Soccer

Which are the Top Soccer Leagues?

The world’s biggest club soccer leagues are usually in Europe, South America, and Mexico.

Europe has the biggest leagues on the planet, thanks to the presence of the Premier League, La Liga and Serie A, among others. And the best clubs from Europe’s top leagues regularly meet in the biggest club competition in the world of soccer: the UEFA Champions League.

In the United States, the MLS is the main soccer tournament, which features teams from throughout the United States and Canada.

Sponsored Ad

How Does Soccer Betting Work?

Soccer betting is any way in which you place a bet on anything related to this sport. While there are so many soccer leagues around the world, there are tons of markets with soccer odds available for a lot of matches, much more than you are used to see when betting on leagues like the NFL or NBA.

This is very important when you’re learning how to bet on soccer.

Soccer Moneyline

• The simplest bet.
• You pick which team will win the game outright.
• Favorites have negative odds (e.g., -150), meaning you wager more to win $100.
• Underdogs have positive odds (e.g., +120), meaning a $100 bet returns more than $100.

HcP (Soccer Betting Handicaps)

• Similar to the spread in basketball, these “handicaps” are the stronger team.
• Favorites must win by more than a set number of goals (e.g., -1.5).
• Underdogs can win outright or lose by less than the set amount (e.g., +1.5).

Soccer Total (Over/Under)

• This predicts the total number of goals scored by both teams combined.
• You wager on whether the final score will be higher (Over) or lower (Under) than the set number (e.g., Over 5.5 goals).

In soccer betting, the most common types of soccer picks are single-game markets like the over/under, moneyline and HcP markets we already talked about. Even though, there are other markets like the prop bets, futures, and parlays.

RECEIVE WEEKLY FREE BETTING PICKS IN YOUR EMAIL

Props and Special Bets for Soccer

Prop bets focus on specific events and small details within a game, not just the overall winner or score. Here are some examples:

• Player Props: Will a specific player score a goal, get an assist, or record penalty minutes?
• Team Props: How many power-play goals will a team score? Will a team score in the first period?
• Game Props: Will there be a fight in the game? Will a certain period be the highest scoring?
• Parlays: Combining multiple bets into one wager. All your picks need to win for the parlay to payout, but the potential return is much higher than individual bets.
• Futures: Betting on long-term outcomes that usually last for entire seasons, like which team will win the FIFA World Cup, which team will get relegated in the Bundesliga, or who will win individual player awards. The most famous futures wager of all time was on Leicester City to win the Premier League at 5,000/1 odds, which they did in the 2015-2016 season.

These markets are great for those who have an in-depth knowledge of one league or another and can pinpoint where the value is in betting on that league’s futures.

Sponsored Ad

Understanding Soccer Betting Statistics & Trends

In soccer betting, there are some stats that, besides being interesting, are important to make the best decisions at pick time.

Even when soccer betting statistics aren’t quite as elaborate as they are in sports like baseball and basketball, stats are still an important part of your experience.

These statistics in particular are worth thinking about when getting ready to bet on the beautiful game. Stats can show some soccer betting trends that are often discussed as a reason for betting on one team over another. These are some useful stats and trends:

Team Records

• Straight win-draw-loss record (W-D-L)
• Winning percentage (%)
• Record against the spread (ATS)

Offensive/Defensive Stats

• Goals for per game (GF/G)
• Shots on goal per game (SOG/G)
• Goals against per game (GA/G)

Total Goals Scored

• Average goals scored per game by both teams combined (combined GF/G)
• How many goals have recent games between these teams featured?

Injuries & Suspensions

• Are any key players injured?
• Always check for statistics related to soccer injuries

Home Field Advantage

• Soccer teams usually perform better on their home field.
• This factor is important when you bet on the handicaps, with home-favored teams needing to win by more to cover.

Underdog at Home

• Taking the underdog on the handicaps when they’re playing at home is a popular trend.
• Stats suggest that underdogs in this situation have a higher win percentage against the spread.

Public Betting Fade

• Some people fade the public by betting on the opposite side of lopsided betting percentages.
• The logic is that the oddsmakers have likely adjusted the lines to account for public bias, potentially creating value on the less popular pick.

Soccer Betting FAQs