Soccer Betting

Soccer continues to find a place in the landscape of sports in the US despite the entrenched positions of the likes of NFL, NBA and MLB in the pecking order.

Soccer remains the biggest sport globally and the US audience continues to grow, particularly interest in the English Premier League, with over 10 million viewers across the 2019/20 season.

Right now the 2022 World Cup is taking place in Qatar, and millions of local fans are going crazy for the action in the Middle East with USMNT, Mexico and Canada all involved.

On Saturday the early morning EPL kickoff is 0730 ET, followed by further games at 1000 ET and 1230 ET (NBC Sports, whose contract runs until 2022/23).

While they may not happen every week, other huge betting events are the World Cup (every four years and the next in 2022) and the UEFA Champions League (September-December and then February-May).

But Liga MX remains the most-watched competition in the country, with an average of 1.4 million viewers tuning in for each match, watching the likes of Monterrey, Club America and Chivas. Matches are shown across a variety of kick off times and channels, most of which are free-to-air. These included Univision, Azteca, Telemundo and Unimas.

Next is MLS, the primary domestic competition in which there are regularly different winners and no side dominates. TV rights for watching MLS are split between ESPN and Fox Sports until 2022.

The 2021-22 season is pretty much here with pre-season already in full swing – we’ll have free and expert picks over the coming months to help you win dollars betting on soccer.

Is betting on Soccer legal?

Betting on soccer is now legal in a growing number of US states following the 2018 decision by the Supreme Court to strike down the 1992 Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (P.A.S.P.A). P.A.S.P.A had stopped states outside Nevada gambling on a single game.

Make sure you consult our state-by-state betting guides to find out the exact regulations in the state where you live. This is because each state passes its own rules on sports betting – some states allow land-based sportsbooks only while some (notably New Jersey) allow online and mobile options too.

There are also some states in the middle of the process, while some haven’t even begun. But it’s sure to be up for debate in every state at some point in the near future. 

Soccer picks

There are an abundance of soccer betting tips available on the internet, both domestically and from the likes of the UK, which has a strong soccer betting tradition. 

Soccer betting tips is largely an unregulated market so it’s important to do your homework and find a tipster who has a solid and transparent record. No pundit wins all the time, so make sure you find someone who clearly displays their win/loss record. Do as much homework as you can before you go all in on your soccer wagers.

Soccer betting odds & lines

Soccer is a hugely diverse sport from a betting perspective. The money line market (see below) is among the most popular, but parlays and spread betting are also regularly used. There are always plenty of matches taking place, particularly on a Saturday and a Sunday, so opportunities for parlay betting are regularly available. 

Bets can either be placed in the pre-game markets or once the match has begun to take advantage of in-play betting. 

Soccer parlays

A parlay on soccer involves placing a single bet that requires multiple outcomes to win for the overall bet to be settled as a winner.

The main positive of a parlay is that for a small stake you can earn significant returns; the down side, of course, is that the chances of selecting multiple winners is much less than placing a bet on a single outcome. 

OddsCritic regularly provides free and expert parlay picks throughout the season in Europe and North America.

Soccer money line

A money line provides the odds on a team just to win the game. There is no spread or any other factor involved, the team merely must win the match to earn a return on your initial stake. Your potential return is predicated on the size of your stake and the odds which the bet are placed at. 

Example: Manchester United (-200) is playing Arsenal (+150)

• You bet $200 on Manchester United and they win, your profit is $100.
• You bet $100 on Arsenal and they win, your profit is $150.

Money lines are subject to fluctuation in the run-up to kick-off, with factors such as team selection and injuries likely to have an impact on the odds. This is something to be aware of if placing a pre-game bet. 

Soccer goal spread

Are you sure that a soccer match will go a certain way? So much so that you think you can predict how many goals a team will win or lose by? Then the soccer goal spread market is the one for you. It’s a combination bet where you predict the outcome and the number of goals in the contest. 

Soccer total goals or over/under

You can also focus on the second part of a goal spread bet on its own. Total goals betting, or betting on the over/under on a soccer match, involves predicting the number of goals will be in any given match.  Also known as the goal line.

Soccer prop bets

You don’t have to bet on the final outcome of a match or the number of goals scored, however; you can place a prop bet. A prop bet, or proposition bet, is place on a specific event that takes place within a match. 

An example of a prop bet would be betting on Harry Kane to score the first goal for Tottenham in its game against Arsenal. You will be given specific odds of this event happening, offered completely independently of the final result of the game. These bets are available on a whole host of outcomes and at varying odds – it’s best to shop around to find the bookmaker that has the best market, and best odds, for you. 

Soccer public betting

Public betting data is a useful tool for finding value within the soccer betting market. Public betting data is available and it can be used to assess the following: 

1. The Percentage of bets placed: How many bets have been placed on each team.

2. The Percentage of money wagered: How much money has been bet on each team. This is a good way to figure out where the sharps and the high rollers are putting down their dollars.

Soccer futures

Futures bets mean you can wager on something happening way in the future. In soccer, there are a number of different markets available, including backing a team to win a competition outright. 

But there are also markets for players which are based on their individual actions. These include top competition goalscorer. 

Live in-play soccer betting

In-play betting is becoming an increasingly popular betting market that is particularly useful in soccer because the game is so fluid and odds can fluctuate significantly across the 90 minutes of play. 

Betting in-play allows you to wager having taken into consideration how the match has begun and allows you to adjust your predictions accordingly. 

Does overtime count in soccer betting?

The presence of the ‘draw’ market in football means that goals scored in overtime, or extra time as it is known, are not included in the outcome of the result. 

In league matches If teams are tied and the game ends in a draw at full-time, then each is given one point in their division total. But in cup competitions where a winner is essential, overtime is played to decide the winner. However, sports books will consider the score played in the normal 90 minutes as the final outcome. Please check your sportsbook rules before placing a wager. 

Best soccer betting: which sportsbooks should I use?

The introduction of regulated sports betting has encouraged a number of different sportsbooks into the market. Each of them will have different styles, different products and different odds, so it’s important to find the one which is most suitable for you and the wagers you would like to place. 

You can use Oddscritic’s online sportsbook reviews to have an idea of each one before signing up. By using our links you can get great sign-up bonuses. And remember – you can open as many accounts as you like, making it easier to shop for the best odds available.