Sports Betting 101 – How to Bet on Soccer

VegasInsider Staff Sports Betting Expert

15 minute read

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Ahman Bin Ali Stadium, 2022 World Cup Venue. Getty Images

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CONTENTS

HOW TO BET SOCCER

Soccer is an emerging betting market in the United States as more and more people are becoming interested in it. If you're looking to learn more about the game of soccer and how to bet soccer, you've come to the right betting guide.

UNDERSTANDING SOCCER ODDS

In the United States, soccer odds are shown in 'American' format and listed in a money-line format which is the same odds that both Baseball and Hockey produce.

There is always a favorite, designated with a plus (+) symbol and an underdog that is represented with a minus (-) symbol.

The different from Baseball and Hockey is that soccer games often end in ties or what is more commonly referred to as a draw.

BEST SOCCER BETTING SITES

Updated on : 11/21/2024

In order to place bets on these sportsbooks, you must be in a state in which sports betting is regulated and where the corresponding sportsbook has a sports betting license. Welcome offers through VegasInsider are currently available in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Colorado, and West Virginia. Welcome offers may differ depending on where you register. Please visit the sportsbook using any of our links, change to your location and confirm your welcome bonus offer and requirements before you register.

How to bet on soccer - ball rolls across the pitch — Getty

THREE-WAY LINE

In soccer, a moneyline takes the place of a point-spread but there is a twist. Bettors will always have the option of playing a favorite or an underdog, but you can also bet that the game will end in a draw, which is a tie.

BARCELONA -145
MANCHESTER UNITED +400
DRAW +240

In the above example, Barcelona (-145) is the favorite and bettors would stake $145 to win $100 on Barcelona. Sticking with this example, you can see that Manchester is the underdog (+400). Bettors would win $400 if they placed $100 on Manchester and they won. In the event that the game ends in a Draw/Tie, bettors who wagered on Barcelona or Manchester would lose their wagers.

In the above example, the Draw (+240) pays out $240 based on a $100 wager. The Draw is a loser if either Barcelona or Manchester wins. The Three-Way Line is valid for 90 minutes of action only.

WHAT IS THE TWO-WAY LINE (GOAL LINE)?

BARCELONA -1.5 (-140)
MANCHESTER UNITED +1.5 (EVEN)

The Goal Line in soccer is comparable to a point-spread wager in football. It allows bettors to minimize their risk on heavy money-line prices or even better reward them with generous payouts. In the above example, Barcelona is -1.5 goals (-140) on the Goal Line. Bettors would risk $140 to win $100 on Barcelona to win by two or more goals. If Barcelona loses or wins by one goal, the wager is a loss. If you grab the 1.5 goals with Manchester, bettors would wager $100 to win $100 (EVEN) if Manchester won the game outright or lost by one goal or less. The Goal Line is valid for 90 minutes of action only.

When you're ready to wager on goal lines, check out our ESPN BET promo code.

HOW TO BET SOCCER TOTALS

OVER 2.5 (+100)
UNDER 2.5 (-140)

The "O/U", also known as Over/Under or Total, is the number of combined goals that the oddsmakers expect to be scored in the matchup. Bettors can either wager Over or Under on the goals listed. In the above example, 2 1/2 goals, bettors taking the Over would win if Barcelona and Manchester score 3 or more goals in the game. Bettors taking the Under would win if the two teams combine for 3 goals or less. If the game ends with the exact number of goals listed in the total, the result is considered a push (tie) and all wagers are refunded.

Oddsmakers often associate a money line with "O/U" lines, which means bettors would have to lay extra money in some cases. Ex. Under 2 1/2 (-140) -- Bettors would wager $140 to win $100. The Total is valid for 90 minutes of action only.

FUTURE WAGERS

Similar to other sports, soccer futures betting is often popular and it caters not only to daily and weekly bettors, but the masses too.

Soccer Futures Betting Markets

The most discussed future wagers in soccer circle around the top-flight leagues globally and also major events.

POPULAR SOCCER BETTING LEAGUES

Premier League (England)
La Liga (Spain)
Bundesliga (Germany)
Serie A (Italy)
Ligue 1 (France)
MLS (United States)

POPULAR SOCCER EVENTS AND TOURNAMENTS

FIFA World Cup
UEFA Champions League
UEFA European Championship (Euro)

HOW TO BET THE WORLD CUP

This famous event is an International soccer competition that takes place every four years, usually played in the summer. The tournament features 32 teams that went through a thorough qualifying process in order to reach the event. Check out our page on World Cup History!

GROUP STAGE

The 32 teams are divided into eight groups of four and those teams will play a round-robin tournament among themselves and the top teams based on records will advance to the knockout stage.

KNOCKOUT STAGE

After the field is cut in half from 32 to 16, those teams will square off in a single-elimination tournament in one-off matches. If the games are tied after 90 minutes, two 15 minute extra time sessions will be played and if still tied then a penalty shootout will take place to decide the winner.

Round of 16 (8 matches)
Quarterfinals (4 matches)
Semifinals (2 matches)
Final (1 match)

Below are the best betting sites and betting options in states with legal sportsbooks to get you started with soccer betting. There is also sports betting with other sports besides soccer available at these sportsbooks. Remember to bet on soccer responsibly and check out the VegasInsider soccer pages for insight on your different types of soccer bets.

Yellow card - soccer rules and how to bet — Getty

SOCCER RULES FOR BETTORS

All sportsbooks and bookmakers follow their own regulated house guidelines, but the rules listed below are widely considered industry standards:

Regulation Time Only Unless otherwise specified all soccer matches are based on 90 minutes of play plus added injury and stoppage time only.
Extra Time, Golden Goals and Shootouts do not count towards the wager.
Matches must go to full time or all wagers will be graded no action

Hoped you learned a thing or two on how you can win real money by betting on soccer. There are many kinds of types of soccer bets so it makes sense to try a few soccer betting sites out first to see which is the right fit. Remember to get online with a code, like the BetMGM promo code, as you get started betting on different soccer matches!

FAQ - HOW TO BET ON SOCCER

Now that we’ve covered the basics, it’s time to answer frequent questions from players regarding how to bet on soccer.

IS BETTING ON SOCCER LEGAL IN THE US?

Yes. Betting on soccer is legal across multiple states in the US. While sports betting was blocked at the federal level for years, the Supreme Court struck down this law in 2018. Since then, numerous states have legalized sports betting, including betting on soccer.

CAN I BET ON INTERNATIONAL SOCCER LEAGUES LIKE LA LIGA OR THE PREMIER LEAGUE?

Absolutely. Virtually all major US bookmakers offer soccer betting markets for both domestic and international leagues. You can place bets on Spain’s La Liga, England’s Premier League, the Italian Serie A, and several other leagues.

WHAT IS THE BEST WAY TO BET ON SOCCER?

There are plenty of tips for betting on soccer available right here on VegasInsider. It's always a good idea to follow three rules: make educated bets, manage your bankroll, and bet within your limits. A successful bet is a safe one made for fun!

HOW DOES A BET WORK IN SOCCER?

There are a number of soccer bets available, including moneyline bets on the outright winner, bets on a team to "cover the spread" in point spread betting, bets on the overall total of the game, and more. Check out our betting guides for in-depth info on each bet type and how to maximize value.

CAN I BET ON THE NEXT WORLD CUP WINNER?

Yes. The World Cup is the most popular soccer event on the planet, watched closely by millions of fans. All major bookmakers offer soccer betting action during the event. You can find a multitude of unique betting markets specifically designed for the World Cup.

In addition, many operators let players bet on outright World Cup markets ahead of the tournament. This allows players to pick the winner of the World Cup Final before the tournament even begins.

Other great pages you can you check out to learn more about sports betting: