As the world’s most popular sport, soccer offers bettors more variety and options than any other sport around. With exciting domestic leagues including the English Premier League (EPL) and Spanish Primera División (La Liga) playing most of the year, and international tournaments like the FIFA World Cup (every four years) and UEFA Champions League also on hand, not to mention the English Championship, FA Cup and Major League Soccer, betting options are almost limitless.

But how do you bet on soccer? How can you work out a strategy for betting success? Is there a "best" bet for soccer? Read on to find out.

How Do You Bet on Soccer?

As with most other sports, traditional fixed-odds wagering (i.e., placing a bet with a bookmaker at agreed odds) is king when it comes to soccer betting. The markets available are as many as they are varied, although game results, individual player performances and season-long predictions always get plenty of attention. Other options worth considering include:

• Total-line BetsTotal lines are bets made on the combined total number of goals scored in a match by both teams. With scores typically modest in soccer, sportsbooks often offer totals of around 2.25 or 2.75. So, if a bettor placed a total-line bet on over 2.25 goals, half their bet will be placed on over 2 and the other half on over 2.5. If the game ends with two goals having been scored, the bettor would lose half their bet (over 2.5) and be refunded the other half (over 2). If three goals are scored by the end of the game, they’d win both bets (over 2 and over 2.5).
• Goal-line BetsThe goal-line bet is a way for bettors to bet on multiple outcomes for any given soccer game. In soccer terms, a goal line tends to be 0.5 goals, although this is likely to change for a David vs. Goliath match where one team is the clear favorite. Under these circumstances, the goal line might be 1, 1.5, 2, 2.5, 3, etc.
• Three-way Moneyline BetsBecause ties are common in soccer, bettors have the option of betting on three different outcomes in any game: win, lose or draw. Most soccer bets are based on results recorded at the end of the allotted 90 minutes of "regular time."

What Are the Best Strategies for Betting on Soccer?

Form is arguably the key aspect to keep in mind when it comes to soccer betting. It's true a good run of form—for both players and teams—can last a long while, especially in domestic soccer. This doesn't hold as true at the international level, as the time between Champions League ties and qualifying games for major tournaments can be lengthy.

Of course, the form book can go right out the window when teams with an established rivalry meet. In fact, even teams with a 100% success record get turned over by their near rivals when the blood, guts and thunder of a heated crosstown rivalry make a game so frenzied that no one can tell what will happen next. The weather is something else veteran bettors tend to keep an eye on. After all, a team that’s used to playing in mild conditions (like Spain or Portugal) will likely feel the effects of traveling to northern Europe during the depths of winter.

Studying these variables, researching the markets available and finding the best soccer betting sites (hint: try a comparison site like bookies.com) will help most savvy bettors develop a strategy for personal soccer betting success.

What Is the Best Type of Soccer Bet?

• Match Result This is where bettors bet on the team they think will win after 90 minutes. Half-time result bets work in a similar vein, with payouts issued on which team is ahead after 45 minutes.
• Season WinnersAnother straightforward and popular option, this wager basically entails predicting which team will be at the top of the pile when the season comes to an end (usually in the spring).
• Red Cards, Yellow Cards...and the Total Number of CardsIn soccer, the referee brandishes yellow cards (warnings) and red cards (expulsions) as ways to maintain order during a match. This is one of the more fun bets to get involved with because you can’t help but cheer on a player's bad behavior. Bets can be made on the number of individual red or yellow cards brandished, or on the total number of cards shown. Always a good option for a crosstown match.