How to bet on football online: The basics of gambling on the UK’s most popular sport
By James Walters
Football and gambling have long been linked, and their partnership is more prominent now than ever.
Betting on football has become increasingly popular in the UK and it's now a multi-billion pound industry. Premier League teams are sponsored by bookmakers while the EFL boasts branding from betting firms.
Here at FIRST, we want to help you learn how to bet on football online responsibly and make the most of the link between the world’s most popular sport and online betting.
Different types of bets in football
Full-time result
Betting on the full-time result of a football match is simple - you're backing the outcome of the game. The three options are home win, draw or away win. A draw is when the scoreline finishes level, such as 1-1.
Double chance
Double chance offers a safety net of backing two of the three full-time result outcomes. There are three options: Home win or draw, away win or draw and home win or away win.
Draw no bet
Draw no bet is when you pick either the home or away team to win and if the game finishes a draw, the bet is voided and your stake is refunded.
Half time/full time (HT/FT)
A half-time/full-time bet sees you back who is winning the game at half time and at full time. There are different combinations including home win HT/home win FT and draw HT/away win FT.
Handicap
Do your research on handicap betting before placing the bet. You're giving one team an advantage or a disadvantage before the game kicks off. If you back a team on a -2 handicap, you need them to win by three or more goals as the bet sees them start two goals down.
Correct score
It's recommended to keep your stake small when backing correct scores as it’s a bigger-odds bet. If a team keeps winning by one goal or you're expecting a 0-0, it's worth checking out.
Football accumulator
You can combine multiple selections into a football accumulator to boost the odds and increase your winnings. The more picks you add to the acca, the bigger the odds, however, the chances of it losing are also higher! Knowing how to bet on football accumulators and when to stop adding teams is important.
Both teams to score
Both teams to score is simple, you need both the home and the away team to find the back of the net. It doesn't matter if it's a tap-in or an own goal!
Over/Under 2.5 Goals
Backing over/under in terms of goals is a popular bet. Over/under 2.5 goals is the most common - and to win the over you need the game to have three or more goals, or two or less to win the under. However, you can also bet over/under 0.5 goals, 1.5 goals, 3.5 goals etc.
Anytime/first/last goalscorer
If you fancy a certain player to score, anytime goalscorer betting is ideal. If the player you pick scores before the final whistle (not including extra time in cup competitions), you have a winner. It's the same premise for a first or last goalscorer bet but your player must net the first or last goal of the game.
Reading odds
If you're thinking 'how can I bet on football?' then the first thing to learn is how to read football betting odds. It's paramount that you can read the odds and understand what value they offer to improve your experience.
Odds represent how likely certain outcomes are and they come in numerous forms: fractions, decimals and moneyline odds. It's how you work out how much your football bet will win.
Fractional odds are popular in the UK. If the odds are 4/1, the first number represents the profit and the second number is your stake. A £10 bet at 4/1 will return £50 in total (£40 profit and £10 stake).
Decimal odds show the payout if your bet wins. If the odds are 2.5, a £10 bet would return £25, including the stake.
Moneyline odds are used in America and they're a positive or a negative number. Positive odds (the underdog) show how much you'll win for betting £100, while negative odds (the favourite) show how much you have to bet to win £100.
Most popular leagues and competitions to bet on
Due to the Premier League being the world's most popular domestic football competition, many bettors will gamble on England's top flight.
The next three tiers of Engish football - the Championship, League One and League Two - are also popular. You can really find value if you have a deeper understanding of lower leagues.
Bettors will also gamble on Champions League, Europa League and Europa Conference League football as well as European leagues such as La Liga, Serie A, Ligue 1 and the Bundesliga.
When international tournaments come around, such as the World Cup or Euros, those are also very popular for betting.
The nature of football betting means you can often find odds and bet on other league and cup competitions too, from all around the world. But bear in mind it is always best to bet on leagues featuring teams and players you are familiar with.
Step-by-step guide for placing a football bet
The process from setting up a betting account to placing a bet is relatively simple.
First up is picking your bookmaker. There are numerous licensed bookmakers in the UK and they will have different sign-up bonuses. Check out the best bookmakers in the UK right here at FIRST.
Once you've chosen a site, you provide your personal information and verify your account. This usually involves a driving licence or passport as identification to prove you're at least 18 years old.
All you need now is funds in your account. Simply deposit your desired amount, collect your welcome bonus and decide what your first bet will be.
When you're looking to fill out your football betting slip, go to the game you want to bet on, such as Chelsea vs Arsenal. Pick the bet you want, for example, Bukayo Saka to score anytime. Choose how much you want to stake and then click place bet.
Football betting strategies and tips
The main strategy for football betting is research. Don't go placing bets on games or leagues that you have no idea about.
If you're looking to expand your knowledge, dive into the statistics of certain players or teams so you're making an informed decision. Listening to experts and knowing how to bet on football tips can help you understand value bets.
Another strategy is to maintain a betting history record. Keep a tally of how many bets you've won and lost as well as how much you staked. You should start to see a pattern of what's working.
Using different bookmakers can also be useful as different sites will have varied odds, as well as promotional offers or boosted specials.
In-play betting
In-play betting, which is the process of placing a bet while the football match is ongoing, has become increasingly popular.
Prices of in-play bets can change quickly and often, so you have to act fast.
You could be watching a game and a player has already committed two fouls. That could be the ideal time to place an in-play bet on him to be shown a card.
Key football betting terms
| Accumulator | An accumulator, or acca, is a bet that combines multiple bets into one. The more bets you combine, the bigger the potential rewards are, but the less likely it is you are to win. Also known as a parlay. |
| Clean sheet | A clean sheet in football is when a team doesn't concede a goal in the match. |
| Corners bets | The most popular option is backing over/under a certain amount of corners, such as 9.5 corners. If there are 10 corners or more in that game, the bet is a winner.Race to X corners is also a common market, meaning the first team to hit that tally wins. Corner match betting is also popular, which is when you bet on a certain team to have the most corners. |
| Dual forecast | A dual forecast is when you back two teams to finish first and second in a league - in any order. Manchester City and Arsenal could be a Premier League dual forecast bet. |
| Each way (e/w) | An each-way (e/w) bet means you're placing two bets on the outcome. One will be a win bet and the other will be a place bet. If you place a £20 each-way bet, £10 will be on the win part and £10 will be on the place part.For instance, if you bet on Liverpool to win the Premier League, bookmakers may offer 1/3 odds for two places on each-way bets. Therefore, if Liverpool win the league, the win bet pays out and if they finish second, the place part of the bet will pay out. |
| Football pools betting | Involves predicting the outcome of multiple games. If you get them all correct, you share the winnings in the prize pot which is made up of entry fees from others participating. This type of betting is not available with regular bookmakers. |
| Outright | Outright betting is backing the outcome of an entire league or a player to be the top goalscorer, such as Arsenal to win the Premier League. These bets are long-term and are also known as ‘futures’ bets. |
| Straight bet | Straight bets are a single, simple bet on one particular event, such as the home team to win. |
| Treble | Combining three selections in one bet forms a treble. For example, both teams to score in three different games. |
| Trixie | A trixie is made up of three selections and it's four bets in total. If you're backing Chelsea, Arsenal and Fulham, it will be three doubles and one treble (Chelsea and Arsenal to win, Arsenal and Fulham to win, Chelsea and Fulham to win, as well as Chelsea, Arsenal and Fulham all to win). |
| Value bet | Value betting is when the odds offered by the bookmaker are bigger than the likelihood of the event happening (according to others). If a team to win is 2/1 with most sites but it's 5/1 with a different bookmaker, there is value in the 5/1 price. |
Responsible gambling
Responsible gambling is very important in betting. Gambling should always be fun and a source of entertainment. Sticking to limits and not chasing losses are crucial to avoiding problems.
Bookmakers have tools in place such as deposit limits to keep track of your spending, as well as a self-exclusion option.
The legal age to place a bet in the UK is 18. It's set by the Gambling Act 2005, which aims to protect children and young people from gambling.
Bonuses and promotions
Betting bonuses and promotions enable the bettor to potentially win more money.
If you sign up for a betting account, you may be given a promotional offer, such as bet £10 and get £30 in free bets. If you are successful with those free bets and meet any wagering requirements, you could turn the bonus into funds that you can withdraw.
There may also be specific promotions. A player to have a shot on target may get boosted from 1/4 to evens, which means a £10 bet will return £20 instead of £12.50.
FAQs
How can I bet successfully in football?
Research is crucial to successfully bet on football. Make sure you're clued up on what you're betting on so it's an informed decision rather than a guess.
What is the legal age to bet on football in the UK?
You must be 18 years old to place a bet in the UK, whether that's online or in a betting shop.
What is an accumulator?
An accumulator, or acca, is when you combine multiple bets into one. The more selections you have, the bigger the odds are.
Can I bet on live football matches?
Yes, you can bet on live football. All major UK bookmakers will offer in-play betting for pretty much all professional leagues.
Is football betting legal in the UK?
Yes, football betting is legal in the UK as long as you are over the age of 18.
What are enhanced odds?
Enhanced odds are promotional offers which bookmakers provide to entice bettors. For example, instead of a bet being priced at 2/1, it could be boosted to 5/1.