Every season, the DFB Pokal gives any German football club from any part of the country a chance to win a trophy. Here at Stake Sportsbook, you can bet on every game and watch the action live. Find out more about this top soccer competition and how to place bets in our full guide.
What is the DFB Pokal?
The DFB Pokal, also known as the Germany Cup, is an annual knockout tournament featuring a total of 64 clubs. Similar to England’s FA Cup and French football’s Coupe de France, every team taking part in the football pyramid can potentially take part, though they have to qualify first.
All teams from the Bundesliga and 2. Bundesliga automatically qualify for the tournament, as well as the 4 highest teams in the league table from the 3. Bundesliga.
In addition to the automatic qualification spots, 21 places are given to the cup winners of regional football associations. 3 final places are awarded to the 3 regional leagues with the most teams.
Winners of the DFB Pokal will qualify for the DFL Supercup, as well as next season’s Europa League, increasing the incentive for teams to play at their very best. After the Bundesliga championship, the DFB Pokal is considered the most important trophy in German football, and it’s coveted by all clubs throughout the country.
History of the DFB Pokal
The DFB Pokal was founded in 1935, though the tournament has changed a lot over the years. Originally, it was known as the von Tschammer und Osten Pokal, or Tschammmerpokal for short. It was held annually until 1943, at which point it went into hiatus until it was reintroduced by the German Football Association (DFB).
The DFB brought back the German Cup in 1952, renaming it the DFB Pokal. For many years, this competition was only open to the top German league clubs.
Between 1956 and 1960, the DFB Pokal was only contested between 4 clubs. However, from 1974 onwards, the competition was expanded to allow semi-professional and amateur teams to take part. This meant that 128 clubs were featured over seven rounds up until 1982.
Since 1985, the final of the DFB Pokal has been held at the Olympic Stadium in Berlin. There have been 26 cup winners in the history of the competition, but Bayern Munich is the most successful team, with 20 championships. Bayer Leverkusen are the current champions, while RB Leipzig won the trophy two seasons in a row before that. Bayern haven’t won since the 2019/20 season, while Borussia Dortmund were crowned champions in 2021.
Format & Schedule of the DFB Pokal
The DFB Pokal begins with a draw in the summer to determine the first round matchups. 64 competing teams are split between 2 pots.
The 1st pot contains all teams that qualified through regional domestic cup competitions, along with the top 4 teams from 3. Bundesliga and the bottom 4 teams of the 2. Bundesliga.
The 2nd pot includes all Bundesliga teams and the remaining 2. Bundesliga teams. The draw takes a team from each pot, with the 1st pot team always set as the home team.
Once the first round draw is complete, the first round gets underway, and winning teams progress to the next round. If the game is tied after 90 minutes, 30 minutes of extra time is played. If the scores remain level, the match is decided by a penalty shootout.
DFB Pokal 2025 Fixtures
1 June 2024 – First round draw
16-28 August 2024 – First round
1 September 2024 – Second round draw
29-30 October 2024 – Second round
3 November 2024 – Round 16 draw
3-4 December 2024 – Round 16
15 December 2024 – Quarter-finals draw
4-26 February 2025 - Quarter-finals
2 March 2025 – Semi-finals draw
1-2 April 2025 - Semi-finals
24 May 2025 - Final
Betting on DFB Pokal games is just like betting on any soccer match. Check out our full betting guide for more information. All games have a lot of different bet types to choose from. Here are some of the most popular betting markets:
1x2: This is similar to a moneyline bet in that you choose the outcome of the match. However, there are three different options to bet on. 1 is the home win, x is the draw, and 2 is the away win.
Draw no bet: This lets you choose between either team as the winner of the match. If the game ends in a draw, you’ll get your stake back.
Asian totals: This is a totals market on how many goals will be scored in the game, but as an each-way and with the option for full, half or quarter goals.
Asian handicap: Similar to spread betting, Asian handicaps place a handicap on the favourite and an advantage to the underdog team. Bet on the team you think will win despite the handicap or avoid defeat due to the goal advantage.
Double chance: This betting market gives you two chances, allowing you to pick two possible outcomes of the match. For example, you can bet on the home side winning or the match to end in a draw. If either outcome occurs, you’ll win.
1st goal: Which player or team will score the first goal of the match? This is a prop bet which lets you predict the first goal scorer.
Correct score: The correct score market lets you bet on the score at the final whistle.
Both teams to score: Will both teams score? Bet on yes or no, depending on how likely you think it is.
Halftime/full-time: This betting market lets you predict the outcome of the game at the end of the first half and at the end of the individual match.
Multi-bets: If you’ve got ideas for multiple bets, you can add them as singles or combine them into a multi-bet. Stake also offers bet builder markets which let you create same-game multi-bets.
Outrights: The outright winner or futures market lets you predict the outcome of the competition. Bet on which team you think will be crowned DFB Pokal champions.
Live Stream DFB Pokal & Live Soccer Betting
At Stake, you can find pre-live and live betting markets on all DFB Pokal matches, letting you enjoy a huge variety of betting options. Live betting gives you the freedom to bet on games as they happen, making the most of rapidly changing match odds as the momentum shifts.
Thanks to our free live streams, live betting on DFB Pokal games just got even more exciting. Our guide to live streaming offers more details, but you can enjoy every game just by logging in. Watch the action unfold on the pitch and use the stream to make informed betting decisions.
DFB Pokal Betting Odds & Payouts
Before you start placing bets on the DFB Pokal, you should know how to read the odds and work out your potential payouts. You can adjust the odds format at any time, choosing between fractional, decimal and American.
Stake lets you bet with the latest cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin, Ethereum, Solana and Litecoin, as well as local currencies such as Canadian Dollars, Japanese Yen, Turkish Lira, Vietnamese Dong and Indian Rupees.
Use any of the accepted payment methods to make fast and secure deposits and withdrawals. If you need help at any point, our support team are happy to assist.
Consider these tips to help you make your picks and have more success when betting on DFB Pokal matches:
Form: The current form of a team always makes a big difference when betting on soccer. Recent results can have an impact on a team’s future matches, so it’s always worth checking the last five games before you decide which team to bet on. Aside from the result itself, take a look at the overall performance and how this might affect their upcoming games.
Cup history: Aside from looking at recent games, it’s also a good idea to analyse past performances in the DFB Pokal. Although it’s a great opportunity for clubs to win silverware, some teams will prioritise the league, meaning key players get rested for the cup. This creates an opportunity for so-called giant killings, where smaller teams get a win over bigger opponents.
Total goals: DFB Pokal matches are often high-scoring, with many games resulting in a large number of goals. Last season, an average of 4.81 goals per game were scored, while the season before that saw an average of 3.43 per match. Therefore, you can potentially find value when betting on goal scoring markets such as total goals and both teams to score.
Stake VIP Club & Responsible Betting
At Stake, we want to make betting as enjoyable as possible. That’s why not only can you get the best odds and live streams on all DFB Pokal matches, but we also offer lots of exciting betting promotions. Take our VIP Club, for example. It lets you earn points for placing bets, increasing your level and unlocking special rewards like rakeback and reloads. If you get to a higher level, you can even benefit from your VIP host.
Whenever you’re using Stake, it’s important to be Stake Smart. Follow our responsible betting guidelines to stay in control and have more fun while avoiding betting more than you can afford to lose.
