A Beginner’s Guide To Football Betting

If you’re thinking of getting into football betting but don’t quite know where to start, you’re not alone. Plenty of people take one look at this potentially lucrative avenue and decide it’s not for them sheerly based on a feeling that football betting is “too hard”. We’re here to dispel that myth. Here’s our 8-step beginner’s guide to football betting.

1. Know your terms

The first thing you need to do if you’re going to bet on football is to know your terms. Do you know what an accumulator is? How about a scorecast? Would you know what to do with a DNB? It’s important to know what you’re getting yourself into if you’re going into football betting. Coming prepared with knowledge will increase your chances of victory. You’ll also gain a wider range of knowledge when it comes to betting, meaning you can expand your repertoire to other sports. Most importantly, it’ll make it harder for disreputable platforms to rip you off. Speaking of which…

2. Find a reputable website

If you’re planning to bet online, finding the right website can be an absolute minefield. You don’t know whether the site you’re planning to use is reputable, or whether it has a history of ripping off its customers. As such, it’s definitely a good idea to find a well-known, high-quality betting website. Sites like this one over here will compare and contrast different betting services for you, helping you to find the one that’s right for you. If you want to make decent money out of football betting then you’re going to need to be discerning.

3. Bet smart, not emotional

If you’re into your football, you’ve probably got a team that’s close to your heart. You need to disregard that completely when you’re betting on football. If you support a team but you know they’re likely to lose a game, it’ll make you more money if you bet against them. Don’t ever bet on a team because you like them or have a personal stake in their victory. If you don’t think you can throw your allegiance to the wind, then don’t ever bet on games that involve your team. Your heart can lead you to some very stupid decisions indeed, so use your head.

4. Don’t bet more than you’re prepared to lose

If you know you can afford to lose the money you’re going to bet, then go ahead and place the wager. If not, don’t. You should be prepared to lose everything you’re betting; the outcome of a football match, while predictable to a certain extent, is always subject to last-minute change. You could very well think your team has it in the bag until a late-game goal from their opponents knocks the whole thing into extra time and loses you your entire bet. Don’t bet more than you’re prepared to lose, because doing so will set you on the road to perdition.

5. Build knowledge

You might not be a football expert, and that’s fine – you don’t necessarily need to be one in order to bet on the sport. Having said that, you definitely do need to know at least the basic rules of football. You can’t know what the best betting scenario is for each game if you don’t know what could happen. It’s also a great idea to learn leagues, cups, and teams. It’s going to be difficult to keep tabs on every single team in the UK, but if you can choose a handful and concentrate on their performance then you can get a good idea of their individual strengths and weaknesses.

6. Watch the leagues closely

Teams aren’t always in the same situation from game to game. A team that has won its last five matches and is now facing an inferior opponent is not likely to be bringing its best game to that match. You can see that as an opportunity; maybe Goliath will make a mistake and create an opportunity for David to take him down. Betting against a team that everyone else thinks will win can lead to massive payouts, but you should only do this if you’re confident. Alternately, look at a team that historically hasn’t done too well but is now fighting for its place in the league. That team is much more likely to play well in their next game since the stakes are higher. If you watch for trends and make predictions, you can really up your profit.

7. Be patient

Not every bet is going to come off in your favour. If you’re expecting football betting to be as consistent as a 9 to 5 desk job, you’re going to be disappointed. Some bets will naturally fail; nobody can literally predict the future. With that said, you need to make sure you’re picking the right bets. Are you on a strong streak? Consider banking your money and making a safe bet so that you can “start afresh” rather than putting it all on a risky venture. Having a string of losses? Analyse what’s going wrong and work to change it – don’t make rash decisions and try to “prove yourself”. Knowing when to bet – and when not to bet – is crucial if you’re to become a successful sports betting expert.

8. Don’t get addicted

This one is harder than it might initially seem. We are our own worst judges, and it’s not always possible to know when you’re addicted to gambling. There are plenty of stories out there you can read about gambling addiction that should clue you in; if any of these stories sound like yours, then you might be addicted. The moment you identify an addiction, you need to take positive steps to get out of it. Football betting can be an extremely lucrative and enticing profession, but it should never overtake your life or cause you harm in any way. Surround yourself with people you trust and tell them to be honest with you throughout your time football betting.