By Eurohoops team / info@eurohoops.net
Basketball may be primarily associated with the USA, but that doesn’t mean there’s a huge demand for it here in Europe, especially as far as the betting markets are concerned. The EuroLeague is a prime example of how and why that is.
The EuroLeague is a European basketball competition first conceived back in 1957. Since then, it has gone on to become known as the most prestigious men’s professional basketball competition in all of Europe. Consisting of 20 teams from all across Europe, teams battle it out in front of tens of thousands of screaming basketball fans in the hopes of being crowned champions at the end of the season.
While Real Madrid are the competition’s most successful team with 11 titles to their name, last season it was Olympiacos who won the 2025/26 title for the 4th time. But who are the bookies fancying this season?
Let’s find out, as bookmakers pick their EuroLeague favourites for the upcoming season.
Olympiacos
As is typically the way this early on in the season, it is last season’s winners who go into the new season as the current favourites, and things are no different here.
Olympiacos are the current bookmaker’s favourites for the 2026/27 EuroLeague as both Bet365 and BetMGM have them at 3/1. Judging by their performance last season, that shouldn’t come as much of a shock.
For a long time, Olympiacos fans probably felt like they’d never see a European title again, yet after thirteen agonising years, they finally came good and toppled not only the defending champs, and bitter rivals Fenerbahce SK, but also Read Madrid, the most successful team in the league, to finally end their title drought.
While a few players have departed for pasture’s new, the powers that be obviously believe in their man in charge, as Giorgos Bartzokas recently extended his contract until the end of 2029.
Panathinaikos
Panathinaikos are one of the most dominant basketball teams in all of Europe. In fact, no European basketball team holds more accolades than them. Therefore, you can of course always expect them to be in the running for a trophy or title, and thinks are no different this season.
Despite a great deal of controversy last season, coupled with a meltdown of epic proportions, clearly the bookies still think the Greek powerhouses have what it takes to secure another title and add yet another accolade to their name.
A decorated team deserves a decorated coach, and none have accomplished more than Serbian Zeljko Obradovic. With that kind of reshuffling, it’s clear that the team means business. Anything less than another title however, will be deemed a failure.
The bookies clearly believe they have what it takes, as BetMGM are offering 3/1 odds, whilst you’ll get 4/1 odds if you go with Bet365.
Fenerbahce SK
Well, we all know just how well documented the Turkey-Greece rivalry is, and on the basketball court, things are no different.
Fenerbahce SK lost out on back-to-back titles last season, when they were defeated by rivals, and eventual champions, Olympiacos in the semis last May.
They go into this season as one of the most successful teams in the league, and the most successful Turkish team in history, having even beaten the NBA’s Boston Celtics back in 2012, not to mention the fact that they recently picked up trophies in 4 individual tournaments in one calendar year.
Back in July, Fenerbahce signed American-Turkish sensation Shane Larkin on a 2-year deal, a signing which many believe could be the difference maker come the end of the season. With a number of new signings, Larkin is the most prominent, but one thing that is for certain, is the fact that Fenerbahce this season, will look very different to the team we saw this time last year.
Bet365 are currently offering 6/1 odds, whilst you’ll get 7/1 odds with BetMGM.
Real Madrid
Finally, with 15/2 odds with both BetMGM and Bet365, we have Real Madrid.
With 11 EuroLeague titles to their name, Pedro Martinez’ side is the most successful team in EuroLeague history. While they’ve looked threatening in recent seasons, their last EuroLeague title came back in the 2022/23 season, so some would argue that, by their standards, they’re due a win.
With the loss of Trey Lyles however, there are concerns that Real will struggle this season, especially with some questioning the coaching style and decisions of newcomer Pedro Martinez. Come the end of the season, will the naysayers be eating humble pie, or smugly telling fans that they ‘told them so’? That remains to be seen.
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