Although soccer doesn’t have the same level of appeal in the United States as it does in other countries, it is slowly growing in popularity. “The beautiful game” has long encapsulated fans from around the world, from Buenos Aires to Brussels, and is undoubtedly the most popular sport on the planet. Although Americans are perceived as anti-soccer, this is not really the case.
The problem with soccer in the U.S. is that it has other sports to compete with. American institutions like the NFL, NBA, MLB, and NHL are just too strong for soccer to rub shoulders with. As all of the aforementioned continue to grow, it gets harder and harder for soccer to make an impression. Well, one worth shouting about. One which can challenge the power of the big sports in the country.
Even the effort of global icons such as Pele, George Best, David Beckham, Robbie Keane, and, more recently, Zlatan Ibrahimovic couldn’t really change this. To some, soccer is like the exotic girl you’ve shown a passing interest in, who sometimes flirts back, but ultimately it feels like you are just incompatible. Of course, you have also been in love with NFL since 4th grade, so…
Soccer, to most Americans, cannot match the intensity and vibrancy native sports exude. On a personal level, I believe this is a shame. The game certainly has a lot to offer those in the U.S. In fact, I would put serious money down to prove it. Speaking of betting, I have already put serious money down on countless soccer games over the years because of how engaging the game can be to watch, especially the English Premier League.
Do I believe every betting enthusiast should do the same? Absolutely. You’re going to want an explanation, right? Well, I am only happy to have the opportunity to state my case. So, strap in and I’ll walk you through why soccer is up there with the best sports in the world to bet on.
There is nothing like betting on the big games in soccer, partly because there is nothing like watching the big games in soccer. Seriously. From the UEFA Champion’s League to the English FA Cup Final, the Copa Libertadores to the Copa Italia Final, there are some mighty occasions in soccer. These are some of the most popular sports games to humankind, so betting is big, bad, and beautiful.
Soccer fans are as passionate as they come and this is evidenced in the buzz and hype that surrounds many of these big games. Quite often, there doesn’t even have to be a trophy or cup on offer for certain games to be considered as huge. Ask fans what Glasgow’s Celtic vs. Rangers derby, the El Classico between Barcelona and Real Madrid, or Boca Juniors vs. River Plate means to them. Bragging rights can often suffice.
When it comes to the major occasions in this sport, there will be literally hundreds of different bets that can be placed on each game. There are many variants of popular bets, which we will cover below, which gives fans the chance to really get involved. There is nothing that can really grab you by the ears and shake you harder than the big games in soccer.
History. Pride. Joy. Triumph. The biggest teams in soccer are world-famous institutions. These are the glory-achievers who have etched their names on trophies and into the eternal record books, much to the delight of fans. Think of the dominance of Real Madrid in the European Cup/Champion’s League or Manchester United’s unparalleled success in the English Premier League.
There are some teams who have a history of triumph. That pride and joy instilled in their loyal fanbase get carried down through generation after generation. To see a grandfather and their grandson wearing the famous colors of the team, shouting their support towards the players, is heartwarming. As Grandpa will know, the big teams of yesteryear are not always the big teams of today, however.
Nevertheless, the old glory days are still remembered and cherished. Fans attend games, decade after decade, in the hope that their club can recapture the magic which saw them announce themselves as one of the major players in club soccer. These same fans often look across the city at their rivals, in envy, at the teams who are enjoying their period of dominance and success.
That being said, there is no team glory without the players that make it happen. While soccer only really took off majorly in the 20th century, since the early decades of the 1900’s, legends have been born. Pele, Diego Maradona, George Best, Alfred Di Stefano, Lionel Messi. These thoroughbred icons have transformed the sport of soccer into a global religion, with billions of believers.
The big players are those who children idolize. The names are printed on the back of shirts in order to fuel the fantasy these kids have of emulating their heroes. For many of the young soccer fans who congregate to play games on the streets, fields, and favelas around the world, the goal is to one day score the big goal in the big final, taking that big trophy back to their beloved club.
As a soccer spectator, every fan has their favorite player. From the perspective of a betting enthusiast who loves soccer, there is nothing better than watching that player score the last-minute winner, earning them serious profits on their bets. This takes things to a whole new level, making soccer an incredible sport to bet on.
And when clubs and club players just can’t cut it, your home country and countrymen are the only remedies. For most fans, international soccer is well and truly where it’s at. If you are lucky enough to have been born in countries with a rich tapestry of glory and fame, you will probably appreciate that sentiment. More than if your nation is, well, kind of mediocre when it comes to soccer.
Places like Brazil, Argentina, Germany Spain, France, Italy, and the Netherlands. World Cup winners and conveyor belts of soccer legends. The envy of the world, even if Italy and the Netherlands have fallen behind the others in recent times. There are, of course, other countries with rich histories, too. What all have in common is a legacy of turning on the style at the world stage.
When I think of major international soccer tournaments, the FIFA World Cup, the UEFA European Championships, and the CONMEBOL Copa America all come to mind. Backing your team – with more than just a few hours sat in front of the TV – helps you feel, well, more involved. Watching your team lift the cup while your bank balance grows exponentially? I dare say, that is quite some buzz.
Soccer is an easy sport to bet on, without a doubt. In fact, I would say that it is the easiest sport on the planet to bet on, as soccer is probably the most accessible game out there. A novice can pick up on the rules pretty quickly, which means converting a non-believer to a fan can be done, almost overnight. I have seen this happen, time and time again, so trust me on this one.
By this logic, betting on soccer should be easy, right? Yes, absolutely. If you can understand how the game works, you’re pretty much set to place your bets. There are few rules and regulations in the sport, making it just ever so simple to know where to place your bets. I know this seems like such an easy explanation. Easy things generally come with easy explanations.
Still, you may be wondering about the rules of soccer. For many interested (but green) observers, the most complicated part of soccer is the offside rule. Hell, let’s take a quick look at the full rules of soccer. There are 17 rules in total. We will break down the offside rule – in its entirety – at the end.
17 rules. Easy, right? Absolutely. Of these 17 rules, the majority are so simple that even a child could master them. For this reason, you can’t really find a more straightforward yet enjoyable sport to introduce to any betting enthusiast. For the most part, these rules govern who can be involved in a game and how a player should conduct themselves on the field. There is nothing exotic or out there, put it that way.
Rule 1: The Field – The game can be played on a grass or artificial turf but the surface must always be green in color. The shape of the pitch must always be rectangular. The surface should be split into two halves.
Rule 2: The Ball – Soccer is played with a ball (believe it or not). That ball should be made out of leather and be spherical in shape. The circumference of the ball should be between 27 and 28 inches.
Rule 3: The Teams – There can be no more than 11 players to a team, in any given game of soccer. Teams are allowed to make 3 substitutions per sanctioned game, unless, of course, the game is a friendly. These rules don’t tend to apply to games which are not sanctioned by FIFA.
Rule 4: The Equipment – Players should always wear soccer shirts/jerseys, with shorts, socks, shinguards, and boots. It’s not a lot to ask, is it?
Rule 5: The Referee – OK, so they have never played a competitive game in their life. They have a whistle. They look like the kind of guy or girl that would steal your fries if you looked away for just a second. Regardless, the referee says what goes and you should really respect that (if you are planning on sticking around for 90 minutes).
Rule 6: The Assistants – Yes, that counts for the referee’s assistants, too. These guys and girls help the referee to officiate a game, and usually flag for offsides and things that the referee does not see.
Rule 7: Time of Play – A standard game of soccer is 90 minutes of playing time, split between two halves of 45 minutes. There is a 15-minute interval, known as halftime. There can also be additional time added to the end of 90 minutes, if there have been any delays to playing time, such as for injuries.
Rule 8: Starting and Restarting Play – Prior to kickoff, both teams will engage in a coin toss. The winner of the toss will get to choose what side of the pitch they would like to start the game from. Following every goal scored, kickoff will indicate the restart of play. A restart is also required following halftime.
Rule 9: In-Play and Out of Play – There are lines on the outer edges of the pitch, including the goal line. If the ball crosses any of these lines then the game will need to be restarted. If the ball crosses the goal line, the game will go to a kick-off. If the ball crosses the touchlines, then a throw-in will restart play (performed by the team who didn’t touch the ball last). A corner will restart play if the defending team touches the ball before it goes out of play on the touchline adjacent to the defending team’s goal line.
Rule 10: Goals and Tallies – In soccer, the object of the game is to score the most goals. There are three potential results of a game, therefore, which are a win, loss, and draw. The team with the most goals wins the game. Scoring a goal occurs when the entirety of the ball crosses the goal line, regardless if it bounces back out or is kicked back out.
Rule 11: The Offside Rule – Ah, the offside rule: the most discussed rule in soccer. Perhaps the most divisive rule in soccer. Offside occurs when… you know, I think I’ll cover this in more detail at the end of this section.
Rule 12: Misconduct and Fouls – Like any other organized sport, soccer has a code of conduct players must adhere to at all times. Anything judged to be in violation of the rules of the game will incur the wrath of the referee. In simple terms, there are a number of potential punishments. These include a direct free kick, a penalty, a yellow card, or a red card, given the severity of the infraction or foul.
Rule 13: Free Kicks – There are two different types of a free kick that can be awarded to a team: direct and indirect. The former is a kick that can be aimed directly at the opposition’s goal. The latter, an indirect free kick, must be touched by another player before it can be kicked towards goal.
Rule 14: Penalty Kicks – Penalty kicks are awarded inside the defending team’s penalty area. If a defending player is deemed to have committed a foul, the referee is within his right to award the attacking team a shot at goal. Fouls or handballs are typically the main reasons for a referee awarding a penalty.
Rule 15: Throw-Ins – As previously mentioned, a throw-in is awarded is the ball has crossed the touchline. This is a way to restart play, with the last team to have touched the ball essentially handing their opponents the restart. A throw-in must be performed with the player tossing the ball over their heads, while their feet are firmly grounded.
Rule 16: Goal Kicks – The goalkeeper or another player can kick the ball out from the six-yard box if the attacking team has played the ball out of bounds.
Rule 17: Corner Kicks – Corner kicks are taken by the attacking team if the defensive team has played the ball out of bounds behind the goal. It is permitted for a team to score directly from a corner. If the latter does happen, you can be certain it will go viral!
Girlfriends, wives, and confused novices the world over have long been accused of falling victim to the complexity of the offside rule. In places like the UK and Italy, the image of the befuddled partner inundating their soccer-crazy spouse with offside related questions is still a thing. In reality, the offside rule is not difficult at all to understand. If you have any questions regarding the offside rule, allow me to explain.
Offsides are common for any team who has attacking intent. You see, in order to score goals, players must be close to the goal. Well, for the most part. Not every goal scored will be a world-beating, thunderous drive from 40-yards out. The majority of goals are scored from inside the defending team’s penalty box. If an over-zealous player is offside, they will be pinged, and play will be restarted. So, how do we define offside?
According to FIFA, a player is judged to be offside when:
FIFA also state that a player is NOT in an offside position if:
It is that simple. When we break it down, the offside rule isn’t that complicated at all to understand. Keep in mind that the last defender’s position will dictate if an attacking player is offside when they are in the defending team’s half. If the attacker is closer to the defending team’s goal than the last defender is – when the ball is played in the defending team’s half – they will typically be in an offside position.
I am a great believer in examples. Sometimes, applying a few images to the theory can really help hammer home a point. Check out these 2 images below to get a better idea of how the offside rule works.
With so many options, it can be something of a challenge when it comes to choosing your bets. This dilemma is one of the more fortunate ones we will encounter as gambling enthusiasts. When it comes to soccer, there is all that and then some. In other words, you will always be spoiled for choice as someone who enjoys a punt on soccer. That applies to the type of bets and the multitude of markets out there.
Around the time of major tournaments, gambling activity soars across the globe. This is a truly global sport and the betting markets certainly reflect this. In fact, it is estimated that approximately 70% of all bets placed on sport around the world are wagered on soccer. That is an astounding statistic and one which really emphasizes the appeal of the sport to gamblers.
So much choice. Although the game is quite simple, bookmakers are very keen on making the betting experience for those who gamble on soccer pretty darn comprehensive. There are bets on teams to win, players to score, fouls committed, corners, throw-ins, and pretty much everything in between. There are specials and prop bets, with some oddities thrown in for equal measure.
If one bet is not enough, there are also a number of parlays and specials you can get your hands on. You should seriously check out my 5 Soccer Betting Tips Everyone Should Know to get yourself acquainted with how to bet on soccer the right way. You will not be disappointed.
There are fewer sports on the planet that offer such excitement while being pretty uncomplicated. The allure of the NFL, for example, is learning how tactics and rules play into a team’s performance. With soccer, the aim of the game is to score goals. There is nothing incredibly complicated, which does make the fact that it is simply so much fun to watch quite astounding.
Even though it does not seem like a complicated game to play, try playing against 11 seasoned players who know what they are doing. Yeah, good luck with that. Of course, if your name is Cristiano Ronaldo or Lionel Messi, I’m sure you’ll be fine. For the rest of us, we can enjoy “The Beautiful Game” as a spectator, or even better, a spectator with a financial interest in a game.
If you are interested in betting on soccer, good for you. I believe you have made the right choice. There will be numerous options for you when it comes to bets and markets, which will undoubtedly make things even more interesting. There is no better combination in the world than watching your beloved team lift that cup or trophy, earning some nice cash in the process.
Everyone should bet on soccer. If you are a gambling fan and are yet to do so, you should be ashamed of yourself.
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