Free Soccer Picks & Predictions For Today

Soccer is the most popular sport in the world, even though it is more of a nice sport in the United States. But betting on soccer is popular in America, as bettors can wager on it in the morning and afternoon before most sporting events in America begin. As a result, the major online sportsbooks accept bets on leagues in dozens of different countries around the globe. Here, we look at how to bet on soccer and what promotions are available to make the most of it.

Understanding Different Soccer Leagues

The first thing to understand when wagering on soccer is that there are a ton of different soccer leagues and competitions out there. Unlike pro football and basketball, where the NFL and NBA are the undisputed pinnacles of the sport, there are many top-flight soccer leagues around. The English Premier League, La Liga, Champions League, and countless other competitions are among the best to wager on due to their high quality.

But there are many smaller leagues worth betting on as well. Virtually every country has its own professional league, even small countries. There are also lower-level leagues in the countries that have top-flight leagues, such as the Championship and League One in England. All of these leagues have their own value in the grand scheme of soccer betting, and bettors can pick and choose which they want to pay attention to.

Of course, MLS is of particular interest to the American soccer fan as well. While the quality of play in Major League Soccer can be debated endlessly, there is some high-end talent in that league. And with MLS clubs playing in American cities, they are of particular interest to sports fans in this country looking to enjoy the world’s game with some sort of local tie-in.

Can I Legally Bet On Soccer?

Soccer betting is indeed legal in many parts of the United States. In 2018, the United States Supreme Court overturned the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA), making sports betting legal in the United States. From there, states have had the ability to legalize sports betting on a state-by-state basis, which includes the legalization of betting on soccer.

The legal status of sports betting, and therefore soccer betting, varies by state. Some states allow it, while others do not. It is up to bettors to understand the legal status of sports betting where they are, before they take advantage of our tips on how to bet on soccer.

In many states, the below online sportsbooks are legal, with soccer betting being one of the many sports betting options they have to choose from.

Best Online Sportsbooks For Soccer Betting

bet365

It is no surprise that bet365 is one of the best soccer betting sites out there, as they got their start in Europe, where soccer is king. This site offers the best live betting experience in the world, which includes in-play wagering on everything from the biggest soccer leagues on the planet to lesser-known leagues around the globe.

Caesars Sportsbook

Caesars Sportsbook is one of the best sportsbooks for soccer specifically, thanks to its odds boosts. They offer a large number of odds boosts on a regular basis across several sports, including soccer. That can mean extra value when wagering on the world’s game.

BetMGM

BetMGM is also great for soccer, thanks to their One Game Parlay feature. They are one of the best same-game parlay sportsbooks out there, and that includes their coverage of soccer. For those who like to combine game results with totals and props, their parlay boosts are a good way to do so with some extra value.

DraftKings Sportsbook

One of the top providers of sportsbook promotions is DraftKings Sportsbook, which makes it an excellent choice for soccer betting. For big matches, DraftKings often provides boosted odds or premade parlays that add extra excitement from the opening kickoff to the final whistle.

FanDuel Sportsbook

FanDuel Sportsbook is a mainstream option for new sports bettors, with plenty of benefits for those wagering on soccer. They are also very good with their Same Game Parlay offerings, especially during key Premier League and Champions League matches.

Types Of Soccer Bets

There are a ton of betting markets to choose from when betting on soccer. Some of them closely resemble what is available in other sports, while others are unique to the beautiful game. Here, we look at those soccer betting markets a little more closely.

Spread & Money Line Bets

Sportsbooks may offer several different lines on the same match with “two-way” lines and “three-way” lines. A two-way line will look familiar to you, as it’s essentially the same type of bet you’d place on a baseball game:

CS Cartagines +110
Uruguay de Coronado -130

This is your standard 20-cent line, and if you bet on CS Cartagines, you risk $100 to win $110. If you wager on the favorite, Uruguay de Coronado, it’s $130 to win $100. If the match ends up a tie, which happens frequently in soccer, all bets are declared no action, and your bet is refunded to you. This is no different than betting on the major sports in the United States.

A three-way line offers three different betting choices instead of two, adding a bet on a draw or a tie game:

CS Cartagines +165
Uruguay de Coronado +140
Draw +205

Notice that both teams are underdogs, something you’d never see in baseball or the National Hockey League. Now, your team must win the match or your wager is a loss. If the two teams play a 1-1 game, it’s no longer a push, but counts as a loss for both teams, given that you can bet on the draw. In essence, you’re taking a better payout on your team in exchange for losing your bet if the match ends up in a tie.

Depending on the relative strengths of the two teams involved in a match, you may see a spread instead of a money line on a two-way bet. This is frequently referred to as an Asian handicap:

Wolves +1 -105
Hull City -1 -110

This is your basic line in which Hull City is favored by one goal, and if you bet on Hull City, you risk $110 to win $100, while those betting on the Wolves are risking $105 to win $100. If Hull City wins by exactly one goal, the bet is a push and no money changes hands. This bet is really no different than a wager on a basketball game in which a team is favored by one point.

On a three-way line, the odds between the same two teams will resemble:

Wolves +700
Hull City -195
Draw +315

Once again, if you wager on either team, it must win the match in order for you to win your bet, as a tie results in a loss for the teams and a win for the tie.

Double Asian Handicap In Soccer Betting

Some sportsbooks offer what’s known as a double Asian handicap on some matches and here you’ll see two sets of numbers next to each team:

Wolves +1, +1.5 -140
Hull City -1, -1.5 +125

With a double Asian handicap, your wager is split into two. So a $100 bet on the Wolves becomes 1) a $50 bet on the Wolves +1 at odds of -105, the odds on the two-way wager shown above, and 2) a $50 wager on the Wolves +1.5 at odds of -140. Now, if the Wolves lose by one goal, you push your bet on the Wolves +1 and win your bet on the Wolves +1.5. If the Wolves lose by two goals, you lose both $50 bets. If the game ends up a draw or the Wolves win, you win both $50 bets.

If you bet Hull City, your $100 wager becomes a $50 bet on Hull City -1 at odds of -110, the odds shown above, and a $50 bet on Hull City -1.5 goals at odds of +125. If Hull City ties or loses, you lose both $50 bets, while in a one-goal victory by Hull City, you push the Hull City -1 bet and lose the wager on Hull City -1.5 goals. If Hull City wins by two or more goals, you win both halves of your wager.

Soccer Totals

You can also bet totals on the majority of soccer matches, and they are basically the same as you will see in hockey or baseball. On the Wolves vs. Hull City match, the totals look like this:

Over 2.5 goals +115
Under 2.5 goals -130

This is your basic total, where if the game ends with two goals or less, the under wins and the over loses. If three goals or more goals are scored, the over wins.

You might also see a double Asian handicap offered on totals, and it works in exactly the same manner as a bet on either team:

Over 2, 2.5 -115
Under 2, 2.5 +100

On the over, your $100 wager is split into a $50 bet on over 2.0 goals at odds of -115 and a $50 bet on over 2.5 goals at odds of +115, which were the odds posted on the traditional totals bet. A bet on the under becomes a $50 bet on under 2.0 goals at even money and a $50 bet on under 2.5 goals at odds of -130.

The Asian and double Asian handicaps are popular among some bettors, while many others find them to be more trouble than they’re worth. You have to be familiar with them, but only to the extent that they’re available as gambling options.

Goal Scorer Betting

Goal scorer betting is a form of prop betting where bettors are able to predict whether or not a specific player will score in a match. There are several variations of this betting market, as bettors can back players to score at any time in a match, to be the first goal scorer, or to score multiple goals in a match.

Prop Bets

There are many other prop bet types out there that bettors should look out for when wagering on soccer. Bettors can put money on everything from the number of corner kicks there are in a match to how many cards will be shown. These types of bets do not hinge on the amount of scoring that takes place in a match, but instead focus on hyper-specific occurrences during them.

Futures

With futures betting, the goal is not to predict the outcome of one match. Instead, the goal is to determine which player or team will win a competition over the course of a full campaign. This can be a bet on a team to win a domestic league or international competition or even a player to finish as a competition’s top scorer.

Parlays

Parlays are also an option in soccer betting. Bettors can combine multiple bets into one ticket, with all legs required to win in order for the parlay ticket to be a winner. These can involve props from one single match, or consist of multiple match outcomes, with a small risk potentially turning into a large payout.

Soccer Betting Strategies

From a strategic standpoint, there are several things to consider when betting on soccer. Here, we look at the most important strategic elements to consider before locking in any wagers on the most popular sport in the world.

Think Outside the Box

There are several big clubs and countries in soccer that are typically a cut above the rest, and it can be tempting to bet on those teams and only those teams. But there is little to no value in approaching soccer betting in that way. Instead, bettors should look for opportunities where those teams may be vulnerable or at other teams and leagues.

Dig Deeper

In addition to looking beyond the big teams when choosing who to bet on, bettors should also look deeper at statistical analysis to make their decisions. Metrics like expected goals and breaking down where a team’s possession is on the field can help bettors determine who is more effective with its attacking and can help uncover value in the betting markets.

Money Management

The most important thing that a bettor can do when wagering on soccer, or any sport, is to manage their money carefully. Bettors should be sure to set a budget and stick to it, and stick to specific bet amounts on each wager that fit into that overall budget. Doing this will help overcome the variance that comes with sports betting while also keeping things fun and without financial issues.