Soccer is known to be one of the most-betted sports worldwide. That said, betting on soccer can be daunting, especially for the first-timers, as you’ll encounter seven different ways to bet in a single game.
Knowing these various soccer bets and understanding how they work should be prioritized before you place your wager. Below, you’ll find the seven different ways you can place your wager in soccer games and some explanations of how they work.
The 3-way Moneyline
The first betting type you can wager on soccer is the 3-way moneyline. It comes with three betting options, which are:
- Team A wins
- Team B wins
- Draw
You can only win this bet if the team you chose wins the game in regulation time. If your team wins it in overtime or via a penalty shoot out, your bet will result in a loss.
The 3-way moneyline is considered the easiest to understand of all the soccer bets available. It’s because you’re only going to bet on the result of the match, which is either the team will be victorious, or the game will end in a draw.
The 2-way Moneyline
Another moneyline bet is the 2-way moneyline. It offers two ways to bet on a soccer match: Double Chance and Draw No Bet. Similar to the 3-way moneyline, your bet will be graded only on the 90-minute regular time of the game.
With Double Chance, you’ll be given three possible outcomes of the game, which are:
- Team A will win or draw
- Team B will win or draw
- Either Team A or B wins
Meanwhile, on the Draw No Bet, you’ll only have two options, which are:
- Team A wins
- Team B wins
As you can see, there is no draw in the option. However, if the game ends in a draw, your bet will be refunded.
Goal Lines
Next on the list of bets you’ll come across is the goal line. Goal lines, also known as spreads, are similar to the point spreads in basketball and football and puck lines in hockey games.
A spread, also known as the goal lines in soccer, is used to balance the odds of two teams that aren’t evenly matched. It is used by bookies to obtain the same amount of action on both teams playing in a match.
In reading the goal lines, you will need to keep in mind that the negative sign will be the favorite, and the positive sign is the underdog.
For instance, if the game’s favorite team has a spread of -1.5, it means they must win by at least two goals to cover the spread. In contrast, the underdog must either win outright or lose by less than the specified margin in order for you to win.
Totals
Totals or over/under bets in soccer work the same as in other sports. If you’re already familiar with basketball or football totals, you will quickly understand this type of soccer bet. In this betting type, you’ll be wagering on the number of goals you think will happen in a game. Total betting can also be labeled as under/over goals on some sportsbooks.
What makes this type of bet advantageous is that you don’t need to guess the exact number of goals made in a single soccer game. Since it’s an over/under market, you only need to guess whether the total number of goals will be over or under the set number by the sportsbook.
Asian Handicaps
The Asian handicap wager lets you remove the draw option by providing a “spread” or making a push via a draw. This bet lets you play fractional bets or divide your wager into two. This will allow you to identify value in the margins between the standard betting lines.
For instance, if you believe Argentina will dominate the game by more than one goal, you can place a bet on the team as a -1.5 Asian handicap and win more cash at a lower risk if the team wins by two or more goals rather than merely backing them to win as an underdog and playing them at -150 moneyline.
Parlays
With a soccer parlay bet, you can mix wagers on multiple games or results into one to increase your odds and your payouts. Parlays are also referred to as accumulators or “acca” in the UK and Ireland. Meanwhile, in Europe, parlays are often referred to as multiple.
This is because soccer parlay betting lets you mix and match betting selections on two or more markets. The more markets you add to your parlay, the more difficult it is to win. The only advantage is that the payout will be greater if you win.
Prop Bet
Last on the list is the prop bet. Prop bets are bets made on events that don’t directly affect a game’s outcome. For example, you can place a prop bet on what shoe color a specific player will wear in their next match. You can also put a bet on what color of sports drink the teams will be having.
Prop bets also don’t always have to be something that’s not game-related. For example, you can place a prop bet on whether a player can make more than X goals. Prop bets can also be about a team’s performance, player, or match events.
Bottomline
You need to familiarize yourself with many bets before placing your wager. These bets are complicated at first glance but are straightforward to learn and understand. Now that you’re familiar with the different types of soccer betting, you can place your bets according to what type you prefer.