Soccer Sports Betting Basics

There is no sport in terms of global reach that generates more action than soccer. This is directly related to the massive popularity that the sport rightfully enjoys. For this reason, oddsmakers pay special attention to creating odds on soccer, as a minor slip-up can cost the book significant losses due to the volume of action on major events like the World Cup and Premier League Championships.

Soccer betting employs the three main elements that regular team sports does, but has a slight twist due to the fact that a draw is an actual result. For these reasons, the moneyline is renamed the Three-Way Line, the spread is called the Two-Way Line and the TOTAL remains the same.

Soccer Betting Explained: How To Bet On Soccer Games

The primary bet in soccer remains the three-way line which is a bet on the outright winner. The underdog will be presented with higher odds such as +150 ($100 to win $150) while a favorite would see odds such as -150 ($150 to win $100). Because soccer matches can end in a tie, the “draw” is another option on the three-way line and usually has high odds because of how unlikely it is in general.

The second bet in soccer is the goal line, which is the term used for the soccer spread. This indicates the handicap given to a favorite over an underdog. The normal goal line ranges but usually begins at +/- 0.5 and can go all the way up to +/- 2.5. The goal line only applies to the 90 minutes of regular time, so if a game ends in a draw you take the final score at that point. A draw would be a win for an underdog, as the extra points do not count towards the goal line.

The TOTAL functions the same way it does in other sports, and indicates the total number of goals scored in a single game. You can bet on either the OVER or the UNDER depending on the odds.

It is industry standard that golden goals, extra time and penalty kicks (shootouts) do not count towards wagers.