Football is one of the most popular sports for betting. According to an analysis by Sportradar, an estimated 70 per cent of bets come from wagering on football worldwide.
With such a competitive environment, it is important for bettors to understand the market and ways to effectively place their bets.
In this article, we look at some of the important football betting tips that can help punters wager effectively.
Understanding the betting market
Before placing their bets, punters need to have an understanding of the football betting market. The standard and most common type of bet in football is the match result bet where bettors need to predict the outcome of the match.
Besides, some of the other popular bets that most bookmakers offer include double chance bets, handicap bets, and over or under bets.
Researching players and the teams
It is advisable for bettors to do thorough research about the players, their availability, head-to-head record as well as the team’s recent performance before wagering.
Researching before placing the bets is extremely important as it can make the difference between winning and losing a bet.
Trying out matched betting
Matched bets allow punters to utilise their free bets by laying off their bet through betting exchange in return for profits. Matched betting is one of the popular strategies used by experienced bettors.
Avoid going by gut feeling
Gut feeling counts for little in winning consistently in football betting. Researching well about the game, checking out the recent form, managing budgets, and strategizing the type of bet are some of the techniques that can help punters win.
How does football betting work?
The procedure for betting on a football match is more or less similar for every bookmaker. Once a punter registers with a bookmaker, he has to select a match of his choice from the list of options available and accordingly place his bets.
Different bookmakers offer different types of bets.
What are the different types of football bets?
Match bet
Match betting is the most common type of bet for punters to wager on. In this type of bet, bettors can choose three outcomes – home team win, away team win or a draw.
Half-time or full-time bet
In this type of bet, punters can predict the score at half-time or full-time. Punters need to have a thorough knowledge of the teams and the players in the line-up to effectively place this bet.
Double chance bet
A double chance bet allows punters to select a combination of two outcomes and wager on them. For example, a player can bet on a draw and a team’s win at the same time. A double chance bet has lower odds but is one of the best ways to lower the risk of losing.
Over / Under betting
In this type of betting, punters need to estimate if the number of goals scored by a team in a match will be over or under a certain value. Goals, corners, and cards are some of the events on which punters can wager on.
Handicap bet
Handicap betting, also known as point betting or line betting is used to even out the contest between two opponents that are said to be unevenly matched. In a handicap bet, bettors have an option to wager on a scoreline with a plus and minus figure. For example, a team gets (+2,5): meaning, a team is virtually assigned two goals before the beginning of the match.
If a player places a handicap bet on the team and if it loses 1:3, the player will still stand a chance of winning the bet (since the addition of the handicap bet will result in a scoreline reading 3,5:3)
Handicap bets can also be placed with the minus value. These types of bets can be placed for teams that have a strong chance of winning by a big margin.
Which are the popular football betting sites in India?
Bet365, Betway, Parimatch, Betwinner and 1xBet are some of the most popular football betting sites in India. All the bookmakers have exciting welcome bonuses and promotional offers, making them one of the preferred options for punters to place their bets.