How to Bet on Soccer Online: Everything You Need to Know
Soccer, the beautiful game, is all about putting the ball in the back of the net (more times than your opponent). This is one of the biggest sports across the world and, in our soccer betting guide, we will look at how to hit the back of the net when playing against the bookies.
Here, we will look at the best soccer betting strategies and tips – along with the bet types and terminology you need to know, whether betting on the English Premier League, MLS or the World Cup. So, to find out how to bet on soccer and win, read on….
How to Bet on Soccer in 2024
Soccer, the game of 2 halves, with 22 men, 1 ball, 2 goals and millions of fans from all over the world. This is a game filled with excitement for the full 90 minutes… or longer if it goes into extra time and penalties.
Whether you want to bet on one of the popular European domestic leagues such as the EPL, La Liga, Serie A or Bundesliga, the MLS or one of the major tournaments such as the World Cup, hundreds of betting sites all over the world are jam-packed with different betting markets and bet types to choose from. These are some of the best bookmakers and the best bets to make for soccer betting.
Soccer Betting Explained: Soccer Betting Lines
Depending on what type of risks you want to take and how much you know about the game, here are some of the most popular types of soccer bets:
- Match Betting
- Half Time
- Both Teams to Score
- Totals
- Correct Score
- Man of the Match
- Team to Score First
- Futures
Match Betting: The Winner
This is the most popular bet type in soccer betting. You simply wager on which team you think will win the match within the 90-minute regulation time. The options are Team A, Team B, or a draw. This type of betting only considers the full-time of play, and any extra minutes added to compensate for stoppages. Overtime and penalties are excluded.
To display soccer moneylines, sportsbooks usually list three columns, each representing the odds for either of the teams to win, or for the game to end in a draw. This type of betting is uncomplicated, as you only need to predict the winning team without having to forecast the margin of victory, total scores, or any other factors!
Unlike major sports such as football, the soccer moneyline is a three-way market rather than a two-way one. The draw option exists in soccer moneylines because soccer matches often end in a draw, given the many leagues and championships featuring top-class teams.
When looking at the moneyline odds for a particular soccer game, the favored team will be assigned a negative number. This indicates that you must wager that amount in dollars to receive a $100 payout. In contrast, the underdog will be assigned a positive number, indicating that a $100 bet will result in a payout equal to that number. Additionally, bookies will display the draw odds, which will typically be listed as a positive value.
- Example: Borussia Dortmund (+200) vs. FC Bayern Munich (-100) or Draw (+400)
In this example matchup between FC Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund, you’ll need to pick which team will come out victorious or if the game will end in a draw. Bayern Munich is favored, as you can tell by the negative odds (-100), while Borussia Dortmund is the underdog, as their positive odds (+200) indicate that they’re less likely to win. The draw has odds of +400, meaning it’s the least likely outcome out of the three.
Suppose you decide to place a $100 bet on Bayern Munich, and they win the game. In that case, you would receive a payout of $200 ($100 for the original bet and $100 in winnings). If you bet $100 on Borussia Dortmund and they win, your payout would be $300 ($100 for the original bet and $200 in winnings). Finally, if you bet on a draw and the game ends in a tie, you would receive a payout of $500 ($100 for the original bet and $400 in winnings).
In addition to the standard three-way moneyline, many sportsbooks offer a two-way option called draw no bet. With this type of wager, you can eliminate the possibility of the match ending in a draw. To place a draw no bet wager, you simply pick a team to win, just like you would with a standard moneyline bet. If the match does end in a draw, instead of losing your wager, you get your money back! In other words, the draw is taken out of the equation, making it easier to predict the outcome of the match and reducing your risk.
You can also bundle different match winner bets into a parlay! This type of wager allows you to pick multiple teams to win, and if all of your selections come through, you can win big. The odds for a parlay are typically higher than for individual bets, which means the potential payout is also higher.
Half Time: Who Is Ahead?
This is similar to a match winner or moneyline bet. However, you need to bet on who will be ahead at the halftime whistle. You’re essentially predicting who will be in the lead at the end of the first 45 minutes of play. Half-time bets can offer a faster and potentially more lucrative payout than traditional match-winner bets.
As an example, imagine you want to wager on a match between Manchester United and Arsenal. You think that Manchester United is going to come out strong and score a goal early on, so you place a halftime bet on Manchester United to be ahead at the break. If Manchester United indeed scores a goal in the first half, and the score remains unchanged until halftime, you will win your bet, regardless of what happens in the second half.
Halftime betting can be especially exciting when combined with a match winner bet. You can place a bet on who you think will be ahead at halftime, and then combine that bet with a bet on who you think will win the game overall. If you’re able to correctly predict both the halftime and full-time outcomes, you’ll get a bigger payout.
Both Teams to Score: BTTS
This is a 50/50 bet – a simple yes or no. You bet on whether you think both teams will score or not.
To illustrate this, take a match between Liverpool and Manchester United. Now, imagine you place a BTTS bet with Yes as your pick. This means you’re predicting that both teams will score at least one goal during the game. If the final score is 2-1 in favor of Liverpool or 1-1 as a draw, you win the bet. On the flip side, if neither team scores a goal or the match ends 0-0, you’ll lose your wager.
The BTTS market is often paired with a match winner bet, where you’re not only predicting if both teams will score, but also which team will ultimately win the game. For instance, you may place a bet on Team A to win, and BTTS No. This means you’re predicting that Team A will win the match and that they will be the only ones to score during the game.
Score Bet: Over/Under
This is simply betting on whether you think the match will be high scoring or low scoring. You just bet on whether you think the combined number of goals scored will be over or under the listed total.
Bookmakers will set a line, usually at 2.5 goals. Your job is to decide whether you think the total number of goals scored by both teams will be more or less than 2.5. This means that if you bet on the over, the two teams will have to score a combined total of 3 goals or more for you to win your bet. If you bet on the “under”, the total number of goals must be 2 or less for you to receive a payout.
Correct Score: A Riskier Bet
This is another way to bet on the score – but a lot riskier with higher stakes. You need to predict what the score will be when the final whistle blows. You need to get it exactly right to win.
To win this type of bet, you must get both the number of goals each team scores and the final outcome (win, lose, or draw) correct. As you can tell, it’s a lot harder to get it right than betting on the outcome alone, but the potential payout can be significant.
Man of the Match
You will simply bet on which player you think will be named the Man of the Match when the game has finished. This is a tricky one as you will have 22 players to choose from.
To better understand this type of bet, let’s take a trip back in time to the 2018 World Cup final between France and Croatia. The French Paul Pogba was named Man of the Match. This was mainly due to his strong performance on the field, but also because of his hands-on approach to setting up the team’s goals. However, if you had bet on Pogba to win the award before the game, it might not have been such an obvious choice. After all, there were plenty of other talented players on the field, including Luka Modric and Mbappe.
So, to increase your chances of success, try to do your research and consider the strengths and weaknesses of each player, as well as the overall playing style of each team. If a team tends to rely heavily on a particular player, then that player might have a better chance of being named Man of the Match. Remember the 2018 Champions League final between Real Madrid and Liverpool? Ronaldo was named the Man of the Match without much debate. Most bettors could probably have predicted that result before the match, simply because Ronaldo was in great form at the time, and he had already scored 15 goals throughout that season.
First Team to Score: Home or Away
This is a nice easy bet type – you just have to predict which team you think will be the first to score. To make it harder, you could try and predict which player will score first.
Before placing a bet on which team will score first, you should look into their recent form. Have they been scoring a lot of goals lately? Or have they been conceding a lot of goals? That can give you a solid indication of which team is more likely to score first.
As for predicting which player will score first, this can be a bit more complicated, but it definitely helps to know which players are in good scoring form, as they will likely score first. Additionally, some teams play in a way that creates a lot of scoring opportunities for their strikers, while others rely more on midfielders or defenders to score goals. Knowing which players are likely to get the most chances can help you make a winning bet.
Futures Bets: Outrights
With his bet, you need to predict the result of a future event. It could be predicting who you think will win the league, which team you think will win the FIFA World Cup, which player will win the Golden Boot, etc. Futures odds open before the tournament or league starts, and change as the season progresses. These are the most popular soccer futures:
- Outright Winner – You bet on the team that you think will win the tournament or league at the end of the season. For example, you could bet on Real Madrid to win La Liga before the season starts.
- Top Scorer – All you’ve got to do is predict which player will score the most goals during the entire season or tournament.
- To Reach Final – This is a bet on a team that you think will make it to the final of a tournament or league.
- Group Winner – This bet allows you to wager on the team that you think will win their group in a tournament.
- Relegation – To place this bet you must select the team that you think will finish at the bottom of the league and be relegated to a lower league.
Props Bet: Betting on Events
These can be fun bets on events that may happen in a game. It could be betting on the number of cards or penalties. It could be a bet on whether a particular player gets sent off or how many corners are taken etc. These are some of the soccer prop bets available in most sportsbooks:
- Total Cards – This is a bet on the total number of yellow and red cards that will be shown during the match.
- Total Corners – To win this bet, you need to successfully predict the total number of corner kicks that will be awarded during the match.
- Goal Scorer – You bet on a specific player to score a goal during the match.
- Time of First Goal – You can bet on the first goal to be scored in the first half, second half, or within a specific time period.
- Most Fouls – Who will commit the most fouls during the game? You can also wager on which team will commit the most fouls.
Soccer Betting Glossary
Let’s take a look at some of the main soccer betting terms you should know
| Soccer Betting Terms | Definition |
| Double Chance Betting | There are 3 possible outcomes in a soccer game – you are betting on 2 of the 3 (i.e. Team A to Win or a Draw) |
| Scorecast | A bet on a first/last or any goalscorer along with the final result of the game. |
| No Goal No Bet | If the game ends 0-0, then the bet stake will be returned and a non bet declared. |
| Yellow Card | Awarded to a player for committing a foul. If a player receives 2 yellow cards in a match they will be sent off. |
| Red Card | Awarded for a serious foul. Any player shown a red card will be sent off immediately and the team will be down 1 man. |
| Penalty | If a foul is committed against an attacking player within the goal box then they will be able to take a shot at goal with only the goalkeeper to defend. |
| Offside | The attacking team has their player closer to the opposition’s goal than any defending player when the ball is passed to them. |
| VAR | Video Assistant Referee – which allows the referee to see what happened in play and make a decision |
| Handball | A player uses their hand or arm to control the ball |
| Bore Draw | A game that ends 0-0 |
Best Soccer Betting Tips: Soccer Betting Strategy
So, let’s take a look at the best soccer betting tips so that you can create the best soccer betting strategy for you.
Know About the Game You Bet On
If you want to win, you need to be knowledgeable about soccer and the game you bet on. If you don’t know about La Liga or its teams, don’t bet on it. Start learning about the game, league, or sports you want to start betting on before risking any money, and never bet on an unfamiliar event based on only a vague knowledge of the stats.
To bet on soccer and win, you need to know the sport like the palm of your hand. Avoid placing any wagers if you don’t know anything about the team, players, and league or championship you’re planning to bet on.
Remember: the devil is in the details. In many cases, a small piece of information, that may go unnoticed to most punters – like a player’s recent injury, or a last-minute change in the lineup – can make the difference between a great payout and a shocking loss. And, aside from helping you pinpoint the best bets, this type of in-depth analysis will further enhance your enjoyment of soccer as a sport.
Take Advantage of Tipsters
Beginner bettors, in particular, are advised to avoid wagering simply out of gut instinct. That said, reading into as many tipster soccer picks as possible may help you detect profitable bets at the right time.
Professional punters are experts both at selecting the best games, teams, and players to bet on, as well as at finding the best odds, and sportsbooks. Aside from reducing your risks and helping you figure out exactly how much to steak, relying on expert advice can also make your betting experience easier and faster.
Look into Home vs. Away Stats
Home advantage is a real thing, especially when betting on soccer. Decades of statistics across different leagues, tournaments, and championships probe that the majority of soccer teams across the world perform significantly better while playing at home.
In general, if you study the highest-ranking teams out of any league, you’ll quickly find out that those at the top have consistently impressive home records.
So, what does this mean for bettors? Well, basically, being aware of a team’s performance when playing at their own stadium is key for understanding their chances of winning. In the same way, evaluating a team’s away record can give you great insight into how they perform when their fans are not all there, cheering them on.
Team and Player Form and Injuries
You need to know all about the form of the team and the players that are playing – as well as the psychological state of both teams. Team A might usually underperform against Team B, but if they are in top form and Team B is struggling, you may reconsider just relying on previous matchup stats!
Don’t get me wrong: an in-depth analysis of matchup history is just as important as team and player form research. Yet, many bettors make the mistake of assuming that a game between two teams will go exactly the same as it has in the past, ignoring all other impactful factors.
And what’s more: bookies are fully aware of this tendency, and try to take advantage by luring beginners into thinking that teams with lower odds are probably going to win. To avoid this potentially problematic misconception, you need to pay close attention not only to the odds and history, but also to current form, as well as recent injuries, and any other detail regarding a team’s or its players’ present condition that may affect their overall performance during their next game.
Don’t Just Bet on the Team You Like the Best
Don’t bet on a team just because you’re a fan. You should place a bet with a clear and objective head. Look at the history, form and players and put your prejudice aside. You should bet on the team that genuinely looks the most likely to win.
Maximize your Bonuses
Different bookies offer different promotions. However, what all sportsbooks have in common is that they all reward new users with generous welcome bonuses.
Now, you may already have an account with a certain sportsbook, and you may be perfectly satisfied both with its features and the range of markets available to you. That’s indeed great, but don’t overlook the possibility of opening accounts with other reputable online soccer betting sites, as this could allow you to multiply the number of free bets you can profit from. Additionally, by having accounts in multiple sportsbooks, you’ll able to benefit from several specific daily, weekly, or seasonal bonuses tailored to existing users. Take a look at our reviews, to find out exactly what sort of welcome rewards you’d get at different soccer betting sportsbooks.
Manage Your Bankroll
You need to familiarise yourself with bankroll management (which you can do here). Don’t bet on every game, choose value bets, stick to a budget, and learn from your mistakes. Never chase losses and have fun!
Lastly, one of the best soccer betting strategies out there is simply learning how to appreciate small wins. Over time, these can build up and make a huge profit. Smaller wins are proof that your soccer betting strategy is bearing fruits, and that you aren’t biting more than you can chew when it comes to taking risks. Of course, going for a high-payout high-risk bet every once in a while can be extremely thrilling, and potentially very rewarding! Just avoid basing your entire soccer betting strategy on the riskier bets.
How to Bet on Soccer and Win
So, if you’re feeling confident, it’s time to start making a profit:
- Pick one of our recommended soccer sportsbooks or soccer betting apps and click on the link. When choosing a sportsbook, consider factors like reputation, security, available soccer markets, odds, and promotions. Once you’ve picked a sportsbook, clicking on the link will take you to their website where you can start the sign-up process.
- Open a new account. To open your account, you’ll only need to provide basic personal details, such as your name, email, and date of birth, and create a username and password.
- Make your first deposit and claim the welcome bonus or package. Once you’ve created your account, you’ll need to deposit to fund your betting account. Different sportsbooks offer different deposit methods, including credit/debit cards, e-wallets, bank transfers, and more. Generally, sportsbooks let you deposit a minimum amount of $10 or $20. In addition, many sportsbooks offer welcome bonuses or packages to new customers. These can include free bets, matched deposit bonuses, or other promotions.
- Find your football league, match and bet type, enter your stake and confirm. Once you’ve funded your account, you can start placing bets on your chosen league, match and bet type.
- Let the action unfold! Sit back, relax, and enjoy the game. If your bet wins, your payout will be deposited in your betting account.
