Best Soccer Betting Sites

We hope that this article will assist soccer bettors in choosing a soccer betting site. It starts with a brief history of sports betting and progresses to online soccer bets.

It will also cover the essential questions to ask when choosing a real money sportsbook, opening an account, and betting on a soccer match online. We will also learn more about the main betting lines in soccer betting.

A Short History of Sport Betting

The first appearance of sports betting was recorded over 2,000 years ago when the Greeks introduced the Olympics. Since then, fans have found that their favorite sporting events become much more enjoyable if they add a personal stake to the outcome of the competition by placing wagers on them.

The Law and Sport Betting

Despite religious organizations and world governments attempting to make sports betting illegal by banning it in the past, it only managed to drive the industry underground.

Many countries have realized that legalizing the gambling industry is much more profitable. It also makes it easier to project a semblance of guardianship over what is happening and regulate the industry. Residents in the United States can also use offshore sportsbooks to place their soccer bets.

Betting Operators

While betting on sporting events has been legalized in many states of the United States, it is advisable to check on local governance. If we wager online on soccer matches, we want to make sure we don’t break any laws. You can also

Viral Sites

Online betting platforms have exploded. Betting on everything from a coin toss to soccer can now be done from the comfort of one’s own home in many jurisdictions. Not all of these suppliers are above board or accountable.

States like Pennsylvania, Indiana, Colorado, New Hampshire, West Virginia, or New Jersey that have legalized gambling provide plenty of international soccer wagering options to punters.

How Do We Know If a Site is Legitimate

Legal betting operators must be licensed and are regulated by state or offshore gaming commissioners. A legal sportsbook displays a seal of approval on their site, indicating they are licensed and regulated to take bets. 

How to Choose Between So Many Sportsbooks

To find a platform that works for us, we need to decide what we want to gain from experience.

The Basics

The most basic questions to consider could be the legal and personal aspects of using the site.

• What are the terms and conditions to use the platform?
• Do we feel comfortable using the site?
• Does the sportsbook cater to our game strategy?
• What is our budget?
• What is the lowest or highest amount of money we can deposit?
• How easy is it to use the platform?

Bonuses

Sportsbooks want our wagers. Many offer pretty decent incentives to get us to sign up with them, such as free bets. Compare what they offer, and make use of the best ones.  

• What conditions are attached to the welcome bonus?
• Do we need to enter a promotional word to be eligible for them when registering our account, or does it automatically apply?
• Do we need to deposit a minimum amount into our account before qualifying for welcome bonuses? 

Deposits and Withdrawals 

Ultimately, we will be playing with our funds. Question the red tape.

• Which sportsbooks offer the best and easiest payment and withdrawal options with the most nominal hidden or minimum fees?
• Can we cash out when we want to withdraw our funds without jumping through hoops?
• How long does it take to cash out?
• What are the tax implications when winning big?

The Game We Want To Play

Consider what our objective is when betting. Are we in it for fun, or are we hoping to win big money?

• What are the minimum and maximum stakes required when we bet?
• How good are the odds the sportsbook offers us?
• How many types of bets can we make on the site?
• Can we place bets on live matches?
• Does it offer the opportunity to bet on local events only, or could we also place bets on international matches?

Payment Gateways

US and international sportsbooks accept a wide variety of payment methods. Remember that not every supplier offers the same payment and withdrawal options. It often depends on how long they have been operating.

Below is a list of some of the most common sportsbook payment solutions used by betting sites:

• PayPal (ACH)
• Visa/MasterCard/Maestro credit and debit cards
• Prepaid Cards Play+
• PayNearMe
• Wire Transfers
• Checks
• Skrill
• Neteller
• Venmo
• Bitcoin

How to Open a Soccer Betting Account

Once we have decided on the sportsbook we would like to use, the process of registering an account is easy to understand. Most sites will include step-by-step instructions to press ahead when we decide to leap.

If any sign-up bonuses require a promo code, jot down the word to use as a promo code during the sign-up process.

The Basic Information Required

Tapping on the “Create Account” button on the homepage of the soccer betting platform with our mouse pointer will lead us to the registration page of the site. The information we need to submit is as follows.

• Full Names
• Title/Gender
• Date of Birth
• Social Security Number (SSN), the last four digits
• Full residential address
• Mobile or Telephone Number
• Security question and answer
• Email address and chosen password
• Sometimes, a site may ask to choose a username to log in for the site.

The list above generally applies to all significant legal soccer betting sites in the United States, with slight variations depending on where we register.

Personal Preference and Limits

Different sportsbooks may ask us to set personal preferences at this point of registration. These could include setting daily, weekly, or monthly deposit limits. The platform may also ask us in what format they would like to display the game odds and our preferred time zone in the states.

If the sportsbook we chose has a welcome offer to thank new users for signing up, it may ask for the promotional code. Now is the time to enter that word we jotted down earlier when registering.

Account Activation and Welcome Offers

Once we register a profile on the gaming site, the operator will notify us that we have registered as a user. There usually will be a link to confirm that we have indeed signed up for the account, and it may ask that we verify contact details.

Once that confirmation is received, the supplier will activate the account. Any promotional offers, or welcoming gifts, may only be available within 24 to 48-hours after we deposit funds into the account. It all depended on the terms and conditions when we signed up.

Choosing Payment Options

Once our profile is registered, we will choose a payment platform of our choice. The service will allow us to make deposits and withdrawals from our account.

It is wise to see which one of the platforms listed offers the best service with nominal service fees and delays. Also, consider balance quotas. Do we need to have a minimum balance to deposit or withdraw funds from our sportsbook profile?

How to Bet On Soccer

Different operators offer different betting strategies in the game of soccer. Bets can range from wagering on the winning teams to how a specific player will score in a contest or even what the score will be at halftime. Since this often changes from site to site, we will only discuss the primary betting lines.

Basic Bet Lines

The soccer team expected to win a match has a minus sign next to the team’s name on the books. It is the favorite team to win. The underdog, which is expected to lose the battle, has a plus sign next to the team name.

Depending on our location, it is good to read up on the soccer matches available and the rules of betting on them. Based on where they are taking place, it may differ vastly.

Soccer in the United States

Soccer betting in the United States is slightly different from betting on mainstream sporting events. There are various ways to bet on a side or the total in soccer matches.

Many people just bet on the spur of the moment, but it is wise to get to know the game’s rules. First, download the basic rules of soccer and study them.

Three-Way Moneyline

Results only get graded in “regular time,” which falls in the 90 minutes that a classic soccer game lasts. The grading includes any time for injuries and game stops added to the playing time at the referee’s discretion but will not carry over into overtime or penalty shootouts.

We have three options to bet on the game. 

• The favorite team wins
• The underdog wins
• The game is a draw

Two-Way Moneyline

The two-way moneyline offers two alternate soccer betting strategies: draw no bet and double chance bets. The game is solely graded during the 90 minutes of regulated playtime in both cases.

Double Chance

The bet is on a team to either win or draw; or on either team to win the match. The wager has only three possible results. The punter only eliminates one outcome when he places the bet.

• The favorite team wins or draws
• The underdog wins or draws
• Either of the teams wins the match

Draw No Bet

In a draw with no bet stake, the bet eliminates a possibility of winning if the match ends in a draw. The odds usually get inflated, resulting in a much bigger win if the odds end in favor of the punter.

• The favorite wins
• The underdog wins

All bets will be refunded and tagged as “No Action” if the match ends in a draw during the regulated time. No wins or losses will be recorded when it is a draw.

Betting Goal Lines

This strategy is also known as a spread. As in the two-way moneyline, this bet will eliminate at least one outcome from the final match results.

Typically, a goal-line is -0.5 goals in soccer. When big favorites are playing, the odds may go up to -1.5 or -2.5, as per the example below:

• Argentina -2,5 goals (+110)
• Iran +2.5 goals (-120)

The bettor will win big if Argentina wins by three goals or more if he bets on Argentina at -2.5 goals. If he placed a bet on Iran for +2.5 goals, the stake would win if Iran draws, beats, or loses by one or more goals.

Asian Handicap

Another strategy would be to place a bet on an Asian handicap. The point spread splits the stake into two bets like -1.5 or -2.

If the team wagered on is winning by two points, it breaks even. If the win is by three or more points, both betting parties will gain returns on the bet.

Betting Totals

Since scoring in soccer compares minimally to other types of sport, the totals work differently than other sports. Bookies will often set the total score on soccer bets in increments of 0.25 goals, i.e., 2.25, 2.5, or 2.75.

Let us take the following examples to demonstrate.

• If a bet is placed on “Over 2.25” goals, half the stake is on “Over 2.” The remainder is placed on “Over 2.5”. If the game ends 1-1, the punter will lose the bet on “Over 2.5”. The bet is refunded as it is being pushed. The stakes would win if the competing teams won three goals or more.
• When a bet is placed on “Under 2.75,” The bookie will put the other half of the wager on “Under 2.5” goals. The remainder of the stake is on “Under 3” goals. If the match lands on three goals, the bettor loses half their bet (“Under 2.5”) but will be refunded on the other half that played on “Under 3”.

Conclusion

Nobody would like to register an account and place a bet on their favorite soccer team, only to come to regret it at a later stage because of a bad experience on the soccer betting site they selected. To choose the right platform, ask the right questions, and enjoy the experience.