5 top tips to master in-play soccer betting

In-play soccer betting is one of the most diverse approaches you can take to sports betting. It requires an exceptionally dynamic and agile sports bettor to be able to interpret the action and in-play data with their own eyes and then make informed betting decisions.

With more online sportsbooks offering live streaming embedded within their platforms and applications, it’s easier than ever to watch the soccer games you bet on. If you’ve only ever bet pre-game on soccer matches before, we’re going to open your eyes with 5 tips to become the master of in-play soccer betting markets.

Have a backup plan when you’re opening bets live

Always make sure you have multiple routes of access to your sportsbook account in the event of connection or device failure. This will allow you to close your position if you need to cash out in-play. Some online sportsbooks don’t offer native apps for iOS or Android smartphones, but platforms like Betano offer online sports betting apps for both operating systems, available to download from the App Store and Google Play.

Look for in-play xG data

If you aren’t able to watch a soccer game on a live stream or television broadcast, try to bet with a sportsbook which offers real-time xG data. xG is now the go-to metric that soccer bettors – and even professional soccer teams – use to determine the quality of goalscoring chances created.

Let’s say the game you want to bet on is goalless, but the xG data suggests the home team should have scored 1.5+ goals already; it could be an indicator that the home team is dominating and worth backing. Similarly, if the game is 1-0 to the home team but you’re seeing xG data such as 0.20 Vs 0.12, there’s very few good chances being created. It’s likely the home team scored from a defensive error or a fine piece of individual skill. If the xG remains low, you may prefer backing the under goals market if you believe it’ll be a low-scoring affair.

Check the pitch and weather conditions

Speaking of the under goals market, the condition of the soccer pitch and the underlying weather conditions can have a big influence on a game’s outcome. If it’s raining heavily and the pitch is starting to look heavy and waterlogged, it may not be conducive to creating good goal scoring opportunities. In which case, you may prefer to back the under goals market again.

If the pitch is in excellent shape, with little or no wind and moderate temperatures, this will benefit soccer teams which play good attacking football.

Try to do your research on both teams pre-match

When a soccer match kicks off, there’s precious little time to take a step back and assess the teams playing. Ideally, you should spend some time before kick-off learning about the two teams on the pitch, including the most in-form players in each squad and the head-to-head record between the two clubs.

This can be a real time-saver in-play. For instance, if a team’s star player is forced off with injury, this could severely weaken their chances of winning. Similarly, if a team brings on an in-form player in the second half from the substitutes bench, the team could improve and score second half goals later in the day.

Manage your betting bankroll responsibly

Rule number one – you should manage your betting bankroll responsibly to stay in the game. The amount you risk on a single wager should be proportionate to the overall size of your bankroll. Most serious soccer bettors will only risk 1% of their bank. They’d need 100 consecutive losing bets to blow their entire bank, which is highly unlikely, even for inexperienced bettors.

Some in-play soccer bettors also master the Kelly Criterion, which dictates that the more value there is in a bet, the bigger the stake should be.

Ultimately, in-play soccer betting is a fluid and dynamic pastime. With so many permutations, there’s huge skill involved in making the right market moves by using your judgment.