Soccer is the most enjoyable sport in the world. According to the Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA), over 240 million people globally play soccer regularly. The World Cup is perhaps the biggest single-event sporting tournament in the world. Each country is represented by a team to slug it out for the rights to be called World Champions. No other sporting competition attracts the amount of attraction and participation that is attained in the World Cup.
The game of soccer has evolved from the days of kicking rudimentary animal-hide to a well structured and rule-governed game. The most recent innovation that has hit the soccer scene is the introduction of Virtual Assistant Referee (VAR) to help the referees on the field of play to make better decisions. This is the point soccer has graduated today and soon, we hope to see newer innovations to make the game more enjoyable.
Soccer has produced exceptional talents that have sparked debates over the years on who the best player to ever play the game is. Some of these top players include Pele, the Brazilian that led his team to their first-ever World Cup title in 1958. A goalkeeper from Russia – Lev Yashin – who has saved over 150 penalty kicks throughout his career. Other amazing talents spread through history are Zinedine Zidane, Marco Van Basten, Roberto Baggio, and not forgetting the Argentine wonder, Diego Maradona. A Portuguese superstar in the person of Cristiano Ronaldo and an Argentine wonder – Lionel Messi – have, however, controlled the soccer scene for over a decade. Both players have won the most prestigious award in soccer a record number of times with Messi edging the Portuguese with one higher.
Best Ways to Bet Soccer
Betting on soccer can be very technical. However, understanding the basics can set you up to win big when you bet on soccer. Let us take a look at some of the common ways.
Outright Bet: This is a situation where you can place a bet on a future event. Take for instance the World Cup; you can place a bet from the group stages, picking a team that you think will win the title.
It can be a stretch to win picks like these but they offer amazing value if you pull it off.
Individual Event: This is the simplest way to place a bet on soccer. Depending on the competition, an outright bet could come in the form of who will win the match or who will progress to the next phase. It also covers outcomes like ‘Under/Over’, ‘both teams to score’, etc. A few common ones are;
Match Result – Here, all you have to do is predict who will win the match. Bets in this category fall strictly under the 90 minutes mark. So, for competitions that allow extra time in case of a full-time draw, your selection does not apply to the outcome of the extra time. Odds in this category look like:
Brazil -120 Draw+350 Hungary +210
Both Teams to Score – This selection is strictly you deciding if both teams will score in the match or not. How it happens does not matter as long as both teams do not keep a clean sheet. The odds in this outcome look like this:
Both Teams to Score Yes (-150) No (+120)
Under/Over – In this selection, you will be wagering on if the number of goals scored will be over a certain marker, say 1.5, 2.5, or 3.5. The odds here look like this:
Under 2.5 +170
Over 2.5 -160
For more terms, see our Sports Betting Glossary page.
Tips on How to Pick the Best Sportsbook
You need to give yourself a better chance of winning every time you place a wager which is why choosing the best sportsbook to attend to your betting needs is important. Below are some factors worth considering before you decide on a sportsbook.
Reputation
Several platforms review sportsbooks based on customer service, game odds, betting options, payment and withdrawal options, etc. These factors are important as they can be the deciding factor if you’d win a bet. That said, when a sportsbook is rated poorly which suggests that they are lacking in one or a number of these crucial factors, you should not hesitate to take your business elsewhere.
Live Betting
This is an exciting feature that bettors are starting to appreciate. It allows you to enjoy the game even more. Also, you can read the game and better understand the direction the game is tilting towards before you place a bet. This can be very helpful if you are a fan of the ‘Over/Under’ category.
Juice
The minimum amount that is required before you can lay down a bet is referred to as the juice. This varies from sportsbook to sportsbook so you should look out for one that offers the best. Some start at -110 which is fair but some others go a bit lower to about -105. It might not seem like a lot but saving a little money in each bet can accumulate to something substantial in the long run.
Bonuses
Different sportsbooks offer different amounts as deposit bonus and also different ways to redeem these bonuses. Finding a sportsbook to offer better bonuses and that are easily redeemable will give you a better chance of winning.
Overall Strategy and Betting Tips
With soccer, the ‘big teams’ are always favorites as they have better resources to put together an amazing team. Once in a while, an underdog decides to show that they are worthy and end up disrupting the expected outcome. This happens on occasions and should not be a cause for worry.
Across different leagues and soccer competitions globally, it is wise to always research every fixture before placing a bet. Some competitions are played in neutral locations so home advantage does not count.
There are several competitions currently ongoing including the MLS, Liga MX, EPL, La Liga, etc. that you can wager on and win some money. A good strategy when betting in soccer is to go for goals. 90 minutes is a long time which gives both teams a good time to score some goals.
It is worth noting that some teams are generally low scoring teams and are big on defense. In a case like that, you should be very careful when placing a bet. Also, information like that can only be gotten through research which further stresses the point of undergoing research before placing your bets.
Research & Value
Successful bettors look for value: where the bookmaker’s odds underestimate the true probability of an outcome.
Conduct Thorough Research
Go beyond basic league position. Key factors to analyze:
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Recent Form: Look at the last 5-10 matches. Is the team on a winning streak, or are their recent wins lucky?
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Home vs. Away Performance: Many teams perform significantly better at home (home advantage) or struggle greatly on the road.
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Injuries & Suspensions: A key player (top striker, central defender, or main playmaker) missing can dramatically change a team’s chances. Check the starting lineups/team news.
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Motivation: How important is the game? A team fighting for a title, a European spot, or relegation survival will often be more motivated than a mid-table side with nothing to play for.
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Head-to-Head (H2H): Some teams have a historical “bogey team” they consistently struggle against, regardless of current form.
Focus on Specialization
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Narrow Your Focus: Instead of betting on every major league (Premier League, La Liga, Serie A, etc.), pick one or two leagues you can follow closely. This allows you to gain a deeper, more nuanced understanding of the teams, players, and managers than the average bettor.
Find “Value Bets”
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Convert Odds to Probability: Understand what the odds actually mean. For decimal odds, the implied probability is $1 / \text{Odds}$.
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Example: Odds of $2.50$ implies a $1/2.50 = 40\%$ chance of winning.
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Identify Value: A value bet is when you believe a team’s chance of winning is higher than the implied probability from the bookmaker’s odds.
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If the odds are $2.50$ (40% implied probability), but your research suggests the true chance is closer to $50\%$, then the bet has value.
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Executing the Strategy
Shop for the Best Odds
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Use Multiple Bookmakers: Odds vary between betting sites. Having accounts with multiple bookmakers allows you to compare and get the best price for your selected bet. A small difference in odds adds up over time.
Be Selective with Bet Types
Start with simpler markets before moving to complex multiples:
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Full-Time Result (1X2): Simple Win, Draw, or Loss.
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Draw No Bet (DNB): If the match ends in a draw, your stake is returned (a “push”). This lowers the risk for slightly lower odds.
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Over/Under Goals: Betting on whether the total number of goals will be over or under a specific number (e.g., Over 2.5 goals). Good for matches where you expect lots of scoring, or very few.
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Avoid Large Parlays/Accumulators: While they offer huge payouts, the bookmaker’s advantage (over-round) is multiplied with each added selection, making them extremely difficult to win in the long run. Stick to singles or small doubles/trebles.
Keep Detailed Records
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Track Everything: Maintain a spreadsheet or use a tracking app to log every bet: the date, the league, the selection, the odds, the stake, and the outcome.
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Analyze Performance: Regularly review your records to see what works and what doesn’t. This helps you refine your strategy and find your own profitable niche markets or leagues.