If you enjoy following the world of football, you may be interested in knowing how to turn that fun into a profitable side business. Winning soccer bets can certainly be done if you are able to see better odds than the dealer. Therefore, you must broaden your knowledge of the sport, learn how to turn odds into probabilities for profit, and narrow your judgment before betting for the sake of making money.
Step
Method 1 of 3: Predicting Match Winners Accurately
Step 1. Learn as much as you can about the world of football
Take sufficient time to familiarize yourself with the various aspects of the sport. This will allow you to understand the structure of the league, how to rank the clubs, who are the main players in each club, and the comparison between the clubs facing each other. As a result, you can make measured guesses about the final outcome of a game or season.
- Watch major sports channels or look for sports specials in newspapers for the final results of the big games.
- You can also look up player or club statistics on websites such as ESPN, BBC UK and Fox Sports.
Step 2. Consider other factors that affect the course of the game
Knowing the ranking of clubs in the league is not enough. Make sure you keep up-to-date information that looks vital, such as injury lists, team composition changes and coach changes. Small details can make a big difference to your victory or defeat.
- Statistics can give you better information about a club's performance than the results of past matches. The club with the higher goal average does not necessarily win if the opponent has a goalkeeper with a save record of 75%.
- Instead of making a choice based on the club or player win-loss ratio, pay attention to the attack and defense statistics of the two competing clubs.
Step 3. Pay attention to popular bets to predict the final outcome of the game
Just because everyone is betting on the same pattern, doesn't mean the bet has a greater chance of winning. However, pay attention to the bets that are currently popular to help you make a reasonable choice. It's possible that people know something you don't.
- A change in the value of a bet the day before a big game, for example, could be an indication that a star player is unable to play due to injury or illness.
- Using popular consensus as a first step before honing your betting skills can be a useful strategy if you don't know how to bet.
Method 2 of 3: Bet Wisely and Effectively
Step 1. Place bets only to guess the final result of the game to avoid any strange schemes
Guessing the final result of the match is the easiest bet because there are only 3 possibilities: win, lose or draw. With this bet, you only need to determine which team is superior. Simplifying the betting structure in this way allows you to focus on making choices.
- The most common variation of this bet is known as “Asian handicap”, which is a scheme of adding or subtracting goals from your chosen team to prevent a draw. The Asian handicap makes it possible for someone to win even if they bet on the losing team.
- Betting on guesswork often doesn't yield as big of a win as other betting schemes, but this method gives you the chance to win quite a bit of money on a consistent basis.
Step 2. Convert betting odds to probabilities before making a choice
To calculate the rough probabilities of the given betting odds, take the second number from the betting set and divide by the sum of the two numbers. Then, multiply the result by 100 to get the percentage probability.
- For example, if the bookie offers a 4/6 betting opportunity for Liverpool, this means that the team has a 0.6 or around 60% chance of winning or quite high.
- If betting odds are in decimal form, simply divide 1 by that number, then multiply the result by 100. For odds of 2.26, the conversion process is as follows: 1/2, 26 = 0.44247 x 100 = 44, 25 %.
- It is very important to calculate the probabilities every time you bet. If you're just guessing, you can make bets that are much riskier than they should be.
Step 3. Limit the number of bets at one time to increase the chances of winning
If you can, play it safe and limit your choices to one club, player, or end result. This will make it easier for you to calculate probabilities without risking an unexpected outcome. The more variables at stake, the less chance you have of making a profit.
- You have a better chance of predicting that Newcastle United will win the game than predicting that Ciaran Clark will score the winning goal so the game ends with the score 3-1.
- It is not uncommon for bookies to offer attractive rates and prizes for placing more complex bets. This is their way of tempting gamblers into making statistically unfavorable bets.
Step 4. Wait for the ideal time to lock the bet
As a basic rule, you should hold your bets until you are absolutely sure of the final outcome of the game. Last-minute betting will provide better security, if the bookie allows it. Otherwise, placing your bet on the same day as the match day is the best option.
- Resist the urge to place big bets ahead of time because of the lure of big discounts or bonuses. You will lose the ability to revise predictions if you choose to do so or get caught by the dealer's tricks.
- Watch for special bets on matchdays. These bets are usually offered for a limited time by the bookie. If you are satisfied with the probabilities of the opportunities offered, these bets can be a powerful way to reap more profits.
- Odds in betting are organic, uncertain and may change throughout the game. A club that falls behind at the start, but tends to be more productive scoring in the second half, may end up winning.
Method 3 of 3: Gaining Profit on the Betting Exchange
Step 1. Look around for bets with the best odds and prices
Don't let a company make you feel like you have no other options. Go to different bookies (both local and online) and take a look at what they have to offer. If you don't like the offer, switch to another company. Remember, the money used is your own so you are free to bet it anywhere.
- Taking the best odds of several bookmakers at once will lower their winning chances from 5% to 1.5%.
- Visit a trusted odds analyzer website to compare betting odds and prices from several online bookies.
Step 2. Don't bet on your favorite team if the odds of losing are greater
Just because you like a club or a player doesn't mean they are always favorites to win. After doing a thorough calculation of the probability, you should trust the results – make sure you make your judgments based on clear odds when betting, not just emotion.
You are usually more aware of the advantages and disadvantages of your favorite club than any other club. This can be exploited if you do some careful calculations and match the statistics of the club directly with its opponents
Step 3. Don't be afraid to place a tie bet if the match looks even
Sports fans prefer clear winners, especially in big games. For this reason, the bookie often increases the bet for a draw. If both clubs appear to be equally strong, betting money on a draw can return your money along with some profits.
- If you feel that a club is slightly ahead of its opponent, you should take an Asian handicap bet (if the scheme is offered) to increase your chances of winning.
- Due to the relatively low scoring average, you'll see more of a draw in world football than in any other sport.
- This tactic has proven to be quite effective when the two opposing clubs have similar rankings and statistics.
Tips
- Sports betting, like gambling in general, consists of elements of luck and skill. You may need to do some trial and error before you have the skills to win bets consistently.
- Never miss something that's for sure. The team that leads 2-1 at half-time has a statistically 75% chance of winning the game.
Warning
- Don't bet more than your budget at one time. This can worsen your financial condition.
- Sports-related betting is illegal in some areas. Make sure you understand local laws before placing a bet.
- Sports betting is a form of gambling and so has the potential to cause an unhealthy obsession. If you are addicted to gambling, seek help from a professional counselor or specialist who can handle the problem.
