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Soccer betting for US bettors

Like it or not and, admit it or not, soccer is the most popular sport on the planet and the amount of money that changes hands on soccer bets is by far larger than on any other sport. For savvy sports bettors – and that includes those based in the US – betting on soccer is pretty much a must these days. The money that floats about on soccer is just too sweet for sharps to miss out on. As a matter of fact, I talked to handicappers in Boston in 2000, who traveled to Europe for the European championships to handicap the games and to bet on them there.

How do you go about betting on soccer? Here’s a crash course on what you need to know before you get a single dime into the middle on any of the games offered by bookmakers anywhere.

Soccer betting is not so much about the spread, but rather about the 1X2 (Win Draw Win) setup. That means you need to pick a winner, basically wagering on one side of the game or on the X if you think the game will end in a draw (soccer games do end in draws much more often than any of the US sports, and a draw is actually an accepted end result in soccer: teams will only play on till a winner emerges under special circumstances).

By placing a simple Win Draw Win bet, you basically bet on one of the teams winning, the other team winning , or the two teams drawing. Unfortunately, this also means that out of 3 possible outcomes, you only cover one, while the bookie pockets the dough on any of the other two outcomes. That means you go up against the bookie on a 33.3%-66.6% match-up, not exactly the dream odds for a US bettor.

Anyway, here’s a quick guide on what you need to know in order to be able to pick the winner. First and utmost, you need to know the teams taking part in the match-up you’re looking to bet on. As an American, you’ll find that more difficult than most Europeans, but by paying attention to a few key factors, you’ll make your job a lot easier: the starting lineup is extremely important. You’ll be able to identify key players and danger sources for the opposing team. Those lost to injuries or suspensions will also impact the odds of course. The league position of the teams is key in determining their relative strength for a layman. The recent fixture list and the form exhibited by each team heading into the confrontation will clue you in on the momentary power-balance on the field.

Weather conditions. Teams adapt to various weather conditions differently. Some play better in wet weather while others get their otherwise flawless games messed up completely by rain. Rain generally tends to slow games down, so if you know a certain team is more comfortable with an up-tempo game and there’s rain predicted, you need to reconsider your handicapping.

Despite the adverse odds to which it treats players, the Win Draw Win system continues to be the most popular. The second most popular type of bet used in soccer wagers is the goals (over/under) one. The style of play of each team becomes very important in this betting market. Brazil have a team comprised of several high quality forwards, and even their defenders are fully capable of scoring goals. It is also a generally accepted fact that Brazil allow goals easier too, especially when they already have a sizeable lead. Therefore, it is safe to conclude that any game involving the Brazilian national squad will probably result in a high goal-total.

Because they tend to simply outclass most of their opponents, the difference in class between the two teams will also prompt a high total.

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