Football is one of the largest global sports. People worldwide watch leagues such as the Premier League and bet on the sport. Due to all the football bet options available, it’s essential to know where to start. You need to choose a sports betting site, learn the odds and learn the types of bet, which is where our football betting guide comes in.
We, here at LordOfOdds, have created this football betting guide to help you figure out how to win betting on football.
Content Index
How Does Football Betting Work?
Football betting can be difficult for a beginner as there are many options to choose from. Our football betting guide gives you betting tips and shows how the process works.
The first of our soccer betting tips is to choose a game. The easiest way to choose a match is by looking at the odds. Essentially, you want the games with the biggest payout.
The second of our football betting tips is to decide on a team. Typically, you will choose your team (Manchester United, for example). However, if neither team is one you support, you need to look at the odds on the different bet types.
The last of our soccer betting tips is to find free bets on offer on sports betting sites. You can use these free bets on games and competitions. There are goalscorer free bets, accumulator free bets, wincast free bets, bet builder free bets, match bet free bets, and more.
How Do Football Odds Work?
Football odds are simple once you know what to look for. Our football betting guide will detail betting tips on how to interpret odds.
Odds represent the ratio between a stake and the winnings you earn from that stake if you win (for example, 3/1). On a sports betting site, the odds will present themselves as + or – with a number, like -100. The – odds symbol is the favourite, and the + odds symbol is the underdog (T&Cs apply).
The number next to the – odds symbol represents what you must bet to win $100. For example, -500 odds on Manchester United means you must bet $500 to win $100 (T&Cs apply). Likewise, the odds number next to the + odds symbol represents how much you will win if you bet $100, so +10 odds on Manchester United means you will win $10 if you bet $100 (T&Cs apply).
On bets with very high odds, remember to save any free bets on offer to use on predictions (free bets on games, free bets on competitions, free bets on off-pitch events, etc.).
Main Football Bet Types
Here is a selection of the primary football/soccer bet types you will come across and odds betting tips for each of them.
Match Bets
You bet on your chosen team to win the match or bet on a draw. Additionally, match bets last for 90 minutes, so predictions don’t incorporate extra time.
Goalscorer Bets
You have to bet on a player, or team you think will score to win. One of our betting tips is to remember that you can also make predictions on when the player will score.
Accumulators
Bets on multiple games combined into one. To win, you need to win every bet you make. If you use an accumulator, the stakes of every bet will double down, so a four-bet accumulator could payout four times what you put in. This is the most popular type of football bet.
Bet Builders
These are football bets spread across one game instead of bets on multiple matches. For example, you could create a bet builder with predictions on the number of goals, the specific goalscorers and the number of team substitutions. If you lose any of these, you lose the bet builder. You can also include player stat bets and prop bets in the bet builder.
Picking A Football Betting Site
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- BETMAX365: Exclusive code
- Fair bonuses and promotions
- 24/7 customer service
Up to $100 in Bet Credits
- Up to $100 in Bet Credits for new customers at bet365. Make a qualifying deposit (min $10), place bets to deposit value, once they are settled, matched amount in Bet Credits available to use. Returns exclude Bet Credits stake. T&Cs, time limits and exclusions apply.
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- Lots of welcome offers
- A plethora of markets & games
- Competitve odds
Get a Free Sports Bet up to $60
- New Customers from New Zealand only. Min Deposit: 10 NZD. First deposit matched up to 60 NZD. 1 x wagering at odds of 1.75+ to unlock Free Bet. Credit Card and Debit Card deposits only. T&Cs Apply
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LeoVegas
- Excellent welcome bonus
- Great range of betting markets
- 24/7 customer support
Matched Free Bet up to $50
- 18+. New customers only. Minimum deposit $20. Place a qualifying bet of $10 or more on odds of 1.8 and receive the free bet once the bet is settled. T&Cs apply.
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- Great mobile app
- Interesting loyalty program
- Strong welcome bonus
Claim your up to €50 welcome bonus
- 18+. The minimum qualifying deposit for this promotion is €15. To be eligible for this promotion, players must input PLAY50 in the ‘Bonus Code’ field when making a qualifying deposit into their Main Cash Account (Balance). Your qualifying deposit and bonus must be wagered five times on: (1) settled single sports bets with odds of at least 1.80; or (2) settled combo bets with odds of at least 1.40 per selection before you can withdraw your bonus and any winnings resulting from it. The wagering requirements must be met within 30 days of your first deposit.10bet’s General Terms and Conditions apply.
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Stake.com
200% Deposit Bonus Offer
- 18+. The bonus is exclusive to new customers and is given only once. Canvassing leads to disqualification and closure of the account. The minimum deposit is $100. The 200% bonus up to $1000 will be credited within 24 hours of depositing and reviewing the account. The wager attached to the bonus is 40x (deposit + bonus). All sportsbook games, and casino, can use up the bonus. The bonus works in tandem to the Stake.com general terms and conditions. Once the bonus is activated, the users can check the rollover competition in the corresponding tab of the VIP section.
If you can’t decide on a sports betting site, our football betting guide has some tips to consider:
- The first of our betting tips is to explore options: For example, a site that primarily focuses on football/soccer or one that includes other sports betting options.
- The second of our betting tips is to check if the site is legal. You need to make sure the sports betting site has an official gambling license.
- The third of our betting tips is to look for offers. You should compare sites and see what they offer. For example, many sites offer free bets.
As well as sports betting sites, you can also use gambling sites with sportsbook options like Betway.
World Cup Betting
The World Cup is a historic event that happens once every five years. The thirty-two best football teams come together for a 28-day tournament to become World Cup champions and claim the prestigious trophy. This year, the World Cup will take place from 21st November to 18th December.
The World Cup is the most-watched worldwide sports event; it’s meaningful to millions of people in countries worldwide. Therefore, many people will want bet on the 2022 World Cup. Also, they will be curious about which teams have the greatest chance to win and the bet types that will be available.
In a strange turn of events, Italy didn’t get past the qualifying stages, so the top three favourite teams for the 2022 World Cup are Brazil, England and France. Of course, Brazil and France are always in top contention, but England have better odds than they ever have before this World Cup. Not only that, but they are in one of the least competitive groups, so they are the ones to watch.
There are multiple betting sites and betting markets to choose from before placing a 2022 World Cup bet. It’s best to research betting sites, and the bonus offers they will provide closer to the World Cup.
Before placing a bet, it’s an excellent idea to know the bet types. Here are some bet types you will find on all betting sites.
- 2022 World Cup winner
- 2022 World Cup group winners
- Draw no bets
- Match winners
- Double chance bets
- Handicap bets (places an advantage on the team with the low odds)
Common Football Betting Mistakes
If you are new to football/soccer betting, our football betting guide has some critical mistakes to avoid:
- The first of our bettings tips is to avoid unrealistic bets. If an underdog has high odds, they likely won’t win the game. You must base your bets on logic, or you will lose money.
- The second of our betting tips is not to miss out on any free bets on offer, like free bets on games, free bets on competitions, and free bets on off the pitch events.
- The third of our betting tips is not to follow the experts’ tips without thinking. Although experts can be correct, you shouldn’t follow their tips blindly.
- The last of our betting tips is to consider your budget. You need to consider the money you place on bets carefully, or you could lose it.
Popular Leagues/ Tournaments
Here are the most popular football/soccer leagues and tournaments to bet on.
Premier League
The Premier League is the best league in England and Europe. The Premier League includes teams like Arsenal and Manchester United. As well as the Premier League, there’s League 2 and League 3.
Champions League
The Champions League is a yearly football league pitting the best teams against each other in competitive matches. The league includes teams like Manchester United and Man City.
La Liga
La Liga is the biggest football league in Spain and one of the biggest in Europe.
Bundesliga
Bundesliga is the largest football league in Germany and one of the largest leagues in Europe (with the best German teams).
World Cup
As previously mentioned, the World Cup is a world competition with the best teams in the world (Europe, USA, etc.), which occurs every four years. The next edition of the World Cup will take place later this year in Qatar.
Conclusion: The Official Football Betting Guide
During our football betting guide, we detailed multiple football/soccer bets, gave betting tips, detailed what mistakes to avoid when making predictions, showed how to interpret odds, and showed some of the most popular leagues to bet on (Premier League, Champions League).
One of our key betting tips is to remember to bet safely and monitor your budget. The best way to bet is to determine which odds have the highest reward with the lowest risk. Also, remember to seek out free bets.
Football Betting Guide FAQ
Now we will answer some frequently asked questions about betting on football.
There are multiple ways to bet on a game. One of our main tips is to place bets at a bookmaker or online. There are many to choose from and you are sure to find one that fits your needs.
There are many different options when placing a bet on soccer. The most popular options include accumulators, bet builders, match bets, team/goalscorer bets, and wincast bets. Accumulators and bet builders are great examples of high rewards for high risk.
The – and + symbols represent the favourite and the underdog, respectively.
The number next to the – symbol represents how much you have to bet to win $100 (-400 means $400 to win $100), and the number next to the + symbol represents how much money you win if you bet $100 (+20 means you win $20 if you bet $100). T&Cs apply.
One of the best football betting tips we offer beginners is to learn what odds mean before you make predictions. You should also find free bets as often as possible so you can gain more experience without losing as much money.
There are multiple types of bets that will offer you a significant profit when you make predictions. ‘First to score’ bets are very easy to win and offer fair odds, ‘both teams to score’ bets are easy to win during a competitive match, and ‘goalscorer bets’ are excellent because you can choose a player to score at any time
