Bet365 Blends Sports and iGaming With Free-to-Play Champions League Contest

Bet365 is giving soccer fans a new way to enjoy the UEFA Champions League with the launch of Tournament Challenge, a free-to-play predictor game offering a top prize of £50,000 (about $60,000). The game, created in partnership with Incentive Games, adds a competitive edge to Europe’s biggest club competition and comes just in time for the start of the 2025–26 season.

The concept is simple but engaging. Players make win, lose, or draw predictions for every Champions League fixture. This starts with the expanded 36-team league phase and continues all the way through to the final in Budapest on May 30, 2026.

Points are awarded based on correct picks, with the odds of each selection multiplied by 10. That means choosing favorites like Arsenal might earn a steady return, while backing underdogs such as Qarabag could deliver a huge points boost if they pull off a shock victory.

To keep things competitive, there are two leaderboards: one covering the entire tournament and another specific to each match week. The overall winner secures the £50,000 jackpot, while each of the 10 game weeks carries its own £20,000 top prize. Cash prizes also filter down to the top 100 overall players, with rewards ranging from £15,000 for second place to bet credits for those finishing inside the top 10,000.

Open to Players Worldwide

Tournament Challenge is available to Bet365 customers across nearly 100 regulated territories, including states in the U.S. where Bet365’s sportsbook and casino are live. With Champions League fixtures spread across Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays, players can update predictions right up until kickoff, ensuring latecomers don’t miss out.

This week marked Matchday One, and thousands of players have already locked in predictions as the tournament gets underway.

Incentive Games’ CEO John Gordon explained that Tournament Challenge aims to mirror the intensity of knockout football, giving fans a chance to test their knowledge and strategy. With easy-to-follow gameplay and big prizes on the line, the format is built to make every match feel like a high-stakes moment, not just for the teams on the field, but for fans worldwide.

Why This Matters for Bet365

The launch of Tournament Challenge follows Bet365’s recent content aggregation deal with EveryMatrix, which added thousands of new casino titles to its platform. It’s another example of how Bet365 is diversifying its product offering to engage players with both sports and iGaming content.

This combination of a free-to-play format with real cash prizes has proven successful in previous tournaments like Euro 2024 and Copa America. By linking gameplay to one of the most-watched sporting events in the world, the operator is tapping into the excitement of knockout football while building stronger connections with its sportsbook and casino customers.

If you are a fan of the Champions League that is currently underway, the only question left is, how good are your predictions?