Football Betting Tips
Discover our methods and advice on how to analyse a football match properly and place the most profitable bets possible.
Specialise in one or more championships
This means you don’t have to be constantly researching every single match. Someone who regularly follows a particular championship has a much better chance of predicting the right results. Consequently, even if you haven’t bet on a particular match, always pay attention to the latest news in the competitions that you’re forecasting. Consult the big sports websites such as BBC Sport, Sport Magazine UK or even Google to follow the latest sports news.
Don't judge your sports bets solely on the odds
For example, don’t tell yourself: "This team has quite low odds on such and such a bookmaker, so it’s a good idea to bet on them". This might seem logical but you still must be careful. In football, teams that are well known abroad, such as Liverpool and, to a lesser extent, Arsenal, could have lower odds than they really deserve. Foreign punters are to blame, as they place bets based solely on the name of the team without studying its actual form.
Beware of statistics
They are just as likely to be really helpful as completely useless. For example, it is useful to know the number of goals scored by a team in their last five matches, but it is completely ridiculous to look at a series of statistics on the number of goals scored over the last 10 years. Moreover, you should remember that good runs always come to an end.
Check on which players are injured or suspended
A team deprived of its best players immediately becomes less attractive.
Carefully check on the type of match you’re betting on.
A friendly match will not be approached in the same way as the Champions’ League final. In friendly matches, be careful not to wager too much money because surprises happen all too fast. The same applies to national cup competitions in which a minor team manages to pull off a giant-killing exploit every year. For minor matches with nothing at stake, the favourite team will let their best players recuperate. And whatever you do, don’t bet on virtual football, as offered by certain bookmakers such as Bwin.
The championship itself is also a key element.
It will be easier to forecast the result of matches in championships with very big differences in standards than matches in championships in which teams are all of a similar level. The odds may be lower on teams that dominate the championship, but the result is clearly more predictable. Also pay attention to the lower divisions. Here, real surprises are possible because major teams may place top pros in reserve teams. It’s up to you to monitor the team compositions in real time in order to discover the worthwhile bets.
The period in which the match takes place is also important.
The resumption of a championship is a very dangerous time. Famous teams, or those that have made good signings, may be swept aside by minor teams with modest aspirations. It is probably better to give the team some time to develop a trend, to actually see if they win matches successfully.
