Soccer Betting Guide: Understand All Bet Types

Soccer Betting Guide: Understanding All Bet Types

Welcome to the comprehensive guide for betting on Soccer (or Football, as it's known globally)! The world's most popular sport offers a vast range of betting opportunities across countless leagues and tournaments. This guide will help you understand the key bet types, focusing on major competitions like the English Premier League (EPL), Spain's La Liga, Italy's Serie A, Germany's Bundesliga, France's Ligue 1, as well as the UEFA Champions League and international events like the World Cup.

Whether you're predicting match outcomes, total goals, or player performances, knowing these bet types is essential for navigating the exciting world of soccer wagering.

Understanding Soccer Odds

Soccer odds reflect the likelihood of an outcome and determine potential payouts, usually displayed in American (+/-), Decimal (e.g., 1.85), or Fractional (e.g., 4/5) formats. This guide uses American odds:

Negative Odds (-): The favorite. Shows how much to bet to win $100 profit (e.g., -120 means bet $120 to win $100).
Positive Odds (+): The underdog (or less likely outcome). Shows profit won on a $100 bet (e.g., +250 means bet $100 to win $250 profit).

Odds account for team form, head-to-head records, injuries, home advantage, and more.

Common Soccer Bet Types

3-Way Moneyline (Match Result / 1X2)

The most fundamental soccer bet. You predict the outcome of the match within regulation time (90 minutes plus stoppage time). Extra time in knockout matches does *not* count unless specified. There are three options:

1: Home Team Wins
X: Draw
2: Away Team Wins

Example (EPL):
Manchester City (1): -150
Draw (X): +300
Liverpool (2): +400
A $150 bet on Man City wins $100 if they win in regulation. A $100 bet on the Draw wins $300 if the match ends level after 90 mins + stoppage.

Double Chance

This bet covers two of the three possible outcomes in the 3-Way Moneyline, offering lower odds but a higher chance of winning. Options are:

1X: Home Team Wins or Draw
X2: Away Team Wins or Draw
12: Home Team Wins or Away Team Wins (i.e., not a draw)

Example (La Liga):
Real Madrid vs Barcelona - Double Chance 1X: -250 (Wins if Real Madrid wins or draws)

Draw No Bet (DNB)

This is a 2-way market where you bet on either team to win. If the match ends in a draw after regulation time, the bet is voided, and your stake is returned. Odds are lower than the 3-Way Moneyline win options.

Example (Bundesliga):
Bayern Munich DNB: -300
Borussia Dortmund DNB: +240
If you bet Bayern DNB and they win, you win. If it's a draw, you get your stake back. If Dortmund wins, you lose.

Goal Line / Asian Handicap

Similar to point spreads, Goal Lines apply a handicap (+/- goals) to teams to create more balanced odds, especially in uneven matchups. This often eliminates the draw as a betting outcome. Lines can be whole numbers (e.g., -1.0, +1.0 - where a draw against the handicap results in a push), half numbers (e.g., -0.5, +1.5 - guarantees a win/loss), or quarter numbers (split stakes).

Example (Serie A):
Inter Milan -1.5 (+110)
AC Milan +1.5 (-130)

Example (Ligue 1):
PSG -0.5 (-140)
Monaco +0.5 (+120)

Total Goals (Over/Under)

Bet on the total combined number of goals scored by both teams in regulation time (90 minutes + stoppage time). The sportsbook sets a line, typically ending in .5 (e.g., 2.5 goals) to avoid pushes.

Example (Champions League):
Total Goals: Over 2.5 (-115) / Under 2.5 (-105)
If the final score is 2-1 (3 total goals), Over wins. If 1-1 (2 total goals), Under wins. Scores in extra time usually do not count.

Half-Time/Full-Time (HT/FT)

Predict the result at both half-time AND full-time (regulation). There are 9 possible outcomes (e.g., Home/Home, Draw/Home, Away/Draw, etc.). This offers higher odds due to its difficulty.

Example: Predict Draw at HT and Man City win at FT (Draw/Home) at +450 odds.

Correct Score

Bet on the exact final score of the match in regulation time. Very difficult to predict, resulting in high odds.

Example: Bet on Liverpool to win 2-1 exactly at +800 odds.

Player Props

Wager on specific player achievements within the match (usually regulation time). Common props include:

Anytime Goalscorer: Player scores at least one goal.
First/Last Goalscorer: Player scores the first or last goal of the match.
Player Shots / Shots on Target (SOT) Over/Under: (e.g., Erling Haaland Over 1.5 SOT)
Player Assists Over/Under:
Player to be Carded: Player receives a yellow or red card.

Example:
Kylian Mbappé Anytime Goalscorer (-110)
Jude Bellingham Over 0.5 Assists (+200)
Player X to be Shown a Card (+150)

Explore detailed player markets on our Soccer Player Props page.

Futures

Long-term bets on season or tournament outcomes. Popular soccer futures include:

League Winner (EPL, La Liga, Serie A, Bundesliga, Ligue 1, etc.)
Champions League / Europa League Winner
Top 4 Finish (League) / Group Winner (Tournaments)
Top Goalscorer (Golden Boot) for a specific league or tournament
Teams to be Relegated
Player Awards (e.g., Ballon d'Or)

Example:
Arsenal to Win the Premier League (+500)
Real Madrid to Win the Champions League (+800)
Harry Kane Top Goalscorer Bundesliga (-200)

Live Betting (In-Play)

Place bets on soccer matches while they are in progress. Odds and markets update dynamically based on the current score, time, possession, red cards, etc. Markets include updated 3-Way Moneyline, Next Team to Score, Total Goals, Next Corner, etc.

Soccer Betting Guide FAQs

What is 3-Way Moneyline betting in Soccer?

The 3-Way Moneyline (or Match Result) is the most common soccer bet. You wager on one of three outcomes in regulation time (90 minutes + stoppage time): Team A wins, Team B wins, or the match ends in a Draw. Extra time is not included unless specified.

How does Goal Line / Asian Handicap betting work in Soccer?

Goal Line (often similar to Asian Handicap) betting applies a goal handicap to level the playing field. A favorite might have a -1.5 goal line (must win by 2+ goals), while the underdog gets +1.5 goals. Lines like +/- 0.5 eliminate the draw. It's a way to find value when one team is heavily favored.

What are Soccer Total Goals (Over/Under) bets?

Total Goals bets involve wagering on the combined number of goals scored by both teams within regulation time (90 minutes + stoppage time). The sportsbook sets a line (e.g., 2.5 goals), and you bet whether the actual total will be Over or Under. Extra time goals usually don't count unless the bet specifically states otherwise.

What are Soccer Player Prop Bets?

Soccer Player Props focus on individual performances. Common bets include: Anytime Goalscorer, First/Last Goalscorer, Player to be Carded (Yellow/Red), Player Shots/Shots on Target Over/Under, and Player Assists Over/Under.

What are Soccer Futures bets?

Soccer Futures are long-term wagers. Examples include betting on the winner of leagues like the English Premier League (EPL), La Liga, Serie A, Bundesliga, or Ligue 1; the Champions League winner; Top Goalscorer for a league or tournament; or teams to be Relegated.