Football Betting Guide
Football is recognised as the world's most loved sport, being played on the streets everywhere from Stockholm to Sao Paulo, and watched all over the globe on millions of TV sets. Thanks to the widespread broadcasting of football, you don't need to be in the stadium to enjoy the buzz of two teams going at it. And even if you don't support one of the clubs involved, football betting can make each match important, adding to the engagement and anticipation of every game.
Before you start betting on football, it’s important to understand how football betting markets work, the types of bets that are available and what football betting odds mean. So let’s look further into all the football betting essentials, including how to bet on 'The Beautiful Game', what you can bet on, the different types of bets you can make, and the main competition formats you can expect.
How to guide on placing a bet on football
From international showpieces like the World Cup and European Championships to the top domestic club leagues like the Premier League and La Liga, football gives us a packed calendar full of meaningful matches to bet on. Football markets offer some of the most high profile competitions in the world, as well as a plethora of domestic competitions to dive into. Whether you like to place regular bets on football, have the occasional punt from time to time, or are getting started with sports betting, it seems there is never a shortage of fixtures on which to place wagers - but what are the kind of bets you can make?
Match Betting
Many of the available football bets you will see concern the outcome, or events within, a match between two teams. Betting on the outcome of a football match is perhaps the most common type of bet placed within football betting markets. However, along with backing who will win a particular match, there is a range of markets that are typically offered on each game, and we will break down the different types of match bets available in more detail further down the page.
Competition Betting
It isn't just the winner of matches, or events within matches, which you can bet on. There are markets for the overall winner of competitions that allow you to place a bet on the eventual champion. It could be a knockout tournament played over a period of a few weeks (such as the World Cup and European Championships), European knockout competitions spread over the course of a season (such as the Champions League and Europa League), or domestic league seasons which last for the majority of the year (such as La Liga, Serie A, the Bundesliga or The Premier League outright betting).
This type of betting allows you to predict the best team over the course of a competition, rather than just one game. This might mean that there is less chance of an upset or unlikely outcome. But not always - remember Leicester City's amazing Premier League title win in 2015/16? They were available at 5,000-1 to become champions at one stage.
But it’s not only the outright winner of competitions that you can bet on. In league formats, you can place wagers on whether a team will finish in the top 2, 3, or 4 positions and so on. You may also place a bet on whether a team will be relegated to the division below after finishing in the bottom two or three positions. Or you could pick the specific teams you think will be relegated. For example in English Premier League relegation betting, you might place a bet on one or more teams that you think will be relegated to the Championship come the end of the season.
Each-way betting in football means you can pick a team to win a competition, or simply reach the final. This effectively halves your stake into two different bets - one for the tournament win, and the other for reaching the final, or in the case of a league format, coming second.
Individual Football Player Betting
While football is a team sport, it also relies on the brilliance of individuals. As such, there are individual accolades that you can wager on. Top goalscorer in a particular competition is a popular example of betting on individuals. There are also events relating to individual players that you can bet on within matches - we will cover this in our section on the different types of football bets available.
Each year, there are several awards handed out to the best players in a country (e.g. PFA Player of the Year), continent (e.g. Ballon d'Or), or around the world (e.g. FIFA World Player of the Year). You may also find markets for the winner of these awards, available to bet on every season.
In-Play Football Betting
Over the past few years, football betting online has been taken to the next level with in-play betting. This type of live football betting sees the odds change as the match progresses. In general, most of the markets available before a match will also be available in-play. But there can be some exceptions, such as the first goalscorer for instance.
In-play betting offers the opportunity to 'see how the land lies' before placing a bet. It means you can wait for certain odds to lengthen before pouncing, or just watch some of the action to get a feel for the game before placing a wager.
In-play betting also means that you can adapt your betting style depending on how the game seems to be unfolding, potentially recovering some of the losses you think might be incurred if the game doesn’t seem to be going how you originally anticipated.
Which Types Of Football Bet Are Available?
Now let's hone in on football match betting specifically. Which kind of bets can you expect when betting on a match? Here are some of the most common:
Match Outcome In Football Betting
This might be the most common type of bet in football. Match outcome requires you to predict the outcome of a fixture. So you would place a wager on either team winning, or a draw. Depending on which team is more highly rated, who is playing at home, and recent form, odds can vary significantly for a match outcome.
Over/Under Football Bet
An over/under bet in football is whether there will be over or under a certain amount of goals during a game. This is typically set as 0.5, 1.5, 2.5, 3.5 and upwards. If you think that a game is bound to produce a few goals - perhaps due to the weakness of the respective defences - you might be tempted by the odds for an over, whereas when two teams with misfiring attacks and solid defences meet, the under might seem more attractive.
For example, a bet on under 2.5 goals means that the match would need to finish 1-1, 2-0, 0-0 or any combination where the total number of goals in the game was under 2.5 i.e. 2 or less.
Remember, the odds are likely to reflect the defensive and attacking capabilities of two teams - so just because two teams tend to score a lot of goals, that doesn't necessarily mean that the value is in the over. As with other types of football match bet, factors such as form and team selection should also be considered.
Correct Score
When you place a bet on the correct score, there is typically higher risk than a match outcome or over/under bet. A correct score bet simply requires you to predict the final score at the end of the match. This is a potentially more profitable bet which you can lengthen the odds of further by betting on a correct score double or accumulator (we will cover these types of bets further on in this section). If you have a hunch that a game will finish as a particular scoreline, a correct score bet can be your chance to cash in. A good way to approach correct score betting is to consider if one or both teams will score at all. Once you have decided, then settle on the number of goals.
Both Teams To Score
Both teams to score (also known as BTTS and goal-no goal) is along the same lines as a correct score bet, but is a simpler choice - will both teams score during the match, or not? If you bet 'yes', a score of at least 1-1 is required for you to win, while taking 'no' on a BTTS bet in football sees you win if the game ends 0-0, or 1-0 to either side. BTTS has become popular on the in-play market, with events such as goals, substitutions and tactical changes having the ability to swing the odds.
Goalscorer Guide
Has a striker on one of the two teams found their shooting boots in recent weeks? Or perhaps a midfielder has a record of popping up with goals against a certain team? These are reasons why you might choose to place a first goalscorer bet, which quite simply requires you to pick which player on either team will score the first goal. This is a high risk but potentially profitable market, and seems sure to have you on the edge of your seat until the net bulges for the first time!
Handicap Guide
Handicap betting refers to a betting system that imposes a certain handicap on the favourite before the match starts. For example, if Bayern Munich played Schalke, a handicap market could have heavy favourites Bayern at -2 and underdogs Schalke at +2. That means if you placed a handicap bet on Schalke, you would win the bet if they won, drew, or lost by less than two goals. Conversely, if you picked Bayern in the same handicap market, they would have to win by more than two goals for the bet to win.
A football handicap bet could be part of a three-way handicap market, which would also have a betting option for the handicap tie (a handicap tie would be if Bayern won by two goals in this scenario), or in the case of no draw handicap betting, using decimal handicaps of 0.5, 1.5, 2.5 and so on, can ensure that there is no draw option, as the final handicap score will always be a win for either team.
Handicap betting is a way of 'levelling the playing field' in football matches with a heavy favourite and a big underdog. For example, the normal match outcome odds for Bayern Munich vs Schalke might be very slim for Bayern the favourites, making a punt on them appear pointless. Equally, you might think that Schalke have such a small chance of winning that there is little point in making a wager. With a handicap market, the odds are made more attractive thanks to the application of the respective handicaps.
Accumulator Guide
Whether it is a double (two selections), a treble (three selections), four-fold, five-fold or upwards - an accumulator bet relies on all your selections winning in order for you to win the bet. However, if you pick five teams to win on an accumulator, also known as an ‘acca’ and they are all victorious, you can expect much higher winnings than if you had bet on them in five separate bets. That's because accumulators multiply together to give you a 'jackpot'. But remember - it just takes one selection to go wrong for your accumulator to return nothing.
When it comes to football accumulators, one of the most popular forms is to bet on a number of matches happening on the same day, or over the course of a few days. This means that win or lose, the result can be known reasonably quickly. Other types of football accas can include bets involving matches across a variety of leagues or competitions, or on matches taking place over the course of a season.
Odds Guide
As with all types of sports betting, one of the most important pieces of information to look at when betting on football is the odds on offer for the wager you’d like to make. Being aware of the odds, along with your own opinion of how individual teams or players will perform can help you to find value in football betting markets.
If we take a typical bet on the outcome of a match between Manchester City and Sheffield United as an example. You might see the odds for the game shown as:
Manchester City: 1/6
Sheffield United: 15/1
Draw: 8/1
The underdog - in this case, Sheffield United - would typically be listed at longer odds to win the game. This means that if you backed them to win and they went on to win the match, your profit would be larger than if you had backed the favourites, typically listed at shorter odds, and that team ended up as winners.
In this example, backing Man. City to win the game would mean that for every five pounds you bet on this outcome, you would receive a pound returned if the bet was successful. In this instance, a £5 bet on Manchester City to win the match would return £6 (£1 profit plus your initial stake) if they did in fact win the game. Conversely, betting on Sheffield United to win would mean that if successful, a £1 stake would return £16.
The available odds in a market represent the likelihood that a particular outcome will unfold. Longer odds mean that something is less likely to happen, and therefore while these bets can result in higher profits if successful, they do usually carry more risk. Understanding betting odds is therefore fundamental to identifying which bets you wish to back.
football betting Competition Formats
So which are the competitions you should be looking out for as a football bettor? In this section, we look at the most prominent cups and leagues that are contested, along with popular bets to make on outright markets.
Betting On International Football Tournaments
Seen by some as the pinnacle of the sport, tournaments such as the World Cup and European Championships only come around every four years, when they are sure to be the focus of sports fans and casual punters. After a long qualification process, the countries left in the competition will battle it out for international supremacy. These tournaments typically start with a group phase, followed by a knock-out competition which culminates in a final. While they are usually won by the traditional powerhouse countries - such as Brazil, Germany or Italy - every now and then, you might get a surprise winner. Think Greece at the 2004 Euros!
There is also the UEFA Nations League, which was set up to replace international friendlies. This can provide countries with an alternative route to the World Cup and European Championships qualification play-offs.
Popular bets include the winner, top goalscorer, a winner/top goalscorer double, naming the finalists, and predicting which teams will qualify from the group phase.
Betting On European Football
As the world’s most popular sport, it follows that betting on football is a big deal. As home to some of the biggest tournaments in the beautiful game, European football is watched by a global audience stretching to billions every year.
Football in Europe is dominated by the ‘big five’ domestic leagues along with the Champions League and the Europa League played out between qualifiers from individual nations.
Then every four years, the European Championships roll around featuring the major nations which make up UEFA, the governing body of football on the continent.
As well as betting on the results of matches and tournaments, every kick of a ball, every incident in a match, every passage of play and every feat achieved by individual players can be backed in online football betting.
It pays to know which leagues to follow, how each competition works and how to spot a little value that could provide an edge in your football picks to return a profit. Once you understand the basics of football betting, taking a look at European markets can offer a whole new world of options.
European Competitions
The UEFA Champions League is the most glamorous club competition in football. The annual tournament pits the biggest clubs and the best players in the world against each other.
The Champions League plays out in preliminary rounds before the group stage proper. The winners and runners-up of each pool then enter the knock-out stages which run through to the final usually played in late May or early June.
The premier teams from each country tend to qualify from the group stage, but from the round of 16 onwards, almost anything can happen because of the sheer quality of each team that has made it through.
Betting on the Champions League provides a range of opportunities, from selecting the overall winner of the tournament to betting on the outcome and events unfolding in individual Champions League matches throughout the season. And as one of the highlights of the European footballing calendar, Champions League final betting is always popular with fans as the two remaining teams go head to head for the chance to lift the European Cup.
The Europa League runs alongside the Champions League and sits second in terms of prestige. Betting on the Europa League is an entertaining affair thanks to its breadth of competition and unpredictable outcomes.
The Europa League tends to feature some of Europe’s less fashionable - yet mostly still massive - clubs. There’s a huge amount of games (almost double that of the Champions League) and there’s often a lot of goals and plenty of upsets, which means there’s plenty of opportunity to make all kinds of different European football wagers.
The Europa League follows a similar format to the Champions League with the additional edge that teams can move between the Europa League and the Champions League at certain stages of each competition.
Betting On The Biggest Domestic Leagues In European Football
The premier competitions in European domestic football are:
The English Premier League
With fans all over the world as well as in the UK, Premier League betting is one of the most popular markets of any domestic football competition. The Premier League season runs from August to May, with each of the 20 teams playing 38 matches.
The Bundesliga in Germany
With 18 teams each playing 36 games across the season which runs from August to May, there is plenty of opportunities to bet on the Bundesliga, with the top four teams at the end of the season qualifying for a spot in the Champions League.
Serie A in Italy
Italy’s top professional league features 20 clubs including the likes of Lazio, AC Milan and Inter who each play 38 games between August and May. Famous for a slightly slower-paced, defence-orientated style, football in Italy has some of the most passionate fans in attendance and betting on Serie A is popular throughout the world.
La Liga in Spain
Home to giants of club football Barcelona and Real Madrid, La Liga regularly attracts some of the most famous players in the game and has been rated as the top league in Europe by UEFA more times than any other. It’s perhaps no surprise that La Liga betting is also incredibly popular, with 20 clubs each playing 38 games during the season which usually runs from August to May.
Ligue 1 in France
Featuring 20 teams that each play 38 games between August and May, there are plenty of opportunities to bet on Ligue 1, France’s top-flight domestic football league. With some high profile clubs such as PSG, as well as a number of fierce rivalries, there’s always entertainment to be had throughout the season.
The unique nature of betting on the top tiers of European football is the breadth of quality on offer and the unique nature of each league. Which league is best is a debate as fierce as the rivalries which exist in each one:
- The English Premier League (EPL) is the wealthiest top division in the world.
- The Bundesliga attracts the largest average attendances.
- La Liga has the two richest clubs in the world.
- Ligue 1 can claim to be the fastest improving - propelled by the successes of the national team and Paris St Germain.
- Serie A is enjoying a huge renaissance in the quality on offer and its pure competitiveness.
Some of these leagues are dominated by one or two clubs such as Barcelona and Real Madrid in Spain. Others have a handful of clubs likely to be in the running for the title each year such as the ‘top four’ in England. That can mean that the biggest teams are usually priced at short odds. It also means that an upset with a less likely winner could return a healthy profit.
Beyond the dominant clubs in each European league, there is enormous competition between those who tend to occupy the midtable positions and those who perennially battle against relegation. The annual fight against the drop in the EPL is as intense as the race for the title and generates almost as many column inches in the press.
Scouring Europe’s Other Leagues For Value Bets
It’s also worth looking further afield for some of the most exciting football in Europe. Take the Turkish Süper Lig which is renowned for the passion of its fans and the intense competition between the clubs of Istanbul - Galatasaray, Fenerbahçe and Besiktas.
The Portuguese Primeira Liga annually produces some of the finest young players on the continent plus teams who regularly perform better than the odds suggest in European competitions. Meanwhile, the Dutch Eredivisie has a legion of loyal followers who lap up the action for the entertaining football on offer.
To really gain an edge when betting on football it can even pay dividends to become an expert on one of the lesser-backed leagues. The Polish Ekstraklasa, Scottish Premier League and the Championship in England are as varied in the football on offer as they are the individual intrigue as to which teams will prosper.
Europe’s Best Cup Competitions To Bet On
Alongside league football in Europe, each nation has an assortment of cup competitions that operate on a knock-out format.
The FA Cup is the oldest cup competition in the world. Played in a one-leg format, the FA Cup is renowned for its ‘magic’ which regularly produces surprise results with the big clubs being knocked out by lesser opposition, and FA Cup betting can sometimes provide unlikely wins. Likewise, the Coupe de France is played in a similar format and actually tends to produce more upsets than its English equivalent.
Spain’s Copa del Rey differs in that all ties from the round of 32 to the semi-final stage are played over two legs. That means the top sides tend to be favoured as they are less likely to be knocked out by weaker teams.
The Coppa Italia only pits teams home and away in the semi-finals while the DFB-Pokal in Germany seeds teams in the early rounds meaning top Bundesliga sides are guaranteed to come up against opposition from the lower leagues. This either produces a near-certain outcome or a massive shock result.
How To Bet On European Football
The breadth of European football means there are dozens of competitions to bet on and thousands of matches every week. Once you’ve picked your league, competition, team or player to follow, the best chance of making a profit is to understand the bets on offer.
European Football Outright Bets
One of the most popular bet types is simply backing a team to win a tournament. This type of wager is known as an “outright”.
You don’t necessarily need to pick a winner before the competition starts. You can bet on a victor as the competition progresses but the odds will tend to fall as the likely eventual champions become clearer.
Match Result Bets In European Football
Match result markets are self-explanatory. The options are for a team to win the game within 90 minutes or you can bet on the outcome being a draw.
A double-chance bet allows you to cover two out of three outcomes of a match. You can back the home team or a draw, or the away team or a draw. The likelihood of a successful bet increases but the odds will be lower.
You will also find half-time/full-time bets. You are gambling that a team will be winning, drawing or losing at half-time, followed by them winning, drawing or losing at full-time. The odds on this type of bet tend to be higher than straight match result picks.
Over/Under Bets in European Football
The most popular type of bet in the over/under betting market is to predict that there will be over 1.5 or 2.5 goals in a match but it can be a higher number.
This is where research into the form of the teams can really pay - both in attack and defence. If a strong side with in-form goalscorers is coming up against a weaker defence, then over bets might be the ones to pick. If two defensive line-ups are facing each other, the under will often be the ones to look at.
Correct Score Betting In European Football
Difficult to get right, but the rewards can be high if you predict what the final score will be after 90 minutes of play. However, sometimes certain teams have a tendency to play out certain scorelines. For example, sometimes sides will have a tendency to gain a 1-1 draw. This could be as a result of the pattern of their play. Some teams go a goal ahead then try to hang on and later concede, while some have a habit of snatching a last gasp equaliser. Take a look at the form of each team and see if there is a trend like this.
Individual Player Markets In European Football
There are a huge number of bets you can place on individual players in games doing certain things. The most common is who will be the first goalscorer, the last goalscorer or will score at any time during the match.
You might find really good odds offered on a defender scoring who tends to come forward during attacking set-pieces or a player who is the manager’s favoured taker of penalties.
You will also find bets offered on who will receive a yellow card, who will be sent off or even how many shots on target a player will have. Some players are simply disciplined more often during a match than others or some will shoot on sight of goal and have more shots per game. Researching player stats can reap rewards with these types of bets.
Handicap Betting In European Football
Handicap betting is now incredibly popular in European football markets. A handicap is applied in a way that effectively levels the playing field between two teams.
Typically a strong team will have a -1.5 handicap against a weaker team, who will, in turn, have a +1.5 handicap. Simply this means your team would need to win by two goals or more when betting with a -1.5 handicap. If you choose to bet on the +1.5 handicap, your bet would win if your team won, drew, or lost by only one goal. All manner of other handicap levels are usually available on matches, including Champions League handicap betting options.
Accumulator Bets In European Football
Accas are massive in football. You combine multiple selections from more than one market and the odds will be multiplied to create a potentially massive payout, even on relatively small stakes. Lots of research here can really pay off if you pick a winning combination, and of course, it pays to understand how accumulator bets work before making your picks.
European Football In-Play Betting
Another type of betting which is now huge during football matches is gambling on outcomes as the match plays out live. The number of options you can bet on as the game is “in-play” can be enormous and adds to the pure entertainment of watching a fixture. With the quality of football on display in competitions such as the Champions League, in-play betting only helps to make the action on the pitch even more engaging.
How To Find Value In Betting On European Football
In its simplest terms, finding value in football betting means identifying an edge to help pick a market that will return a profit.
Because there are so many games in European football, with so many individual outcomes of competitions, matches and events during play, there is always value to be found somewhere.
There are all manner of calculations and strategies used by experienced punters to find value. But the basics of finding value in European football betting are to:
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Identify underdogs who have a chance of victory.
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Research results to find a team who may be coming into form at just the right time to upset the odds.
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Identify a team whose likelihood of victory has been “underplayed” by the odds.
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Follow football stats services to identify certain traits of teams. For example, a team may get a lot of corners in a match or more than the average number of yellow cards.
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Monitor in-play betting markets to spot opportunities where odds change to provide better value.
All of that barely scrapes the surface of how to bet on European football. But that is the beauty of the beautiful game. Betting on football can be as simple or as in-depth as you make it, just like the game itself. Above all, have fun when betting and know your limits.
Betting On Domestic Football Leagues
As a global sport, domestic competitions take place all around the world and it’s usually possible to place bets on matches taking place in a range of different domestic leagues.
These leagues - such as the Premier League in England, Serie A in Italy, La Liga in Spain, Bundesliga in Germany, and Ligue 1 in France - can be considered the 'bread and butter' of our football diet, giving us a steady stream of fixtures across most of the year.
For example, Premier League betting, provides opportunities to bet on all of the games that take place over a season, as well as which team will be crowned champions once the season is over. The same is also true for Serie A betting for the Italian football season and La Liga betting for Spanish domestic football.
Popular domestic league football bets include the winner, which teams will be relegated, top goalscorer, next manager to leave their post, and if a team will finish in the top four.
So whether you’re a die-hard football fan or someone who is simply interested in finding the best betting options, this amazing sport continues to give us so much joy and excitement, along with a world of betting opportunities season after season. And while there are always teams who are considered to be the elite of world football, upsets do happen, which means that sometimes even the most unlikely of bets can pay off.
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League of Legends Betting Guide
Guide to placing bets on the League of Legends game
Riot Games’ League of Legends is one of the biggest eSports platforms in the world. With top leagues and LOL eSports competitions happening in the USA, Europe, China and South Korea, every region has top sides vying for the prestige of winning the League of Legends World Championship.
Given its popularity, it's no surprise that League of Legends betting and eSports Markets have become so popular and open up new avenues for current fans to follow their favourite League of Legends teams in a different way.
From the first game of the season to the final at the Worlds Championships, Bet UK will have all of the LOL betting markets and top eSports odds, so you'll have the chance to place an eSports bet on every game victory.
Can you bet on League of Legends?
The simple answer to that question is yes! Bet UK offers top eSports betting on all of the biggest leagues operating in the sport. Not only that, alongside LOL betting odds, we'll have esports betting tips and, more specifically, League of Legends betting tips which punters can view before each of the main events
How to find odds for LoL
If you're new to online betting or eSports betting, one of the first things you'll need to do is to interpret and understand the odds on offer before you delve into the League of Legends betting markets. Like many other traditional [sports betting markets such as Football or Cricket, punters can place an eSports bet on the winner of all the LOL matches being played.
Alongside LOL betting markets before a match commences, during the games, punters can also browse League of Legends betting markets in-play. This means players can wager on who will take the first objective, who will take the first dragon, first baron or which team will take first blood while the action is taking place.
What League of Legends markets are offered during a game?
Throughout a game punters may notice many League of Legends in-play betting markets and we've provided explanations to some of the eSports markets they're likely to encounter during League of Legends matches
What is betting on first blood in League of Legends?
One of the first LOL betting categories punters will come across is First Blood Betting. Normally occurring in the first 5-10 minutes of a game, the first blood is the first kill of an enemy player. Punters can browse the LOL betting markets and wager on who will commit the first blood kill, just like the winner of the game.
What is first dragon betting in League of Legends
One of the main objectives offered with a League of Legends game is the Dragon mob. Available periodically in each match, punters can place an eSports bet on who will take the first of these ingame objectives.
What is first baron betting in League of Legends
Alongside the dragon on the game map, one of the other global objectives punters can bet on players winning first is Baron Nashor. Normally available as both an in-play market and before each game, the odds for this are determined by which team has successfully secured the objective in previous games.
How many games can I bet on during each League of Legends Match?
Like many other multiplayer online battle arena games, during the regular season, teams will compete against each other once in the League of Legends league tournament format. However, during the finals of those competitions or during the world championship, it will revert to a best of five format.
League of Legends Tournaments
Like many sports, League of Legends has tournaments that run alongside the main league throughout the season. First up is League of Legends MSI or Mid Seasonal Invitational, where spring split winners will go head to head for the first worldwide trophy on offer. However, the biggest tournament where LoL Betting will take place is the League of Legends World Championships.
Live In-play League of Legends Games
As with many of the sports available at Bet UK, we also have live in-play eSports betting markets available on League of Legends. With many punters actively watching the game, they may wish to wait until after the pick and ban phase of a game to make their selection as it's here they'll see which champions are being played. Each champion can have a different effect on the game, and if they are currently in the META, this could also influence your decision.
Remember at Bet UK, whether you're choosing to place a bet on the LCS or the current games happening in the LCK, we'll have all of the live in-play eSports betting odds, so you'll always have the chance to bet on who'll take the nexus in-play.
League of Legends Tips
Throughout all of the League of Legends season and across all of the Leagues, we'll be selecting all top eSports betting tips so you can place a LOL bet with the right information.
League of Legends FAQs
What is League of Legends?
For those bettors who have zero knowledge of eSports or eSports betting, let's offer a quick explanation of this online video game. Developed in 2009, League of Legends is a MOBA (Multiplayer Online Battle Arena Video Games) game where players compete in teams of five across a structured map attempting to destroy a structure called the 'Nexus' in the other team's base.
What does the League of Legends Map look like?
Split into three main walkways for players to mobilise their champions down. The first aim of the game in LOL eSports is to take opponents towers within that lane to gain lane priority. There is a section of the map in between lanes called the jungle, which also offers players the chance to increase their level by killing camps. But levels also increase by killing opposing champions and other high-level mobs such as Baron, Dragons and Rift Herald.
What is the difference between the LEC and the LCS?
Before placing an eSports, it's important to know which country and indeed which league you're actually betting on. The LEC is the primary tournament that is played in Europe and operates in a league format that features ten teams who face off weekly in the spring split, summer split and the finals of each of those. The winners of the summer split, and two other teams from the league will head to Worlds. The LCS is a similar tournament that operates in the USA and also has ten key teams which compete in spring and summer tournaments, with the winners of the latter also heading to the World Championships just like the LEC.
Who are the top LEC and LCS teams?
Within the LEC, there are ten teams. However, G2, Fnatic, Rogue, and Mad Lions are the top well-known teams. However, in the LCS, it's Cloud 9, Team Liquid, TSM and Golden Guardians who are the ones to watch.
What other League of Legends teams are there?
Those familiar with the eSports betting world will be aware that teams from all over the globe feature. In League of Legends, the other primary leagues alongside the LEC and LCS the most popular league in Europe and the USA, are the LCK, which operates in South Korea the LPL, which features teams from China.
What is the Pick and Ban Phase?
Before every competitive League of Legends game, there will be a phase where players select their champions for the upcoming game. They will also ban other champions from the selection process, which means their opponents will not have the ability to pick them.
What are the roles played by competitive players?
There are five different positions or roles that you will see a professional eSports players play. These are top laner, jungler, midlaner, adc and support.
What does META stand for in League of Legends?
Used both during a game and to help people make educated decisions before placing a bet on League of Legends, META stands for the 'most effective tactics available.
Where can I view League of Legends Matches?
Game developers Riot offer those who want to view LOL matches live and in person at various locations across the globe. However, for those who wish to watch League of Legends from home while browsing the LOL betting markets, there are live streams for each game on Riots website, YouTube and Twitch.
If you're looking for more betting guides, check out our blog where you can also find a fantastic eSports betting guide
National Hockey League Betting Guide
National Hockey League Betting Guide
NHL betting is growing in popularity here in the UK – so much so that even sports fans unfamiliar with ice hockey are looking to place NHL bets. Of course, you don’t have to be an expert to wager on sport, but it certainly helps to know a little of what’s going on before diving into the ice hockey odds!
That’s why we’ve created this mini guide to explain everything you need to know about NHL betting. Below, we’ll take you through how to bet on NHL, what the best ice hockey bets are, and why UK players are getting more accustomed to the intricacies of betting on hockey.
You’ll discover the best hockey odds available to Bet UK players and how to maximise your knowledge of games and players without even leaving the sportsbook!
Best National Hockey League bets
The National Hockey League is the biggest ice hockey league in the world, and spans both America and Canada. Teams compete from October to June every year, and are split into Eastern and Western Conferences. Within these conferences there are two divisions, meaning teams can compete with closer rivals more regularly. Finish top or second in your division and you land an automatic place in the first round of the playoffs. The top runners-up in the Eastern and Western conferences also get wildcards into the playoffs.
Here are the best NHL bet types you can use at Bet UK…
Win bet – Wager on which team you think will win a game. Because NHL games go to overtime if it’s a draw, this is usually a win/lose wager. However, you can bet on the draw within regulation time, as you would when betting on football or rugby.
Double Chance – This is a great bet type if you want to bet on two of the three match outcomes (home win / draw / away win). Your odds are smaller but your chances of winning are greater.
Over/Unders – Over/Under bets give you the chance to wager whether the combined score of both teams will be higher or lower than a predetermined total. In NHL, the over/under line usually sits at five goals.
Handicap – Apply a points handicap to one NHL team and level out the odds. You could, for example, bet on the Redwings to beat the Hurricanes while also carrying a -3.5 goals handicap. The Redwings would need to win by four goals or more for you to win your wager.
Player Specials – Bet on individual players to score a set number of goals, take a set number of shots, or points gained from goals and assists.
How to bet on the National Hockey League
If you’re looking to bet on NHL for the first time then there are some easy steps you can take to get started! First you’ll need to log into or sign up for a Bet UK profile. You can do this in minutes by hitting the ‘Open Account’ button or downloading the Bet UK app. Enter your details, pass security checks, and then make a deposit to get started.
Once your account is charged and active, head over to the Bet UK sportsbook and check out upcoming games (use the search bar to find them if you need!). You’ll see the odds for every game, and simply click on the outcome you want to back. The bet slip will pop up, and you can enter your stake and check your potential profit, before hitting Place Bet.
There are two core types of NHL bet. The first is in-game betting on match events like game winner and first scorer. The second is outright betting on season-long markets such as Stanley Cup winners and MVP. Remember, you need to be signed in to your Bet UK account to place an NHL wager.
Live National Hockey League betting markets
Bet UK offers an extensive range of NHL live bets to suit every player. Use our reactive live odds and updated stats bank to craft your bets and time them to the perfect moment. Live betting is a great way to get closer to the action and perhaps even grab a bargain wager at a great price.
Bet UK uses the latest online software to bring you fast odds that accurately reflect what’s going on in the rink. Coupled with our updated stats and puck positioning software, you can effectively watch games without needing to see the action for yourself.
Remember, live betting odds react to events on the ice. So, if the Maple Leafs score two early goals against the Oilers, their odds are likely to shrink. But perhaps this is the perfect moment to back Edmonton, with the expectation that they’ll bounce back before the game is over!
NHL special bets
The great thing about betting on NHL odds at Bet UK is the access to special bets. We make sure our players get the best betting treatment, as well as being able to unlock great odds. Below are some special wagers you’ll likely encounter when placing NHL bets with us…
Player Multi Goals – Back a player to score at least two goals (including overtime) or even wager against them. This betting market stretches to three goals for select players too!
Player Points – In the NHL players are awarded points at the end of games for their goals and assists. You can wager on players to earn one, two or three points.
Player Shots – Bet on a player taking a total number of shots in a game over or under a set figure. For example, Over 2.5 shots.
Period betting – Wager on a team to win a specific period of the NHL game, or even a correct score in that period.
If you're looking to place bets on these markets, the best way to do so is through either a bet builder or an accumulator bet, if you're looking to place an accumulator bet, check out the BetUK Acca Club for profit boosts on your acca.
National Hockey League Mobile Betting
Enhance your NHL mobile betting adventure with the Bet UK app, now available for download on iOS, Android and Windows! Experience the complete Bet UK sportsbook, along with an array of casino and live casino games, and get your journey started today. You can access incredible bonuses, take advantage of a wide range of promotions, and enjoy swift deposits and withdrawals on your mobile device. With the Bet UK app, you'll find all the NHL bets available on the website, ensuring you don't miss a beat. Keep up with live odds and stats for every hockey game, and place instant bets anytime you desire!
National Hockey League FAQs
Can I bet on NHL players?
Yes. You can bet on individual NHL players during every game of the season. It’s also possible to wager on the MVP markets, and who will star in the Stanley Cup.
How do I bet on NHL?
The best way to bet on NHL is to join Bet UK today, either via the website or the Bet UK Casino app! Use your tablet, phone or computer to create an account, get some ID details checked, make a deposit and then head over to the sportsbook. Search for your favourite NHL team or just pick a game that’s of interest, and select the odds you want to back. Enter your stake in the bet slip and hit Place Bet to complete the process.
Politics Betting Guide
Guide to betting on politics
Political betting is all about timing. Back the right candidate at the right time and you could walk away with a windfall from even a very small bet. Those who sided with Donald Trump to win the US election back in 2016 will tell you that – and understanding when the political odds are almost too good to be true can make a big difference to your profit potential.
These days you can bet on politics in the same way you wager on football, tennis or any other sport. Never has the political field been more dominated by individuals – Trump in America, Boris Johnson in the UK, France’s Marine Le Pen and Jair Bolsonaro of Brazil. However, we're beginning to see the end these faces and new blood is coming through the ranks.
Regardless of your politics, we have to accept it is these populist figures that have shaped the worldwide politics betting landscape in recent years. Bookies are less certain than ever before about the outcome of elections – and this is great news for punters!
In this guide, we’ll take you through how to bet on politics, what the best political bets are and why the latest election odds are priced the way they are. You’ll learn the basics of political betting, how to spot a great outside tip and when to time your bets to perfection.
How politics works
Political betting works in much the same way as outright markets in sports bets such as golf. There are few ‘one on one’ matches in politics, and instead, the odds effectively focus on which one of a number of candidates will win an election. Like golf, you can bet on a varied number of individual options.
Of course, the scope of political betting is practically endless. Punters can reliably wager on:
- General elections
- Presidential elections
- Party leaders
- Referendums
But there are then more detailed bet types within these core wagers, such as:
- Vote share
- Who will be in government
- Next prime minister betting
- When countries could vote to leave the EU
- Will candidates win in the first round of voting
- Gender of the next president
These smaller bets tend to spring up the closer we get to an election. So, for example, when heading into the 2024 US election there will likely be a raft of odds on everything from the presidential candidates and their VPs, right through to the colour tie that might be worn by one of the candidates during an inauguration.
Can I bet on elections?
It’s a simple enough question but many bookmakers don’t offer election betting odds. Here at Bet UK you can bet on many upcoming elections. This includes both the UK election and the US presidential election, which are both slated for 2024.
Elections betting can be fiercely competitive, especially when there is no guarantee of which party will win. The 2016 presidential election is a perfect example of when the polls and bookies were stunned by the result. Everyone expected Hillary Clinton to beat Donald Trump, but it was the 9/1 outsider who claimed victory.
Other surprise election results in recent times include the snap 2017 UK election when prime minister Theresa May lost her majority, the 2021 Chilean election when Gabriel Boric fended off populists to sweep to power, and Portugal’s 2022 socialist triumph.
To bet on politics, simply sign into your Bet UK profile or open an account today, and head over to the politics betting page of our sportsbook.
Guide to betting on UK Politics
If you’re looking to get started with political betting then the UK is an ideal place to begin. The UK holds elections every five years unless there is a snap election. The country votes for MPs to represent the 650 constituencies in Westminster.
It is these MPs who make up the numbers in the House of Commons, and the leader of whichever party has the most seats becomes the prime minister. However, to govern effectively a party must have more than 50% of the Commons. If they don’t, they’ll need to go into coalition – like the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats did between 2010 and 2015.
Betting on UK politics therefore focuses on the general election and how the chips fall once the country has voted. Pollsters will work their entire lives trying to predict election results and still not get it right.
Two of the core political betting UK markets are:
UK elections
The most popular bet here is to predict which party will win an election and be in government. Usually, it’s a straight shoot-out between the Conservatives and the Labour party.
Tip: If a party has a big poll lead at the start of the election campaign then it’s usually worth backing the underdog to claw back some of that advanate. The underdog’s odds will likely shrink, at which point you could bet against your original bet to make a sound profit. This is exactly what happened in 2017 when Labour surged as soon as the snap election was called.
Next prime minister
This is a more fluid betting market than the election betting, because the prime minister can change at any time. David Cameron quit in the wake of the Brexit reful in 2016, Theresa May was ousted by her backbench rebels in 2019, and Boris Johnson recently lost his job as Prime Minister!
Tip: Betting on the next prime minister requires a dedication to following UK politics. If a PM is set to be replaced before an election then it’s worth considering backing the candidates that don’t align themselves with their leader. For example, if a populist Tory is prime minister, it’s likely the next one would be more centrist if the incumbent is toppled.
Guide to betting on US politics
US politics betting ramps up towards election time but in fact the four-year cycle is peppered with changes to the odds and fluctuations in the market, thanks to the fascination we have with American politics.
For example, way back in the 2000s very few people had Barack Obama down as even a candidate for the 2008 election. His name only truly surfaced during the Democratic primaries in the year leading up to the vote – and even on election day he was not guaranteed to beat John McCain.
American politics usually boils down to two candidates. One from the Republicans, and one from the Democrats. And we can see this binary reflected in these American politics betting markets…
2024 US election
The 2024 US election will likely pit Donald Trump against either Joe Biden or Kamala Harris. However, the uncertainty over which Democrat will face ex-president Trump is leading to fluctuations in the market.
Indeed, the likes of Pete Buttigieg, Michelle Obama and even Dwayne Johnson have seen their odds rise and fall in recent months. We still don’t know if Biden will run again, or if Harris will throw her hat in the ring. All this means is that the 2024 US election odds are a maelstrom of turbulence.
Tip: If you think an outsider like Pete Buttigieg could run in 2024 then it’s worth backing them early before their price crashes.
US midterms betting
Misterms betting is the time where politics betting experts focus on parties, rather than individuals. And it’s fair to say there has been a big swing in favour of the Republicans since Biden was elected in 2020.
All the polls indicate the Republicans will win majorities in both the House and Senate in 2022. For punters, this is a chance to wager on what looks like two dead-cert outcomes. It’s also possible to bet on individual states but it’s always worth reading around the political battles in each territory before placing a bet.
Tip: Throw a Republican House and Senate win into the same bet to enhance your profit potential.
Donald Trump
These days much of the market is cornered by Donald Trump. That’s because he attracts so much attention that punters are willing to stake a small wager on him winning elections, just in case he achieves it. This tactic made a lot of people profit in 2016 when Trump beat Clinton to the White House.
Tip: Trump’s odds for the 2024 election are low because it’s unlikely any other Republican will challenge him for the nomination. But his odds could greatly inflate come 2024, so it’s probably best holding off backing him just yet.
World politics
Our election betting odds aren’t restricted to only the UK and US. In fact, every year we drop more odds to preview whichever elections may be on the horizon. This includes the Brazilian election and the Swedish election, both of which could see big changes in government.
It is also possible to bet on referendums, such as IndyRef and whether another country will leave the EU. If there is a second Scottish independence referendum then be sure to check back at Bet UK for the latest odds and markets on the poll.
Politics FAQs
Want to know more about political betting? Check out these answers to our frequently asked questions…
Q. Can I bet on politics?
A. Yes! Bet UK offers extensive political betting markets from across the world of politics. This includes UK election betting, placing 2024 US election bet, and even backing the next British prime minister.
Q. How does political betting work?
A. Political betting works the same as sports betting. Generally, you will back either an individual or a party to succeed at an election, and if they do then you’ll win a payout. Golf is the sport most like politics betting because each individual is fighting for the same prize.
Q. When is the next UK election?
A. The next UK election is not scheduled until the summer of 2024. However, there is a possibility that a snap election may be called before then.
Q. Can I bet on Donald Trump?
A. Yes. You can bet on Donald Trump to win the next election and be US president once again. You can also bet against Trump by backing his rivals Joe Biden, Kamala Harris and Ron DeSantis. Keep an eye on Bet UK for more Trump odds the closer we get to the 2024 US election.