How To Bet on Football: The Ultimate Guide for Beginners
Introduction
Most people know that football (or soccer in North America) is the most popular sport in the world. Not surprisingly, betting on football is also the most common type of bets placed on sports events. Other than the popularity of the sport itself, placing a bet on football, is not very complicated even for absolute beginners. There are, however, a few factors to be aware of before you place your first bet on a football game.
In this guide I will give you a crash course on online football betting rules and what to expect when you bet on the world's most popular sport.
What Types of Football Bets Are There?
How to bet on football is a general term. There are many bet types when it comes to sports betting. Truth be told, they are all quite simple and self-explanatory. But there are a few that may appear confusing if you are new to betting on football and just going based on their name. Here I will go over some of the main ones:
Point Spread
One of the most common types of sports bets is point spread betting, which is basically another name for handicap betting. If you place a bet on a side that starts with a 1.5-goal advantage, the other must win by two or more goals for a bet on them to win. To avoid a tie or a draw, handicaps are generally given in half-goal amounts.
Totals
There are different types of totals bets. It is generally quite simple and is a great option if you don’t want to predict what team will win a match. You can place bets on Over/Under Total Goals, you can place a bet on the exact number of goals, or totals by half time, total goals by team, etc. Always remember though, other than your instinct, checking the formation of the team, their attack or defense quality, can give you an idea of how many goals may be scored.
Moneyline
The moneyline, or straight up bet, also known as match outcome odds, is the simplest obvious bet. You essentially decide which team you believe will win. You have probably already made this kind of bet in real life if you make a bet with a friend that a team or a person will win a challenge. It doesn’t matter how and with what score, a win, is a win.
Props
Proposition bet (also called prop bet, side bet) is the kind of bet that is made on a proposition that an event will or will not take place. For example, First to Score is a type of prop bet, where you get to bet on which team will be the first to score. As in this example, for most prop bets, the final result of the game is irrelevant.
Futures
The futures bet is another common type of bet. This is a wager in which you bet on something that will not be determined by a single game. Essentially, this is a bet on the team you believe will win a tournament or be the season's champion. These bets can be placed at the start of the season or tournament, but they can also be placed at any time throughout the season or tournament.
Betting on Football Online
One thing that makes football an appealing sport to bet on, is the fact that virtually every nation globally has leagues of their own, with at least one pro team. The popularity of the sport also makes accurate data more readily available, which makes payouts less complicated and quicker. The variety of available bets are also another wonderful advantage of betting on soccer.
As for how to bet on football, in terms of the mechanics of it, it is quite simple in most sports betting sites to place your bet. On CannonBet for example, all you need is to register, if you already aren’t a member, go to the Sports section and see the available games. There are pre-match bets, live games, a variety of leagues and sports, and a live TV where you can watch your choice of game.
Essential Tips for Beginners
No matter the type of betting you engage in, there are some things to always keep in mind. You can always take a look at my online betting guide for beginners to ensure your online gambling safety.
Dedicate a Budget
I have spoken at length about this here. But it’s worth mentioning again. Set a limit for yourself and practice walking away from a win, or loss, when you reach it. Make sure you don’t go over the budget allocated for this particular form of entertainment.
Be Patient
In its essence, gambling means you win some, and you inevitably lose some. Even with your knowledge of the history of your favorite soccer, they can have a bad game, or the underdog has a surprisingly good game. Don’t let a loss push you to make a rash decision. You’ll get it next time!
Follow the Sport Closely
Having a solid knowledge of the game is always important. Always follow the team and the league you are interested in so you can make an informed decision. It’s now easier than ever to find relevant information. You can sign up for news updates on your favorite sport, follow social media accounts that share relevant updates and don’t rush into making the first bet you see.
Compare Odds
Knowing how the odds work is one thing, it’s another to know where to place your bet. There are sites that help you compare odds in various sites, but it’s important to not only follow the highest odds given for a particular game, but other offers and bonuses you may qualify for. In CannonBet for instance, there are daily deals, on top of competitive odds. Each league or tournament has its own special offer so it makes decision making much easier.
Improving Your Football Betting Skills
In order to learn how to bet on football, you need to also be aware, that there are various factors that affect the outcome of a soccer game. Knowing what new player has been bought by your team of choice, their previous stats, their attack or defensive tactics, even the pitch condition, the weather or having the home advantage, could impact the game results.
Aside from that, look at all types of bets available to you. Diversify your bet slip, betting on corners, double chance bets, where you increase the probability of winning by choosing two out of three outcomes or number of goals scored rather than determining a winner in a close game,
Conclusion
Placing a bet on a soccer game makes watching the game so much more exciting, regardless of the league. As long as you have done your research in the team of your choice, you know the main types of bets included in this article, and choose a trustable website, betting on football is one of the simplest forms of online betting that could be quite lucrative too.
About The Author: John Duncan is a web operation executive at CannonBet. Born and raised in the cybersecurity world. He authors guides on cybersecurity and safety and loves sharing the best practices. You can contact the author via email.