Football has captivated billions worldwide, making it the most watched sport on the planet. Naturally, its gaming market is equally as significant. With Europe’s football competitions back in full swing, now’s the perfect time to dive into the thrilling world of football betting.
Whether you’re a seasoned fan or a curious newcomer, we’ve got you covered. We’ll break down the basics of how to bet on football, and explore the exciting possibilities of wagering on the beautiful game.
Ready to take your football experience to the next level? Let’s explore the most popular football betting options and learn how to make the most of each.
Match Result or 1×2
A 1×2 bet is one of the most common types of wagers in football betting. It’s a straightforward bet where you predict the outcome of a match between two teams.
The numbers 1, X, and 2 represent the possible results:
1: The home team wins.
X: The match ends in a draw.
2: The away team wins.
For example, if you bet on “1” for a match between Albania and Spain, you’re essentially predicting that Albania will win the game. If you’re correct, you’ll win your bet. If the match ends in a draw or Spain wins, you’ll lose your bet.
Here’s a closer look at the odds listed in the screenshot:
- Molde (1.591): This means that if you bet £1 on Molde to win, you would receive £1.591 in return (includes your original stake) if Molde wins the match. This implies that the Norwegian side is considered the favourite in this match.
- Draw (4.320): A £1 bet on a draw would result in a return of £4.320 if the match ends in a draw. This suggests that a draw is seen as less likely than a win for the favourites.
- Elfsborg (5.250): This indicates that Elfsborg will take the pitch as the underdogs. A £1 bet on the team would result in a return of approximately £5.250. The higher odds reflect the lower probability of Elfsborg winning. In this case, an Elfsborg victory seems to be the unlikeliest outcome of the match.
When placing a bet on this market, keep these elements in mind:
- Recent head-to-head record
- Home, away, or neutral venue
- Summer transfer activity (if it’s early in the season)
- Injuries and suspensions
- Ranking of both teams (for international matches)
Draw No Bet
A Draw No Bet (DNB) wager is a popular football betting market that eliminates the possibility of a draw. If your selected team wins, you win the bet. However, if the match ends in a draw, your bet is refunded, hence the name ‘Draw No Bet’.
DNB is a popular choice for bettors seeking a more relaxed betting experience. By removing the possibility of a draw, it significantly reduces the risk of losing your wager. This makes it an ideal option for new bettors looking to familiarise themselves with online betting without excessive risk to their bankroll.
Here’s a closer look at the odds listed in the screenshot:
- Young Boys (2.770): This represents the odds for Young Boys to win the match. If you bet £100 on Young Boys and they win, you would receive £277 in return (includes your original £100 stake).
- Galatasaray (1.476): This represents the odds for Galatasaray to win. If you bet £100 on Galatasaray and they win, you would receive £147.60 in return (includes your original £100 stake).
Based on these odds, Galatasaray is considered the favourite to win the match, as their odds are lower. However, Young Boys are also given a decent chance of victory.
Asian Handicap
Asian Handicap is a football betting market with a bit more technical complexity. It aims to level the playing field between teams of varying strengths. Instead of simply betting on a team to win, draw, or lose, you’re betting on them to win by a certain number of goals.
In the bet365 example shared above, Newcastle is hosting Cambridge in the FA Cup. Since the Magpies are a Premier League team, they are the clear favourites to win the tie against League One outfit, Cambridge United.
A regular 1×2 bet would not yield much profit since Newcastle are heavily favoured to win. To make things more interesting, we can use the Asian Handicap method.
Let’s decipher the odds shown in the screenshot:
- Newcastle (-3.5): Newcastle is given a -3.5 goal handicap. This means they effectively start the match with a 3.5-goal deficit. For Newcastle to win the bet, they must win by four or more goals. If they win by three goals, this bet would be graded as a loss.
- Cambridge (+3.5): Cambridge is given a +3.5 goal handicap. This means they effectively start the match with a 3.5-goal advantage. For Cambridge to win the bet, they must either win the match or lose by three goals or less.
Based on the market outlined above, if you bet £100 on Newcastle to cover the -3.5 handicap and they win by four or more goals, you would win £490. Equally, if you bet £100 on Cambridge to cover the +3.5 handicap and they either win or lose by less than three goals, you would win £13.
How Are Asian Handicaps Different From Standard Handicaps?
With Asian Handicaps, a ‘push’ occurs when the outcome falls within the handicap range, resulting in a refund. For example, if Arsenal beat Norwich by one goal and you’ve bet on Arsenal at -1, you’ll get your money back.
This differs from standard handicaps, where such an outcome leads to a loss. You will only get paid if Arsenal win the match by two goals or more. A one goal victory would not protect your deposit.
Additionally, Asian Handicaps offer a more focused approach with two betting options for win or loss, compared to the three options (win, draw, or loss) in standard handicaps.
Double Chance
A double chance bet offers a flexible wagering option, allowing you to back two out of the three possible outcomes in a match. You can either bet on your team to win or draw, or you can bet on either team to win.
Let’s analyse the odds displayed in the screenshot:
- Young Boys or Draw (1.877): This bet means you’ll win if Young Boys win the match or if the match ends in a draw. If Galatasaray wins, you’ll lose.
- Draw or Galatasaray (1.301): This bet means you’ll win if Galatasaray wins the match or if the match ends in a draw. If Young Boys win, you’ll lose.
- Young Boys or Galatasaray (1.304): This bet means you’ll win if either Young Boys or Galatasaray wins the match. If the match ends in a draw, you’ll lose.
Let’s say you bet £10 on each of the three double chance bets.
- Bet 1: Young Boys or draw @ 1.877: Potential winnings: £10 x 1.877 = £18.77
- Bet 2: Draw or Galatasaray @ 1.301: Potential winnings: £10 x 1.301 = £13.01
- Bet 3: Young Boys or Galatasaray @ 1.304: Potential winnings: £10 x 1.304 = £13.04
First Goal
The first goal market involves predicting which player or team will score the opening goal of a match. If you bet on ‘no first goal’ you’re essentially wagering that the match will end in a goalless draw.
In the example shared above, the odds are as follows:
- Blackburn (1.95): This represents the odds for Blackburn to score the first goal. If you successfully wage £10 on this outcome, you will win £19.50.
- No 1st Goal (4.33): This represents the odds for the match to end without a first goal (a goalless draw). Successfully predicting this would bring in £43.30 in winnings on a £10 wager.
- Wigan (2.75): This represents the odds for Wigan to score the first goal. A correct prediction would pocket you £27.50 in winnings on a £10 stake.
Goalscorer Markets
The goalscorer market is a straightforward, yet in demand, betting option in football. As illustrated in the screenshot from bookmaker William Hill above, it can be offered in various forms.
- First Goalscorer: The wager pays off if the backed player scores the first goal.
- Anytime Goalscorer: This wager will pay if your favoured player hits the target at any stage in the match.
- Last Goalscorer: Same as first goalscorer, but opposite – bet pays if the final goal of the match is scored by your selected player.
- Two or More: The wager pays off when the backed player scores a brace or more goals.
- Hat-trick: The wager pays off if the player scores a hat-trick.
- First and Last: The scorer must score both the first and last goals of the match.
- First or Last: You can claim the wager if the player scores either the opening or the final goal of the match.
It’s possible to customise the goalscorer’s market further. This is a great way to get very niche, high odds, if you have a particular read on how a player is going to perform at a certain stage of a match, or against a particular team.
Both Teams to Score
Both teams to score is a classic soccer betting prop. If you fancy a goal-fest, it’s a great option, especially when both sides have attacking flair. However, if you’re expecting a defensive battle, betting against both teams scoring might be the smarter play.
Over/Under Goals
Over/under goals betting is a widely used market in football betting where you predict whether the total number of goals scored in a match will be over or under a specified number.
Here’s how it works:
- A Set Number: A bookmaker sets a specific number of goals for a match.
- Over or Under: You bet on whether the combined goals of both teams will be higher (over) or lower (under) than the set number.
Example:
If the set number of goals for a match is 2.5, you can bet on:
- Over 2.5: This means you’re betting that the combined goals of both teams will be three or more.
- Under 2.5: This means you’re betting that the combined goals will be two or less.
Correct Score
Correct score prediction is a thrilling but challenging form of football betting. Even if you have a deep understanding of the teams involved, their playing styles, and recent form, correctly predicting the exact score always comes with a big risk factor. That said, the rewards can be substantial.
Here are some tips that could help you predict accurate scores with lower risk:
- Study recent matches to identify trends in scoring patterns and defensive vulnerabilities.
- Look at how the teams have performed against each other in the past.
- The absence or presence of key players can significantly impact the outcome.
- Consider whether the teams favour attacking or defensive football.
- Avoid the temptation to place large bets. Given the high risk involved, it’s wiser to stick to smaller stakes.
- Don’t overlook factors such as weather conditions and player morale, as they can significantly influence the match and its outcome.
Live Betting
Live betting, also known as in-play betting, allows you to place wagers on a football match while it’s in progress. This dynamic form of betting offers a more engaging and exciting experience compared to traditional pre-match betting.
In live betting, odds change in real-time based on the events of the match. A goal, a red card, or a missed penalty can dramatically affect the odds. It can come in a variety of markets like match outcome, correct score, over/under etc.
Now, let’s explain the odds in the screenshot posted above:
Pre-Match Odds
Before the match began, Los Angeles FC (LAFC) were the clear favourites with odds of 1.61. This means that for every £1 you bet on LAFC to win, you would stand to win £1.61 if they were victorious. Colorado Rapids, on the other hand, were considered significant underdogs with odds of 4.75, suggesting a potential payout of £4.75 for every £1 wagered.
Half-Time Score: LAFC 2 – Colorado Rapids 0
At halftime, LAFC cruised to a comfortable 2-0 lead. This result significantly impacted the live betting odds.
Live Odds
- LAFC (1.049): Given their dominant performance in the first half, LAFC’s odds decreased dramatically to 1.049. This reflects their significantly increased likelihood of winning the match.
- Colorado Rapids (27.060): Conversely, Colorado Rapids’ odds lengthened considerably to 27.060. This indicates a much lower probability of them coming back to win the match, given their two-goal deficit.
In essence, the live betting odds shifted dramatically in favour of LAFC after their strong first-half showing. This demonstrates how in-play betting can offer dynamic and rapidly changing opportunities based on the unfolding events of a match.
Accumulators
Accumulator betting is a high-risk, high-gain betting approach. By adding multiple bets together, you can significantly boost your potential winnings. The odds for an accumulator are calculated based on the number of selections and their individual odds. Most bookmakers allow up to sixteen selections per accumulator.
Football accumulators do not need to be the same market. You can combine selections from different markets within the same sport or even across multiple sports.
For example, you could create an accumulator that includes:
- A match result bet (e.g. home win, draw, or away win)
- A goalscorer bet
- An over/under goals bet
- An Asian Handicap bet
However, it’s important to note that the more selections you include in an accumulator, the higher the odds will be, but also the higher the risk of losing the entire bet if just one selection loses.
Let’s say you want to create an accumulator bet with three selections:
- Manchester United to beat Arsenal (odds: 2.00)
- Over 2.5 goals in the Liverpool vs. Manchester City match (odds: 1.80)
- Cristiano Ronaldo to score against Al-Ahli (odds: 2.25)
If you bet £10 on this accumulator, your potential winnings would be calculated as follows:
- Total odds: 2.00 x 1.80 x 2.25 = 8.10
- Potential winnings: £10 x 8.10 = £81
Betting on football can be an exciting and rewarding experience. By understanding the different types of bets, odds, handicaps, and accumulators, you can make informed decisions and increase your chances of success.
Remember, the thrill of the game is in the unpredictability, but you can always minimise the risk with proper strategy. So, gamble responsibly and let the fun begin!
