Getting the Best Odds on Soccer Betting Markets

There are many ways to bet on a football match. Increased competition and the ability to lay bets on Betfair have made it possible to take the same bet at different prices depending on the market.

The most obvious one is the -0.5 Asian Handicap (AH) and the straight win on the 1X2 market. You are betting on exactly the same thing if you take these bets. As the margin is lower on the AH, its almost always best to take the AH. It baffles me why some bookmakers put the bets adjacent on a coupon with different prices.

A draw no bet is the same as an AH of +0. Again, the AH is usually the best. However, if one team is highly backed on the AH the odds may drop and betting on the draw no bet is better value.

Unders/ overs, goal line and total goals are sometimes the same. There's one bookmaker I know that offers all three of these on the same coupon but sometimes at different prices. I've seen 3 or more goals on the total goals market priced better than the overs on a goal line of 2.5. They are exactly the same bet.

An X2 double chance is the same as laying the home win on Betfair. As Betfair operates with a margin of 2.5% (5% commission but you will on average lose half), its going to always be better to lay the bet on Betfair than taking the bet on X2. Some double chance bets are the same as the AH. Take the best odds.

A +1 European Handicap is exactly the same as a +0.5 Asian Handicap, which is exactly the same as laying the team on the 1X2 market. I've seen times when European Handicap has offered the best value. As this market is the smallest, the prices don't move if a bookie gets in wrong. I once found an arbitrage that paid 10% using a European Handicap. The price didn't move at all because not many people bet on it.

No first goal scorer is almost the same as 0-0. NFGS is slightly better as own goals do not count. It doesn't happen often but as these markets pay the same odds, its best to go with the NFGS bet. Djimi Traore scored an own goal when Liverpool played Burnley in the 2004/2005 FA Cup. Liverpool lost the game 1-0. PSV scored an own goal and lost 1-0 to Arsenal in the Champions league the same season. Its rare but it does happen.

I could go on but I expect you to get the message now. Next time you are placing a bet on a soccer match it could pay to just check the odds on other markets.

Ben writes football (soccer) betting tips for http://www.klsbetting.com - visit for hints and picks on football betting.

More Resources

Unable to open RSS Feed $XMLfilename with error HTTP ERROR: 404, exiting

More Casino/Gambling Information:

Related Articles

Tips On How To Gamble
How would you like to have your name on a check worth thousands of dollars? Actually, it's not as difficult as you may think. It requires some time and effort on your part; however, the rewards far outweigh the effort that may you put in.
The Secret of Put Bets
Pssst..
Online Gambling Casinos - Wear Your Thinking Cap and Prosper
I receive many emails each week from people who deposited money at an online casino, only to walk away empty handed merely minutes later. Most of them are quite upset andunderstandably so.
Play Poker for Free Online
To play poker for free online is one of the easiest and increasingly popular ways to learn the game, especially Texas No-Limit Hold'Em. Virtually all online poker rooms will let players come in at no cost because they would love to have you as a real money player in the future.
Wisconsin Casinos, The Top Three
I have been gambling in Wisconsin since I was 16 years old! I snuck in for two years straight. After legally gambling at the age of 18 for a few months they moved the age limit up to 21.
Poker Aces - how to play them
Poker Aces refers to two aces dealt pre-flop. It is the strongest possible pre-flop hand in Texas Holdem Poker.
Las Vegas - World Series of Poker (WSOP)
Who Will Be The Top Dog at WSOP?That is the question on everyone's mind as the 2005 World Series of Poker enters its third round with only 272 top poker players remaining.Of the over 5600 entrants who entered the esteemed Las Vegas held tournament at a buy-in of $10 000 each, most walked away with nothing as only the last 560 players qualify for cash prizes.
Why No-Limit Poker is Better Than Limit
If you are a tight-aggressive player, you need to consider playing No-Limit Hold 'em if you aren't already. With proper play, not only can you expect to increase your hourly win rate, but you can make it much more difficult for your opponents to draw out on you.
Viva Las Vegas Buffets
Please correct me if I am wrong but aren't Las Vegas Buffets just the best in the world! Ok there are a few ones that are a bit how's your father (an Australian term for so so) but I am yet to go to a buffet that I havn't enjoyed. This is probably why I have a Vegas Buffet waist line.
Gambling On the Internet is Fun That Will Pay Off
Gambling is something that millions of people enjoy for entertainment. However, we don't all have casinos just down the street.
Online Poker --- Is It Safe? --- Is It for Me?
Online Poker RoomsRapidly Growing in PopularityPlaying online poker is fast becoming the most popular form of Internet gambling. You can play Texas holdem online, and match your gambling skills against players from all over the world, playing live poker games, with real people, right on your computer.
Why Use an Internet Sports Book to Make Wagers?
Although I started using online sportsbooks almost ten years ago, I still maintained contact with a couple of local books for the express purpose of getting better lines with regard to the local or favorite teams of choice in my neck of the woods, the reasoning of course was so that if I saw "Value" in going against the the local or favorite teams of choice then what better place to get the best line when going against them then in their home area?However, a not so funny thing happened when one of the locals that I was using got crushed one week three years ago and skipped town and in doing so stiffed me for $1200, since that point in time I have wagered strictly online!I have always held the believe that if you want the beat deal available then it would be foolhardy to purchase the first car that you see at the first dealership that you visit, that very same line of logical thinking should be applied to "Sports investment" and of course is the very reason why I personally use four different "outs" as a means of gaining as much of an edge as possible with regard to finding the best line on games that I am wagering on, sometimes a half of a point here or a half of a point there can make all the difference in a winning week versus a break even or losing week.It never ceases to amaze me for example how some people will be totally misers with regard to insisting that any light on in a room with no one in it is a capital crime, these same individuals always seem to be the ones not willing to take the wife and kids to a movie or out to a restaurant for lunch or dinner because they may have to fork over a few dollars on something they consider unwarranted and wasteful.
How To Choose A Reputable Online Casino
With literally thousands of online casinos on the internet, it can sometimes become very confusing as to which ones are safe and reputable, and which casinos are not. So many of them are beautifully designed, look very professional and offer great signup bonuses, so how does one go about choosing the "reputable" online casinos while avoiding the "dodgy" ones?When choosing an online casino to play at, one should always take into consideration the following points:Licensed casino: Is the casino licensed? While many online casinos are licensed, a significant number of casinos are not.
Basic Jacks or Better Video Poker Strategy
Video Poker is a game of skill - and using the simple combination of playing strategy and mathematical know-how, can be beat. Take note of the "pay schedule" shown on the front of each machine, and look particularly at the most important information - how much the machine will pay out for a Full-House versus a Flush.
Rules and Strategies for Roulette
Roulette offers the greatest variety of possible ways you can wager. If you've never tried it, the game is easy to learn and we'll show you strategies that will help make you a winner.
Gaming Winners
Before you plan a trip to Las Vegas or Atlantic City or going on a cruise with legalized Gambling, certain things you must know of, and the most important one being How To Win. Gamble is all about taking a calculated risk, using your skills combined with a strategy and finally one thing that all of us want, Luck.
The Secrets of the Inside Numbers
The CrapshooterThe Secret of The Inside NumbersPssst..
Bingo 101 What You Absolutely Need to Know About
It is quite surprising and amusing at the same time that most of the people aware of the game "bingo" still associate it with some old ladies. The reality, however, suggests that the situation is quite opposite.
How to Play Two Pairs in Draw
The most perplexing holding in draw poker is two pairs. Playing other holdings is almost always a cut-and-dried matter compared with the problems faced by the man with two pairs.
Playing Low Limit Shorthanded Holdem Online
When it comes to playing shorthanded games online, one size definitely does not fit all. Certain concepts, aggression being the most important, are paramount no matter WHAT level you are playing; but the low limit games with its preponderance of loose, passive opponents mandate a slightly different style of play be used to maximize profits.