How to Bet on Soccer
With the 2010 FIFA World Cup upon us, it is time to discuss how to bet on soccer.
Soccer is considered the world's most popular sporting event; however, in the United States it isn't even in the top four.
That being said, it is gaining popularity every year in both viewership as well as with the sportsbooks.
Online sportsbooks are expecting record setting betting for the 2010 FIFA World Cup with many first time soccer bettors getting into the action.
However, there are a few rules that one must be cognizant of before placing a soccer wager.
Three-Way Money Lines Just like betting baseball or hockey, betting on the money line is the most popular way to bet on soccer; however, there is one major difference.
Whereas in other sports, betting on the money line is just basically betting on a team to win the game outright, in soccer the bettor has the option to bet the draw (tie) as well.
So money line soccer bettors have three options: bet Team A to win the game, bet Team B to win the game, bet Team A and Team B to tie.
Using the odds for the 2010 FIFA World Cup's game between England and USA, let's take a look to see exactly how this works.
The oddsmakers currently have the odds as: England -238 Draw +310 USA +650 If you were going to wager on favored England, for every $238 you wagered, you would win $100; as long as England was victorious after regulation.
Please note the words "after regulation" which is another unique rule with soccer betting which we'll get to in a bit.
Now, if you were backing the underdog USA team you would win $650 for every $100 wagered as long as the Americans were victorious after regulation.
Finally, considering that so many soccer games end in a tie, bookies provide the draw option as well.
In this case, the bettor would win $210 for every $100 risked if the game was tied at the end of regulation.
Although it seems pretty simple, it can be tricky to beginners due to the "end of regulation" rule.
A typical soccer game goes for 90 minutes of play in addition to "injury time".
For the aforementioned three-way money lines, they are graded once the 90 minutes + injury time has been played.
So any goals in overtime (extra time) or shootout will not count towards the three-way money lines.
For example, if Brazil and Spain meet in the World Cup Finals and are tied 2-2 at the end of regulation and injury time, bettors that wagered on Brazil or Spain would lose their wagers while those that bet the draw would win their wager.
Whatever happened in overtime and/or the shootout would be irrelevant to this wager.
Something else the novice bettor needs to be aware of is the aforementioned "injury time".
Although regulation is 90 minutes of play, the officials often extend regulation by a few minutes to make up for time lost due injuries.
Again, this time counts towards regulation and the three-way money line wagers will be graded once this time is complete.
Betting the Total Similar to the other major sports, soccer bettors also have the option on betting on the 'total', also referred to as the 'over/under'.
The typical 'total' on a soccer match is 2.
5 goals.
So the bettor can wager on the 'over' if he thinks the two teams will combine for three goals or more.
Or they can wager on the 'under' if he thinks the two teams will combine for fewer than three goals.
Just like in three-way money line wagering, 'total' bets will be graded after the 90 minutes of regulation and 'injury time' has been completed.
Any goals in overtime or a shootout will not count towards the 'total'.
Soccer is considered the world's most popular sporting event; however, in the United States it isn't even in the top four.
That being said, it is gaining popularity every year in both viewership as well as with the sportsbooks.
Online sportsbooks are expecting record setting betting for the 2010 FIFA World Cup with many first time soccer bettors getting into the action.
However, there are a few rules that one must be cognizant of before placing a soccer wager.
Three-Way Money Lines Just like betting baseball or hockey, betting on the money line is the most popular way to bet on soccer; however, there is one major difference.
Whereas in other sports, betting on the money line is just basically betting on a team to win the game outright, in soccer the bettor has the option to bet the draw (tie) as well.
So money line soccer bettors have three options: bet Team A to win the game, bet Team B to win the game, bet Team A and Team B to tie.
Using the odds for the 2010 FIFA World Cup's game between England and USA, let's take a look to see exactly how this works.
The oddsmakers currently have the odds as: England -238 Draw +310 USA +650 If you were going to wager on favored England, for every $238 you wagered, you would win $100; as long as England was victorious after regulation.
Please note the words "after regulation" which is another unique rule with soccer betting which we'll get to in a bit.
Now, if you were backing the underdog USA team you would win $650 for every $100 wagered as long as the Americans were victorious after regulation.
Finally, considering that so many soccer games end in a tie, bookies provide the draw option as well.
In this case, the bettor would win $210 for every $100 risked if the game was tied at the end of regulation.
Although it seems pretty simple, it can be tricky to beginners due to the "end of regulation" rule.
A typical soccer game goes for 90 minutes of play in addition to "injury time".
For the aforementioned three-way money lines, they are graded once the 90 minutes + injury time has been played.
So any goals in overtime (extra time) or shootout will not count towards the three-way money lines.
For example, if Brazil and Spain meet in the World Cup Finals and are tied 2-2 at the end of regulation and injury time, bettors that wagered on Brazil or Spain would lose their wagers while those that bet the draw would win their wager.
Whatever happened in overtime and/or the shootout would be irrelevant to this wager.
Something else the novice bettor needs to be aware of is the aforementioned "injury time".
Although regulation is 90 minutes of play, the officials often extend regulation by a few minutes to make up for time lost due injuries.
Again, this time counts towards regulation and the three-way money line wagers will be graded once this time is complete.
Betting the Total Similar to the other major sports, soccer bettors also have the option on betting on the 'total', also referred to as the 'over/under'.
The typical 'total' on a soccer match is 2.
5 goals.
So the bettor can wager on the 'over' if he thinks the two teams will combine for three goals or more.
Or they can wager on the 'under' if he thinks the two teams will combine for fewer than three goals.
Just like in three-way money line wagering, 'total' bets will be graded after the 90 minutes of regulation and 'injury time' has been completed.
Any goals in overtime or a shootout will not count towards the 'total'.
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