Bundesliga - Fixtures, Results & Odds

Germany runs on the Nigerian clock for the winter half of the season and an hour in front for the rest, with the switch falling in late March and late October rather than on a fixed date. In practice the Saturday afternoon block listed at 15:30 reaches you at 15:30 in December and at 14:30 in April. Everything here is converted for you, so read the times exactly as they are printed.

A normal matchday opens Friday evening, then puts most of the round on together on Saturday afternoon, followed by a Saturday evening game and two on Sunday afternoon. The Saturday block kicking off at the same time is the league's signature, and it is why the conference coverage matters there. The Bundesliga also takes a real winter break of several weeks around the new year.

The distinctive part is the bottom of it. Two clubs are relegated outright, but sixteenth does not go down automatically - it plays a two-legged relegation playoff against the third-placed side in 2. Bundesliga, and that tie has kept famous names up and sent others down. Above that the league works as you would expect: eighteen clubs, thirty-four matches, three for a win and one for a draw, goal difference splitting anyone level, and the top four into the Champions League league phase with a fifth place often opened up by Germany's UEFA coefficient.

German sides press high and play a faster, more open game than most leagues, and the Bundesliga has consistently averaged more goals per match than Serie A, La Liga or the Premier League. That matters most for over and under markets, where the same line prices differently here than it would in Italy. It is a tendency, not a guarantee, so still check the two sides in front of you.

German clubs must keep a majority of the voting rights with their members rather than an outside investor, which is why the Bundesliga has no equivalent of the takeovers seen in England. It keeps ticket prices low and crowds large, and it is a large part of why the league is financially cautious compared with its neighbours.

German clubs scout Africa heavily and the Bundesliga has long been a first stop in Europe for Nigerian, Ghanaian, Senegalese and Moroccan players, several of whom have moved on to bigger fees from here. Squads change every window, so rather than fix a list here, follow our team news and transfer coverage during each window for who has arrived and who is starting.

Start with the goals line rather than the result. This is the highest scoring of the big European leagues, so an over price that looks generous here often is not, and the same line is worth less than it would be in Italy. Then take team news, whether the fixture falls either side of a European night, and the home and away records read on their own. Set your stake before you bet, use only money you can afford to lose, and never chase a losing bet.