Soccer Betting Betting Markets (Odds and Bet Types)
Soccer is such a popular sport that it should come as no surprise that there are so many betting markets and types of bets players can opt for, as well as attractive soccer odds that can lead to significant payouts. The first thing to note is that Canadian players can find three types of soccer odds: the decimal (which are the most common), American, and fractional odds.
Let’s learn more about the most popular soccer betting markets you can encounter.
Three-Way Betting
As its name suggest, the three-way betting option or the moneyline wager includes placing a bet on three possible outcomes of a soccer match— home win, away win and draw. Let’s illustrate that with an example.
If you think that Manchester United will win against Manchester City in one of the biggest derbies in all of England, you should bet on the home team win by marking 1 on your bet slip. If, on the other hand, you think Guardiola and his squad will prevail, then you will bet on the away team win by marking the number 2 on your bet slip. The third and final option is the draw. It is marked with an x, and it usually comes with great soccer odds.
Double Chance
If three-way bets are a bit risky for you, you can always turn to the double chance wager. These bets does not have such generous odds, but they usually provide more security and probability of success. The following betting choices are available with a double chance wager:
- 1x — You win a bet if the home team wins the match or if it ends in a draw.
- 2x — You win the bet if the away team wins or the game is a draw.
- 12 — You win the bet if any of the two teams wins.
Total Goals
The total goals is a pretty popular soccer wager that is also quite self-explanatory.
The bettor’s task is to choose how many goals will be scored in a game. Depending on the sportsbook, those numbers can range from 0 to 3 or 2 to 3 goals. You can also opt for 3+,4+,5+, 6+, and 7+.
For example, if you’ve predicted that there will be 3+ goals in a match, and it ends in a 2-1 home win, you win the bet. There is no need for both teams to score in order for the bet to succeed.
Over/Under
The over/under bet is very interesting to most punters, thanks to the fact that it usually entails great odds.
A sportsbook will suggest a number of goals that the teams will score in a game. That number is usually around 2.5 goals. This means that if you bet over, you expect 3 or more goals to be scored. On the other hand, if you bet under, your wager will be a winning one if the overall number of goals is 2 or less.
Half-Time/Full-Time
The half-time/full-time wagers boast the best odds and, thus, the biggest payout potential.
The purpose of this bet is to predict the result after 45 and 90 minutes. For example, if you think that the result will be a draw at halftime, after which the home team will emerge victorious, then you need to play X-1. There are nine possible combinations you can choose. All of them reflect every possible outcome of both the half-time and full-time score.
Futures
The futures bet involves placing a wager on the winner of the entire competition or league. So, if you think Real Madrid will win the entire La Liga in Spain or that Manchester United will win the FA Cup, you can place the futures bet.
The general rule here is that the sooner you place the bet, the better the odds you will get.
Correct Score
The correct score bet is also quite popular among punters, as it allows them to predict the exact score of football matches. It’s very difficult to get this bet right since you need a lot of luck and skill, which is why the potential payouts are quite big as well.
Asian Handicap
Asian handicap soccer bets are also known as point spreads or just spreads in the USA and Canada. Soccer teams will be handicapped by a certain number of goals. For example, if Bayern Munich is a favourite to win in its clash against Borussia Dortmund and the handicap is set at -1.5 goals, it means that, in order for your bet to be a winning one, Bayern needs to win by a 2-goal margin at least.
Both Teams to Score
If you think that both teams will score, you can place such a bet. No matter how many goals there are in the end, as long as both teams have scored, the bet will be a winning one.
Soccer Betting Bonuses
There are plenty of bonuses from online bookmakers that attract new players and retain the existing ones. In fact, the majority of those bonuses are directed towards those punters who like to bet on soccer. Let’s check them out:
Welcome Offers
Welcome offers are only for those Canadians who register their accounts for the first time. These promotions usually come in the form of free bets, no deposit bonuses, and deposit match offers.
Free Bets
When you claim a free bets offer, the sportsbook will give you some free betting money once you have registered, made a certain deposit, and wagered it.
Deposit Match Bonus
Thanks to deposit match bonuses, players’ initial deposits will be matched in bonus cash up to a specific amount. For example, if you deposit $100 as a part of a 100% deposit match offer, the sportsbook will provide an additional $100, which you will be able to use on soccer or any other sports.
No Deposit Bonus
A no deposit bonus is probably the most coveted of all sportsbook promotions. When they claim it, players will receive a small amount of bonus cash as a reward for completing the registration procedure. This money can be wagered on soccer or any other sport under certain conditions. Although the bonus isn’t much — since most of the time it is only up to $10 — the mere fact that it comes free of charge and that you can earn real cash out of it is impressive enough and shouldn’t be overlooked.
Reload Bonus
A reload bonus is very similar to the welcome deposit bonus — only this time, it targets the existing players. Namely, regular players who make frequent bets can expect to receive up to 50% or more of their deposits in bonus cash.
Cashback Bonus
Cashback bonuses can be claimed by both newly-signed players and the existing ones. Through this bonus, a sportsbook will offer a certain sum of the money you have lost during the designated period back. For example, a 10% cashback up to $50 can be given to you if you spend $1,000 wagering on soccer.
Accumulator, Enhanced Odds, and Best Odds Guaranteed Bonuses
These special bonuses are connected to the odds.
Namely, an accumulator bonus is awarded to those players who have a specific number of matches on their betting slip. For example, if you bet on 10+ matches, your winning potential will be increased by 10%.
Enhanced odds bonus is a type of bonus where players can get better odds on some special soccer fixtures —usually the biggest derbies of the round.
Finally, the best odds guaranteed is a type of bonus where the bookmaker guarantees you will receive the best odds for a given game if you place an early wager.
Best Soccer Tournaments for Betting (Champions League, English Premier League, Seria A , La Liga, MLS, Euros, World Cup)
The best soccer tournaments can be classified into competitions involving national teams from around the world and top-class domestic and international club championships and leagues. You can choose among some fantastic betting opportunities here.
For example, if you want to place a futures bet on the winner of the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, you will first have to wait until the qualifications for it are over. Of course, you will find an interesting match or two in the qualifying rounds, as well.
Another exciting soccer tournament Canadian sports betting aficionados are looking forward to is the UEFA European Championship. It’s going to be hosted in 12 cities, and the finals are scheduled to be held on Wembley. If you think Portugal is going to win back-to-back titles or that some other contender is going to emerge on top, now is the time to place those bets and get great odds.
Club championships and leagues, such as the UEFA Champions League, English Premier League, Spanish La Liga, and other European competitions, are filled with top soccer players who score goals on a regular basis and bring a lot of excitement day in and day out.
Gamopo’s Soccer Betting Tips
Here at Gamopo, we look after players who put their trust in us. That is why we’ve come up with a couple of tips to help you have the best soccer betting experience:
- Wager only on teams and leagues you are familiar with. The more you know about a competition and its respective teams, the better the chances of success you’ll have.
- Make sure to stay in the loop and follow all soccer-related news, as these bits and pieces of information are invaluable when placing bets.
- Analyze the stats, form, and head-to-head data about the players and teams in question, as this can help you get a bigger picture and place a more appropriate bet.
- Don’t get ahead of yourself. If you are on a roll, know when to quit. Wagering until you lose all of your money is not a good option.
- Make sure to check the bookmakers’ margins. If they take more than 6% on major leagues, choose not to play as it would be incredibly difficult to cash out under such circumstances.
