Football is arguably the most widely bet on sport in the world, with markets available somewhere in the world all day and night and big competitions coming around regularly. This makes it a gold mine for bettors looking for hidden opportunities, so long as they are looking in the right place and know what sort of bets to use and when.
To a new bettor or one who is looking to break away from their usual acca or simple to win bets, the amount of information and bet types out there might seem insurmountable, but below you will find articles on every aspect of football betting, all broken up into bite size chunks.
What Is 5 Minute Betting in Football?
Instead of betting for something (goal, card, etc.) to happen in the game, you can bet for it to happen in the first 5 minutes, or another specific 5 minute period. This should be approached with caution however, as research and the odds speak for themselves.
What is the Average Goals Per Game in Football?
Not to be confused with expected goals (xg), average goals per game can be an interesting metric to study for bettors looking for more interesting markets to bet on, but it can also tell us something about how exciting a league or game is more generally, and even when the goals or most likely to occur.
What does GA, GF and GD Mean in Football?
There is a lot of information to fit on the league table, so words have to be abbreviated, which is why we get GF, GA and GD. These three connected terms are much more important than they may first appear, in some cases even being the deciding factor in who wins the league.
How Does Tackle Betting Work in Football?
A fairly new betting option that isn't readily available, but one that can be worth dipping into when you can find it so long as you have done some digging into the stats.
What is a Walkover in Football?
Being given a victory without having to play sounds like a dream scenario for the opposing team, but walkovers aren't always as simple as that, and they can be declared for a number of reasons.
Top Goalscorer & Golden Boot Betting in Football
Although often used to mean the same thing in conversation, when it comes to betting the two phrases can mean different things, and the winner can be decided in different ways depending on the competition. This means mistakes can be made by punters.
What Are Booking Points in Football Betting?
You might not find this bet type available all that often, but when you do it can be worth exploring if the match is likely to be particularly competitive, or if the game features players known for being card magnets. You can sometimes find good value in this under utilised market.
What Are Expected Goals (xG) & How Are They Calculated?
A relatively new phenomenon, Expected Goals (or xG as it is known) divides opinion but is nevertheless a very popular way to analyse a match. Based on the quality of an opportunity, this stat can show how competitive a match was and if a team over or underperformed. It does have its limitations though.
Do Own Goals Count in Football Betting?
It's every payer's worst nightmare, but it happens every now and again, and is much as it must be crushing for the player, it's just as bad for the bettor if it adversely effects their bet. So when should bettors be happy with an own goal and when should it make them shout at the television?
How Does Injury Time Work in Football?
Those extra few minutes can be a blessing or a curse depending on which team you are following, we all remember Fergie time. But how exactly is the amount of injury time calculated; are there strict rules or does the ref simply make it up?
How Does Relegation Betting Work in Football?
Most people associate a sports bet on a successful outcome of some sort; a win, a goal, a trophy. However, a bet is simple a prediction that something will happen, and predicting relegation is an oft neglected area by bettors.
Betting on a Team to Qualify or Lift the Trophy
Many a punter has been caught out with this one. The team you backed might well win the match, but the specific bet you have made will determine whether or not you win your bet.
How Does Double Chance Betting Work in Football?
A look at what double chance betting is and how the odds may present for this wager compared to a more traditional single bet. There are other ways to get the same benefits as a double chance bet, but with potentially better odds too.
Is it Wrong to Bet Against Your Own Team?
To some people, betting against your own team is akin to burning their flag, but the serious bettor has to remove emotion from the equation when placing their bets and be methodical about what they are doing. Is it ok, and if so, what is the best way to do it?
Over 0.5 Goals Betting: Is This Strategy Doomed to Fail?
The over 0.5 goals betting market is one of the safer bets around, but of course the odds reflect that, so how is it best used and is there any merit in those systems or strategies you might have read about?
Are Footballers Allowed to Bet on Other Sports?
There had to be some negative aspects to being a high profile, well paid footballer, and having your betting rights taken away is one of them. Professionals are bound by the regulations of the FA, but what are they, and do they apply to all sports?
Win to Nil Betting: What is a Clean Sheet in Football?
Betting on the win to nil market can cross over into many other bet types, but it will most likely have the best odds of all of them. Of course, this is for a good reason; it's a riskier bet. But with around 40% of games finishing with a win to nil, is it worth the extra risk?
What Is Draw No Bet in Football?
It's a bet you might have avoided simply because you weren't quite sure what it meant, but it can offer some welcome security in the right situation. It is certainly worth understanding and considering as an option when you aren't 100% convinced on your selection.
What Happens When a Match is Postponed or Abandoned?
They don't happen often, but a postponed or an abandoned match can really throw a spanner into the works when it comes to a bet that has been placed on the game. There are rules in place to deal with these events, but the specific bet you have made will dictate exactly what happens.
Do Extra Time & Penalties Count in Football Betting?
If there is one area of the rules of football betting that confuses people it is this. The disappointment can be crushing if you think you have won your bet only to find that it was actually a loser due to a technicality, so avoid that eventuality by spending 5 minutes reading this article.
How Common Are Draws in Football?
They say that a draw makes the bookie rich because bettors tend to avoid betting on them, but does that mean the draw is a bet worth making? To find out, we need some hard stats, and that's exactly what you will get in this article.
Does Home Team Advantage Really Exist in Football?
Looking at the stats it is hard to argue that home team advantage does not exist, but to what degree to is have an impact, and what are the factors that determine this?
0-0 Correct Score v No Goalscorer - Which Is The Better Bet?
Two different bets that may seem like they refer to the same outcome, but one is in fact better value than the other because of a technicality in the terms and conditions of the bet.
Scorecasts & Wincasts Explained
Scorecast, winscast, and the newer timecast are all popular combination football bets that offer much better odds than a regular old single wager, but there is a real art to getting them right.
Man of the Match Betting
This isn't a market you will find everywhere and many bookies have different rules for it, but it's a bet that should last the full 90 minutes and one that can come with whopping odds if you have a sneaky feeling about a player who perhaps isn't the star.
League Betting in Football: Outright Winner, Promotion & Relegation
Those wanting value for money can enjoy league based bets for months, squeezing every last drop of entertainment value from their stake. But there are many more options than betting on the league winner, & that means more ways to get a net win.
Goalscorer Betting in Football: First, Last, Anytime + Many More
Those looking for riskier bets with more lucrative rewards have often turned to goalscorer betting when the odds elsewhere were uninspiring, but these days there are more markets in this betting category than ever.
Bet Builders: How to Create an Acca With Bets From the Same Match
Coming to the rescue of football punters everywhere, the bet builder finally gives us a way to bet on multiple selections from the same game as part of the same bet. This gives the bettor more ownership over their bets than ever before. It's not the only way to do it though; you can learn more here.
Player Transfer Betting Explained
This is one of the few football betting markets where inside info can have an impact on the result of your bet. This is a fast moving market that is heavily influenced by the rumour mill, but seeing the wood for the trees can be difficult with so many armchair experts out there.
Pulse Betting: What Is It & How Does It Work?
This market isn't available everywhere but it can really set the heart racing if you ever get the chance to give it a try. It's a great twist on conventional betting that offers increasingly high payouts the longer the bet runs, but if it runs too long your bet is lost.
Next Manager Betting in Football
The manager has a bit of a thankless task and their job is highly pressurised. This leads to frequent changes in leadership when teams are felt to be under-achieving, which in turn leads to interesting betting markets for punters.
Match Odds Betting in Football: How to Bet on the Winner of a Game
For many punters, betting on the outcome of the match itself is about as far as they get when it comes to betting markets. However, even within this type of betting there are variations that you can try to boost your chances or improve your potential return.
Cup Betting in Football: How to Bet on the Outright Winner of a Tournament
Betting on a cup competition isn't as black and white as picking a winner. These days, there are many other bet types within this market that can see you making money even from teams who have no hope of taking home the trophy.
Correct Score & Over/Under Betting in Football Explained
Two of the most popular betting markets outside of the match result market, and for good reason too. These bets are easy to understand and have good potential to last well into the second half and beyond. They can also offer better odds than match result in a lot of circumstances.
Betting on Booking Points and Red/Yellow Cards in Football
We all know those players or teams with a propensity for, shall we say, 'questionable' tactics. They might not be popular with the referee but they can provide good betting opportunities, and there are plenty of markets to choose from in this category.