Top Football Betting Strategies for Beginners: Win More, Risk Less

Top Football Betting Strategies for Beginners: Win More, Risk Less
Top Football Betting Strategies for Beginners: Win More, Risk Less

As a newbie to football betting, it is easy to get overwhelmed by the deluge of information out there on football betting, especially when you’re trying to understand the basics. With a lot of football betting guides out there, and with some carrying wrong or not enough information, you can get discouraged or confused on your journey to being a pro at football betting. Truth is, getting the right information is the first thing to do if you want to turn your love for football into a profitable side hustle. The good news is, this guide contains everything you need to know about football betting for beginners, including the top betting strategies every beginner should be familiar with. Still on getting the right information, if you’re looking for the best football tips, valuable insights and predictions, Adam Choi is the best prediction site for some of the most popular betting markets, including football. 

Understanding the Basics of Football Betting 

Football betting is all about predicting the outcome of a football match or specific events during the game and then placing money on it. If you’re passionate about football, get ready to ramp up the excitement once you start wagering on it. But there are a few basics you need to get right first. 

For starters, get familiar with betting terms. Here are a few: 

  • Stake: this is the total amount you place on a bet and conversely stand to lose if you lost the bet. 
  • Odds: this is the probability of an event occurring as determined by the bookmaker. For likely outcomes, the odds are lower which means the payout is small while for very unlikely outcomes the odds are higher and the payout very handsome. Depending on what region of the world you’re in, there are different formats bookmakers use to present their odds: Fractional, Decimal or American odds. 
  • Selection: as the name implies, this is the bet you have selected. Your selection should always be driven by in-depth information and analysis if you want to win more and lose less.

Key Football Betting Markets You Should Know

Betting markets are simply the type of bets available for a game. Bookmakers offer a whole variety of markets on a particular game and so punters are spoiled for choice. The kind of market you choose somewhat determines whether you’ll win or lose. These are some key football betting markets you should know: 

Match Result: this is betting on the home team winning (1), draw for both teams (X) or the away team winning. 

Both Teams To Score: this is betting on both teams scoring at least one goal each. 

Over/Under: this is predicting if the goals scored by a particular team will be over an already determined number by the bookie. For example, you can bet on over 2.5 goals or under 1.5 goals. 

Handicap betting: this is when a supposedly weaker team is given an advantage over the stronger team, with the odds being more in their favour than the stronger team. This is to level the playing field and give bettors incentive to back the underdog. 

Correct Score: this is betting on the exact final score of the match. 

Top Tools and Resources for Smarter Betting 

Football betting has moved beyond betting from your gut or because one of the teams playing is your favourite. While trusting your instinct is good, any bettor worth their salt will know to incorporate hard facts gotten from modern technology as part of their football betting strategies. We will be looking at some top tools and resources that will help you make smarter bets as a beginner. 

  • Betting Odds Comparison tools: bookmakers offer different odds on the same game and an astute bettor will check to see which one favours them the most. Odds comparison tools like Oddschecker compile the different odds in one place for you to see and choose from and get the most bang for your buck. 
  • Football statistics tools: these are websites that carry both live and analysed statistics of a team, match, or tournament. They are especially useful because the information they provide helps you know which odds are valuable or not. 
  • Online forums and communities: you will be surprised at how much you’ll learn by engaging with other bettors on betting sites. You can get betting insights, share strategies and connect with others who are more experienced in your betting niche. 
  • Bankroll management apps: to be a smart bettor, you need to have a solid bankroll strategy, and it gets better knowing there are apps that can help you without you racking your brain. Bankroll management apps come with features such as alerts for when you’re nearing your betting limit, bet logging, bet trackers and profit and loss trackers. With this information, you can see how well you’re doing and how to adjust your strategy, if need be. 

Step-by-step Guide to Placing Your First Football Bet

  1. Research and choose a reputable betting site: before you start betting, do your findings first by reading reader reviews of betting sites. When you find a bookmaker with satisfactory service, go ahead and sign up. You will be required to give basic information such as your name, username, password, age, etc.  
  2. Verify your information: once you’ve signed up and gotten an account, you will be required to verify your information to determine your eligibility. 
  3. Fund your account: to start betting, you have to transfer money to your betting account through any method provided by the betting site. Most betting sites provide a range of banking options such as e-wallets, bank transfers, debit and credit cards for you to choose from. 
  4. Place your bet: navigate to the soccer section on your chosen sports betting site. Look for available football matches and make your selection. Choose your betting market and place your bet. To do this, click on the odds you want and add to your bet slip and after confirming all information is correct, place your bet. 

Researching Team Form and Statistics

Team form is the level of performance of a football team based on their recent output, including their wins, draws and losses, player form, their home and away performance and their number of goals, amongst other things. A punter who knows their onions knows that having team form information is a must because it determines whether or not the odds on a team will be profitable or not. The following is some team form metrics you should research before placing your first bet: 

  • Head-to-head records: check how both teams have performed over a period of time. Look for how many goals scored and conceded, the context of their recent wins, their home/away plays, how many times they’ve been carded by the referee and many other points. 
Screenshot of the recent head to head matches between Chelsea and West Ham on adamchoi.co.uk
  • Recent form: Take a close look at both team’s last five to ten games to see how they fared. Usually this should be an indication of how well they are doing and will do. 
Screenshot of the recent matches between Chelsea and West Ham on adamchoi.co.uk
  • Importance of the match: sometimes the performance of a team depends on what’s at stake for them. Some teams may not put out their best performance if, for example, the match being played is a friendly. Side note: experienced bettors never bet on friendlies. 
  • Injuries and suspensions: the number of players out on injury or suspended can affect a team’s performance and their overall form, especially when key players are out. 

Final Note

On its own football is exciting but with the introduction of betting, it gets even more so. However, to be a smart bettor you need to follow these simple strategies to win more whenever you bet. If you’re ready to make smarter bets, subscribe today to get valuable football stats that will elevate your betting experience.