Understanding Football Betting: How Does It Work?

Without a shadow of a doubt, football can be regarded as the most followed sport globally, with billions of followers. Throughout the year, major football events like the UEFA league, English Premier League, Bundesliga, etc., attract a large audience on TV and in stadiums. So, why not bet on football games?

Football is not only famous in the real world but also number one in the sports betting world. As football is the most covered sport online and offline, betting enthusiasts gather a lot of knowledge and nuances, making it easier to place bets on this sport.

Hence, betting for football takes the cake in the betting arena, with online websites offering many football betting odds and wagers, allowing betting enthusiasts to bet and win big prizes regularly. If you are a rookie or experienced bettor in other sports, learning how to bet on football is crucial to place your bets with the right strategies. Let’s discuss how online football betting works.

How Does Football Betting Work?

There are thousands of football matches taking place throughout the years, allowing many sports betting websites to offer a plethora of betting markets and odds on every little detail of matches. These bookmakers will offer their prices on the outcome and events of games such as winning team, goals scored, red and yellow cards shown, corners, and individual goal scorers.

Many sports betting websites will provide special offers, bonuses, and competitive odds to ensure you get the best-valued bet. Once the outcome of an event is realized and your bet is declared a winner, you will be paid the original wager plus winnings from the odds. Some of the top online football betting sites include.   

Betfair

Betway

Bet 365

Sky Bet 

The betting website or bookmaker sets the football betting odds. They represent the ratio between the wager and winnings on a given outcome if you decide to place a bet. Depending on the sports betting website, they are usually represented by fractions like 2/1 or decimals like 2.00.

Example: If an outcome has odds of 2/1 or 2.00, you will get Rs. 200 for every Rs. 100 bet.

Different Types of Football Bets 

1. Match Bet

It is the simplest and essential form of football betting, where you pick the winner of a match. You can bet on 3 different results in a football match: a home team wins, the away team wins, or a draw. Knowing that the match bets are paid out on the outcome after 90 minutes is vital. If the scores are level at this time, then a draw is the winning bet irrespective of results achieved through extra time and penalty shootouts.  

2. Bet Builder or Multiple Bet

It is a relatively new addition to football betting and has become popular these days. These bets are accumulators of outcomes from a single game rather than the number of matches. These bets are less likely to happen since many outcomes are possible. However, bet builder bets are ideal for bettors with excellent football acumen and those that wish to place smaller wagers with more enormous odds. You will win if the combination of outcomes like corners, goal scorers, and yellow and red cards are in your favour.

3. Player Props or Player Stats

It is different from goal scoring or card betting markets, where you have to bet on players to have specific shots, offsides, and tackles. The other player prop markets include some intriguing bets, like how many free kicks, throw-ins, goal kicks that can happen during a game. Also, there is a feature that allows you to bet on the number of passes a player can make in a game, making it a fascination for bettors as they have to do thorough research to make accurate predictions.

4. Asian Handicap Bet

It is a football bet where your selection has a handicap to overcome, and the unique element here is it removes the possibility of a draw in terms of betting. The betting websites assign plus or minus signs to denote handicap. They can be either whole-goal handicap like -2 or +1 and half-goal handicap like +0.5/-0.5. 

5. European Handicap Bet

This online football bet is similar to Asian handicap but with two significant differences. 

The draw remains an option

Handicaps are only whole numbers 

6. Half-time/ Full-time

In this type of football betting, you can bet on the results of the first or second half. The bets can be placed on the home team, away team, a draw for the first half, second half, or both. Having in-depth football knowledge is crucial to maximizing the chances of winning.

7. Double Chance

Here, you can place your football bets on two out of three possible results in a football match. 

Away team or draw

Home team or draw

Home team or away team

If either of your combinations wins, you will be declared the winner and get a payout. The odds are lesser compared to single outcome bets but reduce the risks for bettors in terms of losing an enormous amount.

8. Accumulators

These bets combine multiple selections into one football bet, making it very popular among bettors. It is because they offer big rewards for small stakes as winnings from every selection are placed on the next. The main risk in accumulators is that you must win all the bets to get a payout.    

9. In-play Betting

As the name suggests, you bet on outcomes during an event, such as predicting a team to score a goal while you are watching that match live on television. The sports betting websites offer several markets like the next goal scorer; the next corner won by a team, the next player is shown a yellow card, etc.

10. Draw No Bet

Here you will bet on the result of a football match, and if it ends in a draw, you will get your stake back. However, the odds are lower for Draw No Bet than in other markets.

Football betting has huge betting markets with competitive odds and can help you get bigger payouts than other sports betting. Make comparisons and place your bets on websites or bookmakers that offer high odds and are safe to play online. Finally, choose the football bet type based on your interests and knowledge to minimize risk and win big.

Tips for betting on football

Winning at football bets, whether in an online casino or through sports betting platforms, requires knowledge, strategy, and discipline. Read the below section to learn how to win at football bets.

1.Research and analysis

Study the teams, players, and recent performance. Understand the factors that can influence a match’s outcome.

2.Bankroll management

Set a budget for your betting activities and try not to deviate from it. Chasing losses by betting more than you can afford may not be a great idea.

3.Shop for the best odds in football

Different sportsbooks may offer slightly different odds for the same game. Shop around to find the best value for your match bets.

4.Understand betting types

Familiarize yourself with various betting markets, such as moneylines, spreads, totals, and prop bets. Different bets offer different risk-reward profiles.

5.Focus on specific leagues or teams

Specialize in a specific league or teams you know well. In-depth knowledge can give you an edge over bookmakers.

6.Avoid biases

Don’t let personal biases or emotions influence your game bet. Bet based on data and analysis, not on your favorite team.

7.Bet on value, not favorite game bets

Betting on underdogs with value can be more profitable in the long run than consistently backing favorites.

8.Use bankroll percentage

Avoid placing large bets on single games. Instead, bet a small percentage of your bankroll on each wager to manage risk.

9.Stay informed

Keep up with team news and any other relevant information. This can help you make last-minute adjustments to your bets.

10.Keep records

Maintain a record of your bets and wins and losses too. Analyze your results regularly to identify patterns and adjust your betting strategy accordingly.

11.Avoid parlays and accumulators

While they offer high payouts, they are difficult to win. Stick to single bets or smaller combinations for more consistent results.

12.Discipline and patience

Don’t be impulsive. Wait for favorable match betting opportunities and don’t overextend yourself.

13.Manage emotions

Winning and losing streaks are common. Stay calm and don’t make rash decisions based on fleeting emotions.

14.Use tipsters and expert analysis

Consider expert opinions and analysis, but always cross-check with your own research.

15.Learn from mistakes

Analyze your losing bets on football to identify where you went wrong and learn from those mistakes.

Remember, there is no foolproof strategy for betting on football, and there are no guarantees of winning. The key is to approach it as a long-term endeavor, continuously improve your knowledge and strategy in this bet game, and practice responsible gambling through wise match bets.