How do I Bet Soccer? Wagering FAQs with Examples

by Docsports.com - 4/15/2024

The world’s most popular game is bursting with a wide variety of betting options on a daily basis. It can be difficult to navigate these seemingly countless betting options, and selecting the correct market to place your hard-earned cash on is no easy task. The inclusion of ties (draws) in soccer can make even the standard betting markets confusing to understand, but the minute differences in odds and the exact wagers can be a massive difference-maker in the long run. Here are the standard soccer betting markets explained.

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How do I bet the Moneyline for Soccer? What is 3-Way Betting for Soccer Wagering?

The most popular betting market is the 3-way moneyline. Unlike the UFC, or the occasional NFL game, the standard moneyline bets do not allow for any sort of push if the game finishes in a tie. If you are betting on Arsenal to win the game, it doesn’t matter if they tie or lose by several goals -- anything other than an outright Arsenal victory is considered a loss on the bet. On the bright side, this ensures that the odds available on either team are far better than a standard 2-Way betting market. The favorite in soccer can be anywhere from a monstrous -2000, to a generous +150 price on the clear-cut favorite.

For example, a tight Arsenal vs Manchester City match up could see both teams come in with plus-money prices available on their victory. Expected odds for a game like this could see Manchester City come in with +100 odds, Arsenal with +300 odds, and the tie (draw) offering +275 odds.

Manchester City	Draw	Arsenal
+100	+275	+300

An important note; in knockout stage matches in the Champions League or a cup match, the possibility of extra time is looming. In the 3-Way market, the bet is settled after the 90 minutes plus stoppage time has concluded, and before the extra 30 minutes kicks off. If Arsenal and Manchester City tied 1-1, then Arsenal goes on to win in extra time, the ‘draw’ market would be declared the winner, as that was how the game was at the end of regulation time.

How do I bet the Soccer Total? FAQs with Examples

The next most popular betting market is the total. This bet is on the Over/Under of the total goals, regardless of which team finds the back of the net. Most soccer games have a total hovering around 2.5 goals, but the occasional match between two high-scoring teams could see the total tick up to 3.5 goals. Unlike NBA or NFL totals, a standard -110 market for both sides is usually not available. You may be asked to lay as high as a -160 price on Over/Under 2.5 goals, but an equally fair line on the other side as high as +140 will be available.

Over 2.5 Goals	Under 2.5 Goals
-140	+120

Soccer is a relatively low-scoring game, so a perfect half line at even odds on both sides is usually not the odds. Some sites will offer flat goal lines with the opportunity for a push. If the oddsmakers feel as though a 2.5 total is too high and a 3.5 total is too low, they can set the line to a flat 3.0. If you bet Over 3.0 goals, and the game finishes with 4+ goals, your bet will be settled as a winner. However, if the game finishes with exactly 3 goals, it will be a push, and if the game finishes with 2 or fewer goals it will be settled as a loss. Doc’s Sports doesn’t partake in the flat lines, as the 0.5 goal lines still offer plenty of value, regardless of the posted line. In a similar vein to the 3-Way Moneyline, this bet will include any stoppage time but will not include extra time if the game finishes tied in a knockout competition.

How do I bet on Draw No Bet for Soccer? What is 2-Way Betting for Soccer Wagering?

The draw no bet market can be the simplest to bet on, as a bet on either team is settled as a push if the game finishes tied and a draw. It can be frustrating to see a tied game go down as a loss in the Moneyline market. Therefore, for a slightly higher price, you can cover your bases in the draw no bet market. The odds available for this wager will be closer to the moneyline odds of the Big 4 North American sports, as the favorite will always have minus odds attached to their victory. Going back to the Manchester City vs Arsenal example, if Manchester City is +100 to win, and Arsenal is +300 on the 3-Way Moneyline, the draw no bet odds will be approximately -275 for Manchester City, and +200 on Arsenal.

Manchester City	Arsenal
-275	+200

The payout isn’t as tempting, but the added benefit of having a tie (draw) finish as a push rather than a loss for either team can make this another profitable market to attack.

How do I bet the Spread for Soccer? What is the Goal Line for Soccer Wagering?

When there is an extreme mismatch in soccer, the spread can be the more effective way to bet on either the big favorite or heavy underdog. Just like in North American sports, the spread can make the odds more playable compared to the moneyline in these mismatches. Big teams like Manchester City are sometimes as high as -2000 on the moneyline, making them unplayable. Spreads like +/-1.5 or +/-2.5 goals ensure both teams still have close odds.

Spread (Goal Line)
Manchester City (-0.5) -1000	Everton (+0.5) +700
Manchester City (-1.5) -200	Everton (+1.5) +150
Manchester City (-2.5) +140	Everton (+2.5) -120

If you are betting on Manchester City -1.5, you would need Manchester City to win by 2+ goals in order to cover the line. If Manchester City loses by any amount, ties, or wins by a single goal, the bet would be settled as a loss. If the underdog, let’s say Everton, is the side you fancy, a +1.5 goal line would mean your bet would be settled as a win if Everton wins by any amount, ties, or loses by just a single goal to the monstrous Manchester City.

How do I Bet Double Chance for Soccer? Double Chance Soccer Wagering Explained with Examples

The double chance market is similar to the spread, as multiple outcomes can result in a winning bet. The three options for a game are home win, tie, or away win, and this market offers the opportunity to select any 2 of those 3 outcomes in the same betslip. Heading back to a +100 Manchester City, +275 for a draw, and +300 for an Arsenal win, the double chance market is the perfect bet if Arsenal is the side of your choosing. A bet on ‘Arsenal win or draw’ would come in with approximately -120 odds, and your bet would be settled as a winner if Arsenal wins or ties. Unlike the draw no bet market, it doesn’t matter which of the two outcomes occur, as the bet will be a winner either way. The option to bet on ‘Arsenal or Manchester City’ is also available, but it is extremely unpopular as it is wagering on either team to win, and the bet will be settled as a loss if the game ties.

Manchester City or Draw	Manchester City or Arsenal	Arsenal or Draw
-400	-350	-120

How do I Bet Team Total Goals for Soccer? Team Total Goals FAQs with Examples

The team total market can be an interesting one to explore and can be very rewarding if used correctly. In this market, we don’t care about the eventual result of the game, and instead we will just be focusing on one team's goals. If Manchester City has an Over/Under of 1.5 goals in a game, it doesn’t matter if they win 2-0, tie 3-3, or lose 5-2, as long as Manchester City scores 2+ goals, the Over would be a winner. Unlike the standard total, there will never be a flat line offered in this market. Like the other soccer markets, extra time will not be included, and the bet will be settled with however many goals Manchester City has at the end of 90 minutes and stoppage time.

Manchester City: Team Total Goals
Over 0.5 Goals -1500	Under 0.5 Goals +900
Over 1.5 Goals -300	Under 1.5 Goals +210
Over 2.5 Goals +100	Under 2.5 Goals -120
Over 3.5 Goals +220	Under 3.5 Goals -320

How to do I Bet Both Teams to Score (BTTS) for Soccer Betting? Both Teams to Score (BTTS) FAQs with Examples

This one is unlike any other sport, and it is on whether or not both teams will score at least 1 goal throughout the game. The odds are usually in favor of both teams scoring. However, in certain cases a heavy favorite may be expected to keep a clean sheet. You can bet on ‘Yes' or ‘No’ in this market, and it doesn’t matter how many goals either team scores once they find the back of the net, as long as they get at least one.

How do I Find Soccer Leagues or Soccer Games on Major US Betting Sites

Since soccer is played all over the world, it can be difficult to find the exact league or matchup you are looking for. There are two easy ways to locate the desired betting markets. First, you can go to the soccer tab, and scroll for the league in question. If you are looking for the Premier League or Champions League, they will usually be right at the top. However, a league like Liga MX may be harder to find, as you’ll be required to scroll through all leagues worldwide. While that is still doable, using the search feature can be far more efficient. You can search for ‘LIGA MX’ as a whole, or if you are looking for a certain matchup, let’s say Toluca vs Monterrey, you can simply search for either team and that specific game will immediately pop up.

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Pick:	CHICAGO BEARS +3
Start:	November 24, 2024 @ 1:00 PM
Expert:	Doc's Sports

Analysis:

Free Play from Doc’s Sports. Take #256 Chicago Bears +3 over Minnesota Vikings (1p.m., Sunday, November 24 FOX) We used the Bears as a free play winner last Sunday and easily covered the spread and should have been an underdog outright winner. Now we will ride them for a second straight week against another NFC North rival, the Minnesota Vikings. The Vikings are 8-2 on the season, yet are only around a field goal favorite. I still do not trust Sam Donald to win consistently over the course of a 17 game regular season. Minnesota is not as good as their 8-2 record would indicate and playing outdoors in Chicago on Sunday will cause issues for them on both sides of the ball. Chicago has been hit or miss this season, but they will be up to play another divisional rival and we expect them to take this down to the wire as well. Do not miss out on Doc’s Sports Weekend Card featuring top plays in college and NFL football. Read More Read Less