Sports Betting Tips: How to Bet on Soccer for MLS Gamblers
As the world’s most popular sport, soccer (or football, if you’re talking to an international audience) is an exciting game that gives you the opportunity to connect with people around the world. While you can catch a game nearly any time of year, thanks to the numerous leagues, it’s just about time for Major League Soccer (MLS) in the U.S. to begin its 2020 season.
If you’re counting down the days until your favorite players take to the field, maybe it’s time you took your fandom to the next level. Why not use your insatiable knowledge of the teams and players to place some sports bets? Learning how to bet on soccer can open up a world of opportunity — and fun.
From betting on the point spread to betting on the moneyline, there’s a lot you need to learn before you can jump into the gambling game. Luckily, we’re here to help you know the basics of soccer betting, including the different wagers you can place and how to read soccer odds. Whether your goal is to bet big on soccer in Vegas or have some betting fun with your friends, we’re here to help you learn all about how to bet on soccer.
The Soccer Sports Betting Basics
Each game of soccer takes 90 minutes. Even if a game goes into extra time, your bet will only cover the original 90 minutes, so keep that in mind. To create the betting odds, oddsmakers will take a look at the teams’ stats and decide who is the favorite, who is the underdog, and just how likely the team is to win. If you’re looking at the odds between two teams, the team with the negative number will be the one favored to win, while the team with the positive number is expected to lose. Naturally, betting on the team that is expected to win will pay less than choosing the underdog.
In the above bet, you can see that Team 1 is the favorite (-125) and Team 2 is the underdog (+310). Below, we’ll shed some light on what all these numbers mean.
Different Types of Soccer Bets
Basic Bets
The main type of bet in soccer is to choose the moneyline. You can bet on either a two-way or three-way moneyline.
In a two-way moneyline, you pick a specific team to win. Then, if the team you choose wins the match, you’ll win the bet. A three-way moneyline is similar to the two-way method, but it introduces the idea of a draw. In addition to picking a team to win, you can also bet on whether or not the game will end in a tie.
In both cases, to know how much you’ll win, take a look at the moneyline spread. Let’s say that Team 1 is playing Team 2, and the spread is -145 vs +400, respectively. That means that to earn $100 when betting on Team 1, you’ll need to bet $145. However, if you bet $100 on Team 2, you’ll earn $400 if they win.
Advanced Bets
If you want to get a little deeper into the action with your soccer sports betting, you might try a goal-line spread. This is when you’ll bet on what you think the difference of the final score of the game will be. It’s similar to how a point-spread wager in football or a puck line in hockey works.
For each game, the oddsmakers will choose an over/under number for what the goal differential will be. Usually, this is -0.5, but for games with a heavy favorite, the odds might be as high as -2.5. Then, all you have to do is decide whether or not the total score spread will be greater or lower than that amount.
As an example, let’s say you take a -1.5 goal line spread that favors Team 1. If the final score of the game is 3-1 Team 1 (or greater), you’ll win.
Betting on Totals
You can also bet on what the total score will be in a soccer match. Because the score in soccer games is usually on the lower side, oddsmakers often use multiples of .25 when crafting odds. What this means is that your bet will be split between two numbers.
Let’s take a look at an example. Let’s say the over/under for Team 1 vs Team 2 game is 2.25. If you decide to bet over, because 2.25 isn’t a half number, the bookmaker will split your bet so that half of it is over 2 and half of it is over 2.5. This means that if the game ends in a 1-1 score, you’ll lose your over 2.5 bet but get the money back on your over 2 bet. If the game is 2-1, you’ll win both bets.
Things are simpler if the over/under is a half number. In that instance, you won’t have two bets going on, so all you need to worry about is whether or not the score is above or below your pick.
How to Bet on Soccer in Vegas
Now that you understand how to bet on soccer, it’s time to place your bets. Circa | Sports is the ultimate sportsbook in Las Vegas for soccer sports betting. Stop by the Golden Gate or the D in Downtown Las Vegas to place your bets in person. Can’t make it into the sportsbook? Download the Circa | Sports app on iOS or Android to have your bookie right in your pocket and bet wherever you are in Vegas.
Whether in person or on the app, join Circa | Sports for your premier place to bet on soccer in Vegas.
