Before you start visiting betting sites and throw yourself into betting on football, it is important to learn how to bet on football first. That way, you can make more informed decisions, which will provide you with better chances to win.
Best football events to bet on
In this section, you will find details about the most prestigious soccer competitions and tournaments that the sports world is eagerly anticipating. It is vital that you familiarise yourself with the events that carry a great significance in this particular sport if you want to learn how to bet on football and succeed.
FIFA World Cup
Probably the most watched football competition in the world, whose finals are viewed by more than one billion people from all the corners of the globe. It was inaugurated in 1930 and is held every four years. During the FIFA World Cup, 32 countries compete for the title, but Brazil holds the reins, as of now, with a total of five World Cups.
Africa Cup of Nations
If you feel you want to bet on Africa Cup of Nations (aka AFCON), this is your moment. Last years 2019 Africa Cup of Nations was the 32nd edition and was organized by the Confederation of African Football (CAF).
This years tournament took place from 21 June – 19 July and will be hosted by Egypt. After Nigeria’s entry to the 2019 AFCON, nearly all Nigerians want to bet on their country. So, betting on Super Eagles is more than a necessity!
That aside, the AFCON is a tournament that was first awarded in 1957. At that time, the only participants were Sudan, Ethiopia, and Egypt. Egypt who is a 7-time Cup holder, which makes it the most successful nation in the history of the tournament.
Today, AFCON has turned into one of the top 3 Nigerian football events and a tournament enjoying world fame and prestige. A total of 24 participants fought for the Africa Cup this year. The tournament is held in odd-numbered years as a means to not collide with the FIFA World Cup.
When Egypt was chosen to replace Cameroon as hosts of the AFCON 2019, the exact dates of the tournament were also switched to summer instead of winter. Algeria defeated Senegal 1–0 in the final. winning their second title since they last won in 1990. Nigeria came third after beating Tunisia 1–0 in their third-place play-off match. Cameroon will receive a second chance as a host so don’t miss your chance to bet on the AFCON 2021.
The 2021 Africa Cup of Nations is scheduled to be the 33rd edition of the AFCON. The tournament will take place in Cameroon in June 2021.We can highly recommend betting on the 2021 AFCON and we look forward to some exciting games coming up!
UEFA Champions League
First known as the European Champion Club’s Cup, the UEFA Champions League takes place every year and is followed by millions of soccer follower. At first, it was a Europe-strictly event but has now expanded into accepting several teams from other countries outside Europe too.
All the action begins around June and concludes 11 months later with the crowing of the title holder, who also qualifies for the UEFA Super Cup and the FIFA Club World Cup. At the moment, Real Madrid is the queen on the throne, with eleven cups.
Bet on Champions League at Bet9ja
FIFA Women’s World Cup
Previously known as the FIFA Women Championship, the FIFA Women’s World Cup got many Nigerians excited recently. It all happened when they saw the national women’s football team making it to the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup after winning the title at the 9th African Women Cup of Nations.
So, if you want to bet on Super Eagles, you have every right! Overall, the FIFA Women’s World Cup started in 1991 and is held every four years. As for the most successful nation in this tournament, that would be the United States, with three titles already (out of seven competitions).
Best Football Betting Sites
Learning how to bet on football also requires a medium that you can trust with your sports betting needs. Some of the best bookmakers in Nigeria offering generous welcome bonuses and promos to get started, competitive odds, a wealth of betting markets, and features that could enable you to watch your favourite games live are presented in the table below. Now, you do not only know how to bet on football but also who can make this endeavour as successful as it can be!
| Bookmaker | Sign up bonus | Our rating |
|---|---|---|
| Bet9ja | 100% deposit bonus up to 100,000 Naira | Rating 4.5/5 |
| 1xbet | 100% up to 36,000 Naira | Rating 4/5 |
| Surebet247 | 100% up to 25,000 Naira | Rating 3/5 |
Main football betting markets
The next step towards learning how to bet on football has to do with the available betting markets and the betting types you could start with. The list below provides the three most common ones.
1X2 Betting
It is potentially the most favoured type of bet that you can find at any betting website and enables you to win money if you guess the result of a full-time match right.
For example, in the Real Madrid vs. Ajax game shown in the screenshot below, you can support Real Madrid to win (odds 1.66), or back Ajax to come on top (odds 5.65) or bet on draw (odds are 4.14). If you predict it correctly, your bet is a win.
Double Chance
Following the example with Real Madrid and Ajax, if you decide to place a double chance bet you will need to bet on the result of the match. To be more specific, you should guess two results and if one of the guesses is correct, your bet wins.
For instance, you may either bet on Real to win or Draw (odds 1.175), Madrid to win or Draw (odds 2.42), or either Real of Madrid wins (1.28) – all predictions are grouped in twos.
As you may notice, this betting type offers lower odds than with the previous type. Nevertheless, it is a good option if you juggle between two or three outcomes and want to place a bet with a bit more confidence for it to be a win.
Correct Score
This betting type is another must-know when you learn how to bet on football. You will need to guess which of the two teams will eventually win the match and is recommended when you feel that one team will perform greatly that day. If you also have the odds on your side, then do go for it! Using the example with Real and Ajax, the odds are on Ajax to win. If your gut feeling says the same, you should definitely consider it.
Football Betting Strategies
Now that you know a few things about the prevailing bet types, time to move on to some betting strategies, which is an important aspect of your quest to learn how to bet on football. Here are some things to consider before you place a bet.
Head-to-Head
Getting your hands on these records will allow you to know how the team has performed over the years. Usually, we see a pattern when two teams play against one another throughout the years. One team tends to gets the better of the other in most matches for whatever reason. The only case to think twice about head-to-head records is when a team receives financial help (i.e. from sponsors). Chances are they will perform better in the future.
Current Form
Sports largely depend on athletes’ current form. Check, for example, whether a team won because its goalkeeper had a great day that day. Whatever information could tell you their form is appreciated.
Home Advantage
We have seen teams doing much better at home grounds than when playing at the opponent’s field. The previous Premier League, for example, showed that almost 1 in every 2 home teams won the matches. Do check it out.
Team Status
Are there any injuries? What is the condition of the replacement? Is the team tired? Could natural factors, such as excessive heat or high altitude, hurt players’ stamina?
Motivation
– If a team is playing its last card to make it to the finals, then they will play like lions to take the win. Or did their previous loss take a toll on them?
All these factors significantly impact the way in which you should bet. However, keep in mind that it is necessary to spend plenty of time researching to be in the position to better estimate which team is going to dominate the field.
