Ballon d’Or Odds
Browse Ballon d’Or betting at BetUK and follow the world’s top footballers in their quest to secure the biggest individual honour in the sport.
Bet on the Ballon d’Or winner odds and back your picks for glory.
BetUK offers extensive odds on the world’s best players, with live fluctuations in the market that account for success and failure on the pitch.
Will Raphinha win it this year? Or maybe it’s Mohamed Salah’s time to shine? Discover the best Ballon d’Or odds above and place your bets.
What is the Ballon d’Or?
The Ballon d’Or is the top individual prize in world football. It’s awarded to the player voted the best men’s football player on the planet that year.
French magazine France Football oversees the awards alongside UEFA, who organise the awards ceremony. A jury of 100 journalists from across the world's top-ranked footballing nations cast their votes each year.
Jurors vote for their preferred winners based on individual performance, team success, style and fair play over the course of the previous season. Judges vote for three players each, with 5, 3 and 1 point handed out respectively. The player with the most points wins the Ballon d'Or.
Who looks likely to win this year’s Ballon d’Or?
The Ballon d’Or is almost always awarded to an attacking player. Rodri bucked the trend in 2024 when the midfielder won the award, but this year it’s likely to return to an eye-catching playmaker.
Remember, judges are asked to vote for the 2025 Ballon d’Or winner based on player performance during the 2024/25 season.
Here are the players who look likely to contest the 2025 Ballon d’Or:
Ousmane Dembele
Club: Paris & France
Trophies: Ligue 1, Coupe de France, Champions League
Appearances: 51
Ousmane Dembele finally looks on course to win the Ballon d’Or. The 28-year-old has perpetually missed out on the gong, despite being regarded as one of the best forwards on the planet since his career began a decade ago. Dembele was instrumental in Paris’ Champions League campaign and shared the Ligue 1 Golden Boot with 21 goals. His boss, Luis Enrique, tips Dembele for the 2025 Ballon d’Or and the odds suggest he’s got a great chance.
Lamine Yamal
Club: Barcelona & Spain
Trophies: La Liga, Copa del Rey, Supercopa de España
Appearances: 60
Lamine Yamal turned heads at the European Championship the previous summer and is now rated as the world’s best teenager. His performances for Barcelona en route to a league and cup double have been outstanding. Yamal won the Kopa Trophy (awarded to the best young footballer) in 2024. A step up to the Ballon d’Or is expected soon.
Gianluigi Donnarumma
Club: Paris & Italy
Trophies: Ligue 1, Coupe de France, Champions League
Appearances: 46
A goalkeeper hasn’t won the Ballon d’Or since Lev Yashin in 1963. A lot of world-class ‘keepers have been overlooked down the years, but Gianluigi Donnarumma could end a 62-year wait for another winner. Paris conceded just 35 goals in the league in 2024/25, and Donnarumma came to their rescue on a number of occasions in the Champions League. A formidable presence between the sticks, the 26-year-old marshalled the back line in Europe and made three stunning saves in Paris' semi-final win over Arsenal.
Lautaro Martinez
Club: Inter & Argentina
Trophies: None
Appearances: 55
Lautaro Martinez enjoyed a stellar 2024/25 season, yet came out of it without a trophy. Inter fell at the last hurdle in the Serie A title race and lost the Champions League final. Argentina’s Copa America triumph last summer isn’t factored into the 2024/25 Ballon d’Or voting. Still, Martinez can look back at a successful individual campaign where he scored 22 goals for Inter and was instrumental in their Champions League campaign.
Raphinha
Club: Barcelona & Brazil
Trophies: La Liga, Copa del Rey, Supercopa de España
Appearances: 63
Raphinha has been a revelation at Barcelona this season and has performed well for Brazil, too. The former Leeds United player hauled Barca to a league and cup double in 2024/25, showing off his exuberance and workrate along the way. He’s certainly one to watch, be it this season or in the near future.
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia
Club: Napoli, Paris & Georgia
Trophies: Serie A, Ligue 1, Coupe de France, Champions League
Appearances: 51
What's better than winning a historic treble in your first six months at your new club? Winning the title for your old club, too! Khvicha Kvaratskhelia had arguably the best domestic career of any footballer on the planet in 2024/25. He started the season at Napoli and helped set them up to win Serie A, before moving to Paris in January 2025 and steering them to the three trophies. The Georgia international scored in the Champions League final and scored twice for his country. At 24, he's certainly a strong shout for future Ballon d'Ors too.
Mohamed Salah
Club: Liverpool & Egypt
Trophies: Premier League
Appearances: 54
At 33, Mohamed Salah is still going strong. He fired Liverpool to the Premier League title in 2024/25, but the Reds endured a tough season in other competitions. Salah was the standout player in the Premier League and the only realistic candidate from England to challenge for this year’s Ballon d’Or. Amazingly, he’s never once made the top-three shortlist.
When is the Ballon d’Or Awarded?
The Ballon d’Or ceremony takes place each autumn to commemorate the world’s best footballer across the previous season. The ceremony usually falls during an international break, when it’s easier for the event organisers to attract players in person.
The 2025 Ballon d’Or takes place on Monday, 22 September at the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris. The event has been moved forward to avoid a clash with women’s internationals. There will be equal awards for men and women for the first time.
Betting on the Ballon d’Or is likely to heat up as we near the ceremony, and punters can expect payouts as soon as the winners are announced.
Bet on the Ballon d’Or tips
If you’re planning to bet on the Ballon d’Or for the first time this year, here are some football betting tips to help you make the right pick.
Do your research – Look at the Ballon d’Or odds above and research each of the favourites. One of these players is likely to win, but you should assess their individual achievements, club achievements, and style of play over the previous season. Did they truly catch the eye and deliver silverware?
Back the playmakers – Ballon d’Or judges tend to lean towards exciting attacking talent. It’s only natural. Rodri bucked the trend in 2024 by being the first even vaguely defensive-minded player to win the award since centre-back Fabio Cannavaro in 2006. Track the odds – The Ballon d’Or odds react to events on the pitch and betting activity from punters. Keep an eye on the odds changes and time your bet to perfection.
Is it Barca’s time? – The only Barcelona player other than Lionel Messi to be included in the top three of a Ballon d’Or ceremony since 2012 is Neymar. Will Barca finally have another name on the podium this time around?
Look for Champions League and World Cup winners – The Ballon d’Or usually goes to a player who won the Champions League that season. During a World Cup year, it almost always goes to a winner from that tournament. Keep an eye on who makes the finals of these events.