Indian football is enjoying a golden period at the moment and has two top leagues, both sanctioned by the All India Football Federation. The Indian Super League (ISL) may have been gaining a lot of press since its recent inception in 2013 but it is the long-established I-League that remains the most prestigious of the two tournaments and the one that is recognised as the “official” league of India by football’s world governing body FIFA.
The ISL runs on a franchise system, a little like its cricket equivalent and runs for just two months of the year. Whilst it offers a lot of fun and some interesting betting opportunities, those serious about Indian football – and with a population of around 1.2 billion, plus a huge diaspora, that’s a LOT of people – will mainly be interested in the more traditional league format of the I-League, and that is what this page is all about.
Betting on the I-League is huge business, with Indians’ love of both sport and betting well documented. Increasingly, as better financing attracts better players, the league is becoming more popular around the world and just about all online bookmakers now offer a range of markets on the biggest Indian games.
We’ve automatically collated the best odds from all those bookies and so, by using our live betting odds comparison you are able to very quickly obtain the best odds for whichever I-League game you want to bet on. Getting the best prices and value couldn’t be easier and so before you place bets on any I-League contest, be sure to check here first so you don’t miss out.
The I-League dates back to 2007 when it replaced the National Football League which had been around for 11 seasons before that. It is a smaller league than many top European divisions, featuring just 11 sides at the time of writing, with each side playing each other home and away giving 20 games per team and a grand total of 110 matches per season.
The I-League calendar operates from December or January to May, meaning it provides some extra football betting chances when much of Europe takes its winter break. Although there are only 11 teams as of 2015, there are plans to increase that to 16 and the I-League is subject to promotion from, and relegation to, the second tier of Indian football, the I-League 2nd Division. That said, the precise format of the I-League, including the dates and number of sides, changes on an almost yearly basis as administrators seek to find the magic formula.
Things are certainly improving though and the I-League is now attracting huge audiences both at the games and on television, as well as seeing several overseas players featuring. The continued growth can only be good for those wanting to bet on Indian football so why not check out the I-League and use our live odds comparison to try and make some money?