19th October
⚽ PSG vs Strasbourg
Over 3.5 goals
19th October
⚽ St Etienne vs Strasbourg
Draw
20th October
⚽ Montpellier vs Marseille
Both teams to score – Yes
PSG vs Strasbourg: Over 3.5 goals @ 1/1 (2.00)
We start off our Ligue 1 betting picks with an over 3.5 goals bet from PSG vs Strasbourg and at even money (2.00) we think it’s a good value shout too. PSG have broken the 3.5 marker in four of their last five home matches averaging 3.8 goals per game. Strasbourg meanwhile have seen 13 goals across just their last two away matches with both of those games seeing at least four goals. Five of the last 10 head to head meetings have gone over 3.5 goals as well.St Etienne vs Lens: Draw @ 3/1 (4.00)
We’re backing a draw with our second Ligue 1 match prediction here as Lens go to St Etienne. Lens are the odds on pick to win with the bookies but they’re somewhat the draw specialists this season with each of their last five games ending in a share of the spoils. St Etienne meanwhile, whilst clearly not as stacked in quality as Lens, have home advantage and do come here off the back of losing only one of their last four matches.Montpellier vs Marseille: Both teams to score – Yes @ 8/15 (1.53)
Last but not least we look at Montpellier vs Marseille and we’re expecting to see goals at both ends as these two lock horns. Montpellier have seen both teams score in four of their last five matches including in each of their last three. Marseille have seen both teams bag goals in three of their last five matches. Each of the last four head to head games have ended with both teams scoring too.
Ligue 1’s title contenders & odds
- PSG @ 1/5 (1.20)
- Monaco @ 9/1 (10.00)
- Marseille @ 10/1 (11.00)
Ligue 1 Odds: Top Goalscorer
Kylian Mbappe is no longer a Ligue 1 attacker and, as such, the race for the top goalscorer award in France just got interesting. Last season we saw the likes of Jonathan David, Alexandre Lacazette, Pierre Emerick-Aubameyang and Wissam Ben Yedder – the latter two who have left Ligue 1 now – score well as they all broke the 15 mark. None though hit 20 whilst 27-goal Mbappe was the only player to break the goal every 100 minutes marker – or certainly in respect of players who actually netted with any regularity. We already know we’ll have some new faces in Ligue 1 from an attacking sense with Mason Greenwood the most high profile arrival – as yet. PSG are likely to make a big move before the window closes though so it’s plausible, very plausible, that Ligue 1’s top scorer isn’t yet in France. Current Odds:- Jonathan David, Lille @ 7/2 (4.50)
- Mason Greenwood, Marseille @ 13/2 (7.50)
- Alexandre Lacazette, Lyon @ 7/1 (8.00)
- Randal Muani, PSG @ 8/1 (9.00)
Photo by Icon Sport
What is Ligue 1, and How Does It Work?
Ligue 1 is the top men’s football league in France, and along with La Liga, Serie A, Bundesliga, and the Premier League, it is one of Europe’s ‘big five’ leagues. Teams who get relegated from Ligue 1 play in Ligue 2. The top 18 French teams compete for the title of Champion of France, and the league runs from August to May each season. Each team participating in Ligue 1 plays a total of 34 matches, facing each team twice (home and away). The format of the league follows the same format other major European leagues follow, and the team who gets the most points in Ligue 1 gets crowned champion. There are no playoffs, such as those seen in leagues like the American MLS. Some of the top matchups include:- PSG vs Marseille
- PSG vs Lyon
- Lyon vs Marseille
- Nice vs Marseille
Ligue 1 trivia
- When was Ligue 1 founded? The top division in France dates back to 1930 but it has only been known as Ligue 1 since 2002
- Which player has the most Ligue 1 appearances? Goalkeeper Mickael Landreau has played 618 times in Ligue 1 for such clubs as Nantes, PSG, Lille and Bastia
- Who has scored the most Ligue 1 goals? Dello Innis has 299 Ligue 1 goals, mostly coming during his time at Monaco in the 1970s
