Explained – The Most Common Football Bets and Strategies
Posted by Harry Kane on Tuesday, November 28, 2023
There’s no doubt that remote betting continues to generate huge revenues in 2023, with this vertical producing a GGY of £2.4 billion through 2022 (the total gross gambling yield for online gambling in the UK peaked at £6.4 billion during the same period.
Football wagering is particularly popular on these shores, with an estimated 76.8% of the UK soccer audience thought to place regular in-play bets when watching their favourites sides. But what do you need to know about football betting, and how can you wager your cash effectively?
The Most Common Iterations of Football Betting
The most simplistic and popular type of football wager is referred to as ‘1×2’ betting. In this instance, you simply need to back the winner of a particular match (or select the draw), with your returns paid out according to the odds provided by your chosen sportsbook. This is known is a ‘back’ bet and asks you to wager on a specific outcome occurring.
While this type of wager may be commonplace, however, it’s also relatively inflexible and likely to offer restrictive prices. For example, let’s say that you want to wager on a Premier League clash between Burnley and Everton, with both sides relatively evenly matched and priced accordingly for the win (at 11/4 and 23/20 respectively).
So, you may want to seek out alternative wagers that unlock greater value in the marketplace, and there are several options to keep in mind in this respect. These options include a range of high-risk and even money wagers, each of which have their own unique risk profile, odds and typical value proposition.
One idea is to engage in ‘correct score’ betting, where you’ll have to predict both the winner of a selected match and the final result. If we use the example from above, you may see that backing Everton to beat Burnley 1-0 will lengthen the Toffees’ odds to 7/1, boosting your returns significantly if your prediction pays off! However, the risk of losing here is also increased considerably.
In an evenly matched game of this type, backing both teams to score is also a highly effective wager. This will unlock shorter and less appealing odds (at first glance), but the implied probability of both sides scoring is also much higher as this is an even money wager with only two potential outcomes to consider.
Interestingly, one type of bet that wouldn’t necessarily be appropriate for this match is handicap wagering, with this requiring you to afford one side a goal or more advantage (with this applied to the score at the end of the game). This wager type holds minimal value in close games, as it remains most valuable when looking to create additional value in instances where you’re backing a heavy favourite to overcome an unfancied opponent.
So, if you were backing Manchester City to defeat Crystal Palace at the Etihad Stadium, you’ll see that the home side are priced as short as 2/11 to defeat the London outfit. However, if you apply a -2.5 goal handicap to the Citizens, you can increase the odds to 13/10 and potentially bank a much higher return. However, City will have to win by three clear goals for the wager to come in.
Top Tips When Engaging in Football Betting
At this stage, you should have an understanding of football betting and the types of wager in play, while the next step is to ensure that you get the most out of each individual bet. To help you achieve this objective, we’ve prepared some insightful betting tips and strategies to keep in mind at all times!
#1. Bet With Your Head, Not Your Heart
There’s always a thrill to backing your favourite team to win in football, especially given the immensely tribal nature of this sport. However, this can translate into emotive betting and decision making that may prove detrimental to your bankroll and chances of winning over time.
Instead, it’s better to bet using your head and with an analytical mindset, as this helps you to identify the best selections and seek out value in potentially undervalued odds. More specifically, we’d recommend studying relevant datasets (including home and away form) and following the latest injury and suspension news.
#2. Use Handicap Betting Sparingly
We’ve already touched on this but wagering options such as handicap betting should be used sparingly and only in the most suitable circumstances. More specifically, it should be used to create value in wagers where you’re backing a favourite to beat an underdog, as this improves the available odds without overly compromising your chances of the bet coming in.
The same principles applies to correct score betting (which is incredibly high risk and associated with low implied probability values), while accumulators should also be used selectively and constructed with a focus on backing short price favourites. These should all comprise key elements of your football betting strategy.
#3. Rely on Knowledge and Real-time Data
Obviously, if you’re a seasoned football fan, you can utilise their own knowledge of the sport when wagering. After all, this affords you a genuine competitive advantage against the house. However, this should also be augmented with real-time team and match information, especially pertaining to suspensions and potential injuries. This can really help to inform your selection, especially if a team is without their star performers.
For example, teams with lengthy injury lists and a hectic schedule may see their ability to get a result compromised, particularly if a top scorer or creative fulcrum is absent. You may also find that bookies fail to factor such news into their odds, enabling you to identify genuine value in the market and make the most of your bankroll