How to Bet on Soccer 2020

The biggest game on the international stage is a growing part of the menu at regulated sportsbooks here in the US.

There is almost always a soccer match going on somewhere in the world. That makes the sport unique as you can legitimately find action round the clock with games and lines from leagues in numerous countries across the globe.

Due to current circumstances, soccer is also one of the only pro sports in town. That makes it a great time for those new to the game to learn the ins and outs of soccer betting.

For seasoned bettors, it’s a chance to hone your skills even further with the world’s most popular game. Regardless of where you land on the spectrum, here’s what you need to know about betting on soccer in the US.

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Is it legal to bet on soccer online?

Yes. The good news is that online sports betting has been legalized and regulated in a number of states.  Here’s the current list of states that have legal sports betting in some form.

Numerous other states have at least introduced legislation to legalize sports betting.

In the meantime, those in the legal states can begin taking advantage of all that soccer has to offer. From the incredibly popular Premier League to the relatively obscure Belarusian Premier League and all points in between, you’ll have plenty of choices to consider.

The same applies for bet types, which range from the standard wagers all the way through to live betting.

Best soccer betting apps

As the legal sports betting environment in the US continues to evolve, some stellar choices have emerged on the mobile front. Here’s a look at our top three picks.

DraftKings Sportsbook

The daily fantasy sports giant has become a preferred destination for sports betting as well including soccer. In normal times you’ll find dozens of leagues to bet on across the UK, Europe and Asia, plus MLS in the US. Currently, its soccer betting markets are limited to:

• South Korea K League
• Belarusian Premier League/1st Division/Cup
• Nicaraguan Premier League
• Euro 2021 futures
• World Cup 2022 Qualifiers/futures

Check out our full DraftKings review for additional details. Claim your free welcome bonus and explore soccer betting via the link below.

FanDuel Sportsbook

FanDuel Sportsbook is legal in: NJ, CO, PA, WV and IN

FanDuel’s customer-first ways were a driving force in its rise to the top of DFS, and the company is doing the same in sports betting. Soccer-wise, FanDuel is currently offering lines on:

• Belarusian Premier League
• South Korea K League
• World Cup 2022 futures
• USMNT to qualify for 2022 World Cup

Our FanDuel review covers all the details and includes an exciting sign-up offer. Check often to see which leagues have resumed play as 2020 progresses.

BetMGM Sportsbook

Yep, this is the sports betting app for the iconic MGM brand name, and it lives up to those lofty standards.

For soccer betting, the app allows you to browse around for upcoming contests, look at the current live betting offerings, get a handle on odds for games and explore all of the different betting options quickly.

For access to a stellar bonus offer and all you need to know,  check out our detailed BetMGM review.

Each of the recommended apps is slick and simple to use, as well as easy to get started with. Once you have completed the sign-up process through our links, you can download the app that matches your device. After that’s taken care of, log in and you’ll be all set to bet on the go. You’ll be able to perform all of the same functions on mobile as you can online.

Can I bet on European soccer games in the US?

Yes. One of the great things about soccer betting here in the US is that you can have access to all of the top leagues in the world right from your sports betting account.

That includes the US-based MLS, the UK’s Premier League, Germany’s Bundesliga, La Liga in Spain, Serie A in Italy, the UEFA Champions League and scores of other small and large leagues and competitions.

As mentioned, there’s almost always something going on on the soccer front, so you’ll have little problem finding opportunities to take advantage of. Even better, you can expose yourself to leagues featuring all of the top players from across the world.

Which Soccer Leagues can I bet on right now?

The sports betting landscape is barren these days due to the current situation across the globe, but there are still some options for soccer.

• Belarusian Premier League: As one of the few options for live sports at the present time, Belarusian soccer is attracting plenty of new fans to its 16 teams.
• Liga Primera de Nicaragua: The same applies for this league, which features 10 teams and is the top level for pro soccer in Nicaragua and still going strong.
• South Korea K League: Set to return May 8 Korean’s top league has signed major broadcast deals for soccer-hungry nations (Italy, France, Germany) waiting for soccer return

As for the major international leagues, the calendar is in a state of flux for the time being. It’s possible we could see some return to action before too long, while others may take a bit. Here’s a look at the current target dates for some of the top circuits.

• Bundesliga: May 16
• Premier League: Early June
• UEFA Champions League: August
• La Liga: Late May/Early June
• Serie A: July/August

This is a fluid situation that continues to evolve, so consider the estimated return dates to be in pencil for now. In a best-case scenario, perhaps we’ll see the timelines accelerate as circumstances permit. On the opposite side, there could be further delays implemented as needed.

2022 World Cup odds

The next edition of the FIFA World Cup will take place in Qatar in November and December 2022. In the interim, qualifying tournaments will be held for the six continental confederations of FIFA, and the end result will be the top 32 national teams on the planet squaring off.

This event always attracts tons of interest from both a viewing and betting perspective. While it’s still a ways away, you don’t have to wait until 2022 to make your predictions.

The futures betting market for sports is quite active, and picking the winner of the next World Cup is one of the featured attractions. Here’s what the current odds look like for the top 20 teams on the board.

Once the final tournament gets underway, the 32 teams are split into eight groups. The group play portion is played in round-robin fashion, with the top two finishers from each group advancing to the knockout stage.

France is the defending World Cup champion after taking down Croatia in the final in 2018. Brazil is the all-time leader with five World Cup trophies, followed by Germany and Italy, which are tied for second place with four crowns each.

Bet on women’s soccer

For women, the most attention from a betting perspective comes with the big international competitions such as the Olympics and World Cup.

The Olympics were slated for summer 2020 in Tokyo, but that has been pushed back a year. The dates are currently set for July 23 through Aug. 8, 2021. Germany is the defending champion from 2016, having taken down Sweden in the final. The United States holds the record for most titles with four.

The next edition of the FIFA Women’s World Cup is scheduled for 2023 at a venue to be determined. Hosting bids have been submitted by Australia and New Zealand, Brazil, Colombia and Japan. The US is the defending champion, defeating the Netherlands in the 2019 final, and leads in all-time titles with four.

MLS betting

Major League Soccer is the top professional soccer league in North America. The league’s inaugural season took place back in 1996 with 10 teams competing for the MLS Cup.

This season, 26 squads will take a crack at it, although the exact return date for MLS is up in the air. The MLS year typically runs from late February/early March through October, but a wrench has obviously been thrown into the equation this time around.

The most optimistic estimates say that games could return as soon as May, but it’s looking like it’ll be pushed back further than that. If that’s the case, then the playoffs and final could be moved to later in the year.

In positive news for soccer fans in the US, the MLS continues to grow. There are currently 26 teams competing in two conferences — Eastern and Western — and four more clubs are expected to join in the next few seasons. Here’s the current list of MLS teams:

• Atlanta United FC
• Chicago Fire FC
• Colorado Rapids
• Columbus Crew SC
• DC United
• FC Cincinnati
• FC Dallas
• Houston Dynamo
• Inter Miami CF
• LA Galaxy
• Los Angeles FC
• Minnesota United FC
• Montreal Impact
• Nashville SC
• New England Revolution
• New York City FC
• New York Red Bulls
• Orlando City SC
• Philadelphia Union
• Portland Timbers
• Real Salt Lake
• San Jose Earthquakes
• Seattle Sounders FC
• Sporting Kansas City
• Toronto FC
• Vancouver Whitecaps FC

Here are the approved expansion teams for MLS with the year the club is scheduled to begin play.

• Austin FC — 2021
• Charlotte — 2021
• Sacramento Republic FC — 2022
• St. Louis — 2022

The Seattle Sounders are the current defending MLS Cup champions. The LA Galaxy have the record for most cups with five, followed by the DC United with four.

How does betting on soccer work?

If you’re familiar with betting on other major team sports, then you’ll notice some similarities once you start digging into soccer. However, there are some distinct nuances that you need to be aware of. Here are the main bet types you’ll come across and some examples for each.

Moneyline

The moneyline bet is perhaps the easiest to understand on the entire betting menu. You’re simply choosing the winner of the contest, and that’s it.

For soccer, the story is a little different.There are three choices on the moneyline in soccer:

• Draw no bet
• Two-way
• Three-way

Draws, or ties, are fairly common in soccer. The draw no bet choice removes that from the equation. You’re simply choosing the winner of the match between the favorite and the underdog. If it winds up as a draw, that’s considered a push and the bet is refunded.

• Arsenal FC +110
• Liverpool FC -130

The two-way moneyline bet covers you for a team win or the match ending in a draw. You can also place a wager on either side coming out victorious.

• Borussia Dortmund/Draw -125
• Bayern Munich/Draw -145
• Borussia Dortmund/Bayern Munich -105

For a three-way moneyline, you pick either side to win, or settle on a draw as the most likely outcome.

• Real Madrid +100
• FC Barcelona -120
• Draw -105

Point Spread

Point spread bets attract tons of action for football and basketball, but for MLB betting or NHL betting, it’s the moneyline that attracts most of the action.

Point spread bets are also offered for soccer matches. When it’s a league-based competition featuring two squads in the same neighborhood of talent, the spread is typically set at 0.5 goals.

If it’s a paper mismatch on the international circuit or elsewhere, the number could be set as high as 2.5 goals. Both sides of the equation will have odds attached that may rise or fall based on betting volume. Example:

• Inter Milan +0.5 (-110)
• Juventus FC -0.5 (-110)

Totals Betting in Soccer

The total number of points scored in a contest is a big focus for many team-based sports, and it’s no different with soccer. Even though the sport is typically low-scoring, these wagers attract plenty of action.

As with other sports, there’s a range to keep an eye out for that can point you to potentially low- or high-scoring games. On the low end of the spectrum, the total could be a minuscule 0.5 goals. At the opposite end, it could be as much as 3.5.

Odds are attached to the benchmark set by sportsbooks on both sides, and bettors then decide if they expect the total goals scored to be over or under that number.

• Over 2.5 (-110)
• Under 2.5 (-110)

Props

The prop betting menu can be quite vast for leagues such as the NFL or NBA. In soccer, the offerings will vary depending on how popular the competition is.

For major events such as the World Cup or the most popular leagues, you should see a good range of choices. Contests that attract less betting volume will naturally have fewer offerings, but you’ll still find a decent number of choices.

Prop bets offered will vary, but there are some standard ones that appear quite often.

• Team to score first goal in the match.
• Who will be the first player to score a goal?
• How many goals will Team A get in the game?

As with tackling any new sport, soccer betting can take a little getting used to. However, once you get a handle on the basics, you’ll find that it’s really not all that difficult to understand.

Live soccer betting explained

Interest in sports betting continues to grow by leaps and bounds. The evolving legal landscape only helps in that regard, as does the fact that folks can bet online and via sports betting apps safely.

Another big driver in the growth is innovation, and the emergence of live betting is at the top of the list in that regard. Live betting takes the sports viewing experience to a whole new level.

While bettors once had to have all of their action in before a game got underway, that’s no longer the case. The fast-moving live betting market provides opportunities to consider throughout a contest.

For your average soccer match, let’s just say that this helps to kick the enjoyment levels up substantially. Live betting can be used as a complement to bets you have already placed, but you can also hedge your initial thoughts or take advantage of new situations as they develop.

As with prop bets, offerings are going to vary, but here are some common examples you may have to consider.

• What will be the outcome of the next possession?
• Which team will have the halftime lead?
• How many goals will be scored in the second half?

The odds and markets move fast, so discipline is a key. In addition, to fully take advantage of all that live betting has to offer, a mobile app is the best way to make that happen.

As you settle in to watch the game, just log in on your device and see what develops. Live betting opens the door for potentially even more profits with soccer betting, and it can also make the viewing experience that much more exciting.

Soccer betting tips

It can be a little intimidating when looking to bet on a new sport, but starting with the basics of betting and mastering them can help to cut down on the learning curve immensely.

When it comes to soccer and the sheer number of matches that are available to be wagered on around the clock, that’s especially true. Here are some key tips to keep in mind as your journey begins.

• Specialize to start: Instead of trying to immerse yourself in every league available, start with one to hone in on. Learn the teams and all of the ins and outs, and use this league as the focus for your initial bets. Once you have a handle on the sport and a good sense of the league you’ve keyed in on, you can expand your horizons and look toward betting on other leagues and competitions.
• Follow the news cycle: The sports news cycle moves fast, and there’s often lots of information that gets bandied about that really doesn’t move the needle all that much. However, there are important nuggets to be found. For soccer specifically, news conferences in advance and after games can be especially telling, so pay close attention to quotes that emerge.
• Study line moves: The odds board is essentially a free research tool just waiting to be taken advantage of. One quick glance lets you know which teams are favored to win and what kind of contest may be at hand. Movement in the odds from their initial release can help point you toward which sides are seeing the most action, which can be especially helpful for obscure soccer leagues you’re gaining familiarity with.

After you have mastered these three simple steps, start expanding the repertoire and dig even further into the individual matchups while paying close attention to recent form for both teams.

Why should I bet on soccer?

Soccer is a sport with an incredibly loyal and passionate following, but not everyone has climbed on board just yet. If you’re among those who fall into the latter category, here are some factors that’ll help you get off the fence.

• Wide range of available markets: Unlike other major team sports, the action is very spread out with soccer. There are a number of different leagues you can bet on, so games are going on regularly. You won’t be lacking for action when it comes to soccer.
• Understand what all the fuss is about: If you don’t understand why they call it the beautiful game, a little additional exposure to competitive soccer matches will help you get it. A back-and-forth and low-scoring affair between two top teams can be incredibly exciting.
• Develop a new passion and area of specialty: There’s always the possibility that you’ll fall in love with the game. Soccer can quickly become one of your favorite pastimes, and it can also be a great complement to the sports you are already comfortable with betting on.

In short, taking the time to get familiar with soccer will be well worth the effort. After all, there’s a reason why the sport inspires so much passion across the world.