When first participating in football betting, most players will find it difficult to understand betting odds, how to calculate winnings and losses, and often make betting decisions based on emotions. Mastering How to bet on football for beginners with the following article will help you confidently participate in football betting safely and with a high winning rate.
03 Basic Types of Football Bets Beginners Need to Know
On M88 betting board, the following 3 types of bets will appear because they are very popular and easy to bet on:
1. Asian Handicap:
The stronger team (favorite) gives the weaker team (underdog) a certain number of goals to create balance for the match.
The handicap bet is very popular in Asia
Common types of bets:
- Even handicap (0): The two teams are evenly matched. If the team you bet on wins, you win the money; if the match is a draw, the bookmaker returns your stake.
- Quarter-ball handicap (0.25 or 0-0.5): If the favorite wins by 1 goal, you receive the full payout; if the favorite draws, the favorite loses half the stake, while the underdog wins half the stake.
- Half-ball handicap (0.5): The favorite must win by at least 1 goal to win the bet; if the match is a draw or the underdog wins, the favorite loses the entire stake.
- Half-one handicap (0.75 or 0.5-1): If the favorite wins by exactly 1 goal, you receive half the payout; if they win by 2 goals or more, you receive the full payout; if they draw or lose, you lose the entire stake.
2. Over/Under (O/U):
Predict whether the total number of goals scored by both teams in the match will be more (Over) or less (Under) than the line set by the bookmaker.
Common types of bets:
- Over/Under 2.0: If the match has 3 or more goals (2-1, 3-0…), Over wins in full; if there are exactly 2 goals (2-0, 1-1), the bet is a push; if there is 1 goal or 0 goals, Under wins in full.
- Over/Under 2.25 (2-2.5): If the match has 2 goals, the bettor who bets Over loses half the stake, while the bettor who bets Under wins half the stake; if there are 3 or more goals, Over wins in full.
- Over/Under 2.5: If the match has 3 or more goals, Over wins; if there are 2 goals or fewer (1-0, 0-0, 1-1), Under wins, with no push.
3. European Odds (1×2):
How to understand it: Predict the win, draw, or loss result of the match after 90 minutes of regulation play without considering the winning margin or goal handicap.
Betting selection rules:
- 1: Bet on the home team to win.
- x: Bet on the two teams to draw.
- 2: Bet on the away team to win.
5 Football Betting Terms You Must Know
Before reading and understanding the betting odds table, you need to master the basic terms commonly used by bettors every day:
Master football betting terminology to make appropriate betting choices
- Favorite / Underdog: The stronger team, with better form and a higher ranking, is called the favorite (giving a goal handicap). The weaker, lower-rated team is called the underdog (receiving the goal handicap).
- Odds: The payout ratio set by the bookmaker for each betting selection.
- Live Betting: A form of betting placed while the match is being played live on the field.
- Parlay Bet: A form of combining 2 or more matches into a single betting ticket. Parlay bets offer very high multiplied payouts but require all matches on the ticket to win (or win half).
- Cash Out: Allows you to sell your bet back to the bookmaker before the match ends to secure an early profit or cut part of the loss.
> See more: Check out the complete step-by-step guide on how to complete your M88 register process quickly
Top Practical Betting Analysis Methods for Beginners
One of the how to bet on football for beginners is to learn accurate practical betting analysis and grasp match information to make the best decision:
- Analyze head-to-head history and the last 5 matches’ form:
Carefully check the scoring performance, number of goals conceded, and Asian handicap win rate of both teams in their last 5 matches to properly assess their actual form instead of simply looking at the club’s reputation.
- Motivation of the two teams:
Teams competing for the championship or fighting to avoid relegation always play with the highest determination. In contrast, teams that have already secured qualification or are playing a dead rubber match tend to rest their key players.
- Check the starting lineup before kickoff:
Thoroughly researching the match will increase your betting win rate
Always wait for the official starting lineup to confirm the presence of the first-choice goalkeeper, core center-backs, and key striker. The absence of key players can easily change the course of the match.
- Be careful of trap bets:
If a team is too strong but the handicap is unusually lowered, or the odds for the favorite increase unreasonably close to kickoff, this is often a trap created by the bookmaker to attract the majority’s money.
Understanding how to bet on football for beginners will help you accurately read betting odds and increase your betting win rate. Once you have mastered the rules of basic bet types and applied reasonable betting analysis experience, you can confidently place bets safely without worrying about burning through your account.