How to bet on football?
Football remains the most popular sport for betting in the UK, with 40 per cent of all money spent by bettors wagered on the beautiful game.
With so many matches played worldwide, punters can place bets on lots of different markets, with many betting sites providing lots of special deals and competitive odds. Therefore, it’s crucial for punters to comprehend these markets to make informed decisions. This article provides an extensive guide on football betting to equip punters with the necessary knowledge to make appropriate decisions across different markets.
FOOTBALL BETTING EXAMPLE
TIME
BET #
TEAM
LINE
TOTAL
MONEY
1:00 PM
101
WASHINGTON
42
+140
102
PHILADELPHIA
-3
-160
The pointspread on the electronic display boards and wagering sheets is always listed next to the favorite. The home team is always listed on the bottom, unless otherwise specified.
In the example, Philadelphia (-3) is favored by 3 points. Philadelphia must win the game by more than three points for the player to win his bet on Philadelphia. If the player bets Washington (+3), Washington must win the game outright or lose by two points or less for the player to win. If Philadelphia wins by exactly three points, it is considered a wagering tie or “push” for wagering purposes and all straight bets on the pointspread are refunded.
The number next to the pointspread (42) is the Total for the game (also called Over/Under is the combined number of points scored by both teams). The player can wager that the final score will be more or less than this number. All points scored in overtime are counted in the final score. Like the pointspread, the player wagers $11 for every $10 he wishes to win or multiples thereof, unless stated otherwise. For example, the player would lay $55 to win $50 or $110 to win $100, etc.
Football Odds Explained
Football odds represent the probability of a football event occurring. They usually accompany betting markets on any football match. Using football odds, you can calculate how much money you will earn if you place a winning bet. That is why you are advised to only pick sportsbooks with significant odds. Odds can also be used to identify the favourite team and the underdog, especially if you are planning to place the simple Home Win or Away Win bet.
Note that different countries and continents use different odds formats. That explains why bookies offer odds formats such as American, Malay, Indo, Hong Kong, and Decimal to its players. It is vital to consider the odds of any bookie before signing up.
Moneylines: Picking the winner of an NFL game
Moneyline bets are the most straightforward method of betting on NFL football. Moneylines are most often displayed in American odds (hundreds) and reflect each team’s implied probability of winning the game.
The stronger of the two teams is the moneyline favorite. Favorites have a negative value (-) next to their odds, such as -130. A -130 moneyline favorite has an implied probability of 56.5 percent to win the game, and because there is less risk in betting the favorite to win, you must risk more. A -130 moneyline will return $0.77 for every $1 wagered or $77 on a $100 bet. Many bettors, however, prefer to bet “to win” amounts. In this situation, a bettor would wager $130 to win $100.
Matchup
Moneyline Odds
San Francisco 49ers
+110
Kansas City Chiefs
-130
The weaker team is listed as the moneyline underdog and will have a positive value (+) with its odds, such as +110. A +110 moneyline underdog has an implied probability of 47.62 percent to win, and because there is more risk in betting the underdog to win, you can win more than you risk. This underdog bet will return $1.10 for every $1 wagered or $110 on a $100 bet. Using Covers’ moneyline calculator lets you see how much you can win from other moneyline odds values, as well as implied probability.
How football betting works: Player props/player stats
This is a way of showing how the football betting market has continued to evolve with an in-depth set of markets released for various Premier League and international matches. This is different to the goalscoring or card markets, and includes the ability to bet on players to have a certain number of shots, tackles and even offsides.
Prop markets are also rising in popularity, and that has led to some intriguing bets such as how many free kicks, goal kicks and throw-ins there are in a match. What’s on offer differs widely from bookmaker to bookmaker, but one of the bookies with the most player props available is bet365.
There’s also now the option to bet on the number of passes a player makes in a match, which can be a fascinating bet to follow and allows customers to use their own research before making the specific bet.
More recently, punters have been able to bet on individual player tackles and team tackles, which are interesting markets especially in the new Premier League season and they could be perfect for finding some value on innovative markets throughout the year.
These bets are used by many bookmakers for boosted odds to give more value to players, but you should be cautious about how much you stake on these bets as football can be very unpredictable.
ONLINE FOOTBALL BETTING
PARLAYS
Combining several teams into a single bet is a known as a parlay. Totals may also be used in parlays. To win a parlay, ALL teams in the parlay must win. In “off-the-board” parlays, the player may parlay from 2 to 10 teams.
In the event of a wagering tie or “push” with the pointspread or total, the parlay is reduced to the next lowest number of teams; for example a 4-team parlay with one tie would become a 3-team parlay, etc. A two-team parlay with one tie becomes a straight bet.
PARLAY CARDS
Parlay cards, most popular during football season, offer the potential for a large return on a small bet.
Players darken the circles on the stub that apply to the teams in their parlay, the number of teams desired and the bet amount.
There are several types of parlay cards to choose from during football season and each has a different payoff scale. The most popular variety of parlay card is the “1/2 point” card, in which ½-point pointspreads are used, eliminating the possibility of a wagering tie.
TEASERS
We offer 6, 6 ½, and 7 point teasers in football. A teaser allows the player to add extra points on an underdog or subtract points on a favorite on multiple games. Football and basketball can be mixed on the same teaser. In the event of a wagering tie in any game (other than 10 and 14 point teasers), the teaser is reduced to the next lowest number; for example a 4-team teaser with one tie would become a 3-team teaser, etc. In the event of a wagering tie, a 2-team teaser is deemed “No Action” and all money wagered is refunded. Note: 10 and 14 point teasers, ties lose.
How Does Live Betting on Football Work?
Football betting is divided into two broad types; pre-match betting and live betting. Live betting involves punting on football events after they start. Usually, sportsbooks place their live football matches in the in-play section making them easily accessible. The advantage of in-play betting is that you get to be part of the action. You have to be keen on the match if you want to place a likely live bet. Therefore, you are advised to choose a sportsbook with special live betting features such as live stream and cash out.
With the functions, you will have complete control of your betting account. After all, the features allow you to watch live football events and withdraw your wager from a bet. But then, before you proceed to the in-play section, note that in-play odds vary depending on the action on the pitch. Furthermore, the operator may lock some markets, making them unavailable for punting.
Differences between NFL and college football
The difference between betting NFL and college football is that there are only 32 teams in the NFL compared to the 130 schools playing FBS NCAA football. It’s much easier for books and bettors to track stats, info, and breaking news on the NFL than keeping up with all those college teams.
The level of parity is also closer in the NFL than college football, which means spreads are much smaller than those sometimes seen when betting on NCAA football. It’s rare to see NFL favorites of more than 20 points while prevalent in the college ranks.
Tips and Strategies For Betting On Football
Placing winning bets is not easy whether you are an expert or amateur punter. That is why you should adhere to the tips and strategies below for betting on football.
Look out For the Best Available Odds
Bookies offer different football odds depending on the betting market. You need to make sure you look for the best odds available. To get competitive odds, compare multiple sportsbooks. Also, check the live and pre-match odds to find out whether they are competitive. Note that the bigger the odds, the bigger the profits. Another important aspect to consider is the odds formats. A bookie with different odds formats such as Hong Kong, Malay, Indo, and Decimal is the most recommended.
Take Advantage of Matched Betting and Arbitrage Betting
Matched betting and Arbitrage betting are types of football punting to consider if you want to increase your winning chances. In matched betting, you use the bookie’s bonus, for instance, the free bets credited to win real cash. That is by placing a match bet using the promo amount. On the other hand, Arbitrage entails placing different outcomes of the same event on different sportsbooks, altogether covering the risk.
Follow Football Tipsters and Their Expert Predictions
You need to follow football tipsters and make use of their expert predictions. That alone will see you increase your chances of placing successful bets. Football tipsters often do thorough research on different football games before providing expert predictions. Using their football betting advice can save you time when placing football bets. They can also come in handy if you are an amateur punter.
Keep Track of Your Betting Record
You need to keep track of your football betting records. That is by analysing your losses and wins in different football events. To make record tracking easy, make sure you keep detailed football betting notes. Using the records, you can easily identify which betting methods are working. You can also determine whether it is time to come up with a new betting system.
Take the Small Wins and Profits
You need to celebrate small wins and profits. Such wins can help you maintain your bankroll. Moreover, when put together, small profits are substantial. By taking small wins, you will not have the urge to win big, a step that might lead to significant losses. The betting strategy is important to keep in mind, especially if you are new to sports gambling.
Where is the best football prediction site?
Every day of the week we produce a bet of the day for punters, usually around odds of evens, which we believe has the best chance of winning after extensive analysis.
How to bet and win?
There is no foolproof way to bet on football and win. Instead you need to take into account a huge number of factors before making your selection. The sport is unpredictable and that is why we love it so there is no such thing as a guarantee when it comes to football betting.
The best NFL betting sites
Football is the most bet-on sport in North America, and bettors love wagering on NFL games every week during the fall and winter. Make sure you place your football bets at a site that’s safe, secure, and trustworthy. We’ve rounded up all the best football betting sites so you can make smarter football bets.
NFL betting forum
Join a large and knowledgeable community of NFL bettors and learn more about football betting. Go to Covers’ NFL betting forum to get picks, ask questions, and more.