not far behind are Viking Stavanger, who can boast 8 golds, 2 silvers, and 8 bronze medals.

The league’s all-round best goal scorer is Sigurd Rushfeldt, with 172 goals over 299 appearances during his carer between 1992 and 2011, most of which he spent playing for Rosenborg. Just behind is Harald Martin Brattbakk with 166 goals over 255 matches.

Eliteserien Title Challengers

Now, let’s take a look at some of the teams most likely to take the title in the Norwegian top tier this season. Having some basic knowledge of these teams is very important for Eliteserien league betting. To start with, we’ve gone across Eliteserien betting odds given by some of the biggest online bookmakers and betting sites. This should give us a good idea about who might be a good candidate for wagers.

Given last season’s unexpected results, the odds are not quite what you’d expect them to be. Besides, major changes in funding and lineups have left some of the traditional favourites in the dust. For instance, Rosenborg ended the previous season in 4th place, which doesn’t bode well for their form.

Leading most prediction tables are four-time champions, Molde, with just over 2.30 with some sportsbooks. Their biggest rivals in the 2020 Eliteserien season are reigning champions Bodo Glimt with odds ranging from 2.75 to 3.00. Further down we finally have Rosenborg, whose recent slip-ups mean that few bookies dare to offer odds shorter than 9.00.

Molde FK

Coach Ole Gunnar Solskjær, who would later earn renown at the helm of Manchester United, led Molde into a sort of golden age. They’ve won titles before his tenure, sure, but were quite inconsistent. They were known for jumping from relegation to triumph in a matter of seasons. Between Ole and his successor Erling Moe, though, this club has turned into a true powerhouse few Norwegian teams can match up to.

Their latest title dates back to 2019, but their well-rounded lineup seems poised to ear another one this year. The squad is composed of some of the most experienced Eliteserien veterans in the competition. Examples include team captain Magnus Wolff Eikrem, whose mastery of the midfield is crucial to almost all Molde strategies.

The core lineup remains largely the same, though some notable additions have been made. Galatasaray’s right-back Martin Linnes is coming back to his homeland, for example, after earning multiple titles in Turkey. The overall impression that might be useful for betting on Molde matches is that it seems their approach is becoming more defensively-oriented.

If there’s one issue to be pointed out it’s that the squad is left without any true forwards. Leke James was their most successful striker, and he left back in January. Ohi Omoijuanfo has also signed with Red Star Belgrade and will be off at the start of 2022.

FK Bodø/Glimt

If you’re a fan of spectacular upsets and victorious wildcards, the 2020 Eliteserien season was quite a treat for you. And it was all thanks to the overbearing aggression and plucky underdog spirit of the yellow-kitted Bodø/Glimt. Pegged as one of the most likely teams to be relegated going in, they went on to win their first championship title in history with a crushing 20-point difference. What head coach Kjetil Knutsen managed to do with this team in a matter of 3 seasons is downright unbelievable.

So how did they manage to do it? By scoring goals – silly as that sounds. And a lot of them. So many, in fact, that the big-budgeted traditional league favourites were left completely in the dust. They recorded no less than 103 goals in the previous season, losing only a single match and coming up with just 3 draws. Not bad for a club that kept yo-yo-ing in and out of the Norwegian top-flight up until 2018.

Leading this charge was striker Kasper Junker, who ended the year with 27 goals over 25 appearances. He wasn’t alone, though – 4 of the season’s 8 best goalscorers played for Glimt.

Unfortunately, though, most of these young stars have since left. The most high-profile of these departures was winger Jens Petter Hauge who signed with AC Milan, and Junger will now be playing in the Japanese First League. This gave Knutsen a lot of spending money, but little of it was spent on refreshing the roster.

In short, it’s hard to know what to expect from this team. They’ve proven more than capable of beating all odds and expectations, but it’s not nearly the same club we saw in 2020.

Rosenborg BK

Norway’s most decorated club seems to have fallen on hard times. Following multiple consecutive titles in the 2014-2018 period, they’ve been steadily dropping down the table. Finding a proper replacement for coach Kare Ingebrigtsen has proved to be a bigger issue than expected.

To be fair, they still have a reasonable shot at turning things around. However, Rosenborg winning a double was almost a safe bet just a few short years ago, and it seems those days are behind them. There is definetely a lot of value to be found in their roster, though – especially the midfield.

Team captain Markus Henriksen is a hardened Eliteserien veteran at this point, and so is central midfielder Per Ciljan Skjelbred. However, finishing their offensive actions with a goal has proven to be a major issue. And with no real forwards in sight, it’s hard to see a change in that department.

As far as new arrivals go, the most notable is left-back Adrian Nilsen Pereira, who is returning after a brief stint in the Greek Super League. He was brought in to replace Birger Meling, who left for the French second-flight side Nimes. Noah Jean Holm was also signed as a striker, but he’s quite inexperienced.

Eliteserien Relegation Favourites

Another aspect important for betting on the Eliteserien league is considering which teams are least likely to take home the title. Let’s take a quick look at which teams’ forms are not looking great heading into this season.

SK Brann

Though Brann may seem to be in a solid place, careful observers will note their complete lack of consistency. Despite the fact they’re seemingly better funded than most other Eliteserien clubs, internal struggles and frequent management changes have left the team reeling. Combined with the fact the lineup was thoroughly gutted in the pre-season, the cracks are starting to show. Most outright Eliteserien betting odds place Brann as the most likely team to be relegated, and for good reason.

Stabæk Fotball

This team seems to still be living off of their old glory days in the late 2000s, but it’s becoming clear that they’re not coming back any time soon. The fact that they’ve managed to avoid relegation thus far is quite surprising, in fact, and most Eliteserien betting predictions aren’t too optimistic about the 2021 season. Their situation largely echoes Brann’s: quick changes in management and replacing a good chunk of the core lineup is rarely a recipe for success. Especially since they were already on shaky grounds.

Mjøndalen IF

Mjøndalen are hardly an Eliteserien regular, and their spot in the league seems as tremulous as ever. They’ve managed to stick around by the skin of their teeth for the past two seasons. For instance, they avoided relegation in 2019 by winning the last game of the season, and 2020 was barely any better with a 14th placement. The playoffs managed to save them, but one has to wonder when their luck will finally run out.

Eliteserien Top Players

Now, let’s take a look at some of Eliteserien’s most distinguished players.

Magnus Wolff Eikrem

Molde’s offence is centred around this attacking midfielder and Eirik Hestad, giving this team the most frightening attacking duo in the entire league. It’s hard to even imagine this squad without the leadership of this experienced Eliteserien veteran. With an average of 2.9 tackles and 1.7 interceptions per game, Eikrem’s presence is felt at almost any stage of the game. Still, this player is a typical playmaker, through-and-through. In fact, he is so essential to Molde’s overall strategy that their own coach described him as “Molde’s Michael Carrick.”

Patrick Berg

Due to Glimt’s dizzying goalscoring performance, it’s easy to forget that they also recorded the smallest number of concessions in the Eliteserien 2020 season. This success was in no small part thanks to the stout leadership of their young team captain, defensive midfielder Patrick Berg. A third-generation footballer, Berg is one of the many young wunderkinder that emerged from his team’s staggering 2020 triumph. He’s also one of the few squadmates who stuck with the club, for better or worse.

Eliteserien Rising Stars

This section is devoted to this league’s young players who have not yet had the chance to show their potential.

Emil Konradsen Ceide

This 19-year-old winger first came into the spotlight with staggeringly strong performances in Rosenborg’s Norwegian Cup matches. The most notable of these is when he scored 3 goals over 2 matches last year. Ceide’s career is just beginning, but his timely assists and a good eye for passes and opportunities have already earned the attention of major European Clubs such as Leipzig and Atletico Madrid.

Johan Hove

Despite still being just 20, Hove is already easily the most exceptional member of the Strømsgodset first team. He’s a member of Norway’s U21 national team and his skill on the ball has already earned him comparisons to Martin Odegaard. Teams like Manchester United and Everton are reportedly keeping tabs on this young midfielder, and a move to the Premier League is all but expected in the next year or so.

Eliteserien Derby Matches

Norwegian football is somewhat lacking in terms of particularly long-standing or heated derbies. What we mean is that they don’t really have their own names, as some other famed derbies do. Still, the very peak of football in Norway is crowned by the showdown between two of the country’s most successful teams.

Molde FK–Rosenborg BK

This rivalry first caught the attention of Norwegian football fans during the 1990s, which was Rosenborg’s arguably most successful period. During this club’s absolute dominance of domestic leagues, Molde developed their team to become the only squad who could realistically stand in their way. Nowadays, matches between these two teams are some of the most exciting in the Scandinavian peninsula.

Eiteserien Best Stadiums

Lerkendal Stadion

Located in Trondheim, Lekendal is Rosenborg’s base of operations and the country’s second-largest stadium – just behind Ullevaal, which is reserved for the Norwegian national team. It has a capacity of 21,405. It used to be a multi-purpose stadium until Rosenborg purchased it in 2000 and saw to major expansions in addition to converting it to be used exclusively for football.

Viking Stadion

Currently known as the SR-Bank Arena, this stadium is Viking Stavanger’s home pitch, and is thus located in their home town of Stavanger. It boasts a capacity of around 16,000, with plans for further expansion.