Betting Tips
Football Is Back! Everything Worth Watching and Betting on this August
by James Umeh
11 Aug 2026
You know what I love most about August, besides the less busy roads in Lagos (because the kids are at home) and all the summer parties? Yes, it’s that football is back! And look, I loved the World Cup. I loved watching Lionel Messi, Erling Haaland, and Kylian Mbappe battle it out for the Golden Boot. I enjoyed seeing a certain someone score against Uzbekistan and announce, “I’m back!” only for his campaign to end in tears. I most certainly enjoyed the humble pie the Americans had to eat after somehow strong-arming FIFA into overturning a red card. But let’s be honest, we live and breathe for club football, and I cannot wait for the new campaign to kick off.
And yes, as the best betting site in Nigeria, you know BetKing has plenty in store for you. From exciting new features to our promos, and of course, the best odds we offer our online betting community, we cannot wait to show you what we have in store.
So, let’s take a rundown of what to expect this August, starting with Germany.
7th August - Bundesliga 2 Kicks Off: Wolfsburg Begins Journey Back to Top-Flight
One thing you should take note of in the Bundesliga 2 is the goals. The opening weekend already had two 7-goal thrillers, an indication of how things could play out all season. German football is hardly ever conservative, and you’ll find plenty of coaches willing to risk it all for three points, which usually leads to open games.
Unsurprisingly, Heidenheim - who were relegated in May - took part in one of those goal fests. Last season, they conceded 72 goals (the worst record in the Bundesliga), while their league games produced an average of 3.3 goals. Glad to see dropping down a division hasn’t changed that. You might want to keep an eye on them if you love betting on the over.
Click Here to Bet on Bundesliga 2 Matches
12th August - UEFA Super Cup: PSG vs. Aston Villa
On the 12th of August, PSG takes on Aston Villa in the UEFA Super Cup. Unai Emery has the unwanted record of losing all three of his previous UEFA Super Cups and will hope things change when he faces his former employers.
Now, both squads could be without key players following their deep runs at the World Cup. PSG will be without Ousmane Dembélé, Bradley Barcola, Warren Zaïre-Emery, Désiré Doué and Lucas Hernández, while Villa could be without Ollie Watkins, Ezri Konsa and Emiliano Martínez. Regardless, with a trophy on the line, expect an entertaining game.
My betting tip for this: Go for 1UP PSG and/or HTUP PSG.
Click Here to Bet on the UEFA Super Cup
14th August: EFL Championship, League One and League Two All Start
On the 14th, three of England’s divisions come to life. The Championship, League One and League Two all resume, and all eyes will be on West Ham United to see if they can bounce back immediately after their relegation from the Premier League. They’ve lost a few key players like Mateus Fernandes and Crysencio Summerville, but holding on to Jarrod Bowen might be all they need to push for promotion.
In League One, I’ll just be keeping an eye on Notts County - the oldest football club in the world. They gained promotion to League One this year, and I’ve quietly been rooting for their return to the top-flight. Could they make it back-to-back promotions?
Click Here to Bet on Championship, League One and League Two Matches
15th - 16th August: La Liga Is Back, Jose Mourinho Returns
16 years ago, just days after winning a historic treble with Inter, José Mourinho left for Spain to coach Real Madrid. The objective? Break Barcelona’s dominance. Led by Pep Guardiola, the Catalans had dominated Spain and Europe, while their players had formed the core of an all-conquering Spanish national team.
Fast forward to 2026, and Barcelona are once again back-to-back LaLiga winners, while their players have largely been behind another scary Spanish team. So, Florentino Pérez - fresh off an election where his authority was challenged and with a point to prove - has once again turned to José Mourinho. Can lightning strike twice?
Click Here to Bet on La Liga Matches
16th August: Community Shield, Arsenal vs. Manchester City
Arsenal and Manchester City face off in the Community Shield, this time with Arsenal as the Premier League winners while City are the FA Cup holders. Now, Pep Guardiola has historically treated this fixture like a pre-season game, which is why Man City have lost three of their last four. But this is a new era, and Enzo Maresca sits in the dugout. He doesn’t have the managerial credit in the bank that Pep Guardiola does, so he can’t afford to approach this game in a nonchalant manner. If anything, he’ll view this as a must-win for himself, a chance to prove that he can maintain the winning culture Pep Guardiola instilled.
Click Here to Bet on the Community Shield
18th to 26th Aug: Champions League Play-Offs
The Estadio Metropolitano is the venue for this season’s Champions League final but we’re a long way from that. First, we have the final phase of the play-offs with teams like Dinamo Zagreb, Celtic and Fenerbahce all fighting for a place in the tournament proper. Now, one thing the online betting folks might want to keep an eye on here is the goals. Of the last 38 games played in the play-offs, an impressive 29 have produced Over 1.5 goals. That’s 76.3%. I love that hit rate, and I think your betting slip will love it as well.
Click Here to Bet on Champions League Matches
21st August: Premier League Kicks Off - Can Arsenal Retain The Title?
Make we no lie, na this one we been dey wait. The Premier League is the pinnacle of club football, with the Champions League only slightly more prestigious. Last season, the Gunners ended their 22-year wait for the title as they went to every corner of the country, picking up points. (See what I did there?) Now, they’ll have to do something they’ve never done in Premier League history - retain the title. Can they, though?
It’s a new era in English football, and a lot has changed in the past few months. In fact, Michael Carrick, who joined midway through last season, is now the second-longest-serving Head Coach among the traditional Top Six. That’s how much has changed.
Manchester City have lost Pep Guardiola, with 2024 Ballon d’Or winner Rodri almost certain to leave. Xabi Alonso is the new man in charge at Chelsea. At Liverpool, club legend Mo Salah has left, while Andoni Iraola is the new gaffer. And at Spurs, Roberto De Zerbi, who orchestrated their narrow escape from relegation last season, is still in charge, having been backed by hundreds of millions of pounds.
And don’t even get me started on teams like Brighton and Aston Villa and their coconut heads. Excitement yakpa!
Click Here to Bet on Premier League Matches
23rd August: Serie A and Ligue 1 Both Open
Dear Serie A, get ready for #AmorimBall. Yes, Milan employed the services of Ruben Amorim, who spectacularly failed at Manchester United. The pre-season hasn’t exactly been great either, with similar complaints already emerging. For his sake, his Serie A results will need to be excellent, not only to rebuild his reputation but also to dethrone city rivals Inter, who are the reigning Italian champions.
Click Here to Bet on Serie A Matches
In Ligue 1, the question remains - can anyone stop PSG? Well, to be fair, that’s a question Europe has been asking themselves for two years now, seeing as they’ve extended their dominance to the continental level. There’s still plenty to look out for, though. Marseille, Lyon and Lille always pose a problem, while the race for the UCL spots is definitely one to watch.
Click Here to Bet on Ligue 1 Matches
28th August: Bundesliga Opens - Can Anyone Slow Down Harry Kane’s Bayern Munich?
73 goals in 65 games for club and country. Those are the numbers Harry Kane put up last season as he led Bayern Munich to the Bundesliga title, DFB-Pokal and England to a third-place finish at the FIFA World Cup. Those numbers are so jaw-dropping that even Cristiano Ronaldo at the peak of his powers never had a better statistical campaign. On the 28th, the Bundesliga starts with Bayern hosting Stuttgart as they aim to make it three league titles in a row. Who can stop Harry Kane? Who can stop Bayern?
Click Here to Bet on Bundesliga Matches
28th August: NPFL Returns - What Can We Expect From Ikorodu City?
The NPFL returns on the 28th of August, with our very own Ikorodu City looking to build on a wonderful debut campaign in the top flight. They finished 4th, scored 60 league goals - 11 more than champions Enugu Rangers - and won the Lagos FA Cup. Brilliant!
There’ll also be seven privately owned teams in the league, which is something worth looking forward to. How will that affect the trajectory of Nigerian football? Positively, we hope. PS: Lagos will have three of those privately owned teams, so rest assured, the derbies are going to be a lot of fun. Did someone say Faji?!
28th - 30th August: Premier League Matchday Two - Villa vs. Arsenal, Spurs vs. Newcastle
Matchday two of the EPL sees Aston Villa take on champions Arsenal, while a new-look Spurs take on Newcastle United, who have had their squad raided, including by Spurs, who signed Sandro Tonali. The previous 38 matches between Spurs and Newcastle have averaged 3.29 goals, while BTTS has landed 68% of the time. So, this is one game you definitely do not want to miss.
You know what I love most about August, besides the less busy roads in Lagos (because the kids are at home) and all the summer parties? Yes, it’s that football is back! And look, I loved the World Cup. I loved watching Lionel Messi, Erling Haaland, and Kylian Mbappe battle it out for the Golden Boot. I enjoyed seeing a certain someone score against Uzbekistan and announce, “I’m back!” only for his campaign to end in tears. I most certainly enjoyed the humble pie the Americans had to eat after somehow strong-arming FIFA into overturning a red card. But let’s be honest, we live and breathe for club football, and I cannot wait for the new campaign to kick off.
And yes, as the best betting site in Nigeria, you know BetKing has plenty in store for you. From exciting new features to our promos, and of course, the best odds we offer our online betting community, we cannot wait to show you what we have in store.
So, let’s take a rundown of what to expect this August, starting with Germany.
7th August - Bundesliga 2 Kicks Off: Wolfsburg Begins Journey Back to Top-Flight
One thing you should take note of in the Bundesliga 2 is the goals. The opening weekend already had two 7-goal thrillers, an indication of how things could play out all season. German football is hardly ever conservative, and you’ll find plenty of coaches willing to risk it all for three points, which usually leads to open games.
Unsurprisingly, Heidenheim - who were relegated in May - took part in one of those goal fests. Last season, they conceded 72 goals (the worst record in the Bundesliga), while their league games produced an average of 3.3 goals. Glad to see dropping down a division hasn’t changed that. You might want to keep an eye on them if you love betting on the over.
Click Here to Bet on Bundesliga 2 Matches
12th August - UEFA Super Cup: PSG vs. Aston Villa
On the 12th of August, PSG takes on Aston Villa in the UEFA Super Cup. Unai Emery has the unwanted record of losing all three of his previous UEFA Super Cups and will hope things change when he faces his former employers.
Now, both squads could be without key players following their deep runs at the World Cup. PSG will be without Ousmane Dembélé, Bradley Barcola, Warren Zaïre-Emery, Désiré Doué and Lucas Hernández, while Villa could be without Ollie Watkins, Ezri Konsa and Emiliano Martínez. Regardless, with a trophy on the line, expect an entertaining game.
My betting tip for this: Go for 1UP PSG and/or HTUP PSG.
Click Here to Bet on the UEFA Super Cup
14th August: EFL Championship, League One and League Two All Start
On the 14th, three of England’s divisions come to life. The Championship, League One and League Two all resume, and all eyes will be on West Ham United to see if they can bounce back immediately after their relegation from the Premier League. They’ve lost a few key players like Mateus Fernandes and Crysencio Summerville, but holding on to Jarrod Bowen might be all they need to push for promotion.
In League One, I’ll just be keeping an eye on Notts County - the oldest football club in the world. They gained promotion to League One this year, and I’ve quietly been rooting for their return to the top-flight. Could they make it back-to-back promotions?
Click Here to Bet on Championship, League One and League Two Matches
15th - 16th August: La Liga Is Back, Jose Mourinho Returns
16 years ago, just days after winning a historic treble with Inter, José Mourinho left for Spain to coach Real Madrid. The objective? Break Barcelona’s dominance. Led by Pep Guardiola, the Catalans had dominated Spain and Europe, while their players had formed the core of an all-conquering Spanish national team.
Fast forward to 2026, and Barcelona are once again back-to-back LaLiga winners, while their players have largely been behind another scary Spanish team. So, Florentino Pérez - fresh off an election where his authority was challenged and with a point to prove - has once again turned to José Mourinho. Can lightning strike twice?
Click Here to Bet on La Liga Matches
16th August: Community Shield, Arsenal vs. Manchester City
Arsenal and Manchester City face off in the Community Shield, this time with Arsenal as the Premier League winners while City are the FA Cup holders. Now, Pep Guardiola has historically treated this fixture like a pre-season game, which is why Man City have lost three of their last four. But this is a new era, and Enzo Maresca sits in the dugout. He doesn’t have the managerial credit in the bank that Pep Guardiola does, so he can’t afford to approach this game in a nonchalant manner. If anything, he’ll view this as a must-win for himself, a chance to prove that he can maintain the winning culture Pep Guardiola instilled.
Click Here to Bet on the Community Shield
18th to 26th Aug: Champions League Play-Offs
The Estadio Metropolitano is the venue for this season’s Champions League final but we’re a long way from that. First, we have the final phase of the play-offs with teams like Dinamo Zagreb, Celtic and Fenerbahce all fighting for a place in the tournament proper. Now, one thing the online betting folks might want to keep an eye on here is the goals. Of the last 38 games played in the play-offs, an impressive 29 have produced Over 1.5 goals. That’s 76.3%. I love that hit rate, and I think your betting slip will love it as well.
Click Here to Bet on Champions League Matches
21st August: Premier League Kicks Off - Can Arsenal Retain The Title?
Make we no lie, na this one we been dey wait. The Premier League is the pinnacle of club football, with the Champions League only slightly more prestigious. Last season, the Gunners ended their 22-year wait for the title as they went to every corner of the country, picking up points. (See what I did there?) Now, they’ll have to do something they’ve never done in Premier League history - retain the title. Can they, though?
It’s a new era in English football, and a lot has changed in the past few months. In fact, Michael Carrick, who joined midway through last season, is now the second-longest-serving Head Coach among the traditional Top Six. That’s how much has changed.
Manchester City have lost Pep Guardiola, with 2024 Ballon d’Or winner Rodri almost certain to leave. Xabi Alonso is the new man in charge at Chelsea. At Liverpool, club legend Mo Salah has left, while Andoni Iraola is the new gaffer. And at Spurs, Roberto De Zerbi, who orchestrated their narrow escape from relegation last season, is still in charge, having been backed by hundreds of millions of pounds.
And don’t even get me started on teams like Brighton and Aston Villa and their coconut heads. Excitement yakpa!
Click Here to Bet on Premier League Matches
23rd August: Serie A and Ligue 1 Both Open
Dear Serie A, get ready for #AmorimBall. Yes, Milan employed the services of Ruben Amorim, who spectacularly failed at Manchester United. The pre-season hasn’t exactly been great either, with similar complaints already emerging. For his sake, his Serie A results will need to be excellent, not only to rebuild his reputation but also to dethrone city rivals Inter, who are the reigning Italian champions.
Click Here to Bet on Serie A Matches
In Ligue 1, the question remains - can anyone stop PSG? Well, to be fair, that’s a question Europe has been asking themselves for two years now, seeing as they’ve extended their dominance to the continental level. There’s still plenty to look out for, though. Marseille, Lyon and Lille always pose a problem, while the race for the UCL spots is definitely one to watch.
Click Here to Bet on Ligue 1 Matches
28th August: Bundesliga Opens - Can Anyone Slow Down Harry Kane’s Bayern Munich?
73 goals in 65 games for club and country. Those are the numbers Harry Kane put up last season as he led Bayern Munich to the Bundesliga title, DFB-Pokal and England to a third-place finish at the FIFA World Cup. Those numbers are so jaw-dropping that even Cristiano Ronaldo at the peak of his powers never had a better statistical campaign. On the 28th, the Bundesliga starts with Bayern hosting Stuttgart as they aim to make it three league titles in a row. Who can stop Harry Kane? Who can stop Bayern?
Click Here to Bet on Bundesliga Matches
28th August: NPFL Returns - What Can We Expect From Ikorodu City?
The NPFL returns on the 28th of August, with our very own Ikorodu City looking to build on a wonderful debut campaign in the top flight. They finished 4th, scored 60 league goals - 11 more than champions Enugu Rangers - and won the Lagos FA Cup. Brilliant!
There’ll also be seven privately owned teams in the league, which is something worth looking forward to. How will that affect the trajectory of Nigerian football? Positively, we hope. PS: Lagos will have three of those privately owned teams, so rest assured, the derbies are going to be a lot of fun. Did someone say Faji?!
28th - 30th August: Premier League Matchday Two - Villa vs. Arsenal, Spurs vs. Newcastle
Matchday two of the EPL sees Aston Villa take on champions Arsenal, while a new-look Spurs take on Newcastle United, who have had their squad raided, including by Spurs, who signed Sandro Tonali. The previous 38 matches between Spurs and Newcastle have averaged 3.29 goals, while BTTS has landed 68% of the time. So, this is one game you definitely do not want to miss.