Inter Milan: The Team to Beat
Inter Milan are priced at evens according to Stake, the shortest price on offer. This is no surprise, given their dominant performance last season, which saw them crowned Serie A champions. Manager Simone Inzaghi has mostly resisted the urge to tinker with what worked, and the team's core remains intact. Lautaro Martínez still wears the armband, and the central defensive pairing now includes Yann Bisseck, who spent last season adjusting to the pace of Serie A and looks a different player for it. Thuram and Barella remain the midfield engine room, though there was brief talk over the summer of Barella attracting interest from abroad, which ultimately went nowhere.
AC Milan: Looking to Close the Gap
AC Milan sit at 11/2 according to Stake odds, well behind their neighbours. New manager Ruben Amorim takes charge this season, looking for redemption for AC Milan after the club missed the Champions League last year, finishing outside the top four. The squad did not get torn apart over the summer, with most of the group that struggled last season still there, just under different instructions. How quickly they adjust to Amorim's ideas will decide whether those odds start to shorten.
The Importance of Transfers
Bookmakers look at transfer business first, then weigh up how much a new manager is likely to change things. A club chasing the title is usually chasing a top-four finish too, since one tends to buy the other another shot at the Champions League the following season. Mid-season transfers can reshape the odds, with a club that spent big before the season but lost a starter to injury in October going back into the market to patch the hole. Once that deal is done, bookmakers rarely wait around to adjust the odds.
The Role of the Manager
A new manager rarely gets everything right straight away, and that uncertainty is baked into the price. Ruben Amorim's appointment at AC Milan is a case in point, with the club looking to bounce back from a disappointing last season. The same story plays out elsewhere in Europe, with bookmakers looking at transfer business and managerial appointments to make their predictions.
The Fixtures and Results
Following fixtures and results in Serie A closely pays off, as a club sitting mid-table in November can look completely different after two or three signings. The betting markets tend to move faster than the actual league table does, with new players usually needing a few weeks to settle into a system. Watching that gap close, or fail to close, is often more useful than reading too much into where a club started the season.
The Italian Football Federation
Even something as ordinary as the fixture calendar from the Italian Football Federation can matter more than people expect, since a run of tough away games early on can knock a new manager off balance before the project has time to settle. Inter start as the clear favourites for good reason, but Serie A has punished overconfidence before, and there is little in the early prices that rules out a surprise.
Conclusion
The early odds suggest Inter Milan as the favourites for the 2026/27 Serie A title, but the season is long and unpredictable. Bookmakers will continue to adjust their prices as the transfer window closes and the season gets underway. AC Milan, under new manager Ruben Amorim, will be looking to close the gap, while other clubs will be hoping to cause an upset. One thing is certain: the 2026/27 Serie A season promises to be an exciting and unpredictable ride.