The Austrian Bundesliga is the top tier of football in Austria and is made up of 10 teams who play one another four times over the course of the season. With a number of sides in contention for the league title at the time of writing, it looks like being one of the closest seasons for a while. Here we present our analysis of the Austrian Bundesliga and give our predictions and outright winner betting tips to help you make some money from your bets. To make you even more money, our betting odds comparison tables will show you the best odds available from the top bookies around to ensure you always get the best value possible.
As things stand – after each side has played 17 games and thus as we approach the end of the first half of the season – it is Red Bull Salzburg who sit at the top of the table with 32 points. Level on points but with an inferior goal difference are Austria Vienna with Rapid Vienna just a point adrift in third. Despite the two Vienna clubs dominating the Austrian top division over the years (with 66 titles between them) it has been Red Bull Salzburg who have taken the division by storm in recent times, winning five of the last seven Bundesliga titles.
Managed by German former Liefering boss Peter Zeidler, Salzburg have been something of a revelation in recent years. Former Espanyol and Barcelona (reserves) striker Jonathan Soriano has been a large contributing factor towards that recent success having scored 103 goals in 117 appearances for the club since 2012. Averaging more than a goal a game in the 2015-16 campaign so far, if he stays fit his side have a great chance of retaining the title. The bookies certainly think the champions will do it again as they are priced as the 1/3 favourites in the outright winner betting. We find it hard to make a case to oppose them too, given their recent dominance, but we shall of course assess the other contenders, the two Vienna sides.
Austria Vienna are the second favourites with the bookies at best betting odds of 4/1 with Bet365, and given that they are level on points with Salzburg and have managed two draws against them, that price does look to offer some value. Thorsten Fink’s side last won the title in 2012-13 and they have looked a solid outfit this term, but they have scored only 31 goals (10 fewer than Salzburg) and we fear their inability to score enough goals will cost them dear (as it did in their 1-1 home draws with both Admira Wacker and Ried).
Their local rivals Rapid Vienna might, in fact, offer the better value option if you are determined to look beyond the favourites, and Zoran Barisic’s team are available to back at best betting odds of 15/2, again with Bet365. But having lost six games already (three to sides in the bottom four in the division) you have to say they will be up against it. They have, however, beaten both Austria Vienna and Salzburg on the road, so they could certainly have an effect on the title race. But we think they too will fall short of challenging.
Overall then, we predict it will be Red Bull Salzburg who start to break clear of the pack in the second half of the season, and though the odds on them are not going to make you rich without a hefty stake, we predict their price is only going to get shorter in the coming months. As such our outright betting tip is simply to back the favourites to retain their crown.