Football is a sport which means it can be played by anyone, anywhere, at any time. This makes it the perfect game for people who want to bet on it but don’t feel like they have the time to research the odds regularly.
If you’re reading this, I assume you’re either a football fan or you know one; if not, please consider becoming more informed about the game before making any kind of wager.
Why Bet On Football?
It’s fair to assume that most people reading this are either football fans or people who know and love one, as the sport is incredibly popular all over the world. In the UK, for example, over 200 million matches have been played annually and there are now over 250 football clubs in existence.
Due to this huge popularity, it makes sense for fans and sportsbook operators to look for ways to make the game more commercial; one of the best ways to do this is to enable people to bet on football.
The leading bookmakers in the UK currently offer betting markets for Premier League football, with William Hill and Paddy Power especially popular with British bettors. In fact, over 60% of William Hill’s revenue comes from the sportsbook, with over 40% of their total revenues coming from football alone.
This has created a boom in the popularity of online betting on football, with oddspreads, totals, and props all available for wagers. While this might not seem like a popular option with hardcore fans, those who love the game from a distance can now enjoy the action from the comforts of home.
Despite its popularity, there are a few downsides to watching and playing football regularly – the most notable being the physical demands the game places on players. This is why professionals in the sport usually tend to avoid major tournaments, such as the World Cup, if they are not fully recovered from the previous season.
What Is An Odds-on Bet?
To start things off, we need to talk about something called an ‘odds-on bet’.
This is where you place a wager on a favorite team (known as the ‘inside’ team) to win, keeping in mind that the odds will be heavily in their favor. If the favorite team wins, the bettor will win at a good rate; if they lose, he or she will lose at a good rate as well.
For instance, let’s say you’re a fan of Arsenal and you want to wager on them to beat Everton. You’d go to a bookmaker and place a bet on Arsenal being +350 to win (that’s 3.5 to 1, or ‘almost certain to win’) and -190 to lose (that’s 1.9 to 1, or ‘solid to lose’). This would give you a winning rate of 1.5 to 1, or 50%.
The Advantages Of Matching Up Winners
One of the biggest advantages of matching up winners is that the payout for each individual winner is usually larger. This is mainly because the bookmaker has to make a profit off the bettor, so they have to pay out proportionally more for each winning bet.
For example, if two football teams go head-to-head with each other and the total score is 0-0, then the bookmaker will have paid out exactly the same amount regardless of who wins. However, if one of the teams runs up a big score and the other doesn’t, the team with the bigger score will win, hence the larger payout for that winner.
The Disadvantages Of Matching Up Winners
On the other hand, the disadvantages of matching up winners is that if one of the teams you’re backing is already winning the game or has a considerable lead, you have no impact on the outcome of the game. This makes it kind of a risk, especially if you’re betting on something like a draw.
For example, let’s say your team is trailing in the game and you want to bet on them to score the next goal. At this point, you’re essentially choosing to bet on the underdogs and hoping for the best. But if your team scores next goal, it won’t be because of your wager, as you already knew they would.
The Basics Of Football Betting
To sum things up, let’s discuss the basics of football betting, shall we?
The Mathematics Of Betting
To start things off, we need to discuss something called the ‘spread’, which is the term used when referencing the difference between the ‘over’ and ‘under’ betting lines. In the UK, the spreads used for football betting are usually between 2.5 and 3.5 points, with the bigger the spread, the more appealing the betting odds.
For instance, a 3.5 point spread on a game between Arsenal and Everton means the bookmaker is giving 3.5 points to the Arsenal team and about 2.5 points to the Everton team. This means the bookmaker is taking a small ‘betting’ share of the action, which is usually around 10% for lower-tier leagues in the UK, but can reach as high as 40% or more for top-flight matches.
Match The Spread
Another important thing to discuss when placing a bet on football is to match the spread. This means that if you’ve chosen to bet on the underdogs, make sure you also bet on the spread to reduce your risk. When doing so, you’ll usually choose to bet on the over, as the underdogs usually have a smaller winning margin.
This is mainly because if your team does win the game, you’ll lose your money, as the line would’ve been against you. On the other hand, if the underdogs lose the game, you can potentially win some money based on your wager. However, this varies from bookmaker to bookmaker, so make sure you check for differences in the payout structure before choosing the underdogs as your preferred team.
Check The Totes And Props
A third important thing to discuss when placing a bet on football is to check the tots and props. This is because not all spreads are made equal and some are more beneficial to bettors than others. For instance, a goal-line bet (also known as a ‘goal’ or ‘total’ bet) where you wager on the score of the game, including extras, is highly favorable to bettors. In fact, it has become so popular that some bookmakers even offer odds-on goal-line bets, where you choose whether the goal shall be scored or not. More often than not, these goal-line bets are between 2.5 and 3 points.
Reducing The Risks Of Betting
As a football fan who wants to bet on his or her team but doesn’t want to risk their entire bankroll, there are ways to reduce the risks of betting. One of the best ways to do this is to limit the amount you’re wagering. If you’re looking to wager £100 on a game, choose a lower stake instead, such as £50 or £20. This way, you’ll be reducing your risk of losing the entire £100.
Match The Favorite
A fourth important thing to discuss when placing a bet on football is to match the favorite. This is mainly because most bookmakers offer large amounts of money for matches involving top-flight teams, with smaller amounts being paid out for games involving lower-tier or cup competitions. To get the best rates from the bookmakers, it’s usually best to bet on the favorite teams.
This means that if you’re backing Arsenal or Liverpool, for example, you’ll get the best odds from the bookmakers, as these teams are usually favored to win.
The Psychology Of Betting
Finally, let’s discuss something called the ‘psychology of betting’. This is important when considering how to place a winning wager on a football match; if you want to bet on your team to win, it’s always best to take a ‘risky’ approach, as this usually gives you the best chance of cashing in a winning bet. But this comes with a cost – if your team loses the game after placing such a wager, it can affect your confidence, especially if it’s a big loss.