Soccer Betting
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Last Updated: In soccer, there are three possible outcomes: win, lose or draw. The likelihood of one team beating the other is reflected in the odds.
Soccer is the single most popular sport in the world. It only makes sense that it's one of the most popular sports to bet on as well. Soccer adds an extra element to betting that means that bettors will have slightly longer odds to play with, along with one more variable to consider when betting.
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Soccer Betting Tips
Betting On Soccer
In soccer, there are three possible outcomes to a match: win, lose or draw. The likelihood of one team beating the other is reflected in the betting odds placed by services for NJ sports betting. For example, if a UEFA Champions League favorite were to play an English Premier League team on the verge of relegation, the odds for the Champions League favorite to win would be much shorter than those of a team in fear of relegation.
The draw market in this game would also be a bigger price, since the probability of a Champions League favorite victory would be high. However, in a game of this nature, there is little point in placing a bet on the heavy favorite to win, because the odds would be so short that the return would be very small, unless a very large wager was made. This can be seen on PA sports betting sites for example.
As a result of this, bettors find plenty of other soccer betting markets at online sportsbooks that offer more than just the standard win, lose or draw outcomes. "First scorer", "anytime scorer", "correct score", and "half-time/full-time" are just some of the varied options available to a backer. When it comes to soccer betting, online sportsbooks now offer a wide range of markets that cover just about any potential eventuality, should you fancy putting your knowledge of the game to test.
Most Popular Soccer Betting Markets
First Scorer
One of the most popular soccer betting markets is the "first scorer" market, where a prospective better can place a wager on the team and player he thinks is going to score first in the match. The odds are better for the "first scorer" market because there is a chance that any one of twenty two players (plus oncoming substitutes) could be the first to score.
Half Time/Full Time
Another popular soccer betting market is the "half-time/full-time", where you can place money on one team being ahead at half time and the other at full time, or vice versa. Alternatively, the player can gamble that one team will be ahead at both half and full time, or that it will be a draw at half-time and one of the teams will go on to win at full-time. Lastly, the bettor can wager that the score will be a draw both midway through and at the end of the game.
Parlay
One of the most popular methods of soccer betting comes in the form of a parlay bet. Here, bettors increase the potential return on their wager by betting on numerous teams to win, lose or draw, shortening their odds with every game but putting themselves in with the chance of a windfall. The number of teams you can bet on is entirely up to you, as is the stake, and your odds reflect the likelihood that all lines of the bet are successful.
Both Teams to Score
Similarly, it is now possible to bet on "both teams to score". This is pretty self-explanatory, in that a better is again given a list of matches, and asked to pick games in which he thinks both teams will score. The difference is that there are now only two possible outcomes: "will score/won’t score" as opposed to the win, lose, or draw outcome in parlay bets.
Most Popular Soccer Leagues to Bet On
Most leagues have odds available, like the EFL Championship and Scottish Premiership, but some leagues are more popular than others.
Premier League
The most popular soccer league to bet on is the English Premier League, more commonly known as just the Premier League or EPL. Touting a wealth of the world's top clubs including Manchester City, Liverpool, and Arsenal, each Premier League season is chock-full of attention-grabbing matchups. The element of quality match-ups combined with the seemingly limitless betting markets offered on the league, betting on the Premier League is not just for UK residents but for soccer bettors all over the world.
FA Cup
As the Premier League reaches later into the season, it begins to overlap with the FA Cup, the most famous knockout tournament in English soccer. The FA Cup is the chance for every team in England to win glory for their side, though it's usually won by a Premier League club. However, the tournament offers some unpredictability because stronger sides play youth players and get surprised by lower level sides, leading to decent odds for bettors.
La Liga
Spain's top professional soccer league, La Liga, is considered by many to be second only to the EPL when it comes to the world's top leagues. Despite trying to create parity throughout all its clubs, La Liga touts an extremely top heavy league with some of the most quality teams out there. But, it's the players in the league pushing it to such heights of popularity. It seems the world's best players always end up on a La Liga squad at some point (and typically together on the same team).
Bundesliga
Fans of professional soccer in Germany might have some discrepancies with the order of this list as many experts and bettors around the world view Germany's Bundesliga as the closet competition to the Premier League. Touting some of the highest quality players as well as a worldwide powerhouse in Bayern Munich, the Bundesliga has definitely been pushing to #2 on this list after quality performances by its teams in the last few major international tournaments this decade.
Serie A
Italy's Serie A has been a staple among elite soccer leagues around the world for sometime now but, unfortunately, its degree of popularity, especially in terms of betting, has decreased over the years. Serie A is certainly still a top league claiming some of the world's best players and teams but the league is still well behind leagues like the EPL in terms of bettors' interest.
Champions League
Known as the most coveted top level soccer prize in Europe and renowned as a highly wagered event, this competitions garners millions of pounds in bets from its beginning in July to its end in June. The blend of continental playing styles in the Champions League makes the early stages unpredictable and the late stages truly exciting. The contest retains a massive fan following throughout each qualifying club’s season, and the final is one of the world’s most watched sporting events every year without fail.
Major League Soccer
The top flight of American soccer, MLS is not considered to be on the level of it's European counterparts, but has come into it's own with several additions in the late 2010's and some upcoming talent. Several factors mean that MLS has more parity when it comes to the league title, as well as more tossup matches and upsets.
MLS Cup
In the same vein, the MLS Cup is nearly its own competition. Decided by the league table at the end of the regular season, much like other American sports. The MLS Cup is the grand prize in American soccer, and is thus one of the heaviest bet competitions in American soccer.
Most Popular International Competitions to Bet On
In addition to club-level soccer betting, there's also international tournaments for bettors to take advantage of. Less numerous due to most tournaments being held every few years vs yearly, the rarity helps drive interest and betting when tournaments occur.
The FIFA World Cup
Perhaps the best known competition in soccer, the World Cup sums up everything that fans adore about the beautiful game. With the world’s highest level international trophy on the line, the competition always produces bouts of fascinating, dramatic and heroic action, with players giving everything for their country.
Naturally, due to the high stakes, the competition goes down a treat in the betting world. Millions of fans all over the world like to put a bet on every 4 years to see who will emerge victorious as World Cup champions.
UEFA European Championship
Second in viewership only to the World Cup, the European Championship (The Euros) is the top-level continental competition for countries in Europe. The Euros always produce excellent quality soccer and continue to retain bettors’ interest at the bookies. The competition takes place every 4 years, with 2 year intervals between it and the World Cup.
Copa America
South America is the home of some of the world’s most passionate soccer fans. The continent produces incredibly skillful and technically superb soccer players and as such, the Copa América (America Cup) is immensely popular at the bookmakers. Due to the limited number of registered confederations, countries from other continents are often invited to participate (such as Japan or the USA), making up the 12 teams required.
How To Assess Team Value in Soccer Betting
Anyone can visit a sports bookmaker and put a bet down on their favorite soccer team. But to be an effective bettor, it does take some thought, analysis, and strategy. The vast majority of soccer bets are made on the back of an individual’s loyalty to a particular team. However, over the course of a season, it doesn’t make financial sense to blindly back your preferred team simply because they’re playing.
Instead, before the soccer leagues resume, try to get to grips with the premise of ‘value’. Essentially, value is determined by assessing what you think the chances are of a team’s victory against the prices that bookmakers are offering on that result. If you think a team has value, it is because you think the rewards of betting on them to win outweigh the risk.
It's important to remember that odds don't necessarily reflect the real chances of a team winning or losing a match, because the action on a game can and will shift odds if betting is particularly heavy on one team. Bookmakers aren't in the business of offering exact probability, they simply want to keep the betting even on teams.
The biggest thing to keep in mind if one plans to become a serious bettor is to be familiar with both teams involved with a given match. Being familiar with the teams will help you recognize value in a bet, especially if an underdog is undervalued compared to their actual ability.
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