Football Betting

With football being the most popular sport in the world by a large margin, the betting scene surrounding it is also the largest on the planet. Football betting is among the most popular in the online gambling industry and sportsbooks are certainly ready to accommodate all punters willing to join.

If you are thinking about entering the world of football betting, be sure to this article where we cover every major aspect of this activity. Below, you will find information on the types of bets that you can place, the odds formats, important features of sportsbooks, popular payment services and much more.

Features of Football Betting Sites

When you first get into betting on football matches you will surely see that sportsbooks offer certain features to give you an easier time in placing wagers. On the Internet, many things are possible, where they were unthinkable and you should have them at your disposal.

One of the best feature currently available at modern sports betting websites is the live streaming of matches. Many gambling websites will offer you the opportunity to watch the match as it is currently being played. This will not only allow to keep track of the game for your own entertainment but also allow you to better put down any in-play bets should you choose to do so.

Additionally, you may also have access to a statistics feature. This allows you to track the performance of teams and players, thus giving you the opportunity to make better decisions. If you are the analytical type, such a feature would come in handy and you should certainly look for it at your website of choice.

Nowadays, the Internet allows punters and companies to keep better track of the matches from all the globe. This means that you will have immediate access to every major football event in the world and the opportunity to place your bets. Never before have punters been treated to such rich betting markets and by the look of things, it is only bound to get better from here.

Odds Types at Football Betting Sites

One of the most important aspects of online sports betting is knowing how the read the odds presented to you. Naturally, not having the basic understanding of what a bet does is extremely detrimental to your bottom line. To counteract this, we have prepared a brief rundown of the three popular odds formats that you will encounter at modern online sportsbooks.

The decimal format is arguably the most popular of the major types and it is the default at most European gambling websites. It is presented as a number, for example, 2.50. When you take this number and multiply your bet with it, it signifies your net bankroll when the bet is settled. At odds of 2.50, a $100 bet would return $250, with $150 in profit. When looking at the odds, the team with the lower odds is favored to win the matchup and the lower risk results in lower winnings.

The fractional odds format is typically found at UK and Irish bookmakers and it is written with a slash, for example, 5/4. Unlike decimal odds, the fractional type only indicates the profit that you stand to make from a bet. Therefore, a $100 bet on odds of 5/4 will net you $125 in winnings, for a bottom line of $225. Again, the lower the odds, the higher the probability of a team winning.

Finally, we come to the American format, which is the least popular of the three but still featured at all major sportsbooks. A bet in American odds is presented as (+)200 or (-)300. The plus symbol indicates that the team is the underdog in the matchup and the number following it is the amount that you stand to earn as profit from a $100 bet. The minus symbol shows the team which is favored to win the game, while the number after it is the amount that you have to wager to win $100.

Mobile Support

Another important feature of modern online gambling websites is support for mobile devices. Nowadays many punters like to place their bets while on the go or when they have time to fill. Naturally, no one wants to be chained to a computer desk to fulfil their gambling needs. As a result, for years now, sportsbooks have been offering a mobile version of their website. It allows those with modern smartphones and tablets to place their bets regardless of where they are.

Mobile sportsbooks often feature a scaled down interface so that it is usable on any display size and resolution. Not only do the mobile versions retain the full usability, but all of the features of the desktop websites as well. When you load up your gambling website from a mobile device, you will find that it still allows you to use the same payment service, gives you access to the same promotions and betting markets, as well as, anything else that you might need.

Common Football Bet Types

Once you get to actually placing your bets, you will find out that there are many different types. For beginner punters, this could be quite daunting since the betting sheet does not reveal much information. For your benefit and convenience, we have put together a list of the most popular football bet types that you will have at your disposal at online gambling websites. Each bet type comes with a basic explanation, giving you some insight into which is the right type for you.

Full Time Results

Full Time Result is as simple as betting option go and it is the most common wager that you will see punters place. This is a bet on the outcome of the match, specifically, on one of the two teams or a draw. It is the most basic wager that you can put down and it is commonly taken by beginner punters. Each outcome features its own odds and payout ratios.

Double Chance

Double Chance is another common football betting option and it is one of the safest out there. This is due to the fact that you are betting on two out of three possible outcomes. These include on either team winning or one team winning and a draw. If one of the two selected results come to pass, then you will win the bet. Granted, this betting option does come with a lower payout than many others due to the lower risk involved.

Draw No Bet

If you do not like to deal with the possibility of a draw situation then you would do well to consider the Draw No Bet option. This is a bet on one of the two teams in a matchup where if you guess the winner correctly you win and if the other team wins you lose. However, in the event of a draw, the sportsbook will refund your bet and that is the end of it. It is a low-risk bet with all things considered and this means that the odds will be slightly worse than the Full Time Result option.

Handicap

The Handicap markets is where things start to take an interesting turn and become somewhat more complicated. A Handicap wager is somewhat different than other betting options since it more or less deals with a hypothetical situation. When you put down a Handicap bet, you are adding or subtracting goals from the final score of a team. If that team ends up winning the match, with respect to the handicap, then you win the bet.

Of course, there are different degrees to the handicap that you can apply to any particular situation. The more goals that you remove the final score, the better the odds and your payout become. This is due to the fact that the probability is becoming lower that the team will win, increasing the risk of the bet. Similarly, when you add more goals to the final score then you reduce the odds and a payout of your team since the risk of the wager decreases. You should keep in mind that for a Handicap bet to be a winning one, your team has to beat the other after the handicap is applied. This means that even in the event of a draw, you will still lose the wager.

Over/Under

The Over/Under markets are some of the most popular in the sports betting industry and they are available at practically every match. When you put down an Over or Under wager, you are betting on whether or not the combined number of goals will be over or under a certain number. For example, if you place an Over 1.5 bet, then two goals need to be scored during the game. Similarly, an Under 1.5 bet can only be won if one or no goals are scored. The additional 0.5 goals are added to the count in order to avoid a situation where the exact number of goals are scored as shown on the sheet and the confusion that comes with that.

Futures

If you are correct in your long-term predictions then you might want to consider the Futures markets. This betting option gives you the opportunity to make predictions on events that will unfold over the next few weeks or months. These are long-term bets that are highly speculative and the risk involved is substantial but then again, so is the payout. There are a lot of probable scenarios that you can bet on and sportsbooks are more than willing to take your bets. Of course, you need to pay close attention to the risk involved and weight it against the possible benefits of placing this type of bet.

Parlay

Parlays are another popular bet types, especially among those who are fully confident in their predictions. Unlike other forms of sports betting, a Parlay wager is made up of several other smaller bets. It can include Over/Under, Handicaps, Full Time Result, Draw No Bet, and whatever else the sportsbook is willing to accept. There are a number of reasons why punters like this bet type, namely due to the large payoff awaiting at the end of a correct Parlay. Indeed, a Parlay bet offers higher odds than if you were to place all of its parts individually. Of course, this does not come without added risk. If even a single Parlay part fails, then you lose the entire Parlay. As you can imagine, you need to be very careful when placing a Parlay since even a small fault in your judgement could be the difference between a win and a loss.

Scorecast

Scorecasts are interestingly specific bets which will certainly test your ability to make football predictions. A Scorecast wager involves which particular player will be the first to score a goal, the total number of goals during the match, and other similar conditions. They come with better odds than the average betting market, although the added risk more than compensates for that. You should only put down Scorecast bets if you are absolutely sure in your predictions.

In-Play

In-Play is one of the more revolutionary developments in the online sports betting scene. This type of bets can be placed while a particular match is playing and you can cash out your wager before the game has concluded. The odds of In-Play bets change dynamically, depending on the current state of the match. However, once you put down your money, the odds will be set in stone. Cashing out your bet does give you some advantage, specifically when you think that your team does not have it in them to win the game, although you will receive less money than if you were to wait for the match to conclude.

Payment Solutions at Football Betting Sites

Once you register with an online sports betting website, you will need a way of funding your bankroll. The online gambling industry supports a number of services which are readily available to nearly all customers. Each payment method will serve you differently, with its own advantages and disadvantages. Below, we will cover the most popular banking solutions that you can use at online sportsbooks.

Credit Cards

Credit cards are the default payment method for millions of punters from all over the world. They are hailed for being convenient to use and easy to obtain. Moreover, practically all online gambling websites support credit cards, given their popularity in general. A credit card deposit goes through instantly, giving you instant access to your funds. This means that you can immediately start placing bets as soon as you confirm the payment. Most sportsbooks accept payment via MasterCard and Visa, with a small number also supporting Maestro, Diners Club and Discover Card.

eWallets

Another top-tier payment method comes in the form of eWallets. These services are prefered due to their ease of use and the speed at which they can process payments. When you make a deposit via eWallet, it will be made available instantly, while withdrawals clear within a few hours once they are issued. Furthermore, their popularity within the gambling community means that almost no website can afford to ignore them and that you can use them practically everywhere. Among the more popular eWallets, we count Skrill, Neteller, WebMoney, PayPal, EntroPay and more.

Prepaid Cards

Prepaid cards have also found their place within the online gambling industry, offering users quick and hassle-free transactions. Deposits made via a prepaid card will go through in a few seconds and you can get to placing your bets. The tradeoff is that you can rarely cash in your funds via the same service. Many simply cannot handle withdrawals, while others are not supported by the gambling industry. Luckily, you can always request a bank transfer to your personal bank account. Some of the popular prepaid services include Paysafecard and EcoPayz.

Online Banking

Online banking is another popular means of controlling your bankroll. These services connect to your bank account and you can use to make instant deposits to your sportsbook balance. Moreover, they serve as a man-in-the-middle and protect your banking information from the sportsbook. Withdrawals are possible via online banking and it can take up to several business days for the transaction to clear. You should note that certain online banking services are regionally based since the companies have to work with the banks directly. Popular online banking methods include iDebit and InstaDebit, but if you are more comfortable using traditional banking you can always try Bank Wires, MoneyGram and Western Union.

Security at Football Betting Sites

Security should always be a priority whenever you are on the Internet. Protecting our personal and banking information is a must especially when we are asked to submit it on the Internet. This raises the question what steps online gambling websites take to secure our data. As it happens, there are tight measures in place to prevent any data leaks and to ensure that your private information remains private.

Online gambling websites are mandated by law to have the capacity of storing users’ information in a secure manner. To do this, they often utilize high-tech encryption software which encrypts any piece of data that enters their systems. This way only authorized persons can read it when required. Additionally, many websites give users the option to use Two-Factor Authentication, which requires that you enter a randomly generated code sent to your phone every time that you wish to login to your account.

Hallmarks of a Good Football Betting Site

There are several things that you should look out for when you register at an online sportsbook to place bets on your favorite football team. Some of these are for the sake of convenience, while others are for your own protection.

The first and most important feature is the presence of a government-issued license. This is the only way that you can be certain that a website is properly regulated by an institution and that it is following all the laws and rules that would make it a legitimate operation. Many international sportsbooks are licensed by the Malta Gaming Authority and the United Kingdom Gambling Commission, among others.

Something else that you have to pay close attention to is the customer support that you can expect to receive. While most online gambling websites have reached a point where everything works great, from time to time you may experience issues or have questions that need answering. In such situations, you need to know that there is someone out there who has your back. Customer support typically comes in the form of live chat and email, though some websites also offer phone communication, as well. Ideally, the website of your choosing should have the support staff available around the clock to ensure that you always receive the assistance that you need.