How To Bet on Soccer for Beginners

by David Burke August 12th 2021, 11:49 PST

Soccer is widely known as the most played sport on the planet, boasting World Cup TV audiences of over 3 billion viewers every tournament globally. It’s not just the men’s tournaments either, in 2019 the record attendance at a Women’s Superleague match was broken with over 31,000 turning up to watch the ladies Manchester derby.

Although it’s not the USA’s national sport, soccer has never been as popular, with an ever-growing attendance figure nationally. The increased broadcasting that comes with that, has led to a barrage of foreign superstars crossing the pond with a truly mouth-watering list of European players competing such as David Beckham, Thierry Henry, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Frank Lampard, Kaka, and Wayne Rooney to name a few.

It would be wrong to talk about the rise in US soccer without mentioning the monumental effort of the Women’s national team back in 2019 who managed to win their fourth world cup and a new record set. The team managed to break 10 records during that tournament including the fastest goal scored, most goals in a single game, most consecutive wins, most individual goals the list goes on.

More and more sportsbooks are getting involved with soccer betting, with more markets to wager on than ever before. New to soccer betting? Then don’t worry, our guide gives you everything needed to get started.

Soccer Moneyline Odds

Want to pick an outright winner of a soccer match? Then choose the moneyline bet. This is a simple bet of which team you want to win, lose, or draw a match, regardless of how many goals are scored.

Positive American Odds

If the team in question has a + number, it is regarded as the match underdog. Simply put, this number represents the amount you will win should a $100 bet be placed. For example, American odds of +200 would win $200 should a $100 bet be placed. You would receive $300 back.

Negative American Odds

If the team has a negative number attached, it is the favourite. This number, therefore, tells you the amount needed to bet to get $100 in return for a correct result. American odds of -200 would win $100 if a bet of $200 was placed. In total, you would receive $300.
Occasionally you may see both teams in the negative, it indicates that the match is predicted to be a close one. In this instance the higher negative number is the bookies favourite.

Decimal Odds

Although American Odds are most likely to be found, there are a few other variances found outside of the US that is worth knowing about. Decimal odds are popular and show you what you will make off a bet of 1 unit.

Decimal odds of 3.0 means that a bet of $1 will return $3. Looking at a higher wager, a $100 bet would return winnings of $300.

Fractional Odds

Used heavily in the UK and Republic of Ireland, fractional odds offer an alternative way of betting and display profits relative to the stake.

Easier put, the figure on the right is your bet, the left of the fraction is winnings. For example, a 10/1 bet means if your bet is $1, you will get $10 back plus your bet, $11 in total.

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Soccer Odds Calculator

Whichever odds you prefer using, Fraction, decimal, or American, our odds converter allows for easy interpretation of all MLS odds as well as the assumed win probability.

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Totals Betting (under/over)

Under/over betting is another popular bet where you determine the number of goals scored during an MLS match. The sportsbook determines the margin, and you decide whether the result will be higher or lower than the chosen goals Talley. The actual result of the match is irrelevant.

For Example, a sportsbook may offer odds of +2.5 goals scored during a game between LA Galaxy vs FC Toronto. You then bet on whether you think 3 or more goals collectively will be scored (over bet) or whether you think there will be less (under bet).

You may have noticed the odds will also show a 0.5 decimal. This eliminates the possibility of a draw occurring, and your bet is returned from the bookies.

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Point Spread Betting

Point spread betting is an increasingly popular type of soccer bet and allows more people to bet on the underdogs. The spread bet essentially levels uneven teams using the help of a goal deficit system and combines both a moneyline and an over/under goals bet into one. Let’s look at an example.

Using what we have learned above. Atlanta is the favourites with odds of -100. Should you bet on them the sportsbook has stipulated that they must win by more than 2 goals for your bet to win (-2.5). A $100 dollar bet will win you $100 ($200 in total).

Seattle sounders on the other hand have been predicted to lose. The spread bet allows you to bet on a loss but without conceding a certain number of goals. Using the example above, the sportsbook has given Seattle Sounders a hypothetical 2 goal advantage (+2.5). Seattle must lose by 2 goals or less (or win the game) for your bet to win. Betting $100 on Seattle would return you $100 ($200 in total).

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Parlay Betting (Accumulator odds)

Parlay Betting or accumulators (as known in Europe) are one of the most popular soccer bets you can make and involves selecting multiple results, all of which need to be predicted correctly to win.

Accumulators come in all shapes and sizes with little limit as to how many selections you can make. The more selections, the less likely your bet will come in, the odds therefore will give you a higher return. These bets allow for potentially big returns off as little as $1.

As an example, betting on three winning teams (a treble) from a round of MLS matches with individual match line odds of (1.67 + 2.10 + 2.40) will give you enhanced winnings of odds of (8.40) and will turn your $1 bet into $8.40.

The positives? Much higher odds and a better return on your bet. Negatives, you need all three results to win or your bet is void.

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Frequently Asked Questions

• Where can I find the latest MLS Odds?

  We compare MLS odds from leading sports books, so you don’t have to. Our odds are updated everyday making sure you get the most recent soccer odds for upcoming games.

• How old do you have to be to bet on the MLS?

  Depending on your state/country you will need to be at least 18 years old (or 21) when signing up to a sportsbook for the first time. Many bookies will require ID verification before allowing you to wager.

• Can I place make MLS bets with mobile?

  You will be glad to know that all major sports books now offer betting around the clock from the comfort of most mobile phones. Although you are welcome to view odds from your laptop or computer, the most convenient way of checking the latest and best odds is via your handset.

• When does the MLS take place?

  The season starts at the end of February/ beginning of March, running until mid-October. There are 34 games played by each team, with the victor receiving the supporter’s shield.