Ways to Bet on Soccer

The article was provided by Ashley Smith, editor of casino games guide CasinoTop10.

With the World Cup approaching, soccer fever is heating up. Soccer is the most commonly played sport in the entire world. While it enjoys a greater fan base overseas, soccer betting is rapidly gaining popularity in the United States. Betting on soccer is fairly easy, but there are a few concepts you must have a firm understanding of in order to be successful with your soccer wagers.

Money Line Bets in Soccer

When wagering on a soccer match, many bettors make a money line bet. With the money line, the two teams are assigned odds to drive the betting. In most cases, one team is the favorite and the other is the underdog. For example, let's say there is an international friendly between the United States and Brazil. The U.S. is the decided underdog, with odds at +300, while the mighty Brazil squad has odds of -200. In this scenario, a bet for Brazil would force you to risk 200 dollars to make 100. In contrast, 100 dollars on the US would yield 400 in total. Soccer differs from betting on baseball or football because the match can end in a draw. Odds are placed on the potential for a tie. In this case, the odds might be +200, because Brazil is expected to win.

Betting the Over/Under in Soccer

A common type of bet on soccer is the over/under or totals. The total is simply the amount of goals that are expected to be scored. Odds makers work hard to find a number that will drive the action on both sides. Assigning a number with a half eliminates the chances for a push or no action outcome. Let's say the over/under for the U.S. and Brazil match is set at 2.5 and you bet the under. In order for you to win, the teams cannot score more than two goals between them. A bet on the over would require at least four goals to be scored to see a return.

Prop Bets in Soccer

The majority of sports books offer prop bets on soccer matches. Some types of bets include predicting the halftime score, the first team to score or the first player to score. The odds for these kinds of bets vary, but some could be very lucrative. The more information a bettor has at his or her disposal will greatly benefit the chance for success. Factors like home and away records, suspensions and injuries can all be useful tools for bettors.