Football Betting
| Updated: November 6, 2025
With football being the most popular sport in the world by a large margin, the betting scene surrounding it is also the largest on the planet. Football betting is among the most popular activities in the online gambling industry, and sportsbooks are certainly ready to accommodate all punters willing to join.
If you are thinking about entering the world of football betting, be sure to read this article, where we cover every major aspect of this activity. Below, you will find information on the types of bets that you can place, the odds formats, important features of sportsbooks, popular payment services, and much more.
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Features of Football Betting Sites
When you first get into betting on football matches, you will quickly see that sportsbooks offer certain features to make placing wagers easier. On the Internet, many things that were once unthinkable are now possible, and you should have them at your disposal.
One of the best features currently available at modern sports betting websites is live streaming of matches. Many gambling websites will offer you the opportunity to watch the match as it is being played. This will not only allow you to keep track of the game for your own entertainment but also help you place more informed in-play bets should you choose to do so.
Additionally, you may also have access to a statistics feature. This allows you to track the performance of teams and players, thus giving you the opportunity to make better decisions. If you are the analytical type, such a feature will come in handy, and you should certainly look for it at your website of choice.
Nowadays, the Internet allows punters and companies to keep better track of matches from all over the globe. This means that you will have immediate access to every major football event in the world and the opportunity to place your bets. Never before have punters been treated to such rich betting markets, and by the look of things, it is only bound to get better from here.
Odds Types at Football Betting Sites
One of the most important aspects of online sports betting is knowing how to read the odds presented to you. Naturally, not having a basic understanding of what a bet does is extremely detrimental to your bottom line. To counteract this, we have prepared a brief rundown of the three popular odds formats that you will encounter at modern online sportsbooks.
The decimal format is arguably the most popular of the major types, and it is the default at most European gambling websites. It is presented as a number, for example, 2.50. When you take this number and multiply your bet by it, it signifies your total return when the bet is settled. At odds of 2.50, a $100 bet would return $250, with $150 in profit. When looking at the odds, the team with the lower odds is favored to win the matchup, and the lower risk results in lower winnings.
The fractional odds format is typically found at UK and Irish bookmakers, and it is written with a slash, for example, 5/4. Unlike decimal odds, the fractional type only indicates the profit that you stand to make from a bet. Therefore, a $100 bet at odds of 5/4 will net you $125 in winnings, for a bottom line of $225. Again, the lower the odds, the higher the probability of a team winning.
Finally, we come to the American format, which is the least popular of the three but still featured at all major sportsbooks. A bet in American odds is presented as (+)200 or (-)300. The plus symbol indicates that the team is the underdog in the matchup and the number following it is the amount that you stand to earn as profit from a $100 bet. The minus symbol shows the team which is favored to win the game, while the number after it is the amount that you have to wager to win $100.
Mobile Support
Another important feature of modern online gambling websites is support for mobile devices. Nowadays, many punters like to place their bets while on the go or when they have time to spare. Naturally, no one wants to be chained to a computer desk to fulfill their gambling needs. As a result, for years now, sportsbooks have been offering a mobile version of their websites. It allows those with modern smartphones and tablets to place their bets regardless of where they are.
Mobile sportsbooks often feature a scaled-down interface so that it is usable on any display size and resolution. Not only do the mobile versions retain full usability, but they also include all of the features of the desktop websites. When you load your gambling website on a mobile device, you will find that it still allows you to use the same payment services, gives you access to the same promotions and betting markets, and offers anything else that you might need.
Common Football Bet Types
Once you start placing your bets, you will find that there are many different types. For beginning punters, this can be quite daunting since the betting sheet does not reveal much information. For your benefit and convenience, we have put together a list of the most popular football bet types that you will have at your disposal at online gambling websites. Each bet type comes with a basic explanation, giving you some insight into which is the right option for you.
Full Time Results
Full Time Result is as simple as betting options go, and it is the most common wager that you will see punters place. This is a bet on the outcome of the match, specifically on one of the two teams or on a draw. It is the most basic wager that you can put down, and it is commonly taken by beginner punters. Each outcome features its own odds and payout ratios.
Double Chance
Double Chance is another common football betting option, and it is one of the safest out there. This is because you are betting on two out of three possible outcomes. These may include either team winning, or one team winning and a draw. If one of the two selected results comes to pass, then you will win the bet. Granted, this betting option does come with a lower payout than many others, due to the lower risk involved.
Draw No Bet
If you do not want to deal with the possibility of a draw situation, then you would do well to consider the Draw No Bet option. This is a bet on one of the two teams in a matchup: if you guess the winner correctly, you win, and if the other team wins, you lose. However, in the event of a draw, the sportsbook will refund your bet, and that is the end of it. It is a low-risk bet, all things considered, and this means that the odds will be slightly worse than the Full Time Result option.
Handicap
The Handicap markets are where things start to take an interesting turn and become somewhat more complicated. A Handicap wager is somewhat different from other betting options since it deals with a hypothetical situation. When you put down a Handicap bet, you are adding or subtracting goals from the final score of a team. If that team ends up winning the match, with respect to the handicap, then you win the bet.
Of course, there are different degrees to the handicap that you can apply to any particular situation. The more goals that you remove from the final score, the better the odds and your payout become. This is because the probability that the team will win becomes lower, increasing the risk of the bet. Similarly, when you add more goals to the final score, you reduce the odds and the payout for your team since the risk of the wager decreases. You should keep in mind that, for a Handicap bet to be a winning one, your team has to beat the other after the handicap is applied. This means that even in the event of a draw, you will still lose the wager.
Over/Under
The Over/Under markets are some of the most popular in the sports betting industry, and they are available for practically every match. When you put down an Over or Under wager, you are betting on whether the combined number of goals will be over or under a specific figure. For example, if you place an Over 1.5 bet, then two or more goals need to be scored during the game. Similarly, an Under 1.5 bet can only be won if one or no goals are scored. The additional 0.5 goal is added to the line to avoid a situation where the exact number of goals is scored, and the confusion that comes with that.
Futures
If you are confident in your long-term predictions, then you might want to consider the Futures markets. This betting option gives you the opportunity to make predictions on events that will unfold over the next few weeks or months. These are long-term bets that are highly speculative, and the risk involved is substantial, but then again, so is the payout. There are many potential scenarios that you can bet on, and sportsbooks are more than willing to take your wagers. Of course, you need to pay close attention to the risk involved and weigh it against the possible benefits of placing this type of bet.
Parlay
Parlays are another popular bet type, especially among those who are fully confident in their predictions. Unlike other forms of sports betting, a Parlay wager is made up of several smaller bets. It can include Over/Under, Handicaps, Full Time Result, Draw No Bet, and whatever else the sportsbook is willing to accept. There are a number of reasons why punters like this bet type, namely the large payoff awaiting at the end of a correct Parlay. Indeed, a Parlay bet offers higher odds than if you were to place all of its parts individually. Of course, this does not come without added risk. If even a single Parlay part fails, then you lose the entire Parlay. As you can imagine, you need to be very careful when placing a Parlay since even a small fault in your judgment could be the difference between a win and a loss.
Scorecast
Scorecasts are very specific bets that will certainly test your ability to make football predictions. A Scorecast wager involves predicting which particular player will be the first to score a goal, the total number of goals during the match, and other similar conditions. They come with better odds than the average betting market, although the added risk more than compensates for that. You should only place Scorecast bets if you are absolutely sure of your predictions.
In-Play
In-Play is one of the more revolutionary developments in the online sports betting scene. This type of bet can be placed while a particular match is in progress, and you can cash out your wager before the game has concluded. The odds of In-Play bets change dynamically, depending on the current state of the match. However, once you put down your money, the odds are set in stone. Cashing out your bet does give you some advantage, especially when you think that your team does not have what it takes to win the game, although you will receive less money than if you were to wait for the match to conclude.
Payment Solutions at Football Betting Sites
Once you register with an online sports betting website, you will need a way to fund your bankroll. The online gambling industry supports a number of services that are readily available to nearly all customers. Each payment method will serve you differently, with its own advantages and disadvantages. Below, we cover the most popular banking solutions that you can use at online sportsbooks.
Credit Cards
Credit cards are the default payment method for millions of punters from all over the world. They are hailed for being convenient to use and easy to obtain. Moreover, practically all online gambling websites support credit cards, given their overall popularity. A credit card deposit goes through instantly, giving you immediate access to your funds. This means that you can start placing bets as soon as you confirm the payment. Most sportsbooks accept payment via MasterCard and Visa, with a small number also supporting Maestro, Diners Club, and Discover Card.
eWallets
Another top-tier payment method comes in the form of eWallets. These services are preferred for their ease of use and the speed at which they can process payments. When you make a deposit via an eWallet, it will be available instantly, while withdrawals clear within a few hours once they are issued. Furthermore, their popularity within the gambling community means that almost no website can afford to ignore them, and you can use them practically everywhere. Among the more popular eWallets are Skrill, Neteller, WebMoney, PayPal, EntroPay, and more.
Prepaid Cards
Prepaid cards have also found their place within the online gambling industry, offering users quick and hassle-free transactions. Deposits made via a prepaid card will go through in a few seconds, and you can start placing your bets. The trade-off is that you can rarely cash out your funds via the same service. Many simply cannot handle withdrawals, while others are not supported by the gambling industry. Luckily, you can always request a bank transfer to your personal bank account. Some of the popular prepaid services include Paysafecard and EcoPayz.
Online Banking
Online banking is another popular means of managing your bankroll. These services connect to your bank account, and you can use them to make instant deposits to your sportsbook balance. Moreover, they serve as an intermediary and protect your banking information from the sportsbook. Withdrawals are also possible via online banking, and it can take up to several business days for the transaction to clear. You should note that certain online banking services are regional since the companies have to work directly with local banks. Popular online banking methods include iDebit and InstaDebit, but if you are more comfortable using traditional banking, you can always try bank wires, MoneyGram, and Western Union.
Security at Football Betting Sites
Security should always be a priority whenever you are online. Protecting our personal and banking information is a must, especially when we are asked to submit it on the Internet. This raises the question of what steps online gambling websites take to secure our data. As it happens, there are strict measures in place to prevent data leaks and to ensure that your information remains private.
Online gambling websites are mandated by law to have the capacity to store users’ information in a secure manner. To achieve this, they often utilize high-tech encryption software that secures any data entering their systems. This way, only authorized persons can read it when required. Additionally, many websites give users the option to enable two-factor authentication, which requires you to enter a randomly generated code sent to your phone every time you wish to log in to your account.
Hallmarks of a Good Football Betting Site
There are several things that you should look out for when you register at an online sportsbook to place bets on your favorite football team. Some of these are for the sake of convenience, while others are for your own protection.
The first and most important feature is the presence of a government-issued license. This is the only way that you can be certain that a website is properly regulated by an institution and that it is following all the laws and rules that would make it a legitimate operation. Many international sportsbooks are licensed by the Malta Gaming Authority and the United Kingdom Gambling Commission, among others.
Something else that you have to pay close attention to is the customer support that you can expect to receive. While most online gambling websites have reached a point where everything works smoothly, from time to time you may experience issues or have questions that need answering. In such situations, you need to know that there is someone out there who has your back. Customer support typically comes in the form of live chat and email, though some websites also offer phone communication as well. Ideally, the website of your choosing should have the support staff available around the clock to ensure that you always receive the assistance that you need.