Soccer Betting Guide: Win More with These Easy Steps

With MLS in full swing, and two major international tournaments featured this year, 2024 really sets the stage for the next World Cup (which will also be mostly played in the States). This incredible sport always features some sort of action, and the soccer betting scene is just as active. It’s the best year to take five minutes off work and read a serious, no-bs Soccer Betting Guide.

Whether you’re looking to dip your toes in soccer betting in the current MLS season, or looking to cash in on those huge European league paydays, our guide will have you covered!

How to Read & Understand Soccer Bets

Soccer betting, like any other sports betting, means you’ll put your cash on various results within a soccer game. You can simply pick which team will win the match, or explore detailed options such as the total goals scored, goal line spreads and even specific events or statistics. There’s always something to bet on, especially if you’re a true fan of the game.

Let’s kick off our soccer betting guide with some of the most basic odds featured on sportsbooks.

Moneyline Odds

Let’s say England is playing against Ukraine and you want to pick who will win the match. This is a straightforward Moneyline bet.

Here’s how it might look:

England (-150): This means England is the favorite. If you bet $150 on England to win, and they do, you’ll win an additional $100.
Ukraine (+300): This indicates Ukraine is the underdog. If you bet $100 on Ukraine and they pull off an upset, you’ll win $300.

England has always been a historically strong European contender, plus its national league (Premier League) is regarded as the best in the world. Some of the best players and clubs compete against each other every week, with many English players on its rosters.

Ukraine in the other hand does not have such a strong national league, however what they lack in individual talent can always be compensated with team effort and solid strategy. This factor heavily weighs in team sports and is often the reason behind many upsets.

So, if you’re feeling confident about England’s chances, you could put down $150 to win an extra $100. Or, if you think Ukraine might surprise everyone, a $100 bet could net you a nice $300. It’s all about weighing the odds and going with your gut—or the stats!

Fractional Odds

Let’s stick to the same match-up only this time you want to place a bet using fractional odds. Here’s how it might look:

Imagine the odds for England to win are listed as 1/2. This means if you bet $2 on England to win, you would earn $1 in profit if they win the match. This means you’ll get $3 back in total (your original $2 wager + $1 profit).

On the other hand, if Ukraine’s odds to win are 4/1, this means if you bet $1 on Ukraine and they win, you’d earn $4 in profit. So, you’d get back $5 total—your original $1 plus the $4 profit.

If you think England’s definitely going to win, you’d probably want to bet on them even though the profit isn’t as high, because it’s a safer bet. But if you have a hunch Ukraine could pull off an upset, due to recent trends, statistics or even key injuries on England’s side, you might want to go for a bigger payout!

Decimal Odds

Let’s say you’re now interested in placing a bet using decimal odds. Here’s how it could go down for the same match:
Suppose the decimal odds for England to win are 1.50. If you bet $10 on England and they win, you’d calculate your total return by multiplying your stake by the decimal odds.

So, $10 x 1.50 = $15.

That means you’d get your original $10 back plus $5 in profit.

Now, if Ukraine’s odds to win the match are 6.00 and you decide to bet $10 on them instead, your potential return would be $10 x 6.00 = $60.

That’s your original $10 plus a $50 profit if Ukraine pulls off an upset.

Decimal odds are straightforward because the number represents the total payout per dollar bet if you win, including your original stake. Higher decimal odds offer higher returns, but it’s obviously a riskier bet, because the outcome is not as likely to happen.

Again, having key information about players availability and statistics have a significant impact, but only veteran gamblers or seasoned fans that follow a soccer betting guide know this. It’s a big part of the reason why soccer betting pros do so well throughout the year.

Whats Juice or Vig?

In betting, “juice” or “vig” (short for vigorish) is the commission that sportsbooks charge for taking a bet. It’s how they ensure they make a profit regardless of the outcome of the game. Think of it as the bookie’s fee for handling your bet.

Let’s go back to our previous example. Say we’re looking at a moneyline bet for an upcoming match between England and Ukraine. Here’s how the odds might look:

England: -150
Ukraine: +130

In this example:

England -150 means you need to bet $150 to win $100.
Ukraine +130 means a $100 bet will win you $130.

Now, let’s break down the juice:

How Juice is Calculated in Soccer Betting

This concept is easily explained with an example. Here’s how it works:

1. Calculate the Implied Probability:

For England: Implied probability = 150 / (150 + 100) = 60%
For Ukraine: Implied probability = 100 / (130 + 100) = 43.48%

2. Add the Probabilities:

Total implied probability = 60% + 43.48% = 103.48%
Notice that the total is over 100%. The extra 3.48% represents the juice, which is the bookmaker’s assured profit.

Now that we know what the bookmarkers are taking, let’s submit our wager: $150 on England to win, because we want to play it safe.

If England wins, you get your $150 back plus $100 in profit.
If England loses, you lose your $150.

Now, imagine a friend bets $100 on Ukraine:

If Ukraine wins, your friend gets their $100 back plus $130 in profit.
If Ukraine loses, your friend loses their $100.

No matter which team wins, the bookmaker collects bets from both sides. The juice ensures they make a profit and it’s how bookmakers stay in business. So, make sure you pick a sportsbook that feels safe a reasonable rate.

Types of Soccer Bets

Let’s review the different types of bets available to you. We’ll explain each on our soccer betting guide in simple English but with plenty of details to guarantee you know all you need to know ahead of your first real bet.

If you’re already familiar with all the soccer bets, feel free to visit our How to Bet on Soccer piece to get some advanced soccer betting tips, otherwise, read on!

Soccer Futures

Soccer futures betting is a super exciting way to leverage some soccer knowledge for a big payday. These long-term bets are typically set before a season or tournament begins and are updated as the event progresses. The odds adjust based on results, injuries, trends, and betting activity. Seasoned fans love to get in on this action for flexing rights, but they’re a goldmine to smart gamblers.

Futures bets cover a variety of markets, including team results and individual achievements. Common futures markets in soccer include predicting the winners of competitions, and which player will score the most goals (also known as the Golden Boot winner). Leagues cover these and even which teams will be relegated to lower status at the end of the tournament.

Major tournaments like the Euros and the World Cup offer these markets and more. During these competitions, teams first clash in a group stage where two teams advance: the group winner and the second-place finisher.

Oddsmakers provide lines for both winning the group and advancing from the group to the next stage. Since advancing is more likely than winning the group, the odds for advancing usually have more juice. Favorites often have favorable odds and lower payouts due to their higher chances of moving on.

Let’s look at the past Euro 2024 Group D Futures:

Team	Odds to Qualify
France	-2,000
Netherlands	-1,000
Poland	-165
Austria	-150

Team	Odds to Win Group
France	-250
Netherlands	-195
Poland	+550
Austria	+700

In these scenarios, France is heavily favored to advance, with odds that make betting on them to qualify less attractive due to low returns. However, betting on them to win the group at -250 is a more reasonable option, especially since they just came from a 2nd place finish at the World Cup. Notice that the odds for other teams increase accordingly, reflecting their chances.

Additionally, futures markets for tournaments like Euro 2024 allow bets on which teams will fail to qualify, how far teams will go, the number of goals a team will score, and points earned in the group stage.

You can even bet on teams reaching specific rounds, like the quarter-finals or semi-finals before getting sent home. The possibilities are near endless, even in relatively short tournaments such as the Euro cup.

Futures betting provides various opportunities to engage with the broader picture of a tournament or season, making each match more thrilling and potentially more profitable. There’s nothing quite like seeing your predictions become true at every step of the tournament, but it’s just that much sweeter if it also doubles or triples your income for the month.

Soccer Spreads

Betting on soccer spreads, also known as point spreads or handicaps, is another popular way to wager. Sportsbooks typically set spreads between 0.5 and 2 goals, but they can vary depending on the competitiveness of the teams. In soccer spreads, the favored team gets a negative number (scoring goals), while the underdog gets a positive number (conceding goals).

For instance, if the favorite has a spread of -1.5, they need to win by two or more goals to cover the spread. Conversely, the underdog needs to either lose by one goal or fewer or win outright to cover the spread.

Each spread comes with a price, known as the “juice” or vig. Sometimes the prices are similar, but if oddsmakers believe one team is more likely to cover the spread, the price difference can be significant.

Let’s take a look at what the spread would look like in a game between France and Sweden.

Teams	Spread	Odds
France	-1.5	+190
Sweden	+1.5	-105

In this scenario, France at +190 means a $100 bet would pay $190 if they win by two or more goals. Conversely, Sweden at -105 means a $105 bet would pay $100 if they lose by one goal or fewer, or win outright.

Goal Line: Over/Under Totals

The Over/Under total, or goal line in soccer, is very much like totals in other sports such as NFL football or basketball. Oddsmakers set an expected number of total goals for a match, and you bet on whether the total combined score will be over or under that number.

Let’s continue with our France vs Sweden scenario.

Bet Type	Odds
Over 2.5 goals	-112
Under 2.5 goals	+155

In this case, the goal line is set at 2.5 goals, a common total for soccer matches. The Over is priced at -112, meaning a $112 bet would net you $100 if the match ends with three or more goals scored.

On the other hand, the Under is priced at +155, so a $100 bet would yield $155 if the total goals scored are two or fewer.

Sometimes, sportsbooks might set higher totals, like 3.5 goals, but it’s rare for them to go lower than 2.5 goals for most matches. You can also bet on a team’s total goals, which focuses on the number of goals scored by one team, or bet on how many goals there’ll be on the first or second half.

3-Way Soccer Moneylines

A three-way moneyline lets you gamble on a match’s result, including a win for either team or a draw after regulation time. This bet format is displayed as 1X2, where 1 represents a win for Team 1, X represents a draw, and 2 represents a win for Team 2. Oddsmakers set the odds for each team based on their match-up, the probability of each team winning, and the likelihood of a draw after 90 minutes.

Let’s look at how odds would look in a clash between Argentina (the current world champion) and USA, an up-and-coming team that has thoroughly outclassed Mexico lately.

Result	Odds
Argentina	+120
Draw	+200
USA	+185

In this case, the odds favor Argentina at +120 to win against the underdog USA at +185. The draw is the least likely outcome, with odds at +200. This means oddsmakers see Argentina as a slight favorite and consider a draw less likely than either team winning outright.

When a team is heavily favored, they usually have minus odds, with the draw being the second favorite and the underdog having the longest odds.

Result	Odds
France	-250
Draw	+370
Sweden	+700

From the table above, France is a strong favorite to win, requiring a significant bet to profit. Sweden, with the least chance of winning, offers a much higher payout at +700, while the draw sits in the middle at +370.

Three-way moneylines are available for both full-time and half-time results. Most matches offer a three-way half-time line, where odds typically favor the draw more due to the shorter time frame. Some sportsbooks even offer a second-half three-way moneyline, where only the result of the second 45 minutes matters.

2-Way Soccer Moneylines

Two-way moneyline in soccer betting has no “draw” option, and adjusts its odds to let you pick between a win or loss. If the teams end up drawing, all bets are canceled and your stake is returned to you. DNB (Draw No Bet) are popular in tournaments or knockout play since it covers all the match.

Be sure to check on your favorite’s sportsbook rules on DNB lines though. You’ll find that some categorize it as “no action” or a “push” in the event of a draw. Knockout stages always require a winner, and the two-way moneyline is usually specified as “advance” or “qualify”.

Here’s how it might look like in a knockout match between Argentina and USA.

Team	Odds
Argentina	-115
USA	+95

In this example, oddsmakers favor Argentina at -115, making the USA the underdog at +95. If Argentina wins 2-1 in regulation, bets on Argentina are winners, while bets on the USA lose. If the match ends in a 1-1 draw, the “no bet” clause takes effect, and all stakes are returned as “no action.”

Like the three-way moneyline, many matches offer a two-way moneyline for the first half, with only the first 45 minutes factoring into the bet result.

Soccer Double Chance Lines

Double chance lines let you wager on two of the three possible outcomes simultaneously. This means you can bet on a win or draw without having to place separate bets on each.

Let’s take a look at how Soccer Double Chance Lines bet for a France vs. Sweden matchup would look like.

Team	Odds
France and Draw	-125
Sweden and Draw	+115
France and Sweden	-550

In this example, the odds favor France, so options including them are highly priced. However, a $100 bet on Sweden to either win or draw would return $215 if Sweden avoids defeat.

Double chance bets are great for playing underdogs without the risk of picking the wrong outcome on a three-way moneyline. However, they offer little value when betting on the favorite, as the potential returns are often minimal.

Soccer Prop Bets

Soccer prop bets are specialized bets that let you wager on specific events or stats during a match. These can be anything from which players will score, provide assists, or even how many corners kicks a team will take.

These types of bets are not recommended for beginners, because they require advanced knowledge of both teams and the game itself. Sportsbooks provide prop bets for both individual players as well as teams, offering an extra level of excitement on each game.

For major tournaments like the World Cup or Champions League, there are often hundreds of prop bets per match due to how popular these matches are. The players at this level are exceptional, turning unlikely events into trivialities you can reasonably bet to occur.

There are also additional props for in-game events, such as:

Players getting booked: some players are known for rough defending or tackling. Sometimes these prop bets offer good returns for those who know the game and the players.
How many total cards will be shown in a match: teams with historical rivalries, or with a story of trash-talking between its players make these bets way more attractive.

There are other prop bets such as how goals are scored. You can bet whether a player will score a goal with a header, free kick, outside the box, etc. You can look for teams with lower average player heights, or goalies with a history of poor performance on free kicks to get some massive returns on your bets.

Another popular prop bet is “both teams to score”.

Option	Odds
Yes	+200
No	-150

For example, in the Argentina vs. USA game, a “no” bet will pay $100 on a $150 bet if one or both teams fail to score. Conversely, a “yes” bet will pay $200 on a $100 bet if both teams score.

Mind you, you’re not betting on whether or not a specific team will win, just whether or not both teams will score during the game. It’s a popular bet if you heavily suspect a match will end with a 2-1 score, for instance.

Handicap Betting: Also Known as Asian Handicaps

Asian handicap betting is a more intricate way to wager on soccer spreads and totals. Soccer isn’t a particularly high-scoring game, so Asian handicaps allow you to split your wagers across two different bets using fractions or whole numbers between standard lines.

These include handicaps of 0.25, 0.50, and 0.75 goals. Asian handicap lines can apply to the total goals scored in a match or the spread.
Let’s take a look at how it’d look in a match between France and Sweden.

Result	Odds
Over 2.5 goals	-120
Under 2.5 goals	-90

Asian Spread	Odds
France -1.60	+140
Sweden +1.60	-180

The odds for the over 2.5 goals -120, so there’s a higher expectation for a higher-scoring game. The under 2.5 goals is -90 which means a lower-scoring match isn’t expected.

The Asian spread favors France with odds of +140 for a -1.60 spread, which means they’re expected to win by a significant margin due to their overall difference in FIFA ranking and player quality. Sweden, on the other hand, is at -180 with a +1.60 spread, indicating that they are not expected to lose by more than one goal.

A way to summarize expectations, would be that a higher-scoring game is slightly favored, with France taking a win without much difficulty. The Asian handicap balances these expectations and distributes the risk across multiple outcomes.

In-Play Betting in Soccer

In-play betting, also known as live betting, allows you to place bets while the game is in progress. This very fluid form of betting can be highly profitable if you have a good eye for details during a game and understand its natural ebb and flow. It also requires an extra level of discipline and bankroll management, because the action is so volatile.

To better understand this type of bet lets imagine a knockout phase match between Argentina and the U.S.

Imagine we’re watching Argentina take on the U.S. in a thrilling soccer match. The game’s in full swing, and you notice Argentina is dominating possession but hasn’t scored yet. This is where In-Play Betting gets exciting.

Say we’re 30 minutes into the first half, and the score is still 0-0. Argentina has had several close chances, and it feels like a goal is imminent. You decide to place an In-Play bet on Argentina to score the next goal.

You open your betting app and see the odds for Argentina to score the next goal are currently at 1.80 (decimal odds). This means if you bet $50, your potential return would be $90 ($50 x 1.80), giving you a $40 profit if Argentina scores next.

But it doesn’t stop there. In-Play Betting allows you to bet on various outcomes as the game progresses. You can bet on things like the next corner, the next yellow card, or even the total number of goals by the end of the first half.

A U.S. – Argentina Match

Lets say, with Argentina pressing hard, and Messi finding space near the U.S. box you might also consider placing a bet on them to win the first half. If the odds are 2.20 for Argentina to be leading at halftime and you place a $50 bet, you stand to win $110 ($50 x 2.20), resulting in a $60 profit.

In-Play Betting is all about using the flow of the game to your advantage. By paying close attention to how the teams are performing and making quick decisions, you can capitalize on shifting odds and increase your chances of winning.

You might notice that the US has had a couple of close calls, with sharp counterattacks that almost ended in goal twice. If your intuition serves you right, you might instead bet for the US to score before the half ends, since Argentina is so focused on attack it has neglected its defense, creating a chance for you to win big before the half ends.

So, as the game between Argentina and the U.S. unfolds, keep an eye on the momentum and each team’s goal scorer and use In-Play Betting to make the most out of your soccer betting experience. It’s a great way to stay engaged and potentially boost your earnings while enjoying the match.

FAQs: Soccer Betting Guide

1. What are the basic types of bets in soccer betting?

The basic types of bets in soccer betting include moneylines, three-way moneylines, two-way moneylines, double chance, spreads, goal line (over/under), futures, props, derivative odds, and Asian handicaps.

2. What is a three-way moneyline in soccer betting?

A three-way moneyline allows bettors to wager on the match’s final result, including a win for either side or a draw after regulation time. This line features a 1X2 format: a win for Team 1, a draw, and a win for Team 2.

3. How does a two-way moneyline differ from a three-way moneyline?

The two-way moneyline in soccer betting removes the draw option from the equation, adjusting the odds on either side to reflect the likelihood of a win versus a loss. If the match ends in a draw, all bets are canceled and the stakes are returned to the bettors.

4. What is a double chance bet in soccer betting?

Double chance lines allow you to place a wager on two of the three possible outcomes (win, lose, or draw) simultaneously, reducing the risk compared to a three-way moneyline.

5. How do spreads work in soccer betting?

Spreads, or handicaps, in soccer betting involve betting on a team to win by a certain number of goals or to lose by fewer than a certain number of goals. The spread can vary but is commonly between 0.5 and 2 goals.

6. What is the goal line (over/under) in soccer betting?

The goal line, or over/under, is a bet on whether the total number of goals scored in a match will be over or under a set number by the oddsmakers.

7. What are soccer futures bets?

Futures bets involve long-term wagers on outcomes such as which team will win a tournament, which teams will qualify, or which player will score the most goals over a season or tournament.

8. What are prop bets in soccer?

Prop bets, or proposition bets, are wagers on specific events or statistics within a match, such as which player will score a goal, how many corner kicks a team will take, or whether a player will receive a yellow card.

9. What are Asian handicaps in soccer betting?

Asian handicaps are a type of spread betting that eliminates the possibility of a draw, allowing bettors to spread their wager across two different outcomes, reducing risk.

10. How can I bet on soccer legally in the USA?

You can bet on soccer at various legal online, mobile, and retail sportsbooks in states that offer legal sports wagering. Each state has its regulations and legal sportsbooks.

11. How do I know which team is the favorite in a match?

The favorite in a match is indicated by their odds. A favorite will have odds of -110 or less, with heavy favorites potentially having odds of -800. The lower the negative number, the stronger the favorite.

12. How important are lineups and injuries in soccer betting?

Lineups and injuries can significantly impact odds and betting outcomes. Lineups are typically released 60 to 90 minutes before kickoff, and understanding who is playing and who is not can provide a betting edge.

Whether you’re looking to dip your toes in soccer betting in the current MLS season, or looking to cash in on those huge European league paydays, our guide will have you covered!