Football betting tips

Betting on football can add excitement to football matches featuring your favourite team and, with a little know-how and luck, turn your knowledge about the sport into profits you can bank.

If you’ve been restricting your football bets to occasional flutters on your favourite team, now’s the time to consider thinking through your bets more carefully. You may be able to increase your returns by using a range of football betting strategies.

Research team form

The more you know about the teams involved in a tournament or fixture, the more likely it is that you’ll be able to place a successful bet. This means you should avoid betting on unfamiliar leagues.

Also, don’t jump into the football betting markets at the start of the season. At this point, it’s impossible to gauge the effect that new signings, player transfers, injuries and the season break will have had on the team’s form. Team form will settle and become clearer only after several matches.

Check the stats

Before betting on a player or team, you should find out how your selection has fared against opponents on previous occasions, how many goals it averages per match, and whether playing home or away appears to have a significant impact on the selection’s results.

Follow the news

It’s important to follow what’s happening to your team. Did the manager throw the tea set at the captain? Is a key player attempting to transfer out of the team? These and a wide range of other factors can influence the team’s performance.

The more you know about what’s happening in the world of football, the more background information you’ll have to draw on when you place your bets.

Consider scheduling

If you’re going to bet on a match, look at the full schedule for both teams, including cup and regional tournaments. Schedules affect the fitness and freshness of team members. They also often affect a manager’s selections for a match. Before placing bets, determine whether a team is stretched thin by tight schedule or will have ample time to recharge its batteries ahead of a match.

Research different competitions separately

Treat your bets on each league and competition differently, even if you’re betting on a single team. Form is often inconsistent across different cup competitions and leagues because managers target these with different squads, resting key players during “minor” competitions. For example, a team that’s thriving in its domestic league may struggle in a minor cup competition or a competition overseas.

Shop around for the best odds

You compare prices when you buy things at the shop. Equally, you should get into the habit of shopping around for the best odds when you bet on football. Finding good odds can have a substantial impact on your profit margins.

It’s not unusual for punters to be loyal to a particular bookmaker, but this may mean that they miss out on more competitive odds.

Using a portfolio of betting accounts will also give you access to a greater variety of free bets and betting specials.

Use betting specials

Football betting markets are slightly skewed in favour of bookmakers because of the way that odds are formulated. This adds to the challenge of making profits over the long term. The best way to overcome this is to take advantage of the various betting specials offered by top bookmakers.

For example, bookmakers may allow you to reclaim losing bets if specific qualifying criteria are met during a match. This type of special can give you a significant advantage over the long term. Also, several hundred pounds worth of free bets are available from trusted online bookmakers at any given time. If you’re planning on placing a bet, it makes sense to use it to redeem a free bet. Then you can use the free bet to hedge your other bet or to beef up your betting budget.

Use a betting exchange

A betting exchange account is a key part of a football betting portfolio. Your account will allow you to place lay bets on football matches and tournaments, and will give you access to top odds on a variety of the most popular football betting markets.

Stay disciplined

When you win, remember to keep your head.

Squandering winnings with overconfident and speculative bets is where most punters come short. Also, when you do lose, avoid chasing your losses (which is the surest way to turn a small loss into a major setback).