How to Bet on Football: A Comprehensive Guide

Betting on football involves analyzing teams, players, and match conditions to predict outcomes like the winner, total goals, or specific events. To bet smart, you can explore different types of bets, such as point spreads, over/under goals, and value betting based on odds and probabilities. In this guide, you'll get valuable insights into how to bet on football. First, let's understand the different types of bets and how football betting odds work.

Types of Football Bets with Examples

There are different types of football betting, such as money line, point spread, over/under or totals, live football (aka in-play betting,) value betting strategy, and football betting bankroll management. Here’s a sneak peek into each one for you to kick it off:

1. Moneyline 

When you place your money exactly where your winning mind is, we assume you are betting an amount on the winning team. 

Example: In El-Clasico between Real Madrid and Barcelona, you are betting $100, assuming Barcelona will win.

2. Point Spread 

If the teams you are betting on are uneven, this system will help you increase your chances of winning. The stronger team (favorite) gets a goal handicap, and the weaker team (underdog) receives an advantage.

Example: The favorite football team is favored by -3.5, meaning they must win by 4 or more points to cover the spread.

3. Asian Handicap

This betting system is designed to even out the competition between teams of different skill levels, similar to a point spread. The stronger team (favorite) is assigned a goal handicap, or limitation, requiring them to win by a specific margin for the bet to succeed. 

Meanwhile, the weaker team (underdog) gets an advantage, allowing the bet to win if they avoid a heavy defeat or perform better than expected. Unlike Point Spread, which required one team to win, tie results also benefit the bettors. 

Example: Team A -1.5 means this team should goal at least twice to help the bet win. Meanwhile, if the underdog team is +1.5, it means they can lose by 1 goal, draw, or win, and the bet still wins.

3. Over/Under (Totals)

Here, there is a set number for the total number of goals scored by teams. Now, you can bet over or under this total number. 

Example: The set total goal prediction is two goals. So if you have predicted 3, the game should end with three goals, or you won’t win. In a sense, you have bet over the set number. 

4. Live Football (In-Play)

This betting system allows you to change your bets as the game starts and moves on. In this type of betting, timing is everything because you have to bet on the new odds once you see an opportunity. 

Example: You can bet on different options once the referee blows the whistle: bet on the next goal scorer, the next 10-minute goals,, red or yellow cards,  halftime results, etc.

5. Value Betting Strategy

Value betting is when you place a bet that’s more likely to happen than the odds suggest. Bookmakers set their odds based on stats, data, and models, so they’re usually pretty close to the true chance of something happening. But, sometimes, they get it wrong. That’s where you can find an opportunity.

Example: Let’s think each team is one face of a coin. The chance of getting heads or tails is 50%. So, if the odds are 1/1 (2.00), that means the bookmaker is saying there's a 50% chance for each team to win, which is right.

But if you know about the statistics and you have done your homework and you give it a good chance that one of these teams has a better chance of winning, and someone offers you 6/5 (2.20) odds on heads or tails, that’s better than the true odds. 

If you keep betting at 6/5 instead of 1/1; you’d make more money in the long run because you're getting a better deal than what the odds should be. That’s a value bet. It’s about finding those moments where the bookmaker’s odds don’t match the real probability.

6. Total Cards/Total Booking

Many top bookmakers provide betting options on total booking points for the entire duration of the game. Here's how it works: each yellow card earns 10 points, and each red card earns 15 points.

You can place a bet on whether the total booking points will be over or under a specific number set by the bookmaker.

Example: Imagine a player receives two yellow cards and is then shown a red card; this means that they earn a total of 35 booking points (10 points for each yellow card, plus 15 for the red card).

Check Out Football Betting Odds

Never underestimate understanding the odds. Very briefly, we have three types of odds:

• Fractional Odds (e.g., 5/1)
• Decimal Odds (e.g., 6.00)
• American Odds (+500 or -200)

For a deeper dive into how to read betting odds, check out our sports betting article.

Best Football Betting Tips and Strategies

Don’t enter the betting pool without strategies. It is your money we are talking about, and the football world can get you carried away with the wave of excitement. So, make sure you know what you are doing. Here are some tips and strategies: 

1. Research and Analysis

Study team performance, injuries, form, and head-to-head records.

2. Specialize in a Market

Focus on a specific league, competition, or betting type for better accuracy.

3. Avoid Emotional Betting

Base your bets on statistics and analysis rather than personal bias.

4. Line Shopping

Compare odds across multiple bookmakers to get the best value.

How to Place a Football Bet

The moment you feel confident you know what to do, you can place your bet. Here is the step-by-step way:

Choose a Reliable Site 

Online or physical, it's best to opt for a trustworthy bookmaker or website.

Sign up and Deposit Funds

The moment the match starts, the last thing you want is to think about how much to deposit or how to increase your funds. Be prepared, be focused, and let the fund stand behind you.

Select the Match and Market

There are several options: matches, players, props, etc. Choose your match and your betting market.

Enter your Stake and Confirm your Bet

The moment you are sure about the bet you have placed, confirm it and let the thrill surge. 

Bottom Line

Keep possession of the ball of your money and luck by understanding football betting tips and tactics. Hold your line and defend your decisions, and learn different bet types, odds, and strategies to hit that golden goal. To stay updated on the latest matches and stats, follow the football news section.

FAQ

1. What is the best strategy for football betting?

There is no foolproof strategy, but researching teams, understanding the odds, and managing bankrolls can improve success rates.

2. What are the most popular types of football bets?

Moneyline bets, point spread betting, and over/under betting are among the most common. Although prop bets are getting a kick by time.

3. Can I bet on football live?

Yes, live football betting allows you to place bets during the match as the odds change.

4. Can I know a winning team by odds?

Odds is some self-explanatory. So, the fact is you are never sure about the odds. However, by enriching your knowledge and polishing your experience, you will get a hold of everything. So, visit our football page for more insights.