Soccer is the world’s most popular sport and is bet on by millions of people every single day. This in-depth soccer betting guide details how fans can bet on the sport online. We discuss the various types of soccer bets available and highlight some of the most popular soccer betting websites operating in 2023.
Betting on domestic and international soccer events has never been easier. Learn exactly how to make bets on this sport from the comfort of your home today.
Contents of Our 2024 Soccer Betting Guide
Let’s take a closer look at the sections we’re going to explore in our comprehensive soccer betting guide:
- Expert Soccer Betting Picks
- Types of Soccer Bets Available (with pro tips)
- Best Soccer Betting Sites
- How to Bet on Soccer for Money Online
- Soccer Betting Tips for Beginners
- Biggest Soccer Competition
- Legendary Soccer Teams
- Expert Soccer Betting Strategies
- Who Cares About Soccer?
- Online Soccer Betting FAQs
Soccer Betting Tips for Beginners
Soccer fans can easily bet on every major league around the world. Whether it’s betting on the MLS, Europa League, or Premier League, fans can increase their odds of making a winning bet by following a few basic tips. Keep these in mind before throwing money down on a match.
Always Have a Budget & Bet Responsibly
It’s important to have a strict budget set when betting on soccer online. This will help to keep bettors from losing far more than they intended. Setting a budget should also help with responsible betting, as it prevents you from losing too much money all at once.
Stick to What You Know
When betting on soccer, it’s always best to wager on teams and players you know. With so many betting options online, it can be tempting to bet on a big game taking place internationally with hopes of winning big. The most successful bettors make their wagers based on research.
Utilize Tips From Proven Experts
It’s often best to only follow tips from real soccer experts when betting on games. Not everyone knows what they are talking about, and too much input on a game can negatively impact bettors. Those that are looking for detailed, in-depth picks should head to our soccer picks page.
Read Blogs and Forums
Blogs and forums can be a fantastic way to learn more about upcoming soccer matches. These tools can often provide unique insight into games that mainstream media outlets ignore. Check out our sports betting blog page and learn more about various matches taking place around the world.
Invest Time as Well as Money
Every soccer betting guide will emphasize investing time into research. This is equally as important as betting big money on games. The most successful bettors consider every aspect of these matches and only make bets when they are truly confident.
Injuries and Lineups
Keeping track of injuries and lineup changes is crucial to soccer betting. An injury (even a minor one) can have a huge impact on the way a team performs. Bettors should always stay up to date on injuries, as well as any other changes to a team’s starting lineup.
Home/Away Splits
Where matches take place can also have a huge impact on how they play out. Home-field advantage is real and often has an impact on the odds. Take this into account before deciding to throw any money down on a game.
Matchups
Like all other sports, soccer matches often feature two teams with vastly different skill sets. Always pay attention to individual matchups and compare teams’ skill levels. It’s generally best to avoid betting on a major underdog unless the betting favorite is dealing with player injuries and roster changes.
Odds
Always pay attention to the odds when making bets on soccer online. Oddsmakers set these odds for a reason and news about things like injuries can have a major impact on them. Our experts also recommend shopping for the best odds and comparing them between various betting sites.
Basic Rules of Soccer
Learning the rules of soccer does not take much time. In this soccer betting guide, we have compiled a list of basic rules that beginners can understand. Having an understanding of the sport’s rules will help you make the smartest bets possible. These four rules are important to keep in mind:
Players and Formations
Every soccer team can feature up to eleven players on the field. One of those players must be the goalkeeper. The way teams are set up on the field can have a massive impact on how they perform.
The 4-4-2 formation is considered the most standard formation, featuring four players in the back consisting of two center-backs, a right-back, and a left-back. Two players act as mid-fielders that can play both offense and defense. Two players are known as the strikers and are tasked with carrying out the team’s primary offense.
Most soccer betting guides will recommend learning other formations, too. Learn the basic principles of the 4-2-3-1, 4-3-3, and 4-1-4-1 formations. Knowing how they are used can help you make the most informed bets on the fly.
No Hands Allowed (Mostly)
In soccer, the use of hands is generally not allowed on the field. A “hand ball” foul is applied when the ball lands anywhere between a player’s fingers and shoulder. Accidental hand balls can sometimes be forgiven by referees without any foul.
Only the goalkeeper is able to use his or her hands at almost all times on the field. The only time they cannot is when the ball has been passed to them by their own teammates. For the most part, soccer is a game played using the lower extremities.
Corner and Goal Kicks
Even the most casual fans of soccer have likely heard of a corner kick or a goal kick. These are free kicks given to players of a team when the ball rolls across the endline. Which team kicks the ball out has an impact on which follow-up kick is done.
If a defending team kicks the ball across the endline, the offensive player is given a corner kick. If the offensive team kicks it across the endline, the defensive team is given a goal kick. Corner kicks can offer a great opportunity for the attacking team to score.
Penalty Kicks
Penalty kicks are an important part of the sport, giving the attacking team the ability to score in the easiest way possible. These are only allowed when a defending team commits a foul inside their defending box. This is why defenders work so hard to avoid fouls in this area of the field.
If a penalty kick is awarded, the ball is placed 12 yards in front of the goal for the offensive player. Only the goalie can defend this kick. Research shows that penalty kicks are scored 85% of the time at a professional level.
Other Fouls
Soccer is sometimes criticized for the large number of fouls players can commit. It is always up to the referee to call these fouls and lay out the necessary punishment. Many fouls, such as pushing, holding, or tripping are easy for fans to understand.
Other fouls include offsides, where any part of the head, body, or feet is in the opponent’s half (excluding the halfway line) and. any part of the head, body or feet is nearer to the opponent’s goal line than both the ball and the second-last opponent. Even arguing with a referee over a call can result in a foul and a yellow card!
Hardcore bettors will recommend gaining a deep understanding of the rules of soccer. The more knowledge players have, the most informed bets they can make.
Most Popular Types of Soccer Bets Available
Soccer fans have access to a large variety of bet types available online. These specific types of bets can vary from site to site. In this soccer betting guide we recommend the bets that are listed below. It’s your choice which of these bet types to utilize.
Moneyline Bets
Moneyline bets, also known as match-winners, are the standard bet type available on all soccer betting sites. They represent the most basic “pick the winner” wager. You select the team you think will win the match; if they do, you win your bet.
Favorites and underdogs are identified using the – and + symbols. Keep in mind that these favorites and underdogs hold that status for a reason and bet accordingly.
3-Way Moneyline Betting
3-way moneyline betting gives bettors, as the name suggests, three wagering options. In soccer, these are bets on whether Team A wins, Team B wins, or the game ends in a tie. The additional betting option provides yet another opportunity for bettors to win big.
2-Way Moneyline Betting
2-way moneyline betting involves just two betting options. That is whether or not Team A or Team B will win a match. Each team will be given odds and there is often one clear favorite and one underdog.
Over/Under Total Goals
The next most popular bet type is on the total number of goals scored in a match, called over/under bets. For these bets, soccer gambling sites have a predetermined number of goals they expect both teams to score.
As you probably know, soccer matches typically have a low number of total goals; the usual over/under number is either 2.5 or 3.5. Going through the injury list, recent results, and both defensive and offensive stats, will give you a rough picture of which option (over or under) to opt for.
Point Spread
For this bet, your task is to pick a team that’ll cover the spread. That means winning a game by a certain number of points. Typically, the spread in soccer matches is tied at +1 for the underdogs, and -1 on the favorites. If a match has a definite favorite, the spread could be -1.5 or even -2.
Point spread bets are meant to give bettors more of an incentive to take the underdog teams. It makes betting a little more complicated and the odds for point spreads are generally far less lucrative than they are for moneyline odds.
Correct Score
Are you a risk-taker? If you are, you’re bound to love correct score wagers. As their name suggests, they require you to guess the exact score of the match.
These bets are challenging, to say the least, but they do have hefty returns.
Of course, the soccer betting odds depend on which particular correct score you opt for. Typically, you’ll opt for stuff like 1:1, 2:1, 2:0, and similar.
But if you manage to nail down something like 4:3, the return just might sweep you off your feet!
Halftime Result
The standard moneyline wager reflects on the final match result. This one, however, only takes the first half into account. Yep, just the first 45 minutes is all it takes to either win or lose this one.
That’s about it for halftime result soccer bets—nothing more and nothing less!
Halftime/Fulltime Combo
If you thought correct score wagers were risky, why don’t you give halftime/full-time combo a go? This is basically a moneyline combo in which the bookies label each half as a separate match. In other words, you’re betting on the result of the first half and the second half.
If you place X/1 on Manchester United vs. Chelsea, you need the first half to end as a draw and United to win the match. If you place 2/1 on the same match, you need Chelsea to lead at halftime and United to secure the comeback in the second half.
These 2/1 and 1/2 wagers bring forth hefty returns, often averaging around +3000.
Both Teams to Score
This is a straightforward yes/no wager. “Yes” means you need both teams to score at least one goal; no means the opposite. Keep in mind that these wagers won’t yield hefty returns and are best used in lengthier accumulators.
Double Chance
Are traditional moneylines too risky for your taste? Are you only aiming for 100% safe bets? Well, even though such a thing doesn’t exist, double chance might be the next best thing.
You see, double chance (as its name suggests) gives you the opportunity to bet on two of the possible three outcomes in a soccer match.
For instance, you can bet on team A to win or draw, team B to win or draw, or either of the two teams to win.
First Goalscorer
This here is another straightforward bet! All you have to do is select the player you believe will be the first to score a goal in the given match. You can bet on the 10 outfield players in both teams, even goalies, too.
Typically, you’ll want to invest your money in attackers and attack-minded midfielders. But betting on unlikely scorers will always yield you better returns.
Futures
Last but not least, there are futures bets! We’re not talking about one wager but a whole category. Futures, or future bets, represent long-term betting options.
In other words, futures are bets that reflect on the final outcome of the competition rather than a single match.
Futures are quite rare in the world of soccer, especially when talking about European club competitions. And they come in other shapes and forms besides the competition winner.
Prop Bets
Prop bets can come in all shapes and sizes. Some of the most popular ones include correct score bets, first goalscorer bets, and halftime score bets. The odds for these wagers are often hugely lucrative.
These bets are never on the winner of a particular match. They can cover virtually every other aspect of a game.
Best Soccer Betting Sites in 2024
Here’s a quick look at our favorite real-money soccer betting sites:
For more on the best soccer betting sites available and where to bet real money on soccer online, you can check out our page where we outline our process of finding the best soccer sportsbooks online.
Top Soccer Betting SitesOur experts give you tips on what to look for when choosing a real-money soccer bookie, what to avoid, how to find what suits your preferences, and more.
How to Bet on Soccer Online for Money in 2024
Now that you know where to bet on soccer online for real money, let’s talk about how to do just that. For those of you who have no prior experience with any form of online sports betting, here’s the entire process:
- First, you need to register for an account: Find good soccer sportsbooks online (a list of our favorites is available above) and start the registration process. Make sure you use your real information as it will be a subject of validation and authorization later on.
- Once you’ve completed the registration process: You’ll need to confirm your email and log into your newly created account.
- The next step is the initial deposit: Assuming you have a valid form of online payment, just enter the amount you wish to deposit and follow on-screen instructions. The amount should appear in your betting bankroll upon completion of the initial deposit.
- Now you have to navigate to the soccer category: Select the competition you want to bet on, and find the most interesting matchups. Here comes the tricky part—pre-match research. Real money online soccer betting is all about research, so make sure you’re thorough.
- After you’re done with your research, it’s time to place your wager: Select your preferred option as well as your stake and click on the “bet now” button or whatever the equivalent might be on the bookie you’re using.
- That’s it: You’ve successfully placed your first real money online soccer bet! You can get started right now at the top real money soccer betting websites we recommend:
Top 5 Soccer Competitions to Bet On
Learn more about the biggest, most popular soccer competitions to bet on. Each of these is viewed by a huge number of people around the world. Most major betting sites offer odds on each of them.
Champions League
World Cup
Europa League
MLS
Copa Libertadores
In addition to these competitions, domestic European leagues are not to be taken for granted either. Competitions like La Liga, Serie A, Premier League, and Bundesliga always bring forth excellent matches and, in most cases, outstanding soccer betting odds.
But as far as the biggest soccer competitions go, here’s a closer look.
Champions League
Champions League is the most prestigious soccer club competition in the world. It features only the best teams from the best European leagues, pinning some of the world’s finest players against each other in a year-long contest.
Even though Super League rumors have been in the making for years now, UEFA Champions League is still the competition to watch and bet on.
Real money soccer betting sites online always go the extra mile for Champions League matches, ensuring their users have plenty of options in the props department.
FIFA World Cup
World Cup is not a year-long competition. It’s not even on every year. Organized by FIFA, World Cups are the premier international competitions which are held every four years.
The level of excitement on these events is through the roof, but it’s not surprising considering the fact that they’re not featuring clubs but national soccer selections.
The last FIFA World Cup was held in Russia back in 2018. France took the title after defeating Croatia in the grand finals.
FIFA World CupEuropa League
Europa League is the second most prestigious club competition in Europe! It showcases some of the best up-and-coming European teams and young stars hoping to qualify for the Champions League next season.
It might not be as lucrative and star-packed as CL, but Europa League still has its charm.
Betting-wise, Europa League often has excellent value and if that’s what you’re aiming for, there’s no need to look any further!
MLS
Major League Soccer is the US franchised soccer league. Even though soccer is still far from the likes of American football, basketball, and baseball, its competitive ecosystem keeps developing.
It will take years to reach the level of the most popular sports in the US. But eventually, the most important of all unimportant things is bound to conquer the new continent!
Copa Libertadores
The CONMEBOL Libertadores is sort of like the South American equivalent of the Champions League. It’s the premier soccer club competition in South America, the continent that lives and breathes football just as much (perhaps even more) than Europe.
The charm of this competition is something else. The Champions League has the money, the star players, and the popularity… But Copa Libertadores has the grassroots soccer charm.
It’s the most passionate competition on the planet, so it’s not surprising to see such a high demand for Copa Libertadores betting options.
Best Soccer Teams to Bet On – Legendary Soccer Teams
When you’re betting on soccer online you want to bet on winners, duh. But what teams win most?
Here’s a quick look at some of the most legendary soccer teams out there according to the total number of Champions League titles. These are the teams you need to keep tabs on if you’re thinking of betting on soccer for money online in the near future!
Real Money Soccer Betting Strategies
Soccer betting is far from easy. Even experienced bettors need to follow the correct strategies to find success. These strategies can vary and it’s often best for soccer fans to create and follow the strategies that fit their betting style.
What’s the best way to improve your chances of staying in the green at the end of each month?
Reading our soccer betting guide was a great first step, but now you need to develop your own soccer betting strategy. That includes forming an approach to pre-match research, creating workflow for stat analyses, wagering systems, value hunting, etc.
Popularity of Soccer
Soccer remains the most popular in the world. It does not generate as many viewers in the US as sports like football or basketball, yet has been growing in popularity over the last few years.
How Many People Bet on Soccer?
Unfortunately, we don’t have any concrete statistics for worldwide soccer betting numbers. What we do know is that people from all over the world, people of all ages and genders, and people of all academic levels love betting on soccer.
Even US bettors are testing the vast waters of soccer betting online. A survey in 2017 found out that one in four US bettors have placed soccer bets in the past. The number is only going to keep increasing with incoming sports betting regulations.
How Much Money Is Bet on Soccer?
Soccer betting is the most popular form of sports betting! Back in 2013, BBC estimated the global soccer betting sector to amount to roughly $70 billion. This number accounts for all types of betting on soccer, both legal and illegal.
With the newest wave of betting regulation in the US, experts predict the newly formed betting environment could further increase the worth of soccer betting to more than $150 billion.
Soccer Betting Guide FAQs
Our soccer betting guide provides a ton of information, and it can be a lot to process. You may still have some lingering questions or need clarification, and that’s what this section is all about!
Here are common questions we receive about betting on soccer:
The list of the best soccer sports betting sites that feature vast online soccer betting options can be found at the top of this page. No worries, just click here and we’ll take you there!
As explained earlier in our soccer betting guide, betting on soccer online comes in all sorts of shapes and forms. The most basic bets, moneyline, and total goals, are the most popular ones. However, the popularity of soccer prop bets is skyrocketing, so you might want to explore your options!
With all that said, there’s no “one size fits all” kind of answer here. The basic principle is pretty simple. Look for high-value bets! That’s the golden rule in sports betting, and that’s what you should keep in mind before investing your money!
There’s no ideal solution for winning at soccer betting. So, if you want to be profitable, you’ll have to spend a lot of time working on your strategy, doing pre-match betting research, and figuring out the highest-value bets.
If you’re one of those people who are turning to soccer betting thinking of instant profit, it’s best to just turn away and never look back. Betting money on soccer online is not your ideal “get rich quick” scheme. We’re not talking about a 100m sprint here; think of online soccer betting more like a marathon. Profits will come, but don’t expect “rags to riches” scenarios.
Yes, betting on soccer online for money is the most popular way of placing soccer wagers. It’s been that way for several years now. The convenience factor is dominant here. You can register, confirm your identity, deposit money, place bets, and withdraw money to your bank account without ever leaving your home.
You can even do all of that with your smartphone, no matter where you are with real money soccer betting apps. All you need is a somewhat reliable internet connection and your betting possibilities are limitless.
Betting on soccer online, just like every other form of betting out there, can be addicting. If you or someone you know suffers from betting addiction, please contact your local problem gambling services. We at TheSportsGeek are all about responsible betting, and betting addiction is not to be ignored.
There’s no winner here! Single and accumulators bear equal importance in the grand scheme of things. Some real money soccer betting enthusiasts prefer one over the other, and that’s fine. It all comes down to personal preferences.
