How to Bet on Soccer

Are you keen to try out soccer betting for the first time? Perhaps you’ve placed a bet before but want to find out more about the different types of bets and markets available. Either way, you’ve come to the right place.

Our comprehensive soccer betting guide will run you through everything you need to know to place soccer bets, read betting lines, and gamble responsibly. Follow our guide below to get started — when you’re ready to sign up, check out our recommended betting sites with the best odds, offers, and more.

Soccer Betting Lines and Odds Explained

Betting lines refer to the different types of wagers you can make on a particular match and the corresponding odds set by the sportsbook. Odds are presented with plus and minus signs alongside a number — the favorite is the team with the minus sign and the underdog has a plus.

Let’s say Man City are taking on West Ham in the English Premier League. Man City are listed as favorites at -200. Negative odds reflect the amount you’d have to bet to win $100, which in this instance is $200. West Ham are the underdogs and have odds of +300. These odds are positive, meaning if you bet $100 you’d make $300 profit if they won.

Since there are lots of different types of bets you can place, it’s wise to familiarize yourself with the options so you know what to expect when laying your money on the line. Let’s run through all the main betting lines for soccer.

Moneyline

A moneyline bet is one of the simplest you can make, as you’re simply predicting the outcome of the match. In soccer, the traditional option is a three-way moneyline: home win, away win, or a tie. There’s also the option to place a two-way moneyline where there are just two potential outcomes. One way to do this is with ‘draw no bet’. Here, if the game is a tie, you get your stake refunded.

Double Chance 

Another option is to place a double chance bet. Here there are three different outcomes you can choose from. Using our previous example, the options here would be: 

• Man City or Tie
• West Ham or Tie
• Man City or West Ham wins

Spreads

A spread is a bet where you back a team to win by a certain number of goals. If you back a team with a -2 spread, they’d need to win by three goals for the bet to succeed. If it ends up a tie, your stake is returned. Spreads may also be referred to as handicaps.

Totals

Totals, or over/under bets, are bets on how many goals, corners, cards, or anything else there’ll be in a match. For example, you could bet that there’ll be more than 3.5 goals in a soccer match — if the game finishes 2–2 you’ll win, but if it’s 1–1 you’ll lose.

Player Props

Instead of focusing on which team will win a match or what the score will be, you might have a hunch on a particular player to do well — or not so well. There are lots of different player props available, including:

• Player to score a goal
• Player to score the first goal
• Player to assist a goal
• Player to receive a yellow card
• Player to be sent off
• Player to score a goal from outside the box
• Player to have a shot on target
• Player to score an own goal

Team Props

Team props work in a similar way to player props, only you’re betting on the actions of a team.  Examples include:

• Number of goals
• Number of corners
• To win the first half
• To win the second half
• First team to score
• Last team to score

Parlays

A parlay is a bet with two or more selections — for the bet to win, all of the selections have to come good. For example, you could bet on New England, Orlando City, and LAFC to all win their next matches. If one of the teams ties or loses, you’ll miss out. Because there’s more risk involved, the potential payouts tend to be much higher than a single bet. There’s also the option to place a same-game parlay — you could bet on New England to win, Carles Gil to score, and the match to have 11 corners or more.

Asian Handicap 

With an Asian handicap, there are only two potential outcomes as the possibility of a tie is eliminated. There are multiple options to choose from with goals added or subtracted from each team’s total in half or one-goal increments. If Barcelona are currently beating Real Betis 2–0 and you bet on Barcelona -1, you’ll need Barcelona to maintain a two-goal advantage for the bet to win.

Futures

Futures bets are all about thinking long term. If you think England will win their first major trophy since 1966 in next year’s Euros, you can back them way ahead of time. You can also place futures bets on players, such as the next Ballon d'Or winner.

Live Betting

Instead of placing a bet before a match starts, you also have the option to wager during the game. Live betting enhances the experience of watching a match and allows you to make new predictions in response to the unfolding action. The odds will update as a match progresses, so you’ll have to move fast!

Soccer Betting Strategies 

While there are certainly no guarantees when it comes to gambling, there are certain strategies you can follow to give your bets the best chance of success. Check out our top tips on how to bet on soccer below.

Research and Analyze

It’s vital you put some research into your bets before you place them. Look up the team’s current position, recent form, and previous results against the upcoming opponent. If you can pick up on a trend the bookies have missed, you could be onto a winner.

Only Bet on Familiar Soccer Leagues, Teams and Markets

Never blindly bet on matches simply because the odds are favorable or you have a bonus to use up. Stick to betting on markets you understand fully and teams you’re familiar with. Your bets are most likely to succeed if they’re well informed.

Keep Up with Team Information

It’s important to check the latest team news before placing a soccer bet. If a team’s in-form striker is out injured, this’ll certainly affect its chances of winning the next match. Transfers are also good to keep an eye on.

Cash Out

Cash out is an incredibly useful tool to have in your arsenal. If the team you’ve backed to win has fallen behind and doesn't look like it’s going to recover, you can cut your losses and reclaim a portion of your stake. Conversely, if you’re onto a winner but don’t fancy seeing out the last agonizing minutes, you can cash out early and secure a guaranteed profit. Also look out for partial and auto cash out, which are available at many top sportsbooks.

Compare Odds

Here at BettingOdds, we provide odds comparison grids for all the big soccer betting markets so you can always get the best price. Be sure to compare the options before placing your bet — that way, you can secure the largest possible profit if your selection is a winner.

Check Out Our Picks and Tips

Lastly, you can get inspiration for your bets using the picks and tips of our experts. Head to our main soccer page for all the latest news and info, as well as the tips page of our UK site for more insights into European football and beyond.

How to Bet on Soccer Safely and Responsibly 

Ultimately, betting on soccer should be a fun, casual pastime. If you ever feel uncomfortable or worried about a bet, you shouldn’t place it. Licensed operators are required to provide responsible gambling tools to help you manage your betting activity and spending, but it’s important to take the initiative to keep yourself safe. Here’s a list of our top tips on how to bet on soccer responsibly.

• Set budgets – It’s important to set clear betting budgets that you keep separate from your other funds. That way, if you use up your budget, you know it’s time to take a break. When you sign up to an online sportsbook, you’ll be given the option to set deposit and loss limits to help manage your spending.
• Set time limits – Another useful tool available at online sportsbooks is time limits. Also known as reality checks, this feature sends you notifications when you’ve been active on a site for a certain amount of time. If you feel you are spending too much time and money betting on soccer, there’s also the option to set up a time-out or a longer self-exclusion, where you’ll be blocked from accessing the betting site for a set period of time.
• Only bet what you can afford to lose – This is an important point to bear in mind when setting your budget. You should never take big risks in an attempt to recoup losses. Only place a bet that you can comfortably afford to lose without causing you stress.
• Remember to watch soccer for fun – Most people that like to bet on soccer matches do so to enhance the experience of watching the game. This is a good way to ensure soccer betting remains a casual hobby, as it should never be thought of as a way to make money. Watching soccer matches will also help you to stay in the know with the latest developments and results, informing your wagers in the process.
• Ask for help – If you feel you have a problem with gambling and would like to seek help and support, organizations like the International Problem Gambling Center and Gamblers Anonymous can help. There’s also the National Council on Problem Gambling’s 24-hour confidential helpline on 1-800-GAMBLER.

Compare Sportsbooks, Sign Up, and Bet on Soccer

So, you’ve reached the end of our soccer betting guide and are ready to place your first bet. Take a look at a full rundown of our favorite betting sites — each one has great market coverage and offers tons of great bonuses like free bets and matched deposits. Click through to sign up to a site that appeals to you and get started!

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