The 5 Easiest Football Bets to Win

No bet is ever a guaranteed win, but there are some markets in football betting which give punters a higher opportunity for winnings and are therefore easier football bets to win. These bets often have low odds, meaning that high profits won’t be secured, due to the higher likelihood that they’ll be correct. They can be seen as low risk, low reward. The five markets with a higher chance of success are:

1. Both Teams to Score (BTTS)
2. Draw No Bet
3. Double Chance
4. Over/Under Goals
5. Half time bets

Both Teams to Score

In the Both Teams to Score market, a punter will choose between one of two options: BTTS: Yes, or BTTS: No. The time of the goals, the order in which they’re scored, and the final score of the punter’s selected match has no correlation on whether the bet is won or lost.

This market can work well if the two teams facing off are evenly matched and picking a winner is proving difficult. Picking a goal bet therefore could be more enjoyable, and importantly more fruitful. Having a yes or no outcome for BTTS means it is one of the easier football bets to win.

BTTS is an exciting and popular bet as it keeps the punter interested and engaged in a match even if the result is already guaranteed, as opposed to other markets.

For example, if the home side are 3-0 up after 70 minutes of play and a bet has been made on BTTS: Yes, the punter will remain interested until the final whistle is blown. Alternatively, if there’s a fast start to the match, a BTTS: Yes bet could be won in minutes.

It is important to note that as with the majority of markets, BTTS bets are only valid inside normal time, unless specified. For instance, if the referee blows the final whistle in an FA Cup match with the score at 0-0, but the final score at the end of extra time is 1-1, BTTS: Yes would still be a loser.

In the five seasons between 2016-17 and 2020-21, 56.9% of matches in the German Bundesliga resulted in both teams scoring, which is the highest number in Europe’s top five leagues, according to www.bettingoffers.org.uk

Draw No Bet

The Draw No Bet market removes the outcome of a draw, allowing punters to choose between two of the three eventual outcomes of a match – a home win or away win. As a consequence of removing the option of a draw, odds in this market are lower than those in the 1X2 (Home Win, Draw, Away Win) market.

This can be seen as one of the easier bets to make in football, as if the match finishes as a stalemate, the bet is neither won or lost, and the stake is returned to the better, as if nothing happened in the first place.

If think of yourself as a risk-averse better, this market is perfect if you want a safer betting option. Even the most experienced betters appreciate this type of low stress bet occasionally. It’s a good bet to place if a favourite isn’t clear, or if a draw is a strong possibility. A comparable market to this is double chance, the merits of which are highlighted below.

Double Chance

The Double Chance market allows a punter to bet on two of the three potential outcomes of a selected match, meaning that just one of the three full time results will end in a losing bet. The options for this market are:

• Home Win or Draw (1X)
• Away Win or Draw (X2)
• Home Win or Away Win (12)

Statistically, there’s a 33.3% chance of any of the three potential outcomes in a football match. By doubling the chance, winning a bet in this market grows to 66.6%. Football of course is never as straightforward as this and external factors influence the probabilities.

Whilst a manager will only hope for one result for their side, as punters can wish for two

What matches should a Double Chance bet be placed on?

Favourites vs Underdogs

Whilst there is always a chance for an upset, betting on a draw or a win for the favourite against weaker opposition can be seen as an easier football bet to win. For example, when Premier League champions Manchester City host league newbies Nottingham Forest at the Etihad Stadium, placing a 1X (home win or draw) wager, regardless of the low odds, could bring in the goods.

Attacking teams meeting

If two exciting teams meet and both score plenty of goals, a 12 (home win or away win) bet is the most likely option to bring in returns.

Defensive teams meeting

For matches of a cagey nature between two sides who pride themselves on defensive solidity, this market can work well. A 1X (home win or draw) or X2 (draw or away win) would be advised in this scenario.

Over/Under Goals

One of the more straightforward bets to place on football matches are the Over/Under markets. On kickoff.co.uk, odds are displayed in six markets of this kind. They are:

• Over/Under 0.5
• Over/Under 1.5
• Over/Under 2.5
• Over/Under 3.5
• Over/Under 4.5
• Over/Under 5.5

If a punter chose to bet there would be over 0.5 goals in a match, just one goal would need to be scored over the 90 minutes for a win. This bet is seen as a safe one to win, as just one in every 13.5 games end in a goalless draw. Conversely, a better may choose to bet on under 5.5 goals. Whilst the odds may be low, the chances of six goals being scored over 90 minutes are slim, so a win would look promising.

There were over 2.5 goals in just 13 of Brighton’s 38 Premier League matches in the 2021/22 season.

Half time bets

Most bookmakers allow bets to be made on the first or second half of a selected match. This can be seen as an easier bet to win as it takes half the time. As with every bet, research is recommended.

For example, if a better has found success in the over/under markets, it’s possible to bet on over/under X number of goals in either half. This type of bet could be beneficial if you envisage a team to come flying out of the blocks or perhaps if two strong defensive teams face off. As these bets impose a specific time limit, the odds are shortened, meaning higher returns if their won.

Other bets can be won by betting on just one half are:

• Double Chance
• Win Draw Win (or WDW)

Ultimately, psychology plays a huge part in the world of football betting. However, these markets are a great way to get the ball rolling and to maximise the chances of landing morale boosting winning bets. They’re also seen as promising markets for those betters who prefer strings of regular winnings.

Written by Sasha Isaacs for kickoff.co.uk