Soccer, referred to as football in the rest of the world, is the most widely chosen for sports betting across all forms of play. It differs somewhat from the mainstream activities in the United States, with a variety of options to pick a side and total in matches, including support for the double chance and three-way moneylines.
If you are seeking to partake in sports betting for soccer and are able to act in a legal market, there are numerous books available to invest such as BetMGM and DraftKings.
Gambling On The Three-Way Moneyline
By name alone, there are three choices when selecting the moneyline. In such circumstances, players can risk on whether:
- The first team wins
- The second team wins
- The match ends in a draw
Results are graded exclusively on regular time, defined as the traditional 90 minutes of gameplay. This extends to stoppages or injuries added at the discretion of the referee but fails to include penalty shootouts or overtimes.
For instance, during the 2014 FIFA World Cup, Argentina went up against Germany. The concluding three-way moneyline for sports betting was as follows:
- Germany (+130)
- Argentina (+255)
- Draw (+230)
Due to a 0-0 tie at the end of the regulated 90 minutes, those who did sports betting on the Draw moneyline cashed out. Bets for Argentina and Germany ended in losses despite the fact that the latter team secured victory in extra time.
Gambling On The Two-Way Moneyline
Another path to success when sports betting on soccer is to take the alternative two-way moneyline that is offered in the types of Draw No Bet and Double Chance. These are solely graded on the traditional 90 minutes regulated match.
By definition, Double Chance means gamblers pick either a specific team to win or draw or a specific team to win. This allows for three possible results:
- The first team wins or draws
- The second team wins or draws
- The first team wins or the second team wins
For instance, during the 2014 FIFA World Cup, Argentina went up against Germany. The concluding two-way moneyline for sports betting was as follows:
- Draw/Germany (-215)
- Draw/Argentina (-165)
- Argentina/Germany (-200)
Every bet is designed to eliminate one of the three results.
Conversely, Draw No Bet is a type of wager designed to eliminate draw prospects completely such that the only two results include:
- The first team wins
- The second team wins
Due to the fact that the draw is taken entirely out of the equation, such odds are usually placed on fan favorites. For example:
- Germany (-200)
- Argentina (+150)
In the event that the match ends in a draw by the standard regulation, every gambler is refunded their bet for “No Action.” Therefore, given the above example, everyone got their money back in the aftermath of the 2014 FIFA World Cup as the result of a draw.
Sports Betting Spreads
In a similar fashion to the two-way moneyline, a goal line, also known as a spread, is a form of sports betting designed to eliminate at least a single outcome. Near-identical scenarios can also be observed in point spreads in basketball and puck lines in hockey.
The typical odds for a World Cup match between Argentina and Iran are as follows:
- Argentina: (+110) -2.5 goals
- Iran (-120) +2.5 goals
This means that if you were to opt for the first bet, Argentina must secure victory by three or more goals. Conversely, if you opt for the second, Iran is liable to win, lose, or draw by one to two goals.
Sports Betting Totals
In soccer, totals work in a very different way than alternative sports and are demonstrated in multiples of .25 goals. Due to the fact that scoring is minimal, bookmakers typically set totals ranging between 2.25, 2.5, and 2.75.
For instance, if a gambler picks the Over 2.25 goals, half of their bet is delineated to Over 2, and the other half is delineated to Over 2.5. In the event that the score results in a 1-1, they lose their bet on 2.5 and are also refunded on their bet for Over 2 since it was pushed. However, if the score results in 3 goals or more, they would win both bets.
Still, one more example includes betting on Under 2.75. This scenario sees half of the bet placed on Under 2.5 with the other half on Under 3. Therefore, if the game lands on 3, half the bet is lost (Under 2.5), and the other half is refunded (Under 3).
Where Can I Partake In Sports Betting?
There are a number of wagering options for those living in virtually any country in the world. For instance, Betway offers mobile and desktop support for every kind of event with leagues all over the planet.