Betting on football is great because it is so varied.
As the number one betting sport in the world, there are more markets on the beautiful game than there are for any other sport.
In addition, because it is so popular, bookies offer odds on almost every game going, be that a women’s game in Brazil or a youth match in Bulgaria.
You can bet on events ante post (well in advance), just before kick-off, and even during the game.
Bookies also have some great tools and features to bring you even more betting options and to make your enjoyment of the experience even more intense.
Read on as we explain a little bit more about betting on football.
How to Bet on a Football Match
As noted, there are almost countless markets and possible bets when it comes to football. There are all manner of different ways in which you can wager but betting on individual matches remains the most popular bet for many punters.
The best football betting sites out there will offer well over 700 different markets on the very biggest games and often more than 500 even for relatively small clashes. Many of these are variations on others and, moreover, lots of them are rather niche, with the majority of punters sticking to a smaller range of core bets.
Should you want to place a bet on a game, the process is very similar no matter what the match is and also irrespective of the specific market. The exact procedure will vary depending on which bookmaker are using but the following steps are standard enough:
- Login – Login to your account and make sure you have funds to cover the amount you want to bet.
- Find the match – the biggest matches may be promoted on the homepage. Alternatively, use the search tool (often located at the top right of the page), or use the categories. If using the former you can type the team name or competition, whilst with the latter you must start with “Football”. From there use the country and/or competition to locate the match you want to bet on.
- Find the market – most bookies use categories for the different markets and most offer “Popular Markets” or similar. Other categories might include “Goals”, “Handicaps”, “Corners” and so on.
- Selection – once you have found the match and market, the various selections and their odds will be displayed. Click the one you want to bet on.
- Betting slip – this will add your pick to the online betting slip, often near the top right of the page. Check you have the right match, market and selection, and that the odds are what you were expecting. Add your stake and click to place your bet, hitting a secondary confirmation button if requested.
Main Bets on a Football Match
The steps above should allow you to place any football bet you want, but what are your options within a particular game? As said, there are hundreds, but the following are a selection of some of the core bets that are placed week in, week out, by many football betting fans.
- Match result – this bet goes by many different names, including 90 minute betting, match odds, HDA, 1X2 and more. It is a simple wager on which side will win the game.
- Correct score – a good bet for those that want longer odds, this is a prediction of the exact score at full time.
- Both teams to score – often referred to as BTTS, you can back yes or no here, with “BTTS – Yes” being a winner on any score from 1-1 upwards and no correct if either or both teams fail to score.
- Over/under goals – you can bet on over or under various goal totals, with over 2.5 goals (three or more in other words) one of the most popular options.
- Goalscorer bets – various wagers fall under this category but backing a player to score the first goal of a game is very popular. Key alternatives are a player to net the last goal, or simply to score at any time during the clash, this last option being priced at far shorter odds than the other two.
Other Types of Bet
Placing a simple bet on an individual match is very popular but there are so many more options when it comes to football betting. Here are just some of them:
Outrights
Outright betting covers a wide range of markets but is generally based on a whole season or tournament, rather than a single fixture. Core outrights include bets on which team will win the various leagues and cups, such as the Premier League, Copa del Rey, World Cup or Europa League; betting on a side to finish bottom of the league, be relegated, be promoted, make the top four or finish in the play-off places; and backing a player to be the top scorer in a competition, for example the Euros, Champions League or Championship.
In-Play Betting
In-play betting means betting on games that have already kicked off and is also known as live betting. This type of wagering is incredibly popular thanks to the proliferation of mobile phones and their improved power. Many bookies take more money in-play than they do pre-match and live wagering gives punters the chance to assess a game before risking their cash. It also means that if you have an early winner – or loser – you can maintain a betting interest in the game by having another wager. In-play betting is a great option if you are watching a clash on TV.
Accas
Accas, short for accumulators, allow punters to combine bets on various games or outrights into one bet. For example, if you think that Man City, Man United, Liverpool and Arsenal will all win their games one weekend, you can place an accumulator bet known as a fourfold (because there are four selections) on that outcome. All legs in an acca have to win or your bet loses but if they do, the odds and winnings accumulate from one leg to the next, potentially delivering big wins from a small stake. You can place accas on different markets but generally they have to be on different games and unrelated to each other.
BetBuilders
BetBuilders are a relatively new innovation that allow punters to make what can be seen as “same-game accas”. Because the legs of an acca have to be unrelated, they cannot be from the same match, so you could not, traditionally, do an acca of Man United to win, Marcus Rashford to score and Man United to win both halves. However, BetBuilders allow such wagers and use algorithms to generate individual odds for very specific and potentially complex bets based on a single game.
Important Rules for Football Betting
Betting on football is simple enough for the most part and bookies have designed their sites to make things as easy and clear as possible. Each market may have specific rules and you can see the full, in-depth information at the bookmaker, under their rules section for football, noting that some of these may vary between bookies.
However, there are a few straightforward football rules that are universal and it pays to be aware of these before you start betting on football. Here are the key ones:
- 90 minutes – most bets apply to 90 minutes (plus injury time) only. Extra time and penalties tend to only count in specific markets that relate to them (such as a match to go to extra time).
- Own goals – own goals count in most match-based markets, such as both teams to score, match odds and correct score. However, they do not usually count with regards player bets, such as first, last or anytime goalscorer.
- Dead heat rules – dead heat rules will usually be applied to bets like top goalscorer if more than one player has the joint-most goals. Dead heat rules mean that only a proportion of your stake is deemed a winner, in line with how many players they tie with.
- Non-runners – the term non-runner is usually associated with horse racing but can apply to various player bets in football. For example, if you back a player to score first and they are not in the squad, you will get your stake back. If they are on the bench and come on after the first goal has been scored, you will also normally get a refund. Other scenarios can be more complex and depend on the bet and status of the game so check the bookie rules or contact customer services if you are unsure.
- Maximum payouts – bookies have maximum payout rules which limit what they will pay based on the league and market. Knowing these limits means you will not risk more than you have to by staking an amount which could lead to a win over the maximum.
- Postponed/abandoned games – rules here will vary according to the exact circumstances but generally bets on games that are postponed but played soon after the original date will still stand. If in doubt, contact the betting site customer service team.
Football Betting Guides
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.
Football Formations Explained
They have changed a lot over the years, but football formations are at the heart of any manager's plan for their team, and they have never been more complex. Some are more popular than others, and there are many alternative versions of many of them too.
How Many Matches Are There in a Football Season?
This is a bit of a 'how long is a piece of string' question, because it depends on the league and/or competitions you are looking at. On top of this, it depends how far each club progresses in each competition they are involved with. Individual players can play even more if we count international games.
Football Positions Explained
If you think that football positions are just goal keepers, defenders, midfielders and attackers, then you should probably read this article... because you're wrong.
Soccer Explained: A Very Simple Guide for Americans
Football. It's a funny old game. Especially in America where it's not called football at all, but soccer. The game can seem complicated to newbies since so much happens and at such speed too, but really, when you boil it down, the basic rules are simple enough to understand, and here they are.
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.