Betting on football is pretty straightforward. You check out the fixtures, choose your bet, make the wager and sit back to watch it all unfold. There’s really not much to it.
But fans are becoming increasingly knowledgeable about football betting and are on the lookout for more detailed, intricate bet types. We’re talking handicaps, bet builders, enormous accas, and power prices.
In this quick guide we’ll take you through the ins and outs of advanced football betting strategies. Learn how to maximise your odds and chase more realistic profits, and discover how to keep your head when it all kicks off!
Best football bets for advanced punters
We don’t need to worry anymore about match results and first goalscorers. You can read about that in our quick how to bet on football guide. Instead, here are some of the best football bets that advanced punters look out for.
- Dead-Cert Accas – Creating accumulators usually leads bettors to wager with their heart, not their head, as they dream of mega wins. But the odds are stacked against them. Advanced bettors wager on dead-certs and group them into a mega bet. This includes backing heavy favourites to win games, on big nations to cruise through tournament group stages, and on specific players to hit low goalscoring targets.
- First Scorer Wincasts – Inject your odds by combining a match bet with a goalscorer bet. Smart bettors usually wait for uneven games to place this type of wager.
- Handicaps – The value of a single goal in football is huge. Handicap betting therefore takes on significant meaning. If you want to wager on underdogs then giving them a +1 or +2 lead can help your cause and at good odds.
- Shots on Target – Premier League teams average five shots on target per game. If we take 10 shots on target as the benchmark, bettors can assess the evenness of teams and calculate if there will be more or fewer than this line. This is a profitable but rarely-used market in the Premier League odds.
Define your football betting strategy
It doesn’t really matter what bet you place on football, whether it’s an intricate accumulator or simple player special. What advanced, experienced bettors do better than anyone else is remain consistent and stick to a strategy.
Here are a number of football betting strategies that will help shape how you next wager on everything from the Premier League and WSL to the Nations League.
- Bet Low and Often – The ideal strategy for newcomers but also experienced players, betting low and often helps you develop your knowledge of a team, league or tournament without big risks. It’s a great tactic when you start betting on a new season. You might win only a handful of bets at the start, but the frequency of wagers will lead to you understanding the right and wrong things to back are. Over the course of a season you can therefore make big profit.
- Build bets – If you don’t see the bet you want to make then create it yourself with the Paddy Power Bet Builder. Make multiple selections on a single match and expand to odds to something more suitable. Keep an eye on football Bet Builder tips at Paddy Power too!
- Track Outliers – Knowledge is king in football betting and it’s worth following lesser-known teams that are likely to come up against ‘bigger’ sides. For example, obscure European teams in Champions League qualifying, or the early rounds of the FA Cup. Here you’ll find odds on individual players that aren’t always accurate, and odds on teams that don’t fully reflect their chances in a match. Betting on outliers is risky but can be hugely profitable.
Keep cool when betting
When we talk about football betting it’s tempting to get swept up in the drama and create massive accas, chase the odds, and compete with friends for the biggest wins. But experienced bettors know when to step away from the excitement and use their heads.
Betting with your brain, not your heart, is the best way to stay on top of your activity and make smarter choices. It’s all about keeping cool in the heat of the moment, and celebrating afterwards when you decide to withdraw your winnings.
Below are some simple ways of being mindful when you bet on football:
- Look to Cash Out: Being able to cash out – whether it’s to reduce risk or cut your losses – is an incredibly important skill. Top punters are always chasing value and understand cashing out isn’t backing away from a bet, but being smart.
- Set Bet Limits: Paddy Power gives players the freedom to set deposit and bet limits, so you never exceed your budget. Read about deposit limits and get set up today.
- Stay Away from Your Own Team: Sounds simple, right? The best way not to get caught up in the emotion is to not bet on your own team.
THE PADDY POWER GUIDE TO RESPONSIBLE GAMBLING – EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW
