How to win at online football betting?

We have written this guide sharing all the information you need to know to understand how football sports betting works. It is indeed the sport that we master the best and on which we place almost all of our bets. By the end of this reading you will have all the information you need to bet on football and win money.

If you are new to sports betting I invite you to read our guide for beginner bettors in parallel.

Best bookmakers to bet on football

All bookmakers of course allow you to bet football. To help you choose we have compiled a comparison of the best football match bookmakers.

The ideal is to open an account on three or more sites in order to take advantage of their welcome offer on the first deposit and always have the best odds on the soccer bets that interest you.

The welcome bonus allows you not to take too much risk on your first bet because you are refunded in cash or free bets (freebets) if you lose.

What are the different types of football betting?

Many bets are available on football matches, we present you the most common and popular with tipsters.

Bet on the outcome of the match (1X2)

Also called 3ways, this is the most classic bet and always tops the pages of every game. It consists in betting on the results, that is to say betting on the victory of the team which receives or moves or on a draw.

For example for a “Classic” between PSG and OM you choose who will win or if the match will end in a draw.

Bet on draws

If you are looking for good odds to play, draws are very interesting to play with the odds usually around 3-3.5. We particularly enjoyed this during the 2018-2019 La Liga season, with Athletic Bilbao in particular who had drawn many matches.

Bet on goals scored (over / under)

Over / under bets consist of betting on the number of goals that will be in the match: over / under 1, 2, 3 …

On Arjel bookmakers you will find them in the form +1.5, -2.5, +3.5

You can bet on the number of goals at the final whistle, at half-time, in the second half but also on a more precise period of the match (eg: first quarter of an hour of the second half).

It is a forecast asking you to analyze the statistics of the teams but also on the form of the moment and absences. Especially if the scorer of one of the two teams is absent.

They are popular with punters because it doesn’t matter who wins, what matters to you is the number of goals. If you play the over, you can validate your predictions in a few minutes.

Bet on Both Teams To Score (BTTS)

You will often read the English acronym BTTS meaning “Both eam to score”, it is a bet that we like to play a lot because as for the over ones no need to wait 90 minutes to validate. You may sometimes find odds greater than 2.

In our match analyzes you will often find this type of football bet.

Combined bets

First of all, know that we are not a fan of multiple bets because in our opinion it is complicated to be profitable in the long term.

Combined bets consist of placing several bets on the same ticket. You can mix without any problem. For example on the same ticket you could have: Lionel Messi scorer + victory for PSG + over 2.5 goals over Liverpool – Manchester City.

Unless you are betting with a special bet giving you the right to make a mistake (eg 2/3), a basic combination bet is of course lost on the slightest failure.

Paris live

Bookmakers also all offer the possibility of betting live on the outcome of the match. For example if a team loses but you feel they have the means to come back in the match and win, you can bet on this team live. With an odds which in this case will often be very interesting, depending on the minute of play.

You can also take advantage of the cash out option offered by certain sites such as Bwin or Betclic and which allows you to withdraw your winnings on your football prediction before the end of the match.

Scorers

In addition to being able to bet on a player’s goal at any time during the match, you can also bet on a specific quarter of an hour. Doubles or triplets are also available as well as a bet combining a scorer and the victory of his team.

It is possible to bet on a non-starting goalscorer but you risk that he comes into play too late to have enough time to score. Imagine for example that the non-titular goalscorer on which you bet comes into play in the 85th minute, the bet will still be accounting since he plays. Kylian Mbappé often scores at the end of the match and if he starts on the bench it is in this specific case interesting to try.

How to analyze a football match?

In order to bet on football well and win money, it is important to analyze the matches correctly, taking into account the factors listed below.

Difference in level between the two teams

The first thing to analyze is the level difference in our opinion between the two teams, but just relying on that will not be enough to make you win money in football betting. Indeed, many punters rely only on the classification to bet while thinking “safe” for example to bet on the victory of the leader on the outside on the lawn of the 15th.

By level difference we mean a whole series of factors:

What teams have they played against?
Are they good outside / home? (additional to the previous question)
Our impression of the displayed level of play

Shape of the moment

Look at the results of the last matches of the teams taking into account the quality of the opponent in front. For example if you analyze to bet on FC Valence and you see that they are on two defeats in a row but that it was against FC Barcelona and Atlético de Madrid, it is to be taken into account.

For a quick overview of the state of form over the last five or ten games overall, home or away, you can go to Flashscore or Forebet that we use.

Stakes of the match

It is also important to analyze the stakes for both teams. It takes into account the schedule, for example if one of the two teams plays an important cup match or if they have to face a direct opponent for maintenance in the next match. We advise you not to bet on friendly matches which are no stakes.

History between the two teams

To quickly find the history of the last matches between the two teams simply tap on Google: history + the match. Example: historic PSG Monaco. You will be able to see if there is a “bête noire” team. Such as for example Bordeaux which has not lost at home against OM for over 40 years!

Absences: injuries and suspensions

Remember to look at absences and suspensions before placing your bet. Also inquire about a possible rotation or misform of a key player who would not be starting. For this, you can follow sports information sites or for injuries and suspensions go to the Injuries and Suspensions site .

If you bet on goal scorers, it is important to wait for the team roster to place your bet. Indeed, if in the end the player is on the bench and only enters for the last few minutes, the bet will still be counted and you will have little chance of winning it.

How to bet on football?

To bet well on football as for other sports, the ideal is to know the round ball and the teams of the matches on which you are going to bet. If you follow the football carefully and watch a lot of matches, it is a big plus for you and saves time in your analyzes. Indeed, you will be more likely to find a “value bet”, that is to say a bet which according to you has a too high odds compared to the probability that this bet is winning.

Example: Unibet would give odds of 5 on a team win, which would mean that the bookmaker thinks the team is the underdog in this match and has a fairly low probability of winning. After your analysis and thanks to your knowledge, you could find this rating overvalued and therefore decide to bet on it. This is called a value bet.

The most exciting football competitions to play are of course the World Cup, Euro and Champions League .

Bookmakers allow you to play at all the world championships including even lower divisions.

We focus on the top 5 in European football on weekends.

Bundesliga: The German football first division is known to be very attacking. There are usually a lot of goals on league days, so the Bundesliga is a league that we particularly like to follow. When we think of the German league, we necessarily think directly of Bayern and Borussia Dortmund but there are many teams that play ball well in Germany, including Bayer Leverkusen and RB Leipzig.

When we bet we often like to follow the match live to vibrate and betting on the Bundesliga usually ensures zero boredom. One of our favorite championships!

Premier League: the most watched championship in the world with shocks or derby almost every weekend. Guaranteed show in the Premier League knowing that the behemoths of the championship can be hooked by teams at the bottom of the table.
Liga: along with Barça, Real Madrid, Atlético and Sevilla FC, LaLiga is the Premier League’s main competitor and one of the favorite championships for sports bettors. Known for playing well, the Spanish championship is also very tight this season.
Serie A: Previously known for its catenaccio, the Italian football first division is now a more spectacular championship. We think in particular of Atalanta Bergamo which seduced us last season by being the European team with the most impact. Juventus chained the titles but the gap narrowed last season and Antonio Conte’s Inter came very close to taking the title.
Ligue 1: if you are French, we advise you to avoid betting on your favorite team (ditto for a foreign club!). Indeed, your judgment may be biased during your analysis of the match. Ligue 1 is, as you may not know, the most spectacular European championship, but there are good odds to try!

How to make money betting on football?

Remember that despite all the analyzes you can do, sports betting remains a game of chance. So bet according to your means.

You will become profitable with the experience acquired, good analyzes and management of your bankroll. There is no silver bullet to winning at sports betting.

Analyzes: Make sure you analyze matches correctly and don’t bet on impulse.
Bankroll management: set a certain percentage depending on your confidence in the bet. Don’t make the beginner’s mistake to send 50% of your bankroll on a bet!
Knowledge: we recommend to specialize in a sport. If you bet on football you can even specialize in specific championships to acquire good knowledge.

Calendar of football competitions in 2021

The CAN has been postponed to 2022 due to Covid-19, which should not be the case with Euro 2020 which is for the moment still maintained for the month of June although we do not yet know if it will argue as expected across all of Europe or in a single country.

2021 is also a year of Copa America which will take place in July in Colombia and Argentina. Without forgetting the Olympic Games where the Seleçao will challenge its title won in Rio in 2016 by beating Germany in the final on penalties with Neymar in particular in its squad.

FAQ – Online football betting

Can I cancel a football bet already placed?

No, once the bet has been validated you cannot cancel it. Unless the “Cash Out” option is available on the bet. If so, withdraw your bet this way. If in the meantime the odds of the team you bet on has dropped you will be in profit.

What happens if a non-starting goalscorer does not come into play?

If the player does not enter the game your bet is reimbursed by the bookmaker at 100%. But if he plays even just one minute, it’s lost!

Does extra time count in bets?

Yes, additional time counts in sports betting. On the other hand, this is not the case for extensions on 1X2 type bets. There is a specific bet for “overtime wins” or you can simply bet on the team qualifying.

How to win football for sure?

Sports betting is a game of chance, so there is no way of winning for sure on matches! However, you will be profitable in the long term by following our advice above, especially by managing your bets correctly!

What is a football value bet?

A value bet is a bet that seems a good opportunity to you compared to the odds offered by the bookmaker. Imagine that OM is quoted at 2.50 by the bookmaker when in your opinion the odds should not exceed 1.90 because you see them winning. This would then be a value according to you. Another case in point, a value bet can also be a bet that is better rated on one bookmaker than another.