Take a look at our in-depth guide to everything you need to know about football betting, including the most popular markets and how to find the best value within them
A beginner’s guide to betting on football
Football is arguably the most popular sport to bet on in the UK, with a remarkable 40 per cent of all money wagered by bettors spent on the beautiful game.
This is why it is vital that you, the punter, knows all the key features of the football markets.
The huge volume of matches has helped the industry to grow and to allow bettors to place a wager on a whole host of markets, with many betting sites offering special deals and competitive odds.
Here, we run you through what you need to know about football betting so you can cut through the confusion surrounding the markets.
A brief introduction to how betting works
Odds are set by a bookmaker and represent the ratio between the stake and winnings on a given outcome, should you wish to place a bet on it. They are usually shown as fractions (eg, 2/1), but can sometimes be shown as decimals (2.00) and you can decide which you prefer to use. For example, if the outcome of an event has odds of 2/1 (or 2.00), it means you will win £2 for every £1 you bet.
Picking a football betting site for the new season?
Here’s our list of the best bookmakers and football betting sites. These are great to open accounts with and then to apply your new knowledge of football betting, and you can scroll down to see the rest of our comprehensive guide.
