How to Bet on Football
It seems everywhere you look there is a promotion for football betting. TV adverts, advertising boards and internet pop-ups all try to convince us to join up to a different sportsbook and take advantage of their latest new customer offer.
But, how does betting on football work?
If you’re a betting virgin, or you just need to refresh your mind, here is a step-by-step guide to give you all the information you need regarding how to bet on football.
Check the Latest Fixtures
Before deciding who to bet on, how much you’re going to bet and what type of bet you will have, you need to know who’s playing who.
Sites like football.co.uk have up-to-date fixtures for English and Scottish leagues, whilst you can find daily fixture lists from every country imaginable at worldfootball.net.
Once you are armed with the latest fixtures you can move on to the next step.
Study Form, Statistics and Team News
So, you know the latest fixtures but just randomly selecting a team to back based on who’s playing who is akin to sticking a pin in a newspaper and hoping for the best.
To find out as much information as you can, you need to study recent form, league tables, head to head records and every other statistic which could give you more chance of winning. You also need to check team news for injuries, suspensions or key players being rested.
Team A may be top of the table and playing at home to 16th placed Team B, but are resting players due to a big cup game a few days later. Team A have also lost their last three home games against team B. Information like this can completely alter the outcome of a match, so you need to know as much as you can before parting with your cash.
Find Out the Odds
While you are studying the statistics, it’s also wise you find out the betting odds as well. These can sometimes be found printed in newspapers, but there are sites like oddschecker.com which will have a list of matches with odds from several top bookmakers.
By finding out the odds, you can see how the experts think the match will pan out.
Choose Where to Bet
Choosing where to bet is a big decision because different bookmakers or online sportsbooks will have their own special offers.
Some will offer new customer bonuses, some will offer free bets, and some may have better odds. Also, you may choose to place a bet at a bookmaker which doesn’t cover the bet you want.
It’s also wise to check things such as in-play betting and cash-out capabilities, which can help to maximise your winning potential when betting.
Set Yourself a Limit
To place a bet, you must deposit money with an online sportsbook or pay cash over the counter at a betting shop.
Before doing this, it’s advisable to set yourself a budget or betting limit. Sports betting is fun when done responsibly but you don’t want to find yourself with empty pockets and a bank balance of zero.
Work out how much money you have spare, after paying out the vital things in life, and do not exceed the limit you set yourself.
If you win, you have more to play with and if you lose, you wait until next time.
Place Your Bets
Now you’re armed with the latest fixtures, up-to-date statistics and betting odds, you know where to go to place the bet you want, and you’ve set yourself a betting limit, it’s time to place the bet.
Most online sportsbooks will have step-by-step instructions for you to follow if you don’t know what you’re doing.
Online, you’ll find a football section with lists of matches and types of bets. You can click these to find the bet you want to place. By following the instructions and simply clicking in the right place, you’ll find yourself taken to “My Betting Slip” where you can review your bets before parting with your money.
If you choose to go to a betting shop, you can find help and advice with our online guide or ask a member of staff to point you in the right direction.
Check the Scores
Now you’ve placed your bet you will want to keep up-to-date with the latest scores. This way, you can check how your bet is getting on.
By using an online sportsbook, you can find live streams on matches you’ve bet on as well as in-play and cash out options.
If you place your bet in an actual betting shop, you can still use the online sportsbook to see what’s happening. You can also find the scores on TV or one of several live score websites.
Still Confused?
We completely understand. The world of football betting can be a very confusing one! Perhaps you would like to read our beginners guide to football betting?