Football Odds

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Football Odds: The Basics

Welcome to the dynamic world of football betting, where a passion for the sport meets the thrill of betting. As one of the most popular sports globally, football captivates millions of fans with its intense rivalries and captivating matches. 

Betting odds for  football offers a plethora of betting markets, catering to every preference and strategy. From traditional match outcomes to more specialised bets like goal scorers and halftime results, the options are limitless. 

Additionally, the availability of live odds adds an extra layer of excitement, allowing bettors to immerse themselves in the action as it unfolds. Explore the endless possibilities of betting odds for football and experience the adrenaline rush of predicting outcomes in a variety of prestigious and niche football competitions.

Football Odds Markets

Football betting offers a wide array of betting odds to choose from. With traditional match outcomes to more exotic bets like first goalscorer and various bet builders, there’s something for every football enthusiast. 

Here’s some of the most popular odds markets for football:

• Match Result: Betting on the outcome of a match. 1 = home, X = draw, 2 = away.
• Over/Under Goals: Predict if the number of goals is over or under a certain line, for example over/under 2.5 goals.
• Both Teams to Score (BTTS): Betting on whether both teams will score at least one goal in the match or not.
• Draw no Bet (DnB): Predicting if the home or away team will win the match, with a draw not counting and instead returning the stake to the player.
• Handicap: Odds that level the playing field between teams of differing abilities. Most commonly displayed as for example +1.5/-1.5 for either team. Asian handicap is a popular variation of these types odds – read more about Asian Handicap here
• Correct Score: Predict the exact final score of a match.

Odds for football offer everything under the sun, and which market to choose is up to you. Certain betting sites provide over 100 types of odds in popular leagues such as the Premier League and the Champions League and in major international tournaments such as the World Cup or the Euros. 

How betting odds for football work

Football odds are provided in many different shapes and sizes, but there’s three major ones you will encounter.

• Fractional Odds: The most common way to display odds in the UK for football betting. This odds type represents the ratio of the potential profit to the initial stake. For example, odds of 5/1 mean that for every £1 wagered, the potential profit is £5, plus the return of the original $1 stake if the bet wins.

• Decimal Odds: Most commonly used in Europe outside of the UK: Decimal odds represent the potential return on a bet, including the original stake. For example, odds of 5.00 mean that a £1 bet would return £5 in total, including the stake.

• Moneyline Odds (American): Used mainly in the US. These odds indicate how much profit you would make on a £100 bet if your selection wins. For instance, odds of +200 mean you would win £200 profit on a £100 bet if successful, while odds of -150 mean you would need to bet £150 to win £100 profit.

Betting odds for football reflect the likelihood of certain outcomes to occur in matches, and UK betting sites will most often display them as fractional odds. Understanding these odds is the key to success for bettors, as they can evaluate the potential return compared to their own understanding of the outcome occurring. 

Finding the best odds for the football is crucial for long term success. Even the smallest difference in the odds provided will over a long period of time make a substantial difference. That’s why we always aim to provide you with the best odds available for football at Betting.com.

How Football Betting Odds are determined

When betting sites decide odds for football matches several factors contribute to their overall judgement. Here’s a list of some of the most important factors that help assigning probabilities to different outcomes:

• Team Performance: Current form, historical performance, and squad strength play a significant role in determining odds. Teams with a strong track record and in-form players are often favoured with lower odds.

•  Injuries and Suspensions: The absence of key players due to injuries or suspensions can impact a team’s chances of success. betting sites adjust odds accordingly to reflect the potential impact of missing players.

•  Home Advantage: Home teams typically enjoy a statistical advantage due to familiar surroundings and support from fans. As a result, odds may favour home teams slightly compared to their away counterparts.

• Schedule: When teams have a busy schedule, including matches in European competitions or the domestic cups, they often have to rotate players. This impacts the strength of the team, and therefore their odds for upcoming matches will get adjusted.

• Head-to-Head Statistics: Previous encounters between teams, including recent matches and overall historical records, are considered when setting odds. Teams with a history of dominating their opponents may have lower odds.

• Motivational Factors: The relegation battle can often impact football betting odds. If a team is already mathematically relegated for the upcoming season, their motivation is for obvious reasons hurt, and as such their odds will drift. Likewise, if towards the end of a season, a team can neither rise or fall in the standings, motivational factors will impact the odds provided by betting sites.

These factors, among others, are carefully analysed by betting sites to provide accurate and competitive odds for football matches, guiding bettors in their decision-making process.

As a bettor our job becomes to analyse the football betting odds provided, and beat them. If we can correctly apply the factors above, while the betting sites might have overlooked it, we have a value bet on our hands and it’s time to strike.

Outright/futures odds for football

Outright odds in football offer an enticing opportunity for bettors to predict the season-long outcomes, such as the winner of a league championship or tournament or the top goal scorer. These odds encapsulate the season or tournament’s narrative, reflecting teams’ overall strength, transfer activities, and managerial strategies. Here’s some of the most popular outright betting odds markets for football:

• League Winner: The most popular outright odds market for most leagues, where the aim is to predict the overall champion at the end of the season.

• Top Four or Top Six Finsh: Betting on a team to end the season in the top four or six is a very popular odds market in football. These are the positions which mean qualification for Europe or end of season playoffs etc.

• Relegation: Predicting a team to get relegated is another popular odds market for football. Usually it’s possible to bet on this all the way until the last week’s of play.

• Top Goalscorer: Predicting the top goalscorer for the season or a tournament is always a popular market, and adds excitement throughout the whole season.

Throughout the season, outright odds for leagues will fluctuate in response to team performances, injuries, and other influencing factors. Whether backing perennial favourites or seeking underdog triumphs, outright betting adds an extra layer of excitement to the football betting experience, allowing fans to engage with the league’s long-term narrative while potentially reaping substantial rewards. 

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