One of the most popular sports in the world is soccer. It may not be as popular as cricket or baseball in some regions, but it’s definitely a crowd pleaser wherever it is played. As a result, lots of people are looking to get into the game for fun or for profit. If you’re one of these people, then you’ve come the right place. In this article, we’ll discuss how to bet on soccer and the different types of bets available. We’ll cover everything from how to find a game to where and what to watch for so you can make the most of your betting experience.
The History Of Soccer
In the 1800s, soccer was almost unheard of outside of Europe and England. It wasn’t until the early 1900s that the first organized soccer leagues outside of England began forming. It was originally played on grassy fields, with up to seven players per team. It wasn’t until the 1970s that football — the game we know today — started being played on artificial surfaces. This is mainly due to the emergence of soccer superstitions and the desire to have the same game regardless of where you are.
In the 1940s, soccer became an official sport in the U.S. It wasn’t until MLS, the Major League Soccer, that regular season games began being televised. In the 2000s, MLS introduced a new rule that required teams to provide two regular season games per week to be televised. This means fewer people are able to follow the sport the way they used to (for better or worse). With fewer people following the game, you might think that the chance of a sporting event going under the radar would increase. Think again. The Premier League’s popularity ensures that every game is followed closely and betting odds are always closely contested. This is even more true now that betting options on soccer have increased.
Types Of Soccer Bets
There are four basic types of bets that you can make on soccer:
- Player Betting
- Match Predictor
- Over/Under (O/U) Betting
- Handicap Betting
Each type of bet has its perks and quirks. Let’s discuss each one in detail.
Player Betting
If you have a specific player in mind that you think will score a certain amount of goals, you can bet on them. This is called a “player betting”. For example, you can bet on David de Gea, the goalkeeper for Manchester United, to make at least three goals this season. By making this bet, you are essentially saying that you think the keeper will stop at least three goals — which obviously he will — and you are willing to accept those odds. When it comes to betting on soccer, players are the most popular choice. There are dozens of top-level players that you can bet on, and the chances of someone hitting the scoreboard are always there. The downfall to this bet is that it’s relatively easy for your player to lose (depending on how well they are performing). Also, making this kind of bet requires a lot of research ahead of time, so you aren’t constantly reacting to the game itself. Still, if you are a dedicated soccer fan and know what you are doing, this is one route to take.
Match Predictor
A match predictor is a bit like a combination of the two previous options. You are still betting on a specific player, but this time you are doing so based on the performance of the entire team. For example, if you think that Manchester United will win the FA Cup this season, you might bet on them with the match predictor option. The downfall to this option is that sometimes the match outcome does not match the prediction. Even though they might lose a few games this way, it’s still a lucrative option for the right person. The upside is that you don’t have to research as much about individual players; you are essentially betting on the outcome of the entire game. This option works best when you are betting on multiple games or when you are trying to predict the outcome of a match that is still to take place. Since it is uncertain as to how the game will turn out, you are better off leaving this option open.
Over/Under (O/U) Betting
O/U betting is exactly what it sounds like. You are either betting that the total amount of goals scored by both teams will fall under or exceed a certain amount. For example, if you think that Manchester United will win the FA Cup by a 2-1 scoreline, you might bet on them with the over/under option. When it comes down to over/under betting, it is imperative to keep in mind the point spread. Some bookmakers may only offer odds of –1 or +1, which means that if you bet on Manchester United, they must offer odds of 2.0 (2+0=2 or 1.0-1=1). This is also known as a full-point spread. When you are adding the points together, it is customary to reduce the total by 2 (or 1 in the case of a 1-point spread). For instance, if we use the previous example and Manchester United wins by a 3-2 scoreline, the –1 point spread would turn into a –3.5 point one.
The downfall to this option is that if you are not familiar with the game or the teams, it can be difficult to predict how many goals each team will score. In addition, there are situations where a 0-0 draw is considered a win for one of the teams. Since these are relatively rare occurrences — and since they often happen in lower-ranked leagues — most bookmakers won’t offer this option.
Handicap Betting
A handicap betting option is available for those who like to follow the game on FIFA, the official football game of the FIFA world cup. When betting on football, sometimes a team will have a legitimate reason for being underdogs. For example, the U.S. Men’s National Team will often be an underdog against some of the best teams in the world. This is because they have a considerably weaker roster than their opponents. In order to have a fair chance at winning, the USA is often given an “underdog bonus” when placing a bet on them. This bonus is usually calculated as some sort of weighted average of the teams’ rankings in the FIFA world rankings. For example, if the USA is ranked 16th in the world and you want to bet on them to win the next world cup match, you will need to add 16 to your win bet. It wouldn’t be unusual for betting shops to have a chart with all of the relevant stats for each team. This way, you can easily find the correct formula for any underdog bonus that might be applicable in your case.
The downfall to this option is that if you are not familiar with the rules of the game or the teams, it can be difficult to determine how much (if any) bonus you will receive for betting on underdogs. In addition, sometimes the handicap is not applied at all, even though it is supposed to be. It’s not easy for the bookmakers to police this, so they sometimes get away with it. This is why it’s important to stay up-to-date on the latest news concerning the game.
Key Points To Keep In Mind
The most important points to keep in mind if you are interested in betting on soccer are as follows:
- The match outcome is uncertain. It is always possible that the game could end in a draw, in which case nobody would win.
- It’s always desirable to leave money on the table. Stake sports low and take sports high. This is always the best approach when you want to maximize your winnings.
- Never risk more than you are willing to lose. This is the golden rule of gambling. If you are not comfortable risking some of your own money, then it’s best not to risk it all. Fortunately, there are safe and secure options when it comes to betting so you don’t have to throw away your hard-earned money just to follow your favorite football team. With a bit of research and keeping all of these points in mind, you can enjoy an exciting and potentially profitable time betting on soccer.