Is betting on football profitable is a question we get asked a lot. Like in all forms of betting, some punters will make a profit, but even more, will make a loss. Of those that make a profit, some will make a profit from luck, though luck tends to run out eventually. Those that make regular long-term profits from football tend to put in a lot of hard work. They also understand the importance of value, as well as understanding why having a staking plan and a betting bank is crucial to long-term success.
Start With A Staking Plan And A Betting Bank
If you’re serious about making betting on football profitable, it’s a good idea to start with a sound foundation. A betting bank is a sum of money that you put aside for the sole purpose of betting on football and it’s important that you start with one.
The other thing to consider when starting to bet on football is what staking plan you want to use. You can adopt a simple 1-point per bet staking plan, with the point representing a set amount of money. You can use a more complicated staking plan such as the Martingale. But many professional football punters prefer to use a staking plan that allows them to bet between 1 and 5 points on each bet, with the amount of points bet reflecting the value of the odds on offer.
For example, one point may be the equivalent of £10 in money. That means you’ll be placing bets of between £10 and £50. If you’re betting at typical football odds, let’s say between 4/6 and 3/1, a betting bank of 100 points or £1,000 should be enough to set aside for your football betting.
If your average bet is 2 points, that means you’d have to have a lot of losing bets to lose your betting bank – and, if you’re that bad, football betting isn’t for you. But even the best football punters will experience downturns with shock results and abysmal refereeing decisions being out of their control. But having a betting bank will see you through these unlucky runs and leave you with money to keep betting until normal service resumes.
Just remember, you’re looking to make a profit from football over an entire season, not just get rich on the first weekend of matches.
What Is Value In Football Betting?
Value in football betting is when the odds available about an outcome you fancy are bigger than you think they should be. This is the only time you should bet and, betting when the odds don’t offer value is why many punters fail to make a profit on football.
You might choose your selections using statistics as a strong basis, while also adding in your personal opinions about how teams will perform in certain circumstances. These may be when you think a team is improving or when key players are missing, etc.
See if you can work out which of the following examples offers value odds. (All statistics are hypothetical in these examples, so please don’t use them for any basis for real bets).
Example 1: Chelsea has an excellent record at home against Arsenal, winning three of their last five games. They come into the match in form and the bookies offer a Chelsea win at even-money.
If you think even money is value odds, you’d be correct. Chelsea have won 60% of their home matches against Arsenal, but the bookies think their chances of winning are just 50%. That means you think the odds are 10% in your favour – and you should have a bet.
Example 2: Manchester United have won two of their last six away games against Manchester City, and the bookies are offering 2/1 about a Manchester United win.
The statistics suggest that Manchester United have a 33.33% chance of beating Manchester City and the odds of 2/1 reflect this perfectly, as 2/1 also suggests they have a 33.33% chance of winning. That means that most professional football punters would leave this bet alone as it offers no value.
Example 3: Manchester United have won two of their last six away games against Manchester City, and the bookies are offering 2/1 about a Manchester United win. However, Manchester City’s key defender is suspended for the match.
From a statistical point of view, there is still no value in backing a Manchester United win. However, if you’ve done your homework and you know that City lose 20% more matches when their key defender isn’t playing, this should give you a value edge.
What Football Markets Are Most Profitable?
You may find it easier to specialise in betting on a particular type of football market. Outright markets are an obvious place to start, while other popular markets include both teams to score, over/under goals, etc.
But there is no reason why one type of market should be more profitable than others. Most professional punters will typically study a football match from lots of different angles in their search for finding value bets.
Should I Pay For Football Tips?
If the idea of making a profit from betting on football is appealing, but you’ve already tried and failed using your own tips, then following the advice of a professional football tipster is the next step. Equally, if you know you haven’t got the time to do hours of studying, following the football tips of a professional tipster can be very cost-effective. Professional tipsters will also give you advice about betting banks and their tips come with staking advice.
Just watch out for scam artists who are looking to get rich quickly off those punters that fall for the promise of getting rich quickly. Here at Betting Gods, we adopt a long-term approach to betting on football. We don’t get it right all the time, but our hardworking tipsters are all full-time professionals.
You can also check out our free betting tips, which are designed to give you an insight into the different types of tipsters we have.
We hope that’s answered your question, is betting on football profitable?
