How to Bet on Soccer – 2026 Betting Guide
There is a wide range of soccer markets available to bet on, including both team markets and player prop options. Many soccer bettors combine their bets into same-game or multi-game parlays to boost their odds, while others prefer to bet on singles.
Below, we have detailed everything you need to know about betting on soccer, including guidance on how to pick your soccer bets.
What is Soccer Betting?
Soccer Betting Odds Explained
Soccer betting odds can be confusing, so here’s a simple breakdown on how to figure out exactly what plus and minus odds mean, and how to calculate your potential returns from your bets.
Plus-money odds shows you what your profit would be from a $100 soccer bet. For example, if you bet $100 on a soccer bet at odds of +250, you’d get $350 back if the bet wins.
Alternatively, minus-money odds shows the amount you need to wager in order to profit $100. For example, a soccer selection priced at odds of -200 means you need to bet $200 to earn $100 profit, meaning your total return would be $300 if the bet wins.
Best Soccer Markets to Bet On
Moneyline
A Moneyline bet is when you are betting on a specific result in a soccer match. A three-way Moneyline is often available for all soccer matches, which gives you three betting options: Team A to Win, Draw, Team B to Win. This is the simplest and most popular way of soccer betting, and many bettors create multi-game parlays using Moneyline markets.
Draw No Bet
The draw no bet market is a good alternative to betting on a team to win in the three-way Moneyline market, as this market gives you some added insurance. If you back a Team A to Win in the three-way Moneyline market and your selection draws, your bet loses. However, if you bet on Team A draw no bet and your selection draws, you’ll get your stake back in cash.
Spread Betting
Spread betting in soccer works in a similar way to both basketball and football, with a handicap available for each team. For example, in a match between Liverpool and Wolves, the spread for Liverpool could be -1.5 goals, meaning they’d have to win by 2 or more goals for this selection to win. Alternatively, the spread for Wolves would be +1.5 goals, meaning that if Wolves lose by just 1 goal, draw, or win the match, your bet wins.
Totals Betting
Totals betting often refers to the number of goals in a specific soccer match. Usually, 2.5 goals is the standard totals line for soccer matches, with bettors being able to bet on either over 2.5 goals (3 goals or more for your bet to win), or under 2.5 goals (2 goals or less for your bet to win).
Most sportsbooks offer team totals, as well as both first half totals and second half totals for goals. Alternative goal totals are often available too, including 1.5 goals, 3.5 goals, and 4.5 goals.
Best Soccer Team Markets to Bet On
Both Teams to Score
This is what it says on the tin, by backing both teams to score, you are betting on both sides to score at least one goal in the match. The result could be 1-1, 2-1, 2-2, 3-3, or any other combination, as long as both sides contribute to the scoring. You can also back both teams to score no, which is essentially betting on at least one of the two teams not to score in the match.
Corners
Many sportsbooks have a wide range of corner markets for soccer, including total corners, team corners, and most corners. To pick a corners bet, look at recent corner data for each side, as well as formations. Teams that use their wingers a lot tend to win more corners, as their wide players look to get crosses in and get shots away.
Cards
Likewise, you can bet on cards in soccer, with popular card markets including total cards, team cards, and most cards. Again, it’s important to look at recent card counts of both sides, as well as card counts in the head-to-head fixtures. Another key point to research when picking a cards bet is referee stats, some referees are stricter than others, which could lend itself to a cards bet.
Best Soccer Player Prop Markets to Bet On
Player Shots / Shots on Target
This is perhaps the most popular player prop market for soccer bettors. Betting on player shots or shots on target can be an entertaining and profitable way of punting on soccer. As expected, attacking players are often priced short for shots and shots on target, and there can be excellent value in taking defenders and midfielders to register shots.
Player Fouls
Player fouls is another popular player prop market, with many sportsbooks offering a range of both players fouls committed and player fouls drawn lines for soccer. The best way to pick a player fouls bet is to analyze players matchups and look at recent foul data of each player. For example, if Chelsea’s left winger has drawn a foul in each of their last four games and their direct opponent is on a strong foul committed streak, it might be worth backing the Chelsea player to be fouled once again.
Player to Score
Player to score markets are popular options and tend to offer higher odds than both player shots and player fouls lines. There are several options in the player to score markets, including player to score first, player to score anytime, and player to score 2+ goals. Player to score bets are often combined into multi-game parlays.
Goalkeeper Saves
This is a newer market, but a strong one that can provide plenty of value when soccer betting. Backing goalkeeper saves can be an excellent option when there is a clear mismatch between two teams, and there isn’t much value in backing the favorites on the Moneyline.
For example, Man City might be heavy favorites to beat Burnley at home, but there could be some value in Burnley goalkeeper saves as an alternative bet.
Player Cards
Player cards are another popular soccer market that can offer strong value, especially when combined into same-game or multi-game parlays. It can be difficult to predict a player card, hence why the odds on these markets tend to provide more value. The best way to research player card bets is to look at player fouls committed and player fouls won data over recent matches and seasons.
Other Popular Soccer Markets to Bet On
Same-Game Parlays
Same-game parlays are a fun and popular way to bet on soccer. Same-game parlays are made up of multiple selections, often a mix of team and player picks, from the same fixture or game.
A same-game parlay for USA v Turkey might look like this:
USA to Win
Both Teams to Score
Christian Pulisic to Have 1+ Shots on Target
Weston McKennie to Receive a Card
Multi-Game Parlays
Similar to same-game parlays, multi-game parlays are made up of bets across two or more soccer matches. Again, they can be solely team markets or player prop markets, or a mixture of both.
A multi-game parlay might look like this:
USA to Win v Turkey
Christian Pulisic to Have 1+ Shots on Target v Turkey
England to Win v Panama
Harry Kane to Score Anytime v Panama
Futures
Futures markets offer odds on soccer competitions and events well in advance of the match or competition starting. You can often bet on futures markets months, and even years before the competition or event.
For example, you can bet on the World Cup winner market years prior to the tournament actually starting. Futures markets can be a great way of getting some additional value from your betting.
In-Play Betting
In-play betting is where you place your soccer bets while the match in ongoing. Typically, soccer bets are placed pre-match, but in-play betting allows you to wager bets after the game has started – you can bet on a wide range of team and player prop markets with in-play betting.
What to Consider Before Placing Your Soccer Bets
Team News
This is perhaps the most important factor to consider before placing your soccer bets. You might like a team to win on paper, but after a deeper look, you see that they are missing several key players through suspension or injury.
Best Odds
To get as much value as possible from your soccer bets, it’s vital to scour the market in search of best odds. The odds of both team and player selections can vary widely across sportsbooks, so it’s important to do your due diligence to find which bookmaker is offering the strongest odds. Fanatics Sportsbook offer competitive odds, so can always be relied on for all of your soccer bets.
Team & Player Form
Before placing your bets, it’s important to look at how your selections have been performing of late. You might like a team's chances of winning, and after taking a deeper look, see that they are winless in their last five matches.
Likewise, you might like a player to have a shot on target, which may not have landed for several games. Doing additional research like this can also help you find new betting angles and locate valuable information.