How to Research Football Bets

With our introduction to live betting recently going live, it is time to offer up another of our handy guides and this time, our focus will be placed on how to research football bets. While in doing so, we are going to highlight these key points:

1. Check the form guide
2. Wait for team news
3. The head-to-head record
4. Listen to the pundits
5. Dig deep for statistics

1. Check The Form Guide

When it comes to the research of football bets, a good a starting point as any is the form guide. Because although previous performance is not a guaranteed precursor to future events, it can at least give you a steer in the right direction.

For example, if Manchester United have won each of their last four Premier League outings and travel to a Crystal Palace side who have failed to win any of their last five, it would mean the Red Devils will likely be favourites to come out on top at Selhurst Park.

Therefore, the logical bet would be backing Erik ten Hag’s men to come out on top and although you may have reached this conclusion by gut instinct alone, the research of the form guide will only reinforce your decision.

Because even though a blind bet may turn into a winner, you cannot simply rely on gut instinct alone and if you were to constantly use this method when it comes to football bets, you would be unlikely to turn a profit in the long-term.

Which is why the form guide is arguably the most valuable tool of all and with this being the bedrock of any research-based system, it can be a valuable asset in any punter’s attempt to get the better of the bookmakers.

An Example Of A Form Guide

2. Wait For The Team News

Another important factor to consider in terms of research, is the team news that will break an hour before kick-off and especially if a huge question surrounds the selection of a key player. Take Mohamed Salah at Liverpool for example.

If the Egyptian picked up a knock in training before the visit of Manchester City, his lack of appearance at Anfield would have a considerable impact on the pre-match odds that are set by the bookmakers.

Which means, if you were to place your bets too early, you may regret doing so if Salah could not recover in time to face City. Yes, you may have got better odds than when the team news has been broken, but the odds of an actual positive result will be diminished.

Which means it pays not to be too hasty when placing your bets and if there any doubts regarding players, it is better to wait until they either definitely ruled out or they have been given the nod to start.

Of course, the same can be said for looking at a team’s injury record in general and if your research points to many key names being absent before the weekend, you may want to place your bets elsewhere.

Team Selections Have A Huge Bearing On Upcoming Performance

3. The Head-To-Head Record

Once the form guide and team news have been researched, it is now time to take a deep dive into the head-to-head record. Once again, previous results do not guarantee the outcome that will follow, but it will at least give a rather sizeable indication.

For example, if Liverpool are preparing to welcome Bournemouth to Anfield and have won each of the previous six meetings between the two, then there is a substantial likelihood that the Merseyside men will come out on top once more.

While because of the one-sided nature of the previous meetings, this will be factored into the pre-match odds for their next clash. One that would see Jurgen Klopp’s men priced as considerable favourites for the win.

Although it is not just one-sided encounters where it pays to research football bets beforehand. If two teams tend to cancel each other out and share the points, then it would be prudent to back a draw for their next meeting.

Again, these kind of insights only truly come about after taking the time to look at previous outcomes and if those results are pointing in one particular direction, it usually makes sense to travel that same way.

4. Listen To The Pundits

Although pundits can be criticised for having somewhat controversial opinions, you should not forget that they have played the beautiful game a lot more than you and I and more importantly at a professional level.

Which means even though you may not necessarily agree with everything that they say, their input is not something that should be dismissed before placing your football bets and especially if a panel of guests are reaching a consensus.

Let’s say that Tottenham are preparing to welcome Arsenal in the next North London derby and each of Sky’s Super Sunday guests have tipped Spurs to edge out the Gunners. If that is the case, then you may want to take their feedback on board.

Admittedly you cannot take their opinion to the back and guarantee a winner, but if the pundits are all reaching the same conclusion, then it may even sway any original bet that you were looking to make before kick-off.

Ultimately, these are only a few more opinions added to the research that you have hopefully already carried out but if your hunch is going against the wisdom of crowds, then it may be time to change your opinion before you place your bets.

5. Dig Deep For Statistics

One of the best things about researching football bets, is that there are now so many online resources to use. None more so than our own website and with a rich amount of statistics and data on hand to our users, it should make your betting experience a whole lot easier.

Analytics And Statistics Are Far More Prevalent In The Modern Game

Because when you are fuelled with information, it allows you to make informed choices and when it comes to the research and placing of football bets, those informed choices will go a long way to beating the bookmakers.

Written by Dan Tracey for kickoff.co.uk