How to Bet on Soccer

Deciding Where to Bet

Choose a bookmaker with a good reputation. Whether you bet at a casino or online, select a bookmaker with a good reputation. The venue or site should have its licenses in order and offer excellent customer service. The site should accept common payment methods and excellent security. Talk to other bettors and do look around online for recommendations from others before deciding whether you want to bet online or in person.

Find a betting venue. Betting on soccer and other sports is illegal in the United States except in Las Vegas. If you want to bet on soccer, you will need to go to a casino that offers sports betting in Las Vegas. There are many casinos that offer betting on sports in Las Vegas. Look for a casino that offers big screen TVs and drinks, allowing you to relax in comfort while watching the game you’ve bet on. Do not hire a proxy to bet on your behalf in Las Vegas, as this is illegal.

Bet on soccer online. Instead of betting in person -- which can be inconvenient if you're not near a sports-betting venue -- try online betting. To bet on soccer online, you must find a reputable bookie (a site that takes bets on sporting events) online. Register an account with the site and put currency in your account. Many sites allow you to use Bitcoins or link your PayPal account for easy betting and payouts. 5Dimes and Bovada (www.bovada.lv) are two of the most well-known sports betting sites. Online betting for sports is of questionable legality, but nobody has ever been charged with a crime for online soccer gambling. However, double check your local requirements to ensure you can gamble online.

Maximizing Your Chances of Winning

Have some knowledge about the sport before betting. If you’re a gambler more than a sports fan, you might view sports betting as just another way to make some cash. However, it’s best to be informed about the teams, players, and trends within the game of soccer before betting on a particular game. Read soccer news and learn to identify matchups that seem to favor one side or another. For instance, if one undefeated team goes up against another team that loses frequently, you would be wise to bet against the team that loses regularly. However, don’t always bet on the favorite. Betting against the favored team can yield big rewards if you win. Run a search for "soccer betting tips" online and do some research before betting on soccer.

Understand the odds. Odds (or fixed odds) are calculations used to determine how much you’ll earn from a given bet. Odds are typically represented as a number that you can multiply by your total bet to figure your winnings. For instance, assume you bet $100 on a game with odds of 1.5 in Germany’s favor. When Germany wins, you will receive $150 (1.5 times the $100 you bet). An “odds on” wager is one where the amount you can win is less than what you bet initially. In the above example, the $150 represents your $100 bet plus $50 extra. These bets are easy to win but offer minimal payout. An “odds against” bet is one in which the amount you win will be more than what you staked. These bets are harder to win but reap greater rewards. Different bookmakers have different odds. Check several bookmakers to get the best odds before making a bet.

Understand moneylines. Another way to represent odds is with moneylines. Moneyline odds are a given number in the hundreds or thousands, accompanied by a plus or a minus. A positive moneyline odds value indicates how much you will earn on an $100 bet. When winning a moneyline bet, you’ll also get your initial betting unit returned. For instance, if you bet $100 on a team with +200 moneyline odds, you’ll get $300 back (your initial investment of $100 plus $200). If you bet $200 on a game with moneyline odds of +100 and win, you’ll get $400 ($100 on the first hundred you spent, another $100 on the second hundred you spent, and your initial $200 investment). Calculate potential profits with positive moneyline odds by dividing the odds by 100, then multiplying the result by your initial stake. Moneyline odds represented as a negative number indicate how much you must invest before earning $100. For instance, if moneyline odds on a team are -100 and you wagered $100 and won, you’d get $200 back (your initial investment of $100 plus $100 in winnings). Calculate potential profits with negative moneyline odds by dividing the odds by 100, then dividing your stake by the result.

Understand the outcome probabilities. Probabilities indicate how likely something is to happen or not happen. Generally, a low value for odds means that the team you’re betting on has a high probability of winning. A high value indicates the team is not favored, and likely to lose. The probabilities of a match’s outcome are usually defined in the range between 0% (no chance) and 100% (a sure bet). Probabilities do not guarantee an outcome. For example, a team might be estimated to have a winning probability of 70%, but still lose. Avoid betting on teams with probabilities for victory of 50% or lower. At that probability, you’re taking a big chance with your money.

Understanding Betting Arrangements

Bet on a two-way moneyline. A two-way moneyline is a bet based on the 90 minutes of primary game time, excluding penalty shootouts, golden goals, or overtime. In this betting arrangement, bettors will bet on one team winning and another team losing. If the team you bet on wins, you will receive a payout. If the team you bet on loses, you will have lost your bet. This type of bet is also known as “draw, no bet.”

Bet on a three-way moneyline. The three-way moneyline is just like the two-way moneyline except that there is an added option to bet on a draw between the two teams. Compared to the two-way moneyline, three-way bets usually have lower odds.

Place a bet on totals. Betting on totals means making a guess as to the average goal count per team in a game. These bets are usually made as “under 2.5,” “over 2.5,” or over/under some other number. This means that you are betting that the average goals per team in the game will be over or under 2.5 (or some other close value). For instance, assume you made a bet that totals would be under 2.5. If both teams scored three goals, the total will be six. Divided by two (the number of teams in the game), you end up with the number three. In that case, you would lose the bet, since the total was above 2.5, not below.

Bet on goal lines. Betting on goal lines means making a bet based on what the difference in two teams’ scores will be. Like bets on totals, these bets are made as an over/under statement, typically “under 0.5,” “over 0.5,” or over/under some similar value. For instance, if you bet “over 2.5” on a game, it means that you believe the winning team will be victorious by at least three goals. When betting on goal lines, you usually need to call the bet as well by indicating which team you think will win. For instance, you might bet, “France +2.5 goals,” meaning you believe France will win the game by at least three goals. Keep the over/under value relatively low. The higher the goal line bet you make, the riskier it is to win it. This type of bet is also known as betting on point spreads.

Make a split bet. A variation of the goal lines bet is the split bet. In this model, you might bet on over/under two close numbers. For instance, a split bet might be “over 2 / 2.5.” This means half the money you pay is on a bet that assumes the total goal difference between the two teams will be over two goals, and the other half of your money is bet on an outcome in which the difference between the two goal totals is greater than 2.5. Sometimes you will get refunded and win the other half of the bet. If you bet over 2 / 2.5, for instance, and the game ends with a score of 2-0, you will get a refund for half the bet’s value and lose the other half of your bet, since the point spread was not over 2.5, and landed exactly on 2.

Placing Your Bet

Decide on your maximum budget. Decide how much you want to spend on betting. This amount -- known as your bankroll -- will vary widely depending on your income. Be honest with yourself about how much money you have to invest in betting. When deciding how much your bankroll will be should, you should acknowledge that it’s possible that you’ll lose the entire bankroll. On the one hand, a budget that is too high may result in personal bankruptcy. A bankroll that is too low, on the other hand, will limit your ability to reap big rewards from betting. The “rule of thumb” for a beginner's maximum bankroll is $1,000. Do not bet on soccer unless you have sufficient funds.

Decide on your maximum bet. Once you’ve decided how much money you have to play with when betting, you will need to decide how much you want to place per bet. This amount is known as your betting unit size. Don’t place your whole bankroll on one bet. You risk losing it all at once. Conservative or new bettors should bet about 1-2% of their bankroll on an individual bet. For instance, if you have $1,000, you might drop $10 on a single bet. Seasoned bettors might wager 3% of their bankroll on well-founded bet. Your absolute maximum betting unit size should not exceed 5% of your bankroll.

Place your bet. Choose the game or team you want to bet on. Once you’ve registered with the gambling site or entered the casino, make a stake on a game or team you like. Do not put all your money on one outcome or one game. Distribute your risk by betting on multiple games. Limiting your maximum bet will increase your chances to win. The “rule of thumb” for a beginner's maximum bet is $50. If you do lose, be prepared to walk away, no matter how tempted you are to continue. You don't want to lose even more. Never make a bet when you’re drunk or tired.

Know when to quit. If you win, don't get carried away. Enjoy what you've won by cashing out and coming back later. Set specific guidelines for success when betting on soccer. Your goals should be realistic and achievable. For instance, you might decide to cash out when you’ve earned over $100. Make rules for yourself to prevent excessive loss. For instance, you might decide that if you lose more than $100 on a game, you will stop betting and wait for another day to try again. Gambling can be addictive. If you are experiencing a problem with gambling, tell someone or call your local helpline.