How to bet on football: Complete guide for UK bettors

Are you hoping to learn a bit more about football betting and improve as a bettor? You are? Well, you’ve landed on the right page.

We'll be looking at a range of things relating to football betting, such as aiding beginners with how to place football bets, going over common bet types, how to set up football betting accounts, as well as different football betting approaches. Read on for our football betting guide for UK bettors.

Overview of football betting in the UK

Let's kick things off with a brief overview of the current football betting landscape in the United Kingdom.

Right now, football is easily the number one betting sport in the UK. For any given week, UK betting sites take more bets on football than any other sport, which, given the amount of football that takes place these days, shouldn't be a surprise.

According to statistics published by the Gambling Commission, in 2024, 10% of people in the UK took part in a form of sports betting and more than half of those placed at least one football bet.

There are now more online sportsbooks than ever before, and most of those focus heavily on the football betting side of the game as this is what most UK bettors want. In 2024, according to the Gambling Commission statistics mentioned above, 83% of all online gamblers in the UK took part in some form of football betting activity.

How to bet on football for beginners

If you're a beginner, football betting can seem quite complicated, especially if you've landed on the football section of an online bookmaker, full of matches, markets and odds, though once you know what's what, the football betting landscape becomes easy to navigate.

Basic concept of football betting

In a nutshell, football betting is all about placing bets on potential football outcomes, such as betting on a team to win, or betting on both teams to score in a match.

Nowadays, you can bet on lots and lots of different football-related outcomes, way more than ever before, though the premise remains the same. In other words, no matter which market you’re betting on, all you’re doing is wagering on a football outcome, such as the result of a match, the number of goals to be scored in a match, or a certain player to score in a match.

Understanding odds formats

When beginning your football betting journey and learning how to bet on football, it’s a good idea to familiarise yourself with different odds formats.

Let’s take a look at the most common odds formats below.

Fractional

First and foremost, we have fractional odds, which is what you’ll commonly see as a UK bettor. Nearly all of the online sportsbooks available to UK bettors show fractional odds by default.

If you’re a beginner, they may seem confusing, but it doesn’t take long to get to grips with fractional odds. Fractional odds simply reflect implied probabilities. In other words, they show the implied probability of an outcome according to the bookmaker.

Working out potential returns using fractional odds is easy. The number on the right of the fraction represents the stake. The number on the left represents the potential profit.

Let’s say the odds are 5/1. For every £1 staked, the potential profit is £5. If the odds are 7/1, the potential profit is £7 for every £1 staked. Easy, right?

Decimal

Decimal odds are most commonly used by betting exchanges, such as Betfair, which is available to UK bettors, so it’s a good idea to be familiar with decimal odds too.

Like fractional odds, once you know what you’re doing, decimal odds are easy to understand. When using decimal odds, potential returns can be calculated by multiplying the stake by the decimal number shown.

It’s worth noting that some bettors do prefer decimal odds. If that’s you then you can change the odds setting to display decimal odds at most online bookmakers.

Football betting terms explained

Before diving deeper into markets and strategies, let's clarify some common football betting terminology:

• Accumulator (Acca): A bet combining multiple selections into one bet
• Treble bet: A specific type of accumulator with exactly three selections
• Bet Builder: Creating a customised bet on a single match with multiple markets
• Bankroll: Your total betting funds
• Draw No Bet (DNB): Market where stakes are returned if the match ends in a draw
• Each Way: A bet with two parts – one for the selection to win, one for it to place
• Handicap: Giving one team a virtual advantage or disadvantage
• In-Play: Betting on matches that have already started
• Lay: Betting against an outcome (on exchanges)
• Odds-on: When potential profit is less than the stake (e.g., 1/2)
• Over/Under: Betting on total goals being above or below a specified number
• Value bet: When odds offer better returns than the true probability suggests

Popular UK Football Betting Markets

Let’s look at some of the most common/popular football betting markets.

Match Result

The oldest, simplest, and still the most common type of football betting is match result betting, which does exactly what it says on the tin. This market allows bettors to wager on the result of a match, be it a home win, an away win, or a draw.

Both Teams to Score

Another simplistic, massively popular market is the ‘Both Teams to Score’ market, which allows football bettors to bet on whether or not both teams will score in a given fixture.

Correct Score

Perhaps not as popular is the ‘Correct Score’ market. This market presents bettors with the opportunity to bet on the correct score, such as 2-1 or 1-0, or a match. It’s ideal for low-stakes players simply looking to spice up a match.

Draw No Bet

Perhaps most popular amongst shrewd bettors, ‘Draw No Bet’ means to bet on a team to win a particular match, but with the insurance of a stake refund if that team draws.

Anytime Goalscorer

Another hugely popular market is the ‘Anytime Goalscorer’ market, which allows football bettors to wager on individual players to score during a given match.

Accumulators and bet builders

You don’t need to be a regular bettor to know what an accumulator is, especially in the UK. Most football fans are very familiar with accumulators, often referred to as “accas”.

An accumulator bet is several bets rolled up into one. By combining several bets, the odds are accumulated, increasing the potential payout. For example, on a Saturday afternoon, you may want to bet on four different teams to win their respective matches. You could place four single bets, though to increase the odds, you can put the four teams into an accumulator bet. All four teams need to win, but if they do, the payout is much greater than for any of the single bets.

Bet builders are the same as accumulators, but they focus on just one game. In other words, a same-game accumulator bet. You might make a bet builder that contains ‘Both Teams to Score’, ‘Total Goals’ and ‘Anytime Goalscorer’ selections.

Here's an example of a featured bet builder with boosted odds on Coral:

Remember: While accumulators offer bigger potential returns, they're harder to win. Start with singles and gradually explore multiples as you gain experience.

Top Football Competitions to bet on

UK bettors have access to football markets from around the world. Here are the most popular competitions:

Domestic Competitions

• Premier League: The most bet-on league in the UK
• Championship, League One, League Two: English Football League divisions
• FA Cup: Historic knockout competition
• EFL Cup (Carabao Cup): Secondary cup competition
• Scottish Premiership: Top tier of Scottish football

Here's what the betting slip at BetFair looks like for an upcoming English Championship match:

European Competitions

• Champions League: Europe's elite club competition
• Europa League: Second-tier European competition
• Europa Conference League: Third-tier European competition
• Major European Leagues: La Liga, Serie A, Bundesliga, Ligue 1

International Football

• World Cup: The pinnacle of international football
• European Championship: Continental competition
• Nations League: UEFA's newest international tournament
• International Friendlies: Exhibition matches between nations

Best betting sites for football betting in the UK

Key takeaway: Choose football betting sites with extensive markets, competitive odds, and live streaming features. Quality mobile apps, attractive bonuses, and cash-out options enhance your betting experience. Always prioritise UK Gambling Commission-licensed operators for security and quick withdrawals to ensure safe, convenient access to your winnings.

How to bet on UK football online

At the time of writing, most football betting is done online. There are hundreds of online sportsbooks currently available, so UK football bettors certainly aren’t short of choice.

Most sportsbooks do roughly the same thing, even if their platforms vary in terms of design, layout and functionality. When it boils down to it, they all allow users to place football bets.

Setting up an online account

If you’re a complete newbie and have never opened an online betting account before, then the process may be a little daunting, but there’s really nothing to it.

First things first, check out our list of the best UK football betting sites and choose the online bookmaker that’s right for you. Click on the link to that bookmaker and you’ll be taken directly to the registration page. Follow the steps and input the information required and you’ll be all signed up and ready to bet in just a few minutes.

Here's what a typical sign up form looks like:

How to place a bet on football

OK, so how to place a bet on football? Well, it's nice and easy to place football bets. After you've set up an account online, all you need to do is head to the football section of your chosen bookmaker, find the match that you want to bet on, and click on it.

Once you've clicked on the game that you wish to bet on, you'll see all the different available markets, accompanied by the odds. Find the market you wish to bet on, and click on the odds. Doing this will add the bet to bet slip. Check that you've added the correct selection, enter your stake, and strike the bet. It's as easy as that.

Here's what a betslip at William Hill looks like:

Pro tip: Always double-check your bet slip before placing the bet.

How to bet on Bet365 football

Right now, bet365 offers one of the best football betting packages in the industry. The desktop site is superbly designed and very easy on the eye, as is the mobile app, while the betting options are hard to beat too. Moreover, for many football markets, bet365 consistently offers the best odds.

Why bet365?: The combination of competitive odds, extensive markets, and free live streaming makes it a top choice for serious football bettors. Sign up with the bet365 bonus code to get started with free bets.

Best football betting tips from the experts

Here are practical tips to improve your football betting:

Research is key

• Study team form, head-to-head records, and injury news
• Consider home/away performance differences
• Check weather conditions for outdoor matches
• Analyse team motivation (relegation battles, title races)
• Follow famous tipsters

Timing your bets

• Early week bets often offer better value before odds shorten
• Team news typically releases 1-2 hours before kick-off
• Live betting can offer opportunities as matches unfold
• Look for bet boosts and sign up offers

Market selection

• Start with simpler markets like Match Result or Both Teams to Score
• Specialise in specific leagues or teams you know well
• Avoid betting on too many markets simultaneously

Use betting tools

• Utilise a football odds calculator to compare potential returns
• Keep records of your bets to track performance
• Set up alerts for team news and line-up announcements

Golden rule: Never bet more than you can afford to lose, and always maintain emotional control when betting.

How to bet on football and win: Strategies

Unfortunately, it’s not as simple as becoming a winning bettor after reading one guide online. However, there are a couple of useful things that bettors can do. In other words, there is a basic strategy that you can use to set you on the right path, and being on that path will at least give you a chance of being successful in the long run.

Here are a few pointers to get you on the right path:

Learn about odds and probabilities

Anyone looking to improve as a bettor and stand a chance of winning (in the long term) should strive to learn about odds and probabilities. In other words, it’s important to understand that betting odds are merely a reflection of implied probabilities. Learning more about probabilities and how to know when probability is in your favour can have seriously positive effects.

Look for edges and value instead of making predictions

If you have a strong understanding of the relationship between betting odds and implied probabilities, you’ll be able to look for true probabilities, which is how you’ll be able to identify whether you’ve got an edge and can take value for money.

Far too many bettors worry about predicting or being right, when neither of these things are important. What is important is being able to find and exploit value. Learn as much as you can about value and learn how to take advantage of it.

Be disciplined/bankroll management

Being disciplined is key to any sort of betting success. Football bettors should have a staking plan in mind. It’s important to stake smartly and not to leave yourself too exposed. For example, don’t use a large portion of your betting funds on any one bet. This is because short-term results rely solely on variance and luck, so it’s unwise to risk the majority of your funds on any given bet.

There are many different staking methods, and there’s not a one-size-fits-all approach. All that matters is that you use a staking plan that is right for you.

Part of being disciplined involves setting out a dedicated betting bank, which means having betting funds separate from all other personal funds. You should then stake according to your betting bank.

Focus on the long term

If you want to be a winning football bettor, then you need to focus on the bigger picture and that’s the long term. Variance plays a huge part in sports betting. In other words, many things aren’t going to go your way, and there’s little you can do about it. What you can do is work hard, learn as much as you can, snuff out value and play the long game, rather than worrying too much about individual bets or short-term results.

Advanced betting techniques

Here are a few slightly more advanced techniques:

Forming your own odds

Forming your own odds is a key part of finding value. If you can form your own odds, you’ll be best placed to spot value. Why? Well, forming your own odds will allow you to find discrepancies between the prices that you’ve formed and what’s being offered by the bookmakers. When the discrepancy is in your favour, you’ve found value.

Trading

Lots of winning football bettors focus largely on trading football markets. They do this using a betting exchange, which differs from a traditional sportsbook in that it’s a person-to-person platform. Rather than a bookmaker offering betting odds, users make up the entire market, the betting exchange merely facilitates the betting.

Football trading essentially involves placing bets at certain prices, before aiming to lay (bet against) those selections at other prices in an attempt to lock in winnings regardless of the outcome. If you’re interested in football trading, then you should take advantage of the wealth of football trading information that is available online.

There are also lots of great football traders out there, many of whom offer guidance, so seek these experts out and learn as much as possible from those who have already proven themselves to be successful football traders.

Reminder: These techniques require significant time investment and practice. Start with traditional betting before exploring trading opportunities.

Responsible gambling

Football betting can be very enjoyable, though it’s important to bet responsibly. We advise all of our readers to bet within their limits and bet only with money that they can afford to lose.

Nowadays, there are lots of useful responsible gambling resources out there. If you have any concerns or need support, you should seek the guidance of a reputable organisation such as GamCare, GambleAware or GamStop.

Conclusion

In summary, football betting is hugely popular and is a major part of the overall UK betting world. Football can indeed be an excellent sport to bet on, both from an enjoyment point of view and from the point of view of somebody looking to win in the long run.

There’s lots to learn, even if you’re not a beginner, so be open to improving, work hard, learn as much as you possibly can about football betting, form a solid understanding of odds, probabilities and the concept of value.

Football betting FAQs