{"id":18292,"date":"2021-11-09T09:07:27","date_gmt":"2021-11-09T09:07:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.bonusfinder.com\/?page_id=18292"},"modified":"2024-09-18T14:41:36","modified_gmt":"2024-09-18T14:41:36","slug":"soccer","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.bonusfinder.com\/guide\/sports-betting\/soccer","title":{"rendered":"Soccer Betting Guide"},"content":{"rendered":"

Guide to Soccer Betting<\/h2>\n

Soccer, undoubtedly the biggest sport in the world, attracts fans and players from all corners of the globe. Soccer is still overshadowed in the US by other major sports like football and basketball. Nonetheless, all major sports betting platforms host an extremely impressive selection of soccer games to bet on.<\/p>\n

Understandably enough, most American sports bettors prefer placing their wagers on sports they’re passionate about. Although soccer admittedly attracts a smaller audience of avid sports fans in the US, there’s still a massive amount of dollars placed on different soccer bets. Betting on soccer is somewhat different from other major sports, and grasping the basics can feel daunting at first. In this guide, we introduce the basics you should know before you bet on soccer.<\/p>\n

Soccer Rules – the Basics of the Sport<\/h2>\n

Before betting on soccer, you should understand the basics of the game (unless you feel like going in blind and betting on whatever catches your eye, though we don’t recommend this approach).<\/p>\n

A soccer match consists of two halves of 45 minutes, bringing the duration of the entire game to 90 minutes. Generally speaking, soccer is a low-scoring sport, so no-score ties are not an anomaly. The scoring system is straightforward: one goal equals one score. Unlike many other sports, a soccer game can end in a draw; games ending in no-score ties are not an anomaly. This adds an aspect to soccer betting that many other sports lack: soccer matches could end without a team being crowned the victor, so you can also bet on a tie.<\/p>\n

Soccer events, like tournaments or league cups, bring exceptions to the no-score tie rule. In these soccer events, determining a winning team is essential in order to narrow down the teams proceeding to the following rounds. These so-called knockout matches introduce a concept of extra time: if, after the full 90 minutes, the score is still a tie, the teams will play for two additional 15-minute rounds in order to have a winner. If the extra time still isn’t enough to determine the winning team, the match proceeds to penalty kicks.<\/p>\n

Penalty kicks, or shootouts, are a pretty rare treat. The concept is similar to penalty shots in ice hockey: one player at a time tries to make a goal against the opposing team. The teams will take turns, and the penalty kicks will continue until the winner has been determined. Soccer shootouts often offer dramatic, exciting moments and are some of the most memorable scenes for fans and players alike.<\/p>\n

Introducing Major Soccer Leagues<\/h2>\n

Seasoned soccer bettors probably know that the sheer number of professional soccer teams globally can make soccer betting a bit overwhelming. In fact, there are more professional leagues for soccer than there are leagues for any other sport. Different soccer contests don’t really differ other than the teams involved, but the odds for different leagues can vary quite a bit when you bet online. Here are the most common major leagues and soccer betting markets.<\/p>\n

MLS – Major League Soccer<\/h3>\n

Most Americans are likely familiar with the US soccer league, Major League Soccer<\/a>. MLS is a reputable soccer league with many talented players. The MLS season starts around February or March and runs until October. <\/p>\n

The MLS also features teams from Canada, and although the level might not be on par with the professional soccer in Europe, Major League Soccer often attracts big names at the end of their careers, like Zlatan Ibrahimovic or David Beckham. <\/p>\n

From the aspect of sports betting, Major League Soccer offers some of the best betting opportunities in the US, as mobile sportsbooks often have somewhat skewed lines as people bet on their home teams. Therefore, you should always choose the online platform that has the best odds for the soccer games you want to bet money on.<\/p>\n

Liga MX and South American Leagues<\/h3>\n

There’s some very high-quality soccer played in the Mexican league, Liga MX. The Liga MX season is divided into two annual tournaments, the first of which (Apertura or opening tournament) runs from July to December, and the second (Clausura or closing) from January to May. <\/p>\n

Compared to European soccer games, South American games start at a reasonable hour for American soccer bettors and are pretty competitive. Every now and then, Spanish or Portuguese speakers could also find good soccer wagers that the betting sites have missed for whatever reason. Soccer fans will also enjoy seeing the future talents that often come from these leagues. <\/p>\n

Now, while these American leagues offer high-quality soccer games, the top leagues and the best players can be found playing on European soil.<\/p>\n

European Soccer Leagues – The Best Football in the World<\/h3>\n

There’s a huge concentration of major soccer teams and leagues in Europe. From the English Premier League<\/a> to German Bundesliga and Spanish La Liga, these major soccer leagues attract an astounding amount of loyal fans worldwide. And it’s no surprise, as the teams and players showcased in these leagues are indisputably the best in the world. <\/p>\n

The most famous league is most likely EPL (English Premier League), with clubs like Manchester United, Manchester City, Liverpool, Arsenal, and Chelsea. And of course, there are Real Madrid and Barcelona (Spanish La Liga), Juventus and Milan (Italian Serie A), and Bayern Munchen and Dortmund (German Bundesliga), as well as a host of others. <\/p>\n

The top teams from these leagues play against each other in the biggest soccer league in the world, the Champions League. Among the most popular leagues, the Champions League is undeniably the brightest star of European soccer, and most people betting on soccer choose to bet on this competition. <\/p>\n

The Champions League<\/h3>\n

The Champions League features the best teams and players from all the top European leagues. This is where you can see the cream of the crop, players like Kylian Mbappe, Lionel Messi, Mohammed Salah, and Erling Haaland, all during the same day. All major US online betting sites offer betting markets for the Champions League.<\/p>\n

The Champion League games are interspaced with the regular seasons of the major European leagues, as the teams playing in the Champions League are also playing the games of their respective major leagues. Therefore, Champions League games are played throughout the year.<\/p>\n

If there’s one downside to betting on European soccer, it’s the time difference: the games are taking place during European television primetime, which isn’t necessarily the most optimal time for American viewers or bettors. <\/p>\n

International Soccer Tournaments<\/h2>\n

Held every four years, the soccer World Cup is the biggest sporting event in the world. Amassing viewers from everywhere in the world, the World Cup is considered to be the crown jewel of tournaments between national teams. The tournament spans the course of approximately four weeks, and there are countless betting opportunities for these games. The current World Champion, Argentina, took home the World Cup trophy in December 2022 after winning against France in one of the most exciting soccer finales ever played. The next World Cup will take place in 2026.<\/p>\n

The second most-watched soccer tournament in the world is, unsurprisingly, the European Championship tournament, hosted every four years. Given the number of major leagues and top players stemming from Europe, this tournament between European soccer nations showcases some of the best soccer games you can find. The next tournament will be played in Germany in 2024. The defending 2020 champions, Italy, could have a hard time defending their title, as the team didn’t make the latest World Cup.<\/p>\n

In addition to the tournaments above, the South American soccer cup Copa America is especially renowned in the Americas. South America has a concentration of big soccer nations and the unwavering support of extremely passionate fans.<\/p>\n

Soccer Betting Lines<\/h2>\n

As mentioned at the very beginning of the guide, betting on soccer is quite different from betting on other sports in many ways. First and foremost, a draw is a real possibility and happens actually very often. Furthermore, soccer matches often have a far smaller spread, and they may use a feature called an Asian Handicap. We’ll go through the main soccer betting opportunities here.<\/p>\n

Moneyline<\/h3>\n

Three-way moneyline is one of the most popular soccer betting options. This particular moneyline bet has three options: there are soccer betting odds for both of the teams to win, but also odds for a draw. Online soccer betting lines also include the DNB or draw no bet option, which is practically a two-way moneyline bet. If the game ends in a draw, you will get your stake back in full.<\/p>\n

Typical three-way moneyline odds look something like this:<\/p>\n

\n\n\n\n
Liverpool +105<\/strong><\/td>\nDraw +270<\/strong><\/td>\nReal Madrid +250<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n

In this scenario, the bookmakers consider Liverpool to be the stronger candidate to win. Real Madrid is the underdog, whereas a draw is the most unlikely outcome of the match. <\/p>\n

In the case of a very strong favorite, the bookmakers give the favored team minus odds. In these situations, a draw is often the second-likeliest outcome. <\/p>\n

Draw No Bet<\/h4>\n

While three-way moneylines have the option to draw, you can also place a wager that excludes the option of a draw. These two-way moneylines are also referred to as ‘draw no bet’ wagers. In these scenarios, you can only bet on either of the teams to win. In the case of a draw, the sportsbook returns the wager to bettors.<\/p>\n

1x, 1\/2, and x2<\/h3>\n

Soccer betting sites also let you make double-choice bets (with worse odds, of course). You have three different moneyline options; the home team will win or draw, the away team will win or draw, or one of the teams will win. American betting sites aren’t very keen on this real money betting option, but they’re often seen on European betting platforms.<\/p>\n

Spread Bets<\/h3>\n

Followers of the NFL, MLB, and NBA are used to seeing spread bets like -6,5 or even -12,5. This never happens in soccer, where the games are low scoring. The most common spreads are -0,5 and -1,5.<\/p>\n

The Asian Handicap<\/h3>\n

The Asian handicap lets you choose the line anywhere between -0,25 to around -4,75. The system for Asian Handicap is admittedly complex, as it involves splitting the wager into smaller fractions and introduces handicaps of 0.25, 0.50, and 0.75. <\/p>\n

For example, let’s say there’s an option of over or under 1.75 goals. If you choose to bet over 1.75, you’re placing half of your wager on over 1.50, and the other half on over 2.0 goals. If there are two goals scored, you’ll win half of the bet and push the other half. If there are more than two goals, you’ll win both wagers. Less than two goals and your bets lose.<\/p>\n

The system is intricate and takes some time to learn. However, if you’re a true soccer fan, studying this option is worth the effort. After learning Asian handicaps, your wagering options for soccer will increase drastically.<\/p>\n

Over \/ Under Bets (Totals)<\/h3>\n

Totals bets work like every other totals stake in sports. However, you can have total wagers on a lot more than just points. On online soccer betting sites, in addition to goals, you can wager on the number of corner kicks, offsides, and the number of warnings given out by the referee.<\/p>\n

Soccer Proposition Bets<\/h3>\n

Sports betting options for any event include prop bets or proposition bets. Soccer betting sites are no different in this regard, and soccer prop bets are often found on bet slips. However, online soccer prop bets are a bit different from other sports. These are some of the options you’ll most likely discover at any betting site:<\/p>\n