Home of football statistics and historyBetting on football has become a hugely popular pastime since the turn of the century, with online sportsbooks offering easy access to punters worldwide.
Every type of gambling requires bettors to have a strategy, so whether you love football betting or playing at online casinos, it pays to be prepared.
With that in mind, read on as we take a closer look at how to bet on football, before offering some essential tips which should help you make a consistent profit.
Popular football betting markets
There are hundreds of different football betting markets to choose from. Here are the most popular:
- Match betting: Predict whether a game will be a home win, away win or draw.
- Over/under: Bet on whether the total number of goals in a game will be over or under a pre-determined tally.
- Correct score: Wager on the final scoreline in a match at the end of 90 minutes.
- Both teams to score: Bet on whether both teams will score in a match or not.
- First player to score: Wager on which player will score the first goal in a match.
The most popular football leagues and competitions
Punters are spoilt for choice when it comes to the depth of coverage of professional football on most reputable online sportsbooks.
Many betting sites offer odds and markets on leagues and competitions from around the world, which allows punters to wager on a 24/7/365 basis.
However, if your knowledge of the third tier in Germany or other obscure leagues is a little sketchy, it is advisable not to get too heavily involved with the matches.
Gaining an in-depth knowledge of the following leagues and competitions is the most sensible tactic for football bettors:
- Premier League
- La Liga
- Bundesliga
- Serie A
- Ligue 1
- Champions League
- Europa League
- Europa Conference League
- World Cup
- European Championship
The best football betting strategy
Making a profit from football betting requires plenty of research and self-discipline, but it is feasible if you are prepared to play the long game.
One of the best football betting strategies adopts principles from the Martingale System, which has traditionally been used to secure winning returns in roulette.
For football betting purposes, the Martingale can be utilised to exploit the draw odds in the match betting market providing you do not deviate from the system.
The draw odds in football matches are generally never less than 2/1, but can sometimes be higher dependent on which teams are playing each other.
In this instance we will use Manchester City’s 2024/25 Premier League fixtures to demonstrate how the system can generate a profit if you follow it to the letter.
You start by placing a £10 bet on the first game against Chelsea. City won 2-0, so your bet is a loser. The system requires you to double your bet on the next match.
Your £20 wager on a draw against Ipswich Town also loses as City claim a 4-1 victory. You must then double your bet again on the next fixture to £40.
A 3-1 win at West Ham United makes this another losing bet. Your stake on the next game against Brentford must then increase to £80. City win 2-1, so this bet is lost.
Your stake on the fifth game against Arsenal would be £160. The result is 2-2. Assuming odds of 2/1, your £160 bet would return £480 – a cool £170 profit on your £310 overall outlay.
You can either walk away with your profit at this stage or revert back to your original £10 stake and start the process again.
Although a long run of games without a draw could put a sizeable dent in your bankroll, rigidly following this strategy ultimately guarantees a profit.
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