Early 2023 Ballon d’Or Betting Odds – Should You Bet on Lionel Messi to Win the Award?

Last Updated January 17, 2023 11:07 am PST
Soccer betting background with players Erling Haaland, Kylian Mbappe, and Lionel Messi
  • Lionel Messi is the No. 1 favorite to win the 2023 Ballon d’Or.
  • If the Argentine Messiah wins the accolade, it will be his eighth Ballon d’Or.
  • Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland look like the only two players who could mess up Messi’s plans.

Who’s going to win the 2023 Ballon d’Or? Lionel Messi is the short answer. Considering that the award is given based on the player’s performances in the 2022-23 season, the chances that someone can take away the accolade from the 2022 World Cup MVP look rather slim.

The 2023 Ballon d’Or odds from the best soccer betting apps heavily favor Messi, but nothing is definite in the soccer universe. This goes especially given that his PSG colleague Kylian Mbappe is playing arguably the best soccer of his career. Then, there’s Erling Haaland, who can’t stop scoring for Manchester City.

Let’s also not forget about last year’s winner Karim Benzema, as well as Robert Lewandowski, Mohamed Salah, and many others. All of them stand a chance to win the most prestigious award in the world of soccer.

And you stand a good chance of winning big money if you back one of them as their odds are nothing short of amazing – as you will learn in the next section.

Early Odds to Win the Ballon d’Or in 2023

Lionel Messi is heavily favored by the best soccer betting sites to win the 2023 Ballon d’Or. Priced at 1.29, the soccer GOAT seems certain to win this award unless something goes horribly wrong for him.

By that, I mean that some other player might enter a superb run in the second half of the 2022-23 season.

The first player that comes to mind is Messi’s PSG teammate, Kylian Mbappe. The French international is having the season of his life, which is why it’s no surprise that he’s second on the list of favorites with the Ballon d’Or odds of 4.50.

All the other Ballon d’Or candidates come with odds longer than 10.00, suggesting that they’re unlikely to win the award this year. However, remember that last year’s winner – Karim Benzema – was priced at 12.00 at one point.

The same odds are given to the No. 3 favorite to win the 2023 Balon d’Or, Erling Haaland. I believe his odds are likely to shorten in the near future. Why? Because the 22-year-old is playing terrific soccer for Manchester City. He’s the leading scorer in the Premier League and is among the top scorers in the Champions League.

If you think these odds are great, then make sure you’re signed up at a reliable sportsbook to cash out your bets like the one mentioned below.

Analyzing the 2023 Ballon d’Or Betting Favorites

There are three names that stand out when it comes to betting favorites for the 2023 best player award. Lionel Messi is the one with the shortest 2023 Ballon d’Or odds, followed by Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland.

Let’s take a look at the betting favorites below.

Lionel Messi (1.29)

Lionel Messi is already the record holder for most Ballon d’Or wins, and if he wins it again, it will be his eighth award. As per the 2023 Ballon d’Or odds, the Argentine is almost certain to win it. The No. 1 reason for this is that he was brilliant at the 2022 World Cup.

The Messiah led Argentina to their first World Cup trophy since the days of Diego Maradona, winning the MVP award for himself along the way.

He’s also been great in club soccer, helping PSG dominate the French Ligue 1. His team has also made it to the Champions League Playoffs, where they have title ambitions. Still, even if PSG doesn’t win the UCL, it won’t tarnish Messi’s record in the 2022-23 season.

Kylian Mbappe (4.50)

At the moment of writing, it seems very unlikely that anyone can take the 2023 Ballon d’Or away from Messi. However, we’re only at the halfway point of the 2022-23 season, meaning anything can happen in the next couple of months.

A possible scenario is that Messi’s teammate from PSG, Kylian Mbappe, is going to switch to the beast mode. The guy’s already been playing fantastic soccer, but we could see even more from him in the remainder of the season.

After scoring a hat-trick in the World Cup Final, Mbappe returned to France to score the winner in his first club game after the Qatar tournament. We can only expect to see more from him in the next few months.

Erling Haaland (12.00)

It’s as if Erling Haaland was designed in a lab solely to score goals. Even though he’s only 22, he’s already one of the best strikers on the planet, if not the very best one.

He’s already scored a gazillion goals, and I’m 100% certain he’s gonna do even better in the remainder of the season. It’s not only because I have faith in the young Norwegian; it’s also because I have confidence in his teammates from Manchester City.

This is a team that creates a plethora of chances in every single game, meaning that Haaland will have plenty of chances to turn them into goals. That said, I believe his 2023 Ballon d’Or odds are going to get much shorter in the next couple of months.

So, if you’re considering backing Haaland to win the award, now is the right time to do it. If you think anyone I’ve mentioned could be a snub for the award, be sure to view our list of the biggest in history.

Predicting Who Will Win the 2023 Ballon d’Or

It’s time to answer the question of who will win the 2023 Ballon d’Or. My prediction is Lionel Messi, at least for the time being.

His performance at the 2022 World Cup cannot be ignored, so even if he doesn’t do too great in club soccer, he’ll still win the accolade.

That said, betting on Messi practically equals free money. Unfortunately, oddsmakers know this too, which is why they’re giving just 1.29 on the Messiah.

That’s going to be it for betting on the 2023 Ballon d’or winner, but why not brush up on some of the greatest winners the award has ever seen below.

Zarko Naric
Zarko Naric Editor

Zarko Naric – the World's Greatest Sportswriter, according to his grandma.

Zarko started writing for GamblingSites.com in 2019, covering sports like soccer, tennis, and basketball, as well as some more niche sports like cycling.

In addition to writing news, picks, and blog pieces focused on sports, Zarko’s also been covering politics, TV/music contests, and more.

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