We all want the secret strategy that will help us make a lot of money in football betting. But I have something to tell you, there isn’t one! Yes, no strategy or tool can help you win consistently.
After all, betting on sports is about research, knowledge, experience, and one thing that we often forget, luck. Unfortunately, luck isn’t in our control, so you cannot know which way a match will go.
A while ago I was daft enough to use AI football betting, and it didn’t go well. First, I thought I could add a bunch of data into AI models like Chat GPT and let AI create my betting strategy. Yes, the system worked great, and it scanned the upcoming matches for the day, analyzed them, and gave me 4 choices.
So, I decided to place a parley bet on all four matches. Unfortunately, AI managed to predict the outcome on 2 out of 4 matches, which means that it is 50% accurate, and that’s not a profitable strategy unless you double down every single time.
But there must be some bets that are the easiest to win, and have the lowest risk and the highest income potential that we probably don’t know about. Let’s find out some of the strategies that expert football bettors use to increase their profits.
1. Value Betting
Value betting is one of the biggest secrets of the industry that many people don’t know about. But what does it actually mean? Well, it is about finding odds that undervalue the actual likelihood of an outcome. In other words, a bookie is giving longer odds on a team that obviously has a better chance than implied.
Yes, I know that finding such odds is really hard, but that doesn’t mean that it is impossible.
Value betting is just like finding a sale for a product that you already planned to buy. However, this strategy requires knowledge and extensive research online and opening many different bookies, like the Bovada betting website, and at the end of the day, you still rely on luck.
2. Betting on Corners
Here’s a little gem: corner betting. Most punters focus on goals, but there’s a whole world of betting opportunities around corner kicks that many overlook. The trick here is understanding how teams play.
Why It Works:
- Teams with an aggressive, attacking style tend to win more corners. Similarly, when a strong team faces a weaker one, the latter often ends up defending in their own box, leading to more corners for the stronger side.
- Check how teams perform in previous matches when betting on corners—do they have a history of getting into attacking positions, or are they conservative?
You can place bets on the total number of corners in a game or even bet on which team will win more corners. It’s a nice alternative when you’re unsure about predicting match outcomes.
3. Asian Handicap Betting
If you’re tired of guessing between three potential outcomes (win, lose, draw), then Asian Handicap betting might be your go-to strategy. This type of betting eliminates the draw option by handicapping the favorite, either by adding or subtracting goals. If a team is clearly better, the handicap levels the playing field in terms of betting.
This market is especially useful when betting on top teams against weaker opponents, where the outright win odds may be too low to offer any value.
4. Accumulators
The Accumulator (or “acca” for short) is the holy grail for many casual bettors. You bet on several games, and all your selections need to win for you to cash out. The beauty? The odds are combined, so the potential payout can be massive—even from a small initial stake.
It’s a risky strategy, but it’s also why many bettors love it. A bit of advice: don’t go too wild with how many games you include. Limit it to 3-5 games for a reasonable balance between risk and reward.
5. In-Play Betting (Live Betting)
Let’s face it, pre-match bets are for the prepared, but sometimes, football is unpredictable. That’s where in-play betting comes in handy. With in-play bets, you can react to what’s happening live. Is a team dominating possession? Does one team seem more likely to score based on the flow of the game?
Key Tips:
- Bet after the first 15-20 minutes when you have a clearer picture of how the teams are performing.
- Look for teams that start slow but finish strong. If you know a team tends to perform better in the second half, betting on them to score late can be lucrative.
6. Betting on Underdogs
Every football fan loves a good upset, but did you know that betting on underdogs can also be a solid strategy? The key here is knowing when to bet on them.
When to Bet on Underdogs:
- Look for teams that have been performing well but are still being underrated by the bookies due to their brand name or recent losses.
- Consider betting on underdogs in cup competitions or early-season games where the favorites might not be fully prepared yet.
This doesn’t mean you should always back the underdog, but with the right analysis, it can be a clever way to find value.
7. Both Teams to Score (BTTS)
Sometimes picking a winner is too tough, but you’re confident that both teams will find the back of the net. That’s where the BTTS market comes in. Instead of betting on the outcome, you’re just betting on whether both teams will score.