Soccer Betting Guide

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Soccer Betting Guide
Key Takeaways
  • Capitalize on Top Scorer and Each Way Markets.
    Betting on top scorers offers long-term value, especially if you spot form trends or penalty duties early. Each Way bets can boost returns on higher-odds players if priced right.
  • Explore Varied Soccer Betting Types.
    Explore 1X2 bets, total goals, both teams to score, and live betting. These markets offer flexibility when predicting match winners is tough.
  • Approach Women’s Soccer Differently.
    High-scoring trends, common mismatches, and limited betting data create unique angles for profit. Treat it as a separate discipline with its own strategies.
  • Target Niche Leagues for Value.
    Less popular soccer leagues often feature less precise odds, giving well-informed bettors an edge. Bookmakers focus more on major leagues, creating opportunity elsewhere.
  • Stay Disciplined and Data-Driven.
    Research, bankroll management, tracking bets, and early team news access are essential for long-term success. Avoid chasing losses and bet only what you can afford to lose.

Online soccer betting isn't easy, but adopting the right approach can give you the best chance of success. Eliminating the house edge as much as possible is crucial.

Casual gamblers should avoid common mistakes to beat online sportsbooks consistently.

Speciality Soccer Betting Markets

Top Scorer

Pick the player who will score the most goals throughout the match. The winner nearly always plays for a top-six, and usually a top-four, team. This makes sense, as the best teams typically have the best forwards who score the most goals.

Look at previous years' form, and pay attention to players likely to be on penalty duties, as these can account for several goals. It's worth watching the first few weeks of a season to understand which players are in the best form. You might notice a team getting a difficult run of fixtures, causing their forwards' Top Scorer prices to drift.

This could be an opportunity to pick up longer odds if you anticipate a scoring run later in the season when fixtures become easier. It's common to see big-priced players emerge as contenders in League Top Scorer betting, so it pays to look outside the favorites and identify someone who can put a scoring run together.

These markets are usually listed under “Outright Betting.” Once found, you can scan the list of players and bet on your chosen top scorer. While classically an ante-post market, Top Goalscorer betting markets are generally available week-to-week.

If your Top Scorer selection gets a long-term injury, that long-term bet is over.

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Each Way Top Scorer

Typically, the two types of top scorer markets are “To Win” and “Each Way.”

With the first, you will only win if your selected player scores more goals than any other player in the competition.

"Each Way" requires two stakes: one on the win market and one on the place market. Soccer betting sites typically offer place terms of ¼ odds for the first four places. If your player wins, you get paid on both the win and place parts of your bet. Each-way betting is only worth it if the odds are correct; it makes less sense for a player at 2/1 odds than one at 16/1.

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Other Types of Soccer Bets

  • 1X2: You can bet on the 1x2 market with a strong idea of the winner. 
  • Total Goals: Betting on the Total Goals market is an excellent alternative betting market when you don’t have a strong hunch regarding which team might win the game.
  • Both Teams to Score: For potentially high-scoring matches, consider Both Teams to Score Over 2.5 Goals or even Over 3.5 Goals.
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Popular Soccer Leagues & Competitions to Bet on

  • Major Leagues: Premier League, MLS, La Liga, Bundesliga, Ligue 1, Serie A
  • International Competitions: World Cup 
  • Domestic Competitions: MLS Cup, Champions League, Europa League, EFL Championship, FA Cup

Trends to Consider When Betting on Women’s Soccer

You will generally find the same type of match markets for women’s soccer as men’s; each game lasts 90 minutes, has the same number of players, and follows the same rules.

While there are similarities to men's soccer, it helps to spot subtle differences when betting. It pays to treat this as a distinct sport from the men’s game to stand a greater chance of making a profit.

  1. Possession

    Possession

    You often see the ball in transition a lot more during a game, and it’s certainly worth looking at teams that are more capable of keeping possession. Identifying the side most likely to control the game can unlock the answer to finding the right bet.

  2. Favorites & Mismatches

    Favorites & Mismatches

    Mismatches are common in domestic leagues and major tournaments. Leading nations have invested resources to elevate their teams' technical level, typically featuring competitive domestic leagues. This puts them at an advantage.

    Therefore, it can often be advantageous to side with a favorite on the win market, Asian handicap market, or within parlays.

  3. Total Goals

    Total Goals

    The standard over/under goals line might be 2.5 in men's soccer. However, the Total Goals Line tends to differ for women’s soccer; it’s more common for games to be high-scoring, especially in major tournaments, with the line often being 3.5 or even 4.5 Goals.

    Some bookmakers offer Alternative Total Goals, allowing you to choose the line. It's not uncommon for 7+ goals to be scored in one-sided women's soccer matches.

  4. Live Betting

    Live Betting

    Within minutes of watching a women’s match, you can establish how each team will likely set up and their tactics. One team may look to play on the counter or profit from set pieces, leading to a compact shape.

    For prominent competitions, in-play betting markets are often numerous, and there is frequently an opportunity to cash out with selected markets.

  5. Lack of Data

    Lack of Data

    A significant issue for online sportsbooks is the lack of extensive data on women’s soccer compared to men’s. Bettors can use this to their advantage by mining information and quotes from managers to understand what type of game to expect.

Soccer Betting Strategies & Tips

Target Less Popular Leagues

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Do Not Discount Home-Field Advantage

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Stay Disciplined

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Do Research

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Track Bets to Limit Your Losses

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Access Data

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