Football Bookies market in 2024
There are precious few sports matches that can be as high octane to wager on as football. The Beautiful Game isn’t just arguably the world’s most wagered-on sport – it is also a sport with literally tens of thousands of selections and dozens of possible bet types available daily. While it is true that any sportsbook can, in theory, offer football betting, the best way to wager on this sport is to head to dedicated football bookies. These are bookmakers that specifically specialise in offering football selections and markets aplenty.
If you want to know how to bet on footy at football bookies, then we’re going to walk you through that here. Our in-depth guide will cover everything from how to bet, what types of footy bets you can make, the best features found at football bookies, and our top tips for gambling at the world’s most popular sport. Let’s get stuck in by exploring what the leading football bookies are all about.
The World’s Best Football Bookies
There is no shortage of online bookmakers prepared to offer you football betting options. However, you don’t want to settle for so-so sites. Instead, you want to ensure that you sign up at the world’s best football bookies – sites that are dedicated to offering you nothing but the best odds, not just on the leading leagues and competitions, but as many as possible.
We’ve played at our fair share of top football bookies, so we have a great idea of what to look for. Allow us to explore the prerequisites we like to look for and expect to see in all leading football bookies. These should help you determine whether a sportsbook is a decent place to wager or not. Let’s start by presenting the best options with top odds and limits, as well as simply player-friendly options.
Major Asian(mostly) bookmakers offer access to the best football markets in the world. You’ll get access to these liquid and advanced markets through one of the reputable brokers, so from a single account you’ll get opportunities that no bookmaker can give on its own. The range of brokers is wide, but football as the most popular sport has huge liquidity on the exchanges. The obvious point, which does not need much mentioning, is the absolute highest odds and limits in the industry. So, step by step. Before we continue with our guide, let’s take a look at the results of our analysis of the best bet brokers for football betting.
Where can I find the optimum football betting offer? Every highly rated broker or bookmaker on our site offers a solid deal on football as one of the world’s major sports. This seems obvious. However, we have taken the liberty of highlighting the following sites that we use to find the best football odds. Below is a list of the best football bookies and brokers.
- Min deposit 5€
- Singup Bonus
- Modern software
- Fast payments
- Zero deposit fees
- Real-time odds
- Min deposit 10€
- Sing up Bonus
- Many promotions
- Large sports offer
- Quick payments
- Simple registration
As you can see, we only analyze professional betting sites. We do not take low odds and low limits into account. If you are looking for a solid football bookie, we recommend that you refrain from playing at recreational bookmakers with low odds. It is easy to calculate how the odds affect our score. This is certainly the biggest bonus we can get. If you are interested in an elite betting site for football and all other sports, we encourage you to read the knowledge available on our site. We recommend reading the review of the operator you are interested in. There you will find complete information about the offer, bonuses, payment methods, as well as read about many other relevant information.
An Array of Football Markets and Selections
Next, let’s consider the meat on the bones at football bookies – the array of markets and selections found at each site. It goes without saying that major competitions such as the UEFA Champions League (all stages) and England’s Premier League should be featured. However, you may also want to see more localised competitions based on where you live. It isn’t just the number of competitions available, either. The best football bookies will also feature thousands of selections, with each selection having dozens of possible betting options, ensuring that you can wager however you see fit at these sites.
Let’s look at some of the must-have elements in markets and selections more closely below:
Major Markets and Selections
Almost every football betting fan wants to see major footy leagues such as the Premier League, Ligue 1, the Bundesliga, La Liga, and Series A represented alongside cup competitions like the FA Cup, UEFA Champions League, Europa League, and major international tournaments. However, many football bettors are fairly knowledgeable, so lower league competitions and other European leagues, such as the top flights in Belgium, the Netherlands, Portugal, Sweden, Denmark, and so on, could also be advantageous. Also, football markets from Asian leagues, South America and Africa are extremely important for many players and these are also must-have positions at a high-end football bookmaker.
Multiple Ways to Bet
It isn’t just the selections that need to be vast. We also want to see plenty of ways to bet. This means that you shouldn’t just be able to wager on the outright winner of a football game. If you want to bet on the first scorer, no-score draws, right down to the number of corners or yellow cards in a half or at full-time, you should be able to do that. The more ways to bet there are, the better the football bookmaker (at least in this factor). Singles betting is the most important for most players, but there is also a sizeable group of players who prefer accumulator or combo betting, especially in football. For this reason, it is definitely welcome when a player has the possibility to place different types of bets.
Competitive Odds
You should also look for competitive odds. The best way to ensure that you’re playing at one of the best football bookies is to visit an odds comparison site. Compare the odds you’re being offered at your bookie to those found elsewhere. If you need to, open accounts at several football bookies to ensure that you always get the best odds. However, it is also a good option to choose one of the betting brokers that offer by far the highest odds and have a number of high odds bookmakers and betting exchanges on offer. High odds are the basis for successful betting, as you have surely already experienced if you have read other content on our website. With good odds, it is much easier to find value bets in football.
Adjustable Odds Formats
Finally, we should touch on adjustable odds formats. For some of you, this won’t be an issue. The best bookmakers will let you adjust how you see odds, though. For instance, while fractional odds are popular in the UK, they are best suited for horse racing. Instead, decimalised odds are the norm for football betting in most parts of the world, and if you prefer to use those to bet on football, you should be able to change how you see the odds to do that.
Top Bonuses and Promotions
Next, we’re going to touch on top bonuses and promotions. Not every football betting site supports promos, but most do. The key thing to remember here is that the best football bookies won’t just have plenty of promos; they will be fair. Some of the things you’ll want to look for when weighing up promotions and bonuses at football bookies include:
● Any cash bonuses or free bet deals should have low-to-no wagering requirements.
● Ensure that you can use a free bet bonus on a selection with odds lower than 2.50.
● Never claim a bonus if you can’t use it on what you want to bet on.
● The best bonuses at football bookies won’t feature win or withdrawal caps.
● Only use bonuses at high reputation bookmakers to avoid trouble.
After registering at an online sportsbook, you’ll normally be invited to claim a welcome bonus. Next, let’s look at the two most common types found at football bookies online:
Welcome Bonuses at Football Bookies
The conventional welcome bonus at football bookies is the match deposit welcome bonus. This works much like it does at online casinos. Here, you’ll receive a cash match based on the amount you deposit (up to a specific figure), and you can then use those funds to wager on a wealth of sports betting options. Most of the betting sites on our site offer fair starting bonus offers.
Football is generally included, although there may be limits on the selections you can bet on. In most cases, selections with very short odds won’t be eligible. There may also be caps on how much (of your bonus funds) you can spend on each bet. It may be limited to around a fiver a bet.
Free Bet Football Bonuses
Many top football bookies offer free bet bonuses instead. They may decide to give you a no-deposit free bet bonus. You can use this to wager on any eligible sports match. If you win, you’ll land real money. If you lose – oh well, you haven’t risked and lost any of your own real cash. Many players use these bonuses for matched bets on football markets.
Alternatively, leading football bookies may decide to give you a money-back free bet bonus. You will need to make a deposit to claim this bonus. You won’t actually receive any free funds. Instead, you’ll use your own money to bet, but the football betting site will absorb the risk. For instance, if you win – you’ll receive your winnings and bet back. If you lose, you’ll have your stake returned to you. You can’t lose.
Cashback bonus
This is a bonus found primarily with football brokers and bookmakers who target advanced players. The bonus is usually 0.1% cashback for life. This is one of the better bonuses for players who generate high turnover, this type of bonus increases the odds by 0.1% in real terms which really makes a difference in the long term. BetInAsia and Vodds offer this type of bonus. For advanced football bettors, there is one of the best bonus offers that works in the long term.
Ideal Banking Options and Reliable Support
You might not think so, but the array of banking and customer support options provided by online football bookies is important, too. For instance, you’re going to want to wager on football using your preferred currency. Secondly, you’ll need a selection of payment methods to make that happen. A lot also depends on the location, with players from different locations having different preferences or options when it comes to payment. The most common and supported by all are cryptocurrencies headed by Bitcoin and Tether, electronic wallets (for example Skrill and others) Bank transfers, card payments. There are also other options, which may vary from operator to operator.
Alongside the variety of payment options supported, you may also wish to consider any limits, fees and transaction times associated with those. Having instant deposit times isn’t a metric for judging whether you’re playing at a good football bookie or not – they can all offer this service. However, the difference between some bookmakers can be night and day when it comes to withdrawal times. Ideally, we want to say cashouts in under 24 hours in most cases – a maximum of 2-3 days. When it comes to a sportsbook’s minimum and maximum limits and caps, there isn’t any magic figure. Ultimately, as long as you’re happy with those numbers, that’s all that matters. Of course, you should never be charged anything extra for deposits or withdrawals. That’s a no-no, pure and simple. We try to describe sites that pay out as quickly as possible. The vast majority of reviewed bookmakers pay out Instant or up to 20 minutes. You will find detailed reports in the reviews.
Most of the best football bookies go out of their way to ensure that you can reach out to their support team through a wealth of options. They will provide round-the-clock live chat assistance and not through tedious chatbots. They will also offer an e-mail, and perhaps, even a telephone line you can use to get the help you need from a friendly team. Top football bookies may even support FAQ guides and additional informative pages where you can get answers to any sports betting-related questions you may have in a timely manner.
Added Attractions and Extra Features
What really sets the top football bookies apart from the sub-par ones is the array of added attractions and extra features they may carry. Not every bookmaker or sportsbook will support all of these options. However, the best football bookies will offer as many of them as possible. What are we talking about? Have a look at online bookmaker reviews to see if your preferred sites offer any of these much-in-demand perks:
Dedicated Mobile Apps
If you want to place sports bets on the go (and many of us do), then you may not want to mess about with your device’s web browser. As a result, many top bookies offer football betting apps for iOS and Android devices. These are streamlined and ideal for rapid betting at the last minute. Speaking of the late minute, let’s talk about live in-play betting.
Live In-Play Betting
Live in-play betting is a feature whereby you can place a bet on footy matches after they’ve started. The best football bookies will support this option. For instance, you won’t have to predict a winner before the game. Instead, you can wait right up until the ninetieth minute to wager if you prefer. Live in-play betting is ideal if you want to take advantage of very short or very long odds, as they are constantly in flux based on the action occurring in the game.
Live Footy Streaming
At top-rated football bookies, you may find yourself able to follow the action live. Many top sites will provide live football streaming. Admittedly, this certainly won’t extend to all the hundreds of thousands of selections featured on the site. In fact, they may not even cover every Premier League game that weekend. You can usually tell which matches are covered, though, by looking for a little satellite or television icon or checking the site’s live schedule. Live footy streaming allows you to follow the action every step of the way.
Early Cashout Options
If you’re fortunate, you’ll end up at top football bookies that support early cashout options. These sites actively allow you to cash out your bet before the match is over. You won’t normally receive full winnings for this, and it isn’t possible with every event. However, if you’ve got tabs on a match through live-streaming at the site, and you’ve got a live in-play bet on the fly, it may be worth cashing out early if things look as though they are about to change in the game. It’s also worth doing a bit of homework on this feature, as it can change depending on the site you choose to join. Each of the top football bookies has their own rules regarding how it is used.
Accumulator Insurance
Accumulators are commonplace across most online football betting sites. If you were to successfully land every bet on your ACCA ticket, you’re looking at a huge win. However, most football bookies require you to get every selection correct. That’s a tall order. Some football sportsbooks offer ACCA insurance. If yours does, then there may be leeway to get one or two selections wrong and still come away with a win. Again, this is something that will vary from bookie to bookie, so check it out before committing to play somewhere.
Customisable Bet Builders and Betting Slips
Speaking of accumulators, many of the best football bookies will also allow you to build your own bets using bet builders on betting slips. These allow you to indulge in multi-bets, combo bets, and other adventurous options. Most bookmakers’ betting slips work the same way and are located on the right-hand side of the lobby. Explore the options yours has, as some may provide preset betting options, and these greatly help you save time when playing customised bets online.
Stats Centres
If you can’t follow the action at your football bookie through live streaming, it may be possible to do so in another way. The best football bookies will carry a stats centre. This isn’t just handy for keeping tabs on the most recent scores. It can also prove useful as a resource before you bet. For instance, you may be able to look up form, analysis of previous matches, league tables, and more in these centres. You can then use that historical data to plan your next few bets at the sportsbook.
How to Use Football Bookies to Bet Online
So, you’re ready to throw down and have a punt on the footy – what’s next? Well, obviously, you’ll need to join a sportsbook to make the magic happen, and we strongly recommend that you choose one of the best football bookies out there. After that, you’re just a few steps away from getting started. Let’s walk you through these steps next:
Joining Leading Online Football Bookies
First, pursue top football bookies and read reviews on those sites. Explore all the features a site has to offer, and if you’re content, then make your way over to the bookmaker. On the homepage (also known as the lobby), you’ll find a button that you can use to sign up. Enter your personal details into the e-form when prompted to complete this process. Now, check your e-mail or look for an SMS with a verification that you can use to confirm your account.
Depositing at Bookies Online
Unless there is a free bet bonus on the fly, you’ll need to deposit. Sign into your football bookie account and make your way to the cashier screen. This may appear under your account settings or on a dedicated banking page. Select your preferred bookmaker payment method, enter the amount you wish to deposit, and any details required. You can confirm that transaction using two-factor authentication on a second screen or another device or verify it in any way that is specific to the option you use. The deposit should land immediately in your footy betting account.
Claiming Bonuses and Promotions
Now, you can claim your welcome bonus. The full bonus amount you receive will depend on the amount you’ve deposited. If you are required to, enter the bonus codes (found on the promotions page) when depositing to claim an offer. If you’re looking to claim a free bet no-deposit bonus, that should be triggered automatically after registering. If you still don’t see the bonus, contact customer support and ask them to trigger any bonus you haven’t received.
Time to bet
Whether you wish to use your football bonus or real money funds doesn’t matter. Head over to the lobby and choose the market that interests you. That is obviously football, but sub-genres include Premier League, Champions League, and so on. Lastly, choose your selection, also known as the match that you wish to bet on. You’ll now be able to select all the possible bets for that selection.
After finding the type of bet you want, click it. It will appear on your betting slip, which is often located on the right-hand side of the screen. From there, enter the figure you want to wager. Top football bookies will tell you how much you stand to gain on the betting slip before you wager. If you’re happy with your betting slip, hit the confirm button to place the bet. Your stake will then be deducted from your balance. If you win, your winnings (and stakes) will be added to your balance shortly after the conclusion of the match.
Common Types of Bets at Football Bookies Online
What are you going to bet on? There are all sorts of possible ways to bet on matches at football bookies. Let’s introduce you to some of the most common ones below. Here are the bets we recommend that you start with and how they work:
● Single: A straightforward bet on the outcome of a football match. It could be the home team or the away team. You can also bet on a draw if you want.
● Multi-Bet: Doubles, trebles, and accumulators are all types of multi-bets. These are wagers on several selections on the same ticket. You must win all the bets to ensure a return here.
● Cover: Trixie, Yankee, Canadian and Heinz are examples of cover bets. These bets involve multiple outcomes over several selections, and crucially, you don’t need to match them all to win.
● Over/Under: A typical over/under bet is a wager on some sort of number associated with the game. For instance, you might bet that the number of free kicks will be over or under a specified figure, or perhaps the away team will score over or under a specific number of goals.
● Futures: Another straightforward bet, futures involve wagering on the winners of competitions and tournaments. The earlier you place these bets, the longer the odds will likely be. The closer a competition gets to its conclusion, the shorter the odds will be – usually.
● Props: Props are wagers on events not tied to the outcome of a game. For instance, a prop bet could be the first player to score, the first team to concede a penalty, and so on.
● Scorecast: Scorecast bets work as mini accumulators. With Scorecasts, you’re looking to correctly predict the first scorer and the correct score. Doing so will result in magnified winnings.
● Live In-Play Bets: Live and in-play bets can represent most of the options already listed. The key criteria here is that bets can be placed after kick-off, and the odds (for those who haven’t bet) will fluctuate as the game progresses.
Top Tips for Wagering on Football at Online Bookies
Obviously, we’re not going to let you dive into betting at football bookies without first sharing a few pointers. We’ve bet on the Beautiful Game for years, and we’ve acquired some handy advice for budding amateurs. Here are our top tips for wagering on footy at football bookies:
● Always use your experience. Stick to what you know. Don’t wager on far-flung matches from leagues you don’t follow.
● If you decide to tinker around with cover bets or ACCAs, be sure to use a betting calculator to get an idea of what you can win before you decide to confirm your stake.
● Unless tipsters give you a particularly good reason for doing so, don’t splash your cash on underdogs with ridiculously long odds. They are long for a reason.
● Always make use of responsible gambling tools at football bookies. They are there for a reason. If you make use of these tools, you aren’t likely to run into trouble to develop problem gambling issues.
● Correct score odds are tempting since they are long. However, it’s a lot harder to successfully predict a score than you think. Never use correct score selections in accumulators. One wrong step (which is likely), and you will probably kill the ACCA stone dead.
● We do recommend using combo betting but don’t dive headfirst into it. Read our guide on combo betting to understand how it works. However, these options are better than ACCAs since you don’t have to predict every match correctly.
How to Find the Best Football Bookies Online Today
Now that you’ve read our guide, what do you think? Are you ready to find the best football bookies online and start wagering on the world’s most popular sport? Remember, the best football bookies don’t necessarily have to offer all the features listed above. They simply have to carry some of them, namely the ones that matter the most to you. However, when it comes to choosing top places to wager on football, we remain firm that they must be licensed and regulated, offer fair promos and bonuses, and feature an extensive array of markets and selections. Beyond that, it’s a personal choice.