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What’s the world’s most popular sport? The answer is simple – football. From a fan’s and bettor’s perspective, football is the most dominant sport globally. With hundreds of leagues across Europe and the world and plenty of action during the week, Saturday, and Sunday, the best football betting sites enjoy incredible traffic daily.
The great Italian manager Carlo Ancelotti once said, “Football is the most important of the less important things in the world.” He was undoubtedly right. Football enjoys a cult status among sports, and football players such as Pele, Diego Armando Maradona, Leo Messi, and Cristiano Ronaldo are true legends in history. Even if you’re not a football fan, you have surely heard about these footballers. Regardless if you’re a fan, you can bet on soccer online and still earn loads of cash by simply following your intuition.
Of course, it’s not easy to win, but with so many games every day, you can quickly learn how to bet on football and win. Soccer betting sites have made it very easy to place bets these days, especially when it comes to football. Add to that the promise of bonuses beyond your imagination, and it’s easier to bet on football than ever.
If you’re looking for the top betting sites online, you’re at the right place. In this guide, you will learn the following:
- How to bet on football;
- Where to find the best odds;
- How to choose the best bookies for football;
- Learn about the different types of bets.
BetZillion’s football betting sites guide has it all, so if you’re already here, don’t hesitate to read till the end.
List of the Best Football Betting Sites
The online betting market at the moment is pretty focused on football betting. The football season begins in late summer in most parts of the world and lasts almost until the next summer. There are dozens of competitions and events to bet on all year long, not counting the World Cup or Euros held once every four years.
The best soccer betting site will have it all, but finding one isn’t that easy. To be honest, the market is pretty saturated these days, and not all bookmakers are of equal quality. That’s where BetZillion comes in. With our football bookies guide, we’ll show you the sites worthy of where you can build your accumulator easily and place bets on the top fixed odds. Don’t worry – most of our recommended bookmakers also have live odds.
The list of bookies you’ll find on this page has a line for each football event and the best odds on various competitions and tournaments. Simply put, our soccer betting guide is everything you need to start betting on the sport.
Popular Football Bookmakers
Feature | Sportsbook |
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⭐ Best Betting Site: | William Hill |
⭐ Best for Bonuses: | Betfred |
⭐ Top Mobile App: | Ladbrokes |
⭐ Best for Live Betting: | 22Bet |
⭐ High Payout Bookie: | Ivibet |
⭐ Safe Bookmaker: | SpinBetter |
⭐ Top for Extra Features: | 20Bet |
Football Free Bets
You should choose online soccer betting sites instead of betting shops for many reasons. Bonuses and promos are some of the more prominent reasons. You see, online bookies offer a wide range of bonuses and promotions you can use on football matches. You’ll almost certainly get a free bet on sign-up and possibly earn more free bets later.
The welcome free bet is a common occurrence at most soccer bookies. You will likely need to deposit and possibly place your first bet to claim it. Of course, that will require you to register first, as you will need a funded account to claim free bets. The extra money will certainly be handy when betting on the Premier or Champions League.
Here’s how the process usually goes:
- Find a reputable bookmaker;
- Register by following the sign-up instructions;
- Head to the promotions page and read the free bet T&Cs;
- In most cases, you’ll need to deposit and place a qualifying bet;
- Once your bet is settled, you should get the free wager automatically.
Read the terms and conditions carefully to complete the wagering and other terms on time. The best football betting sites will give you a nice free bet to start with, possibly a Bet 10 Get 20 or 30 offer that’s great for beginners.
Football Bet of the Day
With so many football matches every day, it can be hard to pick one. That’s why bookies often decide to promote a special type of bet known as a bet of the day. It features the best soccer odds for today and is picked by experts who provide their knowledge to the site.
The football bet of the day is a great way to stake on a match if you don’t know where to start. As you know, bookmakers have their blogs led by former football players and experts who share their expertise daily. One of their specials is the bet of the day, which can be available on any match, competition, or market.
Many of these offers may come with boosted odds, so they’re pretty valuable for punters. If you’re browsing markets and can’t find anything of value, you can hit on the bet of the day and raise your chances to win big.
While it’s not a surefire way to win, the soccer bet of the day is a great idea to pick a match you might win on, so you might want to try it.
How Does Football Betting Work?
Football betting online is placing bets on soccer matches or competitions. It’s a practice that’s been doing great for decades in betting shops until it moved online. Online bookmakers have made the whole process even more comfortable, allowing newbies to place bets on football matches easily.
Thanks to soccer betting lines, putting your money on a soccer bet is easier. Even if this is your first time betting online, you should have no trouble doing it. Many sportsbooks offer handy guides to help you make your first bet and enjoy the art of football betting.
Of course, you must follow a few unwritten guidelines to win your bets.
- First things – make sure to choose a reputable bookie. The market is saturated with great sites and rogue sportsbooks, so you’ll need to pick the trusted option. The good news is that by choosing one of BetZillion’s recommended sites, you don’t have to worry about your safety;
- Next, register at that bookie and make your first deposit. Keep an eye out on welcome free bets – the majority of sites will offer such a bonus;
- As soon as you’re ready, head to the football betting menu and browse the selections;
- A good bookie will have both fixed and live soccer betting odds. Shop for odds before setting on a bookie since they tend to vary a lot;
- You can choose between matches for today, tonight, this week, or next. In most cases, football odds are available weeks in advance;
- When you’re ready, add selections to your bet slip by clicking on the odds;
- If you can’t understand moneyline odds, most bookies have a toggle that will let you switch to decimal or fractional;
- Wait for the match to end. If you prefer football betting in play, you should check if the bookie offers live streaming – the big ones usually do.
As you can see, football betting is not rocket science. Online sportsbooks have made it quite simple, so you shouldn’t have trouble finding your feet, even if this is your first time.
Football Odds
All sports odds you’ll find online can come in 3 different versions – American (moneyline), fractional, or decimal. Out of these three, decimal odds are the most popular and easiest to understand. UK punters will surely go for fractional odds, while Americans will go for moneyline.
The good news is that you don’t need a calculator to decipher the returns. Most bookies have built one in the system, which will instantly calculate what you’re owed if you win. As mentioned, the best football betting sites will also have a switch (toggle) that will let you change the type of odds.
We’re here to help if you’re unfamiliar with the different odds types.
- American odds: also known as moneyline, these odds are characterized by a plus (+) or minus (-) sign in front of the underdog or favorite, respectively. While they look confusing, they are simple to understand. The odds for the favorite (for example -200) indicate how much money you should place to win $100. When it comes to the underdog (for example, +300), the moneyline odds show how much you’ll win for every $100 you place. In this case, it’s $300 ($300 profit + the original stake);
- Fractional odds: this type of odds represents the amount of profit won to the stake. They are most popular in the UK and football markets. If you compare football odds, they seem the odd one out. However, they’re easy to understand. For example, odds of 3/1 will bring you a profit of 3 units for every single one you stake;
- Decimal odds: decimal odds are popular in Europe but are starting to take over the online betting market. They are the easiest to understand, representing the amount you’ll win for every $1 you wager. For example, a bet of $10 on odds of 2.5 will bring you a profit of $15 and a total return of $25.
Football Betting Apps
Nowadays, punters prefer to place their bets on the go. Why sit in front of a screen when you can do it from your phone? We’re doing everything else from our phones via apps, so football betting should be no exception.
The best football betting apps allow easy and quick betting on all leagues and events. It’s not just about markets. Football betting apps also allow you to earn exclusive bonus offers that are in place to promote the use of the apps. Many betting sites will focus on such promos and are fully oriented toward mobile betting in 2021, which shouldn’t surprise.
Mobile betting apps are pretty easy to download and install nowadays, not to mention lightweight. Remember that they’re often unavailable for download from the App or Play Store. Sometimes, you’ll need to sideload the apps and install them on your phone to use them to place bets on football.
The top apps will have an identical layout and design to the desktop website. It will allow you to easily navigate the mobile app, with every element being accounted for and at its regular spot.
How to Bet on Football
Betting on football is easy, but winning your bets is not simple. Everyone can win their bet slip once in a while, but you must follow a few tips and tricks if you want to be a successful punter.
You will first need to learn how to manage your bankroll to win your bet slips more often. It’s a crucial yet often overlooked tip that many ignore. However, if you don’t mind your bankroll, you can quickly get into a lot of trouble. It’s ideal to impose limits on yourself that can be a lifesaver if you bet often.
You also need to follow tips and tricks to win your bet slips. Champions League betting might look attractive, but if you approach it without a strategy, you will be losing at the end more often than winning. If you want to bet on football like the pros, you will have to follow the best soccer betting tips. Many of these will be available at the bookie you’ve joined, so you shouldn’t have to look far to find good advice.
If you want to beat the bookies, it’s impossible to do so by placing bets without systems or strategies. While you shouldn’t look at online football betting as a source of income, you will need to use strategies to become a pro punter if you want to be successful.
Football Live Betting
What’s better than football betting on fixed odds? Live betting. It’s the future of betting as we know it, and it’s already been here for some time. For those who don’t know, live betting allows you to place wagers on in-play football matches. You can bet on the action with the game in play, getting a unique opportunity to place bets on new and familiar markets from another angle.
In-play betting is all the rage these days, and how could it not be? It’s especially great for close matches or a match where you can’t pick a favorite with ease. Why bet on the winner on low pre-match odds when you can’t wait to see what happens and adjust your bets accordingly? Live markets give you a unique chance to bet on stuff pre-match markets don’t allow you to. You can predict who scores next, which player nets the next goal, or who takes the next corner.
With football live betting, you will be doing things on the fly. You’ll need to act fast since the odds and momentum swing every second. A lot of things can happen depending on the action taking shape. While that’s a far cry from betting on pre-match odds, it’s also far more exciting and can even be more lucrative.
Many of our list’s best football betting sites will also offer live streaming. It will allow you to watch the match straight from the website without looking for a stream or sports channel. It’s a great feature only the top sites have, so pick a bookie with live streams. As soon as you fire the stream up, you’ll place live bets easily and adjust them as the match goes.
If you haven’t tried live betting on football, it’s time to join the revolution.
Most Popular Football Competitions
As the most popular sport globally, there are plenty of football competitions and events with sky-scraping popularity. The World Cup is one example. It is held every 4 years, but it generates a lot of attention even among non-sports people. Seeing your national team compete against other countries can’t be described in words. The fact that the tournament takes place every 4 years makes it even more exciting.
The European Championship is also popular but nowhere near the global craze the World Cup causes. While football is popular worldwide, it’s a major hit in Europe. Footie fans can enjoy a wide range of matches yearly in Europe’s top-5 leagues and the Champions League and Europa League.
- La Liga: La Liga is the top-tier league in Spanish football. It is home to teams with planetary popularity, such as Barcelona and Real Madrid. Some of the world’s biggest stars play in La Liga, including the legendary Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez.
- Bundesliga: the Bundesliga is Germany’s top flight in football. It’s a highly competitive league with plenty of successful teams, including current European champions Bayern Munich. The Bundesliga quality is rising thanks to talented teams such as Borussia Dortmund and Leipzig.
- Serie A: the Italian Serie A may not be as popular as decades ago, but it is still a top-tier competition. Juventus may be the most successful team in the past decade (or a few), but Milan, Inter, Roma, and Lazio are always gunning from the top.
- Premier League: many diehard football fans will say the Premier League is the best in Europe. It certainly is the most exciting one, with several teams fighting for the trophy each year, often to the last round. The thrill is certainly huge whenever Manchester United, Manchester City, Chelsea, Arsenal, Liverpool, or Tottenham take the field, especially when trading blows with each other. Another famous English football competition to bet on is the FA Cup.
- Ligue 1: the French top-tier football competition may not be as popular as the others, but it’s nonetheless exciting. Thanks to Paris Saint Germain, Ligue 1 has become a magnet for football stars such as Neymar and Kylian Mbappe in the past few years.
While the top-5 leagues are certainly popular, nothing beats the Champions League in Europe. It’s the premier competition for the top European clubs. The highly coveted tournament has millions of viewers annually and generates an impressive income from streams and TV rights.
Outside of Europe, we can mention the Club World Cup as one of the top football tournaments of all time.
Fantasy Football Betting Sites
Football is not just the most popular sport people like to bet on. It’s also popular among fantasy bettors. There are plenty of official fantasy soccer leagues you can find online, each with impressive prize pools.
You must register, fund your account, and choose your team players to win your reward. You’re allowed to make substitutions before the matches start. Once a new round starts, you can only cross your fingers and hope for the best. Many of the best football betting sites will offer fantasy betting, too, which is much more convenient than looking for a particular website.
Online Football Betting vs Betting at a Retail Sportsbook
While betting on football has been dominant in retail sportsbooks several years ago, online bookies have taken over the business since then. The top bookmakers online have the latest football betting odds and a wide range of sports markets that betting shops can’t offer. It’s easier to bet on football on the Internet than to head to a shop and place your bet on the counter.
The odds are online sportsbooks are merely much more valuable. Online bookies are more comfortable to run, which translates to more markets and better odds. While betting shops have many markets to bet in, the offer can’t be compared to online bookies.
Simply put, you’re much better off with online betting sites.
Football Betting Tips & Predictions
Everyone can bet on football and win. It’s easy to do it online, you have plenty of bookies to pick from, and the odds are pretty solid to get a valuable return. However, you’ll need to follow betting tips and predictions to be good at it.
The good news is that the best football betting sites on our list have a blog run by experts that offers a flurry of tips for upcoming matches. Predictions and previews have become common at betting sites, so if you don’t know where to put your money, you should look at football betting tips for tonight or tomorrow. They’re free and can easily be found at the bookies you choose. With such tips and predictions, you can bet on Premier League or place your World Cup bets with a lot smaller risk. Tips and predictions are precious for close matches where it’s hard to pick aside.
If you want to beat the bookies, your best chance is to rely on expert tips and predictions. At the same time, the blogs that offer tips will also share them regarding different bet types and give you ideas on how to maximize your profits. You’ll learn the best way to bet on football accumulators and other bets, making you a better punter.
Live Football Streaming Sites
As mentioned earlier, many of our recommended football bookies have live streams, allowing you to watch the action as it unfolds. It is especially great for live bettors since the odds for these bets change often.
Watching the matches is a must if you love to put your money on live soccer betting odds. It will show you how the momentum swings and help you adjust your bets accordingly to raise your chances of winning.
Is It Legal to Bet on Football Online?
Yes, it is legal to bet on football online as long as you’ve joined a legal betting site. If you’re looking for one, you can stop. All the sites on our list are fully legal to join and can be used to place legal football bets on any league, tournament, or event.
Biggest Football Bet Win
Many legendary wins on football matches, mainly on accumulators worth millions, won on a single bet of a few cents. One of the biggest ones ever won exceeded $700,000 on a $100 bet on odds of 6,542/1. The lucky punter had an eight-fold Acca featuring football matches which he won dramatically after Coventry netter, an injury-time winner.
The best football betting sites are seeing major football wins all the time. It’s not a surprise considering the sheer amount of money punters spend on football matches daily.
Soccer Rules
Soccer is a team field sport played with a ball between 2 teams featuring 11 players each. It is played on a rectangular field with a goal at each end. Football’s goal is to defeat opponents by guarding one’s goal while scoring more than the other team. You can score a goal only by using your foot or head.
The soccer betting rules are tied to the sport’s main objectives and are easy to follow. Bookies have made it a straightforward process, so even if you are a beginner, you should find it pretty easy.
Football Overview
As the world’s leading sport, football is a joy to bet on worldwide. Below you’ll find fun facts about soccer betting explained that every fan should know.
- The most popular competitions in football are the Premier League, La Liga, Bundesliga, Serie A, Champions League, and the World Cup;
- Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, Ronaldo, Pele, Diego Maradona, Ronaldinho, Zinedine Zidane, and Johann Cruyff are among the top football players of all time;
- Football is popular all over the world, but especially in the UK, Italy, Spain, Germany, and France;
- Street soccer, indoor soccer, futsal, and freestyle soccer are most similar to football;
- The best football betting sites on a global scale are Bet365, William Hill, Coral, and Betfred.
Bottom Line
We hope this guide helped you learn more about football betting. We’ve explained the different types of football bets, from handicap football betting to in-play soccer betting. We’ve also given an overview of the process and listed the top football bookies at the moment.
If you’re a football fan, read BetZillion’s guide, and you’ll immediately become a much better punter.
Frequently Asked Questions
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What is the best betting site for football?That’s something you need to decide for yourself. We’ve listed the best bookmakers with football matches in the industry, including Bet365, to try them all and choose the best one for yourself.
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How do you bet on soccer?Betting on soccer is very easy. It’s the featured sport at many of our recommended betting sites, so you shouldn’t have trouble placing bets on football, even if you’re a newbie.
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How to win betting on soccer?Winning your football bets requires a lot of preparation in advance. You’ll have to pay attention to the form of teams and players, see how they’ve performed recently, take other considerations into account, and read expert tips and predictions.
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How to beat the bookies at football?Beating the bookies requires following tips and predictions by experts and the form of the teams you’re betting on. While you can win, your bet slips on luck; becoming a good football punter requires more expertise.
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How do betting odds work in soccer?Soccer matches are usually presented in decimal odds. They’re presented with fractional odds in the UK, while American bookies use moneyline odds to indicate the favorite and underdog.