The Best Football Bet for Beginners

The world of football betting is great – because it’s so varied. There are all different types of bets to choose from. If you’re completely new to it, then it can be incredibly exciting – but also pretty overwhelming, precisely because there are so many betting options available. So, it’s important that you start at the very beginning, don’t try to run before you can walk – and only go for the most straightforward and manageable bet types so you can start building up your understanding of how it all works. 

Here, we’re going to look at some of the best football bets for beginners so you can ease your way into the thrilling world of sports betting.

Match Result (1X2) Bets

The most straightforward football bet is the Match Result bet – also known as 1X2 betting. Not only is it simple, but it’s also one of the most popular forms of football betting. You simply need to try to predict the outcome of a match. You have three options…

• 1: Betting on a home team win
• X: Betting on a draw
• 2: Betting on an away team win

So, for example: If Liverpool is playing against Chelsea, you can choose to bet on Liverpool to win (1), the match ending with a draw (X), or a Chelsea win (2).

Why It’s So Great for Beginners: This bet is as straightforward as it gets, you won’t need any intricate knowledge of betting markets and it’s based solely on the outcome of the match.

Double Chance Bets

Double Chance bets are just that, they double your chance of winning because they let you cover two of the three different possible outcomes with one wager. Your options for this would be:

• Home Win or Draw (1X): You’ll win if either the home team wins or it’s a draw.
• Draw or Away Win (X2): You’ll win if the away team wins or the match ends in a draw.
• Home or Away Win (12): You only lose if it’s a draw.

So, for example: If you bet on 1X in a match between Liverpool and Man City, you’ll win if Liverpool wins or it ends up being a draw.

Why It’s So Great for Beginners: These give you double the chance of winning (albeit with lower odds). It means less risk and is a gentler introduction for new punters.

Over/Under Goals Bets

In this type of bet, you just need to try to predict whether you think the total number of goals scored (by both teams) in the match will be over or under a certain number – usually 2.5 goals.

• Over 2.5 Goals: You win if 3 or more goals are scored.
• Under 2.5 Goals: You win if  2 or fewer goals are scored.

So, for example: If you bet on Over 2.5 goals in a match between Barcelona and Real Madrid, you’ll win if three or more goals hit the back of the net.

Why It’s So Great for Beginners: You won’t even need to predict the match winner – just whether you think a lot of goals will be scored which is easier to predict, especially if it involves teams with either very strong or weak defences.

Both Teams to Score (BTTS)

You just need to predict whether both teams will score at least once during the match.

• Yes: Both teams will score.
• No: Only one (or no) team will score during the match.

So, for example: In a match between Tottenham and West Ham, if you bet on a BTTS “Yes”, then you win if both teams get at least one goal on the scoreboard

Why It’s So Great Beginners: These are really straightforward and because they rely on the scoring capabilities of the teams, they’re easier to predict with a bit of basic research.

Top Tips for Beginner Bettors:

• Research: Before you make a bet, do your research on the form of the team, head-to-head stats, injuries, and any other information you think is relevant. Knowledge is power and even the design and brand of football matters, if you’re into meticulous details.
• Manage Your Budget: Set yourself a betting budget and stick to it – and don’t bet more than you can afford to lose by chasing losses.
• Understand the Odds: Make sure you know how the odds work as they’ll tell you your potential return and how likely the outcome is.
• Stay Updated: Keep up-to-date with all the latest football news.
• Bet Responsibly: Always gamble responsibly!

So, remember, start with the simple bets, start with smaller bets and work your way up. Bet responsibly and have fun!