Betting on football is a massive world, and there’s a lot to know before placing your first football bets. Here, we’regiving you the five most important things to know about football betting, and providing some tips for how to best craft your football wagers.

Bet with your head, not your heart

Most people interested in betting on football will have a favourite team, but betting on your team can be one of the biggest pitfalls when betting on the beautiful game.

Backing your favourite team to win – purely because they’re your favourite – can cloud your judgment and you may find yourself losing money quickly.

Instead, try to find bets and angles with teams you don’t usually support, as you’ll be able to objectively decide onthe best bet to place.

Shop around for the best odds

There are plenty of different bookmakers out there, all offering markets on the biggest football matches in the world. We recommended checking out which bookmakers provide the best odds for your football bets, as you will no doubt benefit in the long run.

For example, a treble on Manchester City, Liverpool and Chelsea all to win might be priced at 7/1 at bet365, meaning a £10 bet would return £80. However, the same bet may be priced at 8/1 with Sky Bet, in which case your£10 bet would return £90.

Should all three teams win, you’ll be wishing you had placed your bet at the bookmaker with the highest odds, in this case Sky Bet, and earning the most bang for your buck.

Odds are constantly shifting and changing depending on news and form, with each bookmaker competing for your bet. If you have a football bet you like the look of, it’s best to scout around to see which bookmaker will offer you the best odds.

Wait for lineups to be released

The strength of the team is a very important factor in deciding on the outcome of the football match. Injuries, suspensions and selection issues can usually be found pre-match through news sources, but it’s generally wiser to wait for the starting lineups to be released.

Usually this occurs one hour before kick-off, and then you’ll know for certain which players are starting the match. Many of the most popular bets on football involve betting on players to score or receive a yellow card, so you won’t want to place a bet on a player to score, only to find they are not playing.

Bookmakers may reduce the odds of player props once the lineups have been released, but it’s always better to be absolutely certain of which players are playing.

Check the recent form

Looking at a team’s most recent results can often be the best indicator of their potential performance in their next match.

If a team has been conceding a lot of goals, you know that this trend is more likely to continue in the next game. Alternatively, if a team has won three games in a row, you know they are in good form and are more likely to win their next game.

This can often be a good indicator to look at when you think there may be an underdog upset. For example, Manchester United have lost their last two games, despite being fourth in the league. Fulham are their opposition, who are 12th in the league, but have won their last three matches. Here is a great example of using form, as many people would blindly bet on Manchester United just because they are higher in the league, without looking at the form.

However, It’s important to remember that just because a team has won their previous game, or multiple games, it does not mean they are guaranteed to win their next one. It’s worth checking out league tables, as they can also be a good indicator.

Alternative factors, such as injuries and suspensions, can contribute to form, which is also worth bearing in mind. Recent form can assist your judgment and allow you to make clearer decisions when betting on football.

Don’t bet on every game

Football is a year-round sport, with games happening in every month of the year. During the busiest times of the season, there are loads of matches, so it’s easy to get dragged into betting on every single match you watch.

We recommend selecting games you know the most about or have the most interest in, in order to give you a better chance of winning.

The football season is a long and winding road, and there are plenty of opportunities available. It’s much better to bide your time and preserve your bankroll, as this strategy will pay off better in the long run.