Like its predecessor, the Bundesliga, 2 Bundesliga, the second division of German football has only 18 teams with two direct promotion tickets, plus a play-off place.

With the winners and runners-up directly promoted to the Bundesliga, the third and fourth-placed teams battle it out against each other in a two-legged play-off to determine the third club to be promoted. The last four teams in the tournament are relegated — a fate that all teams strive to avoid. With bwin, make bets on the German third football division. It ensures that 2. Bundesliga matches are high stake affairs throughout the season.

Highly competitive league

The 2. Bundesliga is one of the best second-tier football leagues in Europe and a highly competitive league for bettors.

If you have the opportunity to bet on German football, the 2. Bundesliga is a great place to start. The league offers competitive football matches and is often where great players and managers develop into highly sought-after, top talents.

To escape the clutches of the 2. Bundesliga takes work. Teams in the lower half of the standings frequently win against teams in the upper echelons, and there is usually not much to choose between them.

Recommended 2. Bundesliga bets

2 Bundesliga is a very popular league. The average attendance often exceeds 20,000 spectators for any given game. It is one of the most closely followed second division leagues worldwide, along with the Championship — the second division of football in England.

You should consider betting on more than 2.5 goals in a game in the 2. Bundesliga since the vast majority of teams assume an attacking approach to their league matches. Over the last few seasons, around 60% of the games have seen more than 2.5 goals, while others had an average goal-per-game statistic approaching the three-goal mark.

Favourites for the climb

The number one aim for teams that were relegated from the Bundesliga the previous season is to go back up immediately. The two or three teams that have just gone down have the label "favourite" stuck on their backs. They make a good betting prospect pool from which to choose for a quick return to the elite division.