Guide to betting on Football

Betting on football has enjoyed a surge in popularity in recent years, as the internet has opened up a whole host of gambling possibilities. The days of marking your ten crosses on a pools coupon being the only real way most people ever bet on the game have long gone. You can still play the pools, of course, but online, where you can also find a massive range of other ways to wager on the beautiful game.

By far the most popular way of laying a bet on football is to bet on the result of an individual game, which is usually combined with another factor such as the first goal scorer, improving the odds of the bet as well as making corrupt betting practises from players much less likely. This can also be done in combination with a string of other results, which can combine odds and accumulate more winnings for the punter.

This kind of bet is usually informed by the punter`s personal knowledge of the teams and players concerned. Betting purely on instinct or because someone`s name begins with the same letter as your own is to be discouraged, simply because football is less random and variable than sports such as horse racing where a lucky bet, placed by someone with no knowledge, can occasionally come off.

Instead, the key to betting successfully on football is knowledge. Knowing as much as you can about a certain league and its teams is of far more use than trying to spread your knowledge over several divisions of a country`s football pyramid. Instead, focus on one league, region or even team. Get to know as much as you can about everything that happens by following news stories and watch as many games as you can.

Watching football live is still the best way to pick up the kind of knowledge which helps you to win big with football bets. Watching games live at the same stadium allows you to get to know the players in a way which is simply not possible by watching on television. Players work off the ball and show characteristics which are not immediately apparent to viewers watching on a TV screen. This is the kind of intimate knowledge you need to win meaningful bets. Anything that can give you an edge is worth knowing.

So the best way to pick up free football tips is really to head to your local stadium and check out as many games as possible. Whether the team play in the Premier League or not is irrelevant. Bookmakers offer odds on all levels of professional football and some great winning bets are laid by people who have an intimate knowledge of the game at lower levels.