5 Types of Football Bets Explained

Football is by far the most popular game in the world, with an estimated 3 billion fans that tune in to watch its many tournaments annually. With a sport being as big as football, it makes sense that there is an equally large sports betting scene behind it.

But betting on football can take some trial and error, and one of the first mistakes that beginners make is choosing the wrong kind of bet to start off with. For those that are interested in getting into football betting for the first time, these are the most common types of bets available.

1. Money Line Bet

Arguably the most common type of betting available, a money line bet is as simple as they come. Here, the bettor simply puts money down on the team that they believe will win the match.

They win the bet if that team comes out ahead of the other, and earn an amount that’s calculated according to the odds, although any seasoned bingo for money player will be well acquainted with the importance of odds.

2. Points Spreads

Despite the money line being a favourite for most sports, the points spread bet is perhaps the king in terms of football betting. Both sides are set at -100, and bettors are able to bet on their favourite while also surrendering points to the underdog.

If the favourites win the match by more than the amount of points located, the bettor wins. The underdog will need to win the game outright in order for the bet to be a success, or they need to lose by less than the amount of points that they were originally given by the bookie.

3. Over/Unders

Almost just as popular as the points spread, over/under bets involve sportsbooks will set a points total, and bettors are able to wager on whether the total score of both teams will either go over or under the number set by the bookie.

The range in professional football ranges from around 25 for games that are low scoring to a high of 50 for high scoring games.

4. Parlays

The football parlay bet is a wager where two or more football teams are chosen, and all of them need to win or order for the bet to be successful. This is also commonly known as an accumulator bet, and inherently comes with a ton of risk but also very high payout.

Despite the risk, it’s a popular bet, and can see winnings accumulate quickly if the chosen team does well.

5. Prop Bets

Proposition bets are bets that are aimed at wagers being placed on either various teams, player statistics, as well as specific events that take place in the game.

This can include betting on which team will score the first goal, which team will gain first possession, which player will be named man of the match, and many more.

The bettor can also put down money for over/under statistics, which take into account the number of goals a team scores in a game, and the number of passes that take place.