You want to improve your chances of betting on soccer or football but are not sure how to? Well this guide will give some ideas of things you can implement although it must be clear there are no guarantees in betting except there is a winner and a loser and most often it’s the house that wins.
Soccer is the most popular sport in the world and in the UK it would easily be the leading sport betting in bookmakers and online betting sites (or online casinos). So what ways can you improve your chances?
Start with a sensible bankroll strategy
Your stake or bankroll should never be more than you can afford to lose. Set your limits and then stick to them. This can help you if you should (and you will) have a losing run. You’ve used your stake so cut your losses and stop.
It also works the other way when you win. Just because you pulled off a few wins doesn’t mean you should put more on other games than you were intending to. Make a plan and stick to it. If you feel that it is running out of control you can contact Gamstop.
Open an online betting account
Look around at all the online casinos or online bookmakers and find one that suits you. The things you should look for are good solid reviews. A name that you are familiar with and can trust, Paddy Power or William Hill are well established.
Make sure your preferred payment is accepted (the UK has recently made new legislation outlawing some forms of payment). Look for sign up bonuses. Many of the online casinos or gambling websites will give you free bets when you join as a new member. Also look for sites with free bet clubs.
Many online casino sites have sports betting as well as a host of other games like poker, blackjack and craps so with a nettikasinot you can have a lot of variety as well as soccer betting.
Free bet clubs
These are not the same as a free sign on bet. This is something that some online bookmakers offer as a loyalty reward. Each week you can receive free bets if you meet certain criteria.
Often you will have had to bet a certain amount to unlock the reward. If the amount you have to gamble exceeds your weekly budget then ignore the free bet and stick to your plan.
If you receive free bets then use them the same way you would real cash. Don’t blow it on a massive outside bet unless you genuinely believe it will come in. Treat it as an extra chance to increase your weekly winnings.
Look for the best prices
You would think this was an obvious one but many people will take the odds offered in their local brick and mortar bookies. With the advent of online gambling you can search lots of sites for the best odds. You can use odds checking sites to help find the best options for you.
This can easily increase your winnings by 10% so it is worth investing a little time.
Don’t use accumulators
There is nothing wrong with adding an accumulator as a fun side bet and everyone wants to get the big win but the chances are much less than regular match betting. It is the equivalent of going to a casino online and playing roulette.
Don’t go with your heart, use your head
Anyone who has gambled has probably at some point let their emotions get in the way. If you are betting on soccer then the chances are you have a favourite team but you may be best off avoiding them except when you are certain of an outcome.
Set limits
Some online casinos and bookmakers will allow you to set daily and weekly spending limits. This will stop you depositing too much into your account and also restrict your stakes. This won’t help you win but it can help improve your profits by losing less.
Broaden your horizons
Don’t stick to the EPL (English Premier League) branch out. Lower leagues and overseas leagues can offer better value. It is recommended to avoid the top five leagues in the world because the odds will not be in your favour.
Spend some time studying teams in other countries including national teams. These days online casinos and other sites let you bet on virtually every soccer game in the world.
Choose your markets carefully
When thinking of placing a football or soccer bet most people would think of home win, away win or draw. There are plenty of other markets to look at. Over or under 2 goals, draw at half time and win overall, both teams to score etc.
Stay away from any bets that sound too much based on luck. You can bet on the next player to score for instance. You might think ‘oh that will be Messi’ but football is too often unpredictable to be able to consider this sort of bet.
Make sure you understand what the bet is that you are putting on. For example the Win Both Halves bet is not the same as HT/FT bet. HT/FT means your chosen team needs to be winning at half time and full time.
The first bet means your team has to win both halves. So if you bet on say Spurs and they are winning 3-1 at half time and the score stays the same to full time your bet will have lost because you ‘drew’ the second half with neither team scoring.
Sum up
Set your stake strategy and keep to it. Look for the best site you can find with a sign up bonus but remember to shop around for best odds (you may end up using several sites each week). Set limits on your online betting if necessary. Look at other leagues and do your homework. Remember soccer is supposed to be fun so keep your betting fun too.
