Soccer Betting Rules

Soccer is a popular sport around the world for casual fans and sportsbettors alike. However, to navigate betting on this sport, you need to learn soccer’s rules and unique policies.

SportsBetting.com explains the many types ofsoccer bets, pertinentsoccer betting rules, and even e-soccer betting. The topics in this in-depth guide also include ante-post betting and how settlement and cancellation work, so you can increase your odds of a winningsoccer bet.

Betting on Soccer

In states wheresports betting is legal,sportsbooks offer a wide array ofwagering options.

Three-Way Moneyline

You can bet on soccer through the three-way moneyline. As the name suggests,bettors have three betting options:

• Team A wins
• Team B Wins
• Draw

When betting on the three-way moneyline, the results are based on “regular time,” which refers to 90minutes of play. Injuries andstoppage time as required by the referee are included. However,penalty shootouts,golden goals, or overtime are not counted as part ofregular time.

To illustrate better how a three-way moneyline works, let’s take the following odds for theWorld Cup Final:

• Brazil +450
• Germany +475
• Draw +520

Let’s say that Brazil and Germany tied at 0-0. After 90 minutes of regulation, Brazil won duringextra time. Still,bettors who backed “draw” won.

Two-Way Moneyline

You can also bet on soccer through a two-way moneyline. Similar to the three-way moneyline, this betting type is based on 90 minutes of regulation. Two-way moneyline can also be classified asdouble chance ordraw no bet.

When you make adouble chance bet, you’rewagering that a particular team will win or the match will end on a draw or any of the two competing teams to win. The possible results from a two-way moneyline are:

• Team A wins orTeam B wins
• Team A wins or the match results in a draw
• Team B wins or the match results in a draw

Withdraw no bet, a draw result doesn’t count. The only options are thatTeam A wins orTeam B wins.

Ifregulation time ends and neither team scores a goal, all bets arerefunded and deemed “no action.”

Goal Lines or Spreads

Placing agoal line bet is like a two-way moneyline bet, removing at least one outcome.

Goal line betting hinges on whether a team’s score will be over or under a pre-setnumber of goals. It is to soccer as the puck line is to hockey and thepoint spread is to basketball and football.

In soccer,goal lines are typically -0.5. But in matches with heavy favorites, oddsmakers make thegoal line higher. They usually assign a -1.5 or -2.5goal line to the favored team.

Consider thegoal line odds assigned to Brazil and Costa Rica during aWorld Cupmatchup.

If you stake on the favorite (Brazil), the team should win by two goals or more to cover the spread. But if you back Costa Rica, they either need to winoutright or not lose by more than one goal.

Anotherpoint spread type you may look into is theAsian handicap. This betting type reduces thepossible outcomesbettors need to consider when staking onsoccer games.

TheAsian handicap ensures that there is equal betting action between the favorite and theunderdog. It allows you to lay in increments of half points (+0.5 and -0.5).

Asian handicap betting combines the handicap line and themoneyline. Asian line bets can be placed on either the favorite to overcome a handicap (-goals) or on the opposing team getting a handicap on top of their actual score (+goals).

So oddsmakers allow you to lay on the favorite -0.25, -0.50, -0.75, -1, -1.25, -1.50, -1.75, or -2. Meanwhile, you may lay theunderdog with +0.25, +0.50, +0.75, +1, +1.25, +1.50, +1.75, or +2.

In Asian handicapping, each value has corresponding results depending on your chosen team’s standing after the match. This is illustrated in the table below:

With a half win, you win half of your stake (multiplied by your odds) while the other half is returned. Meanwhile, a half lose entails that you lose half of your stake while the other half is returned.

WithSportsBetting.com, you have several choices when betting on soccer.

Click on this link to see our sharpest soccer odds and the matches you can stake on.

Over/Under (Totals)

Totalssoccer betting differs from totals betting in other sports. When you place a totals bet on soccer, you will encounter goals in multiples of 0.25. Sincesportsbooks have predicted that thenumber of goals will be small, the totals are usually set at 2.25, 2.50, or 2.75.

So if you stake on over 2.25 goals, your stake is halved. Half is placed on “over 2,” while the other half is placed on “over 2.5”total goals.

For instance, the match’s final outcome is 1-1. You lose your bet on “over 2.5,” but you are alsorefunded since “over 2” is a push or tie. Assuming thegame ends with both thehome team andaway team scoring over three goals, then you win both your bets.

Let’s use another example. If you stake on “under 2.75,” half of your bet is placed on “under 2.50” while the other half is placed on “under 3” goals.

If thegame ends up with both teams scoring a total of three goals, you lose half your stake because of your “under 2.5” bet. Still, you get a refund on the other half since thetotal goal is “under 3,” which is another push.

First Half (1st Half)

Bookmakers also offerfirst half bets or wagers onhalf time. This stake involves 45minutes of play andstoppage time. For instance, you bet onTeam A to win thefirst half. If thehalftime score is 2-1 in favor ofTeam A, you win your stake.

If thefirst half doesn’t get completed for any reason, the bet is voided, and all stakes will be returned.

Second Half (2nd Half)

Second half bets take into account 45minutes of play andstoppage time added by the end of thesecond half. However,golden goals, shootouts, and extra periods are excluded from this bet.

All goals scored in thefirst half do not count when you make asecond half bet.

Sportsbooks have their own unique rules when it comes tosoccer betting. For instance, some oddsmakers have policies on bets on teams to qualify for the next round of a tournament or competition or whether ateam wins a particular trophy or cup.

Some bookies rule that bets are paid out on the referee’s last whistle and as the match concludes. This policy may apply regardless of whether the game is decided inextra time,regular time, or apenalty shootout.

SportsBetting.com has its own soccer-specific rules. Read up on themhere.

Half time/Full time

Also known as double result forecast betting, this soccer stake option allowsbettors to predict the result at the end ofhalf time andfull time. When we mention “half time,” this period refers to the match’s first 45 minutes. Meanwhile, “full time” means the full 90 minutes of the game, includinginjury time orstoppage time.

However,extra time,penalty shootouts, andgolden goals are not taken into account.

Rules forSoccer Betting

As mentioned earlier, soccer has its own rules specific to thesportsbook offering the odds. But some general rules apply across allsportsbooks.

Match Bets

Bets onsoccer games are settled based on the outcome after 90minutes of play.Injury time andstoppage time are also considered. However,extra time, like the period given for apenalty shootout or agolden goal, is not included.

Bettors may also make season match bets to predict which of two teams will place highest in the tournament by the end of soccer season.

When you bet throughSportsBetting.com, if the teams finish level on points, we will settle the bet and decide on the winner based on the tiebreaker used by the league, like head-to-head records or goal difference.

Abandoned Matches

SportsBetting.com rules that if a game is abandoned mid-match, all the stakes related to that match will be voided unless the settlement has already been determined.

Let’s say you made a bet involving thefirst goal scorer or the time of the first goal. But before thetime of abandonment, a first goal has already been made. If this is the case, thefirst goalscorer and time of the first goal betting markets will still stand.

SportsBetting.com has decided that this rule applies even if the governing body declares that the result of the shortened match will stand.

Somesportsbooks make exceptions for major competitions, including:

• UEFA European Championships
• African Cup of Nations
• FIFAWorld Cup
• U.K. domestic cup finals orplayoffs
• UEFA Champions League or Europa League matches

Bets involving these major soccer events still stand as long as the game commences within 24 hours of the scheduled start.

Rescheduled orPostponed Matches

If the game you bet on has been canceled or postponed, all the bets made before the match's scheduled start will be voided.

Changes in Venue

There may be instances when a change of venue is required.SportsBetting.com rules that the bets will still be valid as long as the venue remains in the same country and is not altered to the opponent’s ground.

This means that after the venue changes, thehome team is still thehome team. If this is reversed, the bets will be void.

First Goalscorer

Say that you backed a player to become thefirst goalscorer, but they decide not to participate in the match or come in only after the first goal has been scored. If the player scores on their side of the playing area (own goal), the goal is not counted.

Last Goalscorer

SportsBetting.com deems that all players who take part in the game, regardless of which point they joined, are a suitable option when betting on last goalscorer stakes.

Whether or not these players were on the pitch when thelast goal was scored doesn’t matter. However,own goals are not counted.

Score at Any Time (Anytime Goalscorer)

Also known as a “score a hat trick,” this bet means that all players who participate at any point in the match can be bet on.Own goals are not counted.

Score Casts

To win a score cast inSportsBetting.com, you have to forecast two things: which player will score the first goal? What is thecorrect score after 90minutes of play?

If your score cast is 0-0 and you predict that there will beno goal scorer, this incident is settled as acorrect score single.

In cases where the player you select joins the game after the first goal has been scored, or they do not participate in the match at all, score cast bets will revert to a single on thecorrect score.

Own goals do not count when placing score cast bets. If your selection scores anown goal, the score cast will be settled on the next goalscorer and thecorrect score of the game.

If thecorrect score is 1-0, but the goal is anown goal,SportsBetting.com will deem the bet a singlecorrect score.

If a match is abandoned before the 90minutes of play concludes but after a goal has been scored, score cast bets are settled asfirst goalscorer singles. All bets are considered void ifno goal has been scored.

Somesportsbooks also include time cast bets, where abettor predicts the soccer player who scores first and the correct time.

Time of First Goal

To iron out the technical issues related to the time of the first goal,SportsBetting.com defines the first minute of the game as the period from 1 second to 59 seconds. The second minute comprises the 1 minute to the 1 minute 59-second mark.

So if you make a bet predicting that the first goal will be scored between 1 and 10 minutes, but the goal is scored at 10 minutes and 49 seconds, your bet loses. This is because the time result (10 minutes and 49 seconds) is considered part of the 11 to 20-minute time frame.

Somebookmakers allowbettors to stake on the team to record a shutout win. Also known as a clean sheet in the U.K., shutout bets involve predicting if your selection will win the match by preventing any goals.

Number of Corners

SportsBetting.com also has asoccer betting rule on thetotal corners line. Usually, the starting values are “under 10,” “between 10 and 12,” and “over 12.” This kind of bet is settled on the totalnumber of corners within 90 minutes of the game.

Corners made during theextra time are not counted.

Booking Points

For betting markets that involve booking points, these are the rules as implemented bySportsBetting.com:

• Yellow card: 10 points
• Red card: 25 points
• Secondyellow cards are usually ignored; hence, a player can be awarded a maximum of 35 points

Meanwhile, these are the rules when it comes to markets related to cards:

• Ayellow card counts as 1 point
• Ared card counts as 2 points
• The secondyellow card is ignored, so only 3 cards max can be awarded per player

Player to Receive First Card

A lot can happen with bets on which player will get the firstyellow card.SportsBetting.com deems a bet void if your selection doesn’t participate or only comes in after the first card has been given.

If multiple players are booked within the same break of play, the first player to get a card from the referee will be the winner.

Man of the Match

Rules for settling man of the match bets include:

• Basing the man of the match on the announcement aired during the game’s live broadcasting
• In cases where there is no announcement during the game,SportsBetting.com will rely on the winner of the Man of the Match Award during the match’s live broadcasting
• If the clause above doesn’t apply,SportsBetting.com will base the man of the match on the announcement from the broadcasting channel’s official website
• If no data on the man of the match is available on the broadcasting channel’s site,SportsBetting.com will refer to the player deemed man of the match by the competition’s governing body

For other soccer player markets like “highest-rated player,” “highest-rated player w/o X player,” “highest-rated playeroutright,” “player to have the most shots,” and “player to make the most tackles,” the player in question will be decided based on the stats published atwww.whoscored.com.

The “highest rated player” market is not related to “man of the match” bets.

To Win Both Halves

Anothersoccer betting option is “to win both halves.” With this bet type, the final result depends on whether your selection scores more goals than the opposing team in each of the two halves.

90-minute matches are treated as two mini-matches that span 45 minutes each. The goal is to make a selection you think will score more goals than their opponent inhalf time andfull time.

Related Contingencies in a Single Match

WhileSportsBetting.com offers many opportunities for soccerbettors, accumulative bets cannot be combined where the outcome is related.

If an accumulative bet of the same kind has been accepted by our website, we will create a price reflective of the situation relevant to the time the bet was placed.

If none of the above is possible, each part of the bet, including a related contingency, will be decided on the largest individual event price involved.

Mythical Matches

SportsBetting.com’s definition of a mythical match involves betting on which of two selected teams will score more goals in their respective matches. In reality, the teams pitted against each other do not have an actual upcoming match.

To better illustrate this, let’s say the mythical match is between Iceland and Serbia. In reality, the matches actually are Iceland vs. Nigeria and Serbia vs. Swiss. If Iceland beats Nigeria but both Serbia and Swiss score 1 goal each, the mythical match’s final result is 2-1 to Iceland.

If both teams score the samenumber of goals,bettors who backed “draw” win.

Soccer Live Betting

When you bet on us, you can also bet on your favorite soccer team in real time. Whether it’s picking the next goalscorer or simply making a regular play, you can count onSportsBetting.com to give you a variety of options to choose from.

Other in-play soccer markets we offer include "shootout winner," "outcome of next penalty," "sudden death?" and "total penalties converted."

To learn how to place live bets, click on thislink for more details.

You may also check out which matches are available to bet on live. Just go to thislinkand click on the “soccer” tab.

E-soccer Betting

With the popularity of the internet, manysportsbooks have also adopted e-soccer betting rules. An e-soccer match typically lasts for 12 minutes. These e-matches are played in sequence, with akick-off every 25 minutes.

A draw is allowed during the group stage. However, to break the tie for knockout matches,extra time and penalties are used.

In e-soccer, the scoreboard clock is used for information purposes only.

This is how e-soccer scoreboards will look:

• 2 x 4-minute halves – Will appear as 0:00-4:00 (+injury time)First Half and 45:00-49:00 (+injury time)Second Half
• 2 x 5-minute halves – Will appear as 0:00-5:00 (+injury time)First Half and 45:00-50:00 (+injury time)Second Half
• 2 x 6-minute halves – Will show 0:00-6:00 (+injury time)First Half and 45:00-51:00 (+injury time)Second Half

Settlement and Cancellation Rules

Each betting site has its own settlement and cancellation policies. Some bookies void the bet if the market remains open despite the following events having already taken place, like the issuance of red oryellow cards orpenalty kicks.

Imagine that a betting market opens with an incorrect or missingred card. If the odds were received and come with an incorrect match time, the bet would be void.

Interrupted orpostponed matches can also lead to the cancellation of the bet unless the market has already been determined. Incorrect team names, categories, and details may also lead to the bet being void.

Ante-Post Betting

Like greyhound racing and horse racing,soccer betting may also include ante-post betting. This refers to bets made a day earlier or more, before the soccer action begins. The usual ante-post or tournamentoutright betting markets include:

• Top goalscorer
• Top team goalscorer
• Highest scoring team
• Highest scoring group

Top Goalscorer

This bet depends on the player with the mostnumber of goals scored. InSportsBetting.com, the tournament top goalscorer and team to win have a special price.

Dead heat incidents involving the top tournament goalscorer will be applied to the whole special bet.

Say that, you bet on Cristiano Ronaldo to be the top scorer and Portugal to win 12/1. Cristiano Ronaldo ties for top goalscorer with another player. The ½ dead heat for Ronaldo would be applied to the full stake of the whole special bet before the subsequent settlement at 12/1.

Dead heat is an occurrence where two or more soccer players finish the match in a tie. So any bet involving these players is decided on based on dead heat rules.

For instance, if three players are vying for the first position in a tournament, all of the stakes placed on any of the three players are declared winners. However, they win at a third of the risk amount or stake at the full odds assigned initially by the bookies.

Top League/Tournament/Team Goalscorer

All stakes made on players to be the top scorer in any given league are based on regular season games only. Goals scored in subsequent games do not count. The moment a player is named in the squad and plays in the league that season, bets on this player will stand.

If several players finish the tournament with the exactnumber of goals, the dead heat rules will apply.

Highest-Scoring Team

This is defined as a stake on which team will produce the most goals on a given match day. In case a tie happens, dead heat rules will apply unless a tie outcome also has assigned odds.

Othersportsbooks also offer opportunities to bet on the lowest-scoring team. Some oddsmakers also offer “highest-scoring group” bets where soccer teams are grouped together.

SportsBetting.com strives to give you the latest soccer odds with some of the sharpest lines and highest limits. So if you want to try your hand atsoccer betting, learning these soccer-specific rules will help you make more profitable bets on the sport.

Whether you’re betting on soccer, the NBA, orNFL,sign up now to start betting today.