Messi or Haaland: Who Do Bookies Favor for 2023 Ballon d’Or?

The countdown is on for the 2023 Ballon d’Or, the most prestigious award in soccer. The winner will be announced on October 30 at the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris.

The list of 30 nominees for the Ballon d’Or will be announced on September 6. But according to the betting experts at 1xBet, a company that offers odds for various sports events, there are only two real contenders for the prize: Lionel Messi (Inter Miami) and Erling Haaland (Manchester City).

Here are the current odds for the top 8 candidates, as provided by 1xBet:

The odds are clearly in favor of Messi, who could be winning his 8th Ballon d’Or.

And it’s no wonder, as the Argentine wizard dazzled at the recent World Cup in Qatar and continues to dominate in the USA with Inter Miami. The only challenger is Erling Haaland, who scored over 50 goals in the 2022/2023 season for Manchester City. But let’s face it, there’s no suspense in this race. The prize is Messi’s to lose, unless he pulls a rabbit out of his hat.

Just so you know, the Ballon d’Or award is based on performances throughout the football season. This rule was changed in 2022, when it used to be based on the calendar year. So, the 2023 Ballon d’Or will be awarded for the 2022/2023 season (from August to August).