How to bet on Football

Football is the most popular sport to bet on in the world. Thanks to a variety of leagues played around the globe and the excitement betting on football brings to fans, millions of pounds a year are bet on football alone.

Sign in to your favourite sports betting website and you are likely to find football matches being played somewhere in every country around the world throughout the day. The opportunities to wager on football games online make the sport second known in the gambling industry.

In addition, football is played all year round, and a variety of competitions, events and fixtures are held. You regularly have club football matches and international matches to select from.

Football betting brings the excitement of the world's most loved sport closer. Whether you fancy your favourite team to pick up a full-time win or your favourite player to score, there are football markets available to explore online.

According to research, 40% of all money wagered on sports in the United Kingdom is bet on football. Online sportsbooks provide punters with access to a variety of betting markets.

Regardless if you are a first-time punter or a veteran of football bets, you need to be knowledgeable about the markets you wager on. You also need to know about the teams, leagues, and players involved to ensure your bet is a winner.

Knowledge of football betting allows you to find value in the market. Once you find value, you can bet the bookies.

The volume of football matches each week provides a wealth of markets to choose from. If you want to take a punt on the result of a match each day, you will be able to find a game somewhere. So, let's explore football betting further to discover more about wagering on the beautiful game.

How Do I Bet On Football?

Football betting couldn't be easier these days. Online sports betting sites have made it simple for punters to log in and add selections to a betting slip. Your favourite sportsbook offers hundreds of markets to explore.

Each market offers something different. The objective of any bet on football is to win money. However, to win money, you will need to be knowledgeable about the teams, league, players, and betting markets.

There are a variety of bet types you can select from at your favourite online betting site. You don't have to bet on one match at a time simply. You can combine matches and selections into one multiple-bet. Of course, betting on single matches is fine. The great thing about football betting is that you can wager on the sport the way you want to.

What Are Football Betting Markets?

Football betting markets are the various types of bets you can place on a game. The vast majority of sportsbooks offer hundreds of markets for a single game. The number of markets depends on the football league. For example, an English Premier League fixture will have far more markets to select from than the Indonesian First Division.

The number of markets in a football match can be a good thing as you can find value bets. It may take some time to locate these value bets, but once you find one, it could be lucrative. Just because there are a large number of markets on a football game doesn't mean you are more likely to win a bet.

Bet types do not always increase your chances of winning more money. A game with a few available markets could be just as valuable as a match with a number of markets.

Types of Football Betting Markets

There are a variety of bet types in the football betting market. You have the chance to select from a plethora of options before placing a bet. The variety of markets in football betting has led to an explosion within the industry. A greater number of betting markets have drawn more punters into the world of online football betting.

In the past, you wouldn't have found or received as many markets or odds on these markets at your local bookies. The explosion of online football betting services has allowed major sportsbooks to expand their offerings.

Let's look at some of the bet types you can explore when placing a football bet.

What is 1x2 Betting?

1x2 betting is the most popular way to wager on football. It is also known as match betting or three-way betting. The 1x2 bet is the simplest football bet you can place. You simply need to select a home win (1), draw (x), or away win (2). The simplicity of the 1x2 bet is the reason it is popular and widely used by football punters.

Once making your selection and laying down your stake, sit back and watch the match play out. If your selection wins, then you will receive a payout. 1x2 betting isn't always the most lucrative. The payout may not be very much if you wager on a team at short odds. Simply multiply the odds and the stake to calculate the return on a 1x2 bet.

What is Over/Under Betting?

Over/Under betting is also very simple. When placing an Over/Under bet, you are wagering on the total goals scored during a match. You are betting on the total combined goals scored by the two teams during the 90 minutes.

For example, Liverpool and Manchester United are playing in the Premier League. Your sports betting site offers 2/1 odds that during game play the teams will score Under 2.5 goals. This means that Liverpool and Manchester United must score Under 2.5 goals in the game for your bet to win.

The sports betting site also offers over 2.5 goals scored. If you select this market, the teams must combine for more than 2.5 goals scored for the wager to win. The Over/Under bet is set at values of 0.5, 1.5, 2.5, etc. This prevents the game from ending with an exact number of goals.

The Over/Under market isn't just for total goals. You can bet on total corners, total cards, and much more. In the Over/Under market, it doesn't matter which team wins. You are simply betting on the total goals, total corners, or total cards in a fixture.

What is BTTS Betting?

BTTS, or both teams to score, is another simple betting market to explore. The 1x2, Over/Under, and BTTS markets are the simplest of all the football betting markets. They are really the simplest forms of football betting and a great way for new bettors to get into the world of football betting. Many professional bettors will stick with these markets rather than going into the more complex markets.

The BTTS market is about scoring. It doesn't matter which team scores. You are betting on one of two things occurring in the game. You either select both teams to score (BTTS) or both teams not to score.

For example, if Liverpool play Manchester United, and you select BTTS, then both Liverpool and Manchester United must score goals for the bet to win. If only one team scores, then the bet loses. If neither team scores, then the bet loses as well.

A bet on both teams not to score means one of the teams (or both) must keep a clean sheet. BTTS wagers can have plenty of value in them, but a lot of research is needed to be successful tell when a team is struggling to open the score. Likewise, research is needed to predict if a team will suddenly score goals when they haven't previously.

What is Handicap Betting?

The 1x2 bet doesn't always have a lot of value. There is often one team that is superior to the other. In the Premier League, there is often a strong team versus a weak team. 1x2 odds will always be short on the strong team and long on the weak team. This is because the bookie knows the weak team doesn't have much of a chance of defeating the stronger side.

Handicap betting on football attempts to bring the balance of the two teams closer together. Handicap betting gives the weaker team a slight goal advantage while providing the stronger team with a goal disadvantage.

For example, Manchester City is always four times more likely to defeat Salford City in the FA Cup. The odds on a Manchester City win would be 1/40, while the odds on Salford City would be 40/1. The handicap bet spices up the match by giving Salford City a goal advantage before kickoff.

Let's say the handicap is set at two goals for the game between Manchester City and Salford City. If this is the case, then Manchester City would need to win the match by three clear goals for the bet to win. Handicap betting isn't just betting on a team to win but betting on the team to win by a certain number of goals. It is a tricky market and not as simple as the previously mentioned bet types.

Often, when a weak team plays a strong team, you can find much better value in a handicap bet than the traditional 1x2. In recent years, handicap betting software has become widely popular in football betting.

Can I Bet on Players?

Absolutely, you can bet on players when wagering on football. Most sportsbooks will have a market in which you can bet on players to score, be carded, or even score an own goal. Player betting is incredibly popular in football markets.

Player betting requires extensive research to succeed. You must determine which players are in good form and how they perform against a specific team. Once you find a player who meets these criteria, you can place a bet on him or her.

For example, you may fancy Mohamed Salah to score anytime against Fulham. Before betting on Salah to score anytime, make sure you have researched his recent play. In addition, studying Salah's history against Fulham will enable you to gain more information to make an accurate bet.

Along with score anytime markets, there are also markets for first goal scorer, last goal scorer, to score two or more goals, to be carded, and much more. The number of markets for player betting is truly large. You can also wager on how a player will score. Will it be a header, right-footed shot, or left-footed shot?

Most sportsbooks will void your bet if your player doesn't appear in the game. If your player is substituted early, for instance, then you bet will lose. In addition, if your player doesn't achieve the objective, your bet will lose as well.

Player betting can be lucrative. The player you select may not be a regular goal scorer. For example, you make select a defender such as Harry Maguire to score first. His odds are likely to be far higher to score first than Cristiano Ronaldo's odds. If Maguire were to get the ball into the back of the net first, then you would make out handsomely.

Can I bet on Who Wins the League?

Yes, you can bet which team will win a specific league. Prior to the football season start, major bookies will offer odds on teams to win their respective league, the Champions League, Europe League, Europa Conference, League, and domestic cup tournaments.

Betting a team to win its league is a great way to wager on football. Simply place your bet on team to win its league and watch the action unfold from week to week. One of the reasons punters bet on a team to win its league is due to the value. Betting on a football team to win its league prior to the season starting locks in the odds, which never change after the bet is placed.

In 2021-22, Manchester City had short odds to win the Premier League. Those odds got even shorter as the season wore on. Had you waited midway through the season to bet on Manchester City to win the Premier League, your return would have been far less than had you bet on them at the start of the campaign using the same initial stake.

In 2016, one lucky punter won £200,000 on a £100 bet on Leicester City to win the Premier League. The unlikely title win for the Foxes turned into an unlikely six figure win for one punter. That is the great thing about a bet on the league. You never know what will happen. Many football fans wager on their favourite teams to win their league. It is a great way to remain invested in the competition throughout the campaign.

You can bet on the winner of a league up until the championship is decided. During the 2021-22 Premier League season, the title went down to the final 20 minutes between Manchester City and Liverpool. You could still make a bet on which team (Manchester City or Liverpool) would win the league prior to kickoff on the season's final day. Of course, making a bet on the league winner as the season wears on reduces the price.

Can I bet on Relegation?

Of course, you can bet on relegation. One of the great things about football is the relegation battle that takes place each year. Relegation isn't a fun experience for fans or teams, but it can be a lucrative wager for bettors.

Prior to the season, you can place a bet on the team or teams that you believe will be relegated at the end of the campaign. One of the reasons punters bet on a team to be relegated from the league is due to the value. Betting on a football team to be relegated from its league prior to the season starting locks in the odds, which never change after the bet is placed.

As the season unfolds, the odds will change and may never be quite as strong as they were previously. You can also make a bet on the team or teams that will be relegated as the season continues. You eliminated some of the preseason candidates by making a bet on relegation as the season wears on. This will give you a clearer picture, but the value in the price will drop.

Can I Bet on Top Goal scorer for the Season?

You can wager on the top goal scorer prior to the campaign kicking off and throughout the season. Simply do your homework and decide which goal scorer you believe will finish with the Golden Boot.

Once you have made your decision, visit your favourite online sportsbook to place a wager. If the player you selected finishes top of the pile, then you will win the bet. Betting on the top goal scorer is another great bet and is an alternative to wagering on the league winner and the relegation battle.

Plenty of professional punters wager at the start of a season on the top goal scorer market. Based on previous performance and the fixture lists, professional bettors tailor their wager on the man or woman they believe will lead the league in scoring. Bookies will also allow you to make a bet on the top goal scorer for select leagues throughout the campaign, again reducing the odds.

What is a Football Acca?

Accumulator bets, also known as accas, are some of the most fun bets to make. An acca is a type of football multiple bet. Rather than wagering on just one match, an acca combines four or more games into one single bet. You can also make doubles (two-match selections) or trebles (three-match selections). Doubles and trebles are also multiple bets.

One reason that punters place an acca bet is to combine the odds of matches. Let's say you have four matches with strong teams playing weaker sides. You know that the strong teams will likely win, so rather than placing single bets on each strong side to win, you can combine all four strong teams into one acca. Now, the odds are enhanced and more favourable to bet on.

Another reason punters like acca bets is the low stake needed to win a large return. You can build an acca with five, six, seven, or more selections. The odds are likely to be high, which means a small stake could reap large rewards. Sometimes, the risk-to-reward ratio is favourable for the punter when placing an acca.

The more selections you put on your acca bet slip, the riskier the bet becomes. For an acca to payout, all of your selections must win. If just one of your selections loses, then the bet loses. You can combine a variety of markets into one acca, including 1x2, BTTS, Over/Under, and more. You can even combine selections from different sports.

You cannot make more than one selection from a single game on an acca, however. If you want to make multiple selections from the same event, you will need to register and use software with the bet builder feature, which is available with several industry-leading sportsbooks.

How Do I Place Multiple Bets?

Multiple bets allow you to create value. Like access, multiple bets give you a chance to build up the odds on your bet by combining selections. The difference between accas and other types of multiple bets is the way in which the bet is structured.

There are several multiple bets, including Lucky 15, Yankee, Heinz, Lucky 63, and more. These bets work like accas but offer the chance to win more money. You will need to stake more money on these wagers. Due to the combinations provided by these bets, you have the chance to get winnings even if one of the selections loses.

What is In Play Betting?

In-play betting is a popular feature at online betting sites. This feature allows you to place a wager while a football match is unfolding. You can watch a game to see how the teams are performing before placing a bet.

Many football bettors use betting as a gameplay strategy. Rather than making a pre-match bet, they simply wait to see which players are playing and whether an upset could occur. Some professional bettors use an in-play betting strategy in which they wait until halftime to place a wager. This gives them 45 minutes to study the match and select a high-value market.

Can I Livestream and Bet on Football?

Select football betting sites allow you to stream live football. the website Bet365, one of the world's top betting sites, provides football to watch and wager on. You can watch leagues from various countries and study the matches before making an in play bet.

Streaming football on an online sportsbook website is a popular activity for punters. The streaming brings more punters to register with the online betting site. It also gives you the chance to watch the matches you have bet on.

Not all leagues are shown by sportsbooks and not all online betting sites stream matches. If you want to sign up for a sportsbook account that streams football, then shop around before signing your account up.

Best Online Football Betting Sites

There is a large number of online sportsbooks these days. Not all sportsbooks are the same. You may need to shop around to find the sportsbook that provides you with the features you want. Once you find a sportsbook you enjoy, there is a chance you will never leave. Here is a look at the best online football betting sites:

Bet365

PaddyPower

BetVictor

William Hill

888 Sports

Betfair Exchange

Finding a sportsbook can be difficult. It is important to read the latest reviews from customers and third-party online reviews. Decide which features you are interested in before signing up. Then, search for those features. The sportsbook that is ideal for you will have all of the things you are looking for and much more.