EPL betting: Cristiano Ronaldo's return to Manchester United boosts the Red Devils' title odds

Cristiano Ronaldo is once again a member of Manchester United. And his return has made United's odds to win the English Premier League title even better.

Ronaldo rejoined the team where he became a world superstar on Friday, and United's odds for the EPL title at BetMGM immediately moved from +800 to +500 as a result.

United hasn’t won an EPL title since 2013. Manchester City has won four titles in that span and three of the last four. Ronaldo seemed set to join United’s cross-city rivals on Thursday, but things changed quickly on Friday and United swept in to add the 36-year-old from Juventus.

Ronaldo played for Manchester United from 2003-09 and scored 84 goals in 196 appearances. He left Manchester United for Real Madrid in 2009 for what was then a world-record transfer fee. He moved from Real Madrid to Juventus after the 2018 season.

Manchester City is still the favorite to win the EPL at +125. Chelsea is second at +275 and Liverpool is third at +450. Tottenham is a distant fifth at +3300. Manchester United has four points through two games after beating Leeds to start the season and tying with Southampton in game No. 2.

Champions League odds get better too

Ronaldo’s arrival shortened United’s Champions League title odds from +1200 to +1000. That didn’t move the Red Devils up the board much, however. PSG and Lionel Messi are still the favorites at +275, though those odds could get worse if Kylian Mbappe leaves for Real Madrid. Manchester City is second at +350 and is followed by Bayern Munich (+700), Chelsea (+750) and Liverpool (+1000).

Ronaldo becomes Manchester United’s top central forward option ahead of Edinson Cavani. His arrival kicks Mason Greenwood and Anthony Martial out to the flanks and reinforces United’s wealth of attacking options in the early-season absence of Marcus Rashford.

His No. 1 forward status is reflected in BetMGM’s top scorer odds too. Ronaldo immediately becomes +450 to be the top goal-scorer in the EPL. Only Chelsea’s Romelu Lukaku (+275) has better odds to win the golden boot.

United plays the Wolves on Sunday in a game where Ronaldo certainly won't feature. We’re guessing Ronaldo will make his first-team debut for United on Sep. 11 against Newcastle. That game is at home and he’ll assuredly receive a raucous ovation at Old Trafford.