Making money from your passion for the game

Everyone knows that football is the biggest sport on the planet. It is also among the most lucrative. Players earn salaries that we can only dream of, clubs attract multi million pound sponsorship deals and the TV broadcasting and online streaming rights are worth millions.

This might give enterprising football fans pause for thought. Are we simply there to line the pockets of the Footballing Gods in return for the pleasure we derive from watching the beautiful game? Or is there an opportunity to take a little slice of the pie with a side hustle or two of our own? Here are some ideas.

Sports betting

Of course, this would not be much of a tipster site if we did not consider the option of making some money from the bookmakers. There are two things to consider in order to make sports betting lucrative: How you bet and where you bet. Let’s tackle the second question first. We all know there’s literally hundreds of betting sites out there, so use a tool like the gambling app store to find out which ones are offering the best deals. For example, the bet365 app for Android is getting rave reviews from users at the moment, and offers some tempting bonuses.

Once you have your weapon of choice it is time to start placing bets. This is the point where your football knowledge can put you in good stead, as long as you allow it to. Bet with the head, not the heart, even if it means betting against your favourite team. Also keep a look out for the specials, such as “next Premier League manager to leave” or the various bets on offer whenever the transfer window swings open.

Blogging

The fact that you are reading this means you know all about football blogs. Perhaps you read through these articles and disagree with what you see, or would like to share your own perspective. Anyone can start a blog of their own, and if you have something unique, knowledgeable and most of all, interesting to say and you promote your blog through social media, you will soon acquire a following.

Once you have traffic, there are various ways to monetise your blog with advertising or affiliate activities.

Become a commentator

Think you’re an expert? Prove it by providing online analysis and commentary on the games that matter. All it takes is a YouTube channel, and if you’re as good as you say you are, you’ll attract viewers in no time. Good YouTube channels go viral very quickly, so if you can make a success of it, advertising opportunities will soon follow.

Fantasy football

Fantasy football leagues have exploded in popularity in the internet age, so this is another area where those with a little imagination and some determination can make money. Set up a site that is all about the fantasy leagues, and find ways to add value through affiliation deals, for example with ticket sellers or merchandisers.