How to Bet on Soccer
Introduction:
In this article, we will be explaining how to bet on soccer. We’ll explain the numerous methods to bet on soccer and the terminology commonly used. Soccer is a widely-bet sport worldwide and there are a number of different ways to bet an individual game.
Betting the 3-way Moneyline:
In soccer, there are many types of competitions with varying rules so it’s always good to be informed prior to placing a bet. In most competitions, draws may be the final result of the game, so there are 3 different outcomes to bet on between Team A and Team B:
Team A wins
Team B wins
Team A and Team B draw
Soccer bets are based on results after 90 minutes of play or, ‘Regular Time’, which includes any time added by the referee in respect of injuries and other stoppages. Any Overtime, Golden Goals or Penalty Shoot-Outs do not count towards these betting since they are not considered ‘Regular Time’. For example, in the elimination stages of the World Cup, a winner is required in the tournament in order to progress to the next stage, but all bets are settled on 90 minutes of play (Regular Time). Thus, a draw is a possible outcome to bet on even in a game where one team must be eliminated. An example of what a 3-way moneyline would look like is:
France -129
Switzerland +325
Draw +250
Betting the 2-way Moneyline without the Draw:
Another way of betting soccer is to take the 2-way moneyline, also known as “Draw, No Bet” This is betting on the outcome of the game without the Draw. The two possible wagers are:
Team A wins
Team B wins
This form of betting eliminates the option of the Draw, and will likely have inflated odds on the favorite and deflated odds on the underdog to win the match since a draw results in no bet. For example, in a World Cup match between France and Switzerland, odds on the 2-way moneyline would like look:
France -310
Switzerland +272
As you can see, there is no option to bet on the draw, and if the game ends in a draw, the bet is refunded or “No-Actioned”, and is as if the bet was never placed.
Betting Goal Lines:
Similar to betting the 2-way moneyline (without the draw), the Goal Line is a way for bettors to win a bet on multiple outcomes of the game. Goal Lines are similar to Puck Lines in hockey and Point Spreads in football or basketball. A Goal Line is typically 0.5 goals but for games with big favorites, the Goal Line may be 1,1.5, 2, 2.5, 3 and so on. A World Cup match between Argentina and Iran looks like this:
Argentina -2.5 goals (+110)
Iran +2.5 goals (-120)
If you bet Argentina -2.5 goals, then to win the bet they must win by 3 goals or more. On the other side, betting Iran +2.5 goals means to win the bet, Iran can win, draw, or lose by 1 or 2 goals.
Betting Totals:
Totals in soccer work differently than other sports and can be shown in multiples of .25 goals. Since scoring is minimal in soccer, bookmakers will often times set a Total of 2.25 or 2.75. For example, if you bet on the Over 2.25 goals, half your bet is placed on “Over 2” and the other half of the bet is placed on “Over 2.5”. If the game settles on 2, you lose half your bet (Over 2.5) and refunded the other half (Over 2). If the game settles on 3, you win both bets (Over 2 and Over 2.5).
Another example is if you bet on the Under 2.75 goals. In this example, half your bet is placed on the Under 2.5 goals and the other half is bet on the Under 3 goals. If the game lands on 3, you’d lose half your bet (Under 2.5) and refunded the other half (Under 3).