One of the great things about sports betting nowadays is that everybody is catered for. Fans of all sports, great and small, are able to effortlessly bet on them both pre-match and in-play. This, in turn, makes the viewing experience more involving and exciting than ever before.
With that said, one sport clearly stands above all others: football. The beautiful game simply dominates the modern betting landscape, in terms of markets, promotions, and essentially every other area. In this guide, you’ll learn everything you need to know about all the major football betting offers out there right now, including how they work, and where you can find them.
Let’s get started.
Best Football Sign Up Offers (December 2021)
18+. UK & IE only. promo code G30. Min £10 .Single Only.No Tote/Pool. Min odds 1/2. Valid for 14 days. Free bet not returned. Free bets & bonus valid for 4 days. Casino bonus x20 Wager. T&Cs apply
Min deposit £5. Bet Credits available for use upon settlement of bets to value of qualifying deposit. Min odds, bet and payment method exclusions apply. Returns exclude Bet Credits stake. Time limits and T&Cs apply.
*New UK customers only. Min Deposit: £5. Maximum Free Bet: £30. First bet on a Football multiple with 3+ selections. Overall odds: 3.00 (2/1) or higher. Free Bets available upon settlement of the qualifying bet. Debit card deposits only. This is offer is valid for 7 days from your new account being registered. 18+ BeGambleAware.org Full terms apply.
*new customers only | Min odds of 2.0 | any market except EW bets
New customers only • Min deposit £10 • A qualifying bet is a ‘real money' stake of at least £10 • Min odds 1/2 (1.5) • Free Bets credited upon qualifying bet settlement and expires after 7 days • Free Bet stakes not included in returns • Deposit balance is available for withdrawal at any time • Withdrawal restrictions & full T&Cs apply
New Customer Offer - Open to new accounts only. Deposit £20 and turnover your deposit five (5) times on the Sportsbook - trebles and accumulators (with three or more selections only), minimum odds each selection 1/2 (1.50) - and you’ll receive a £20 Free Bet. Additional deposits may be required in order to fulfil the turnover conditions, which must be met within 90 days of depositing. Bets placed using Free Bets or Bonus funds, or bets that have been Cashed Out, do not count towards turnover requirements. The Free Bet will expire seven days after being credited and can only be placed as a win only single bet on the Sportsbook. Free Bet stake not included in returns.
*New UK Players Only. Opt-in Required. Minimum stake £10, minimum odds 1.5, stake not returned. 10X wagering the winnings from the free bet. Wagering occurs from real balance first. Wagering requirement is calculated on bonus bets only, wagering starts from real funds. Free bet is valid for 7 Days from issue. Max conversion: £20. Excluded Skrill deposits. Withdrawal requests voids all active/pending bonuses. Full Terms apply.
New customer only, max one £10 free bet, qualifying bets must be placed at odds of 2.0(1/1) or greater, paid as bonus token with min odds reg, T&C Apply
New customers only. Min deposit £20 (UK debit cards only). Bet £10 at odds of evens (2.0) or greater. Multiple bets with cumulative odds of evens (2.0) count, each leg must have odds of 1/5 (1.2) to be eligible. Each way bets are not eligible for this promotion. Upon qualifying bet settlement receive 4x £5.00 Free Bets. Valid for 7 days, each free bet must be used in its entirety. Payment method restrictions & T&Cs apply.
18+, Welcome Bonus: New Players only, 1st Deposit, Min Deposit: £10, max £15 free bet valid for 14 days, bets must be placed at odds of 1/1 or greater and be settled within 14 days of placement. System bets no eligible. Full T&Cs apply
New customers only. Mobile exclusive. Min stake £10. Min odds Evs. Free bet applied on 1st settlement of any qualifying bet. 30 days to qualify. Free bets expire in 7 days. Cashed out/Free Bets won’t apply. Payment method restrictions. 1 Free Bet offer per customer, household & IP Address only. 18+. T&Cs apply
New UK & NI customers only. 18+. Sign up using promo code ‘SPORTS60’. Deposit & place first sports bet at a minimum of £10 in one bet transaction at evens (2.0) +. £30 paid in free bets within 48 hours of bet settlement, expires 7-days after issue. E-Wallet & Prepaid Card restrictions apply. Your first bet must be settled within 60 days of bet placement. SMS validation may be required. Game restrictions apply. Maximum 30 Free Spins on selected games. Free Spins expire after 7 days. Full T&Cs apply.
18+. Max £20 refund on first bet. Bet must be placed in first 7 days of account opening. Payment restrictions apply for the promotion. T&Cs
18+. New customers using Promo code H30 only, Min £10/€10 stake, min odds 1/2, free bets paid as 2 x £15/€15, free bets credited after settlement of first qualifying bet, free bets will expire 30 days after the qualifying bet is placed, payment method/player/country restrictions apply. T & Cs Apply.
Max £10/€10 refund. Sportsbook only. Payment restrictions apply. T&Cs apply.
18+. UK+IRE only. Paypal & some deposit & bet types excl. Min first bet £10 a odds 1/2 or more. Tote and Pool excluded. Must be placed within 14 days of account reg. £30 credited as 3 x £10 free bets. Not valid with CashOut. Free bet valid for 7 days. Free bet stake not returned. 18+ T&Cs Apply.
18+ New customers. 2x £10 free bets. Min qualifying bet £10 at 1/2. T&Cs apply.
New Customers; Min. deposit £15 (no Skrill/Neteller) 6x deposit and bonus turnover (min. odds 3/5 on singles and 2/5 per selection on acca bets), in 30 days, for bonus release Some bet types don’t contribute to turnover Withdrawal bef. turnover results in bonus cancellation; Terms apply; 18+
18+. New depositing players on STSbet.co.uk only. Promotion from 11/02/2020 until further notice. First deposit min £10. Qualifying bet: min. £10 accumulator bet with at least two selections with min odds of 1/2 (1.50) per selection. Bonus: 50% of the amount of the first bet. Max. bonus £40. Min. 6x wagering with bonus on min odds of 1/2 (1.50) before withdrawal. Deposit method restrictions. Bonus valid for 7 days. Full T&Cs apply. BeGambleAware.org.
18+. New UK Customers only. Min bet 10. Match max 25 free bet. Min of 3 selections in accumulator. Min odds per selection 7/10 (1.70). Free bet stake not returned. Full T&C’s apply.
Guaranteed £5 Casino Bonus and a £5 Free Sportsbook Bet if your first bet loses. New customers only. Qualifying bet must a single of £10 or more at odds of evens (2.0) or greater. Full T&C's apply.
How We Pick Football Betting Offers
The best football betting offers we recommend are carefully considered by our experts and measured against some key criteria, so you can see how they stack up against each other. We aren’t just talking about a free bet on football either, but the top promotions out there in the ultra-competitive world of sports betting.
Type of offer
Football betting promotions come in different types; so, as you will soon find out, our experts assess them all and select the best of each kind. This reflects the broad choice you have with online bookmakers.
Competitions
With top football betting offers, you should be able to use the bonuses you get on a range of competitions and leagues. More on those in a moment. The full breadth of football coupons should be at your fingertips with a promotion.
Size of bonuses
The old saying that size matters is certainly right when it comes to football promotions. Some bettors like to play for high stakes, while other gamble in smaller amounts. Whatever type of punter you are, it’s important that you feel you get value for money with a betting offer.
Best Welcome Offers for Football Betting
Some of the most popular football betting promotions are welcome offers. These are the bonuses you receive from an online bookmaker if you are a new customer and have signed up to joint their sportsbook. There are different types of football betting offers of this nature, so watch out for these:
Free Bets
Free football bet offers are something you just have to claim and do nothing else. Only those are truly free. Many bookmakers may try to claim their bonuses meet these criteria but, if you have to place a qualifying bet, then that is actually more like a matched deposit which we’ll discuss below.
Top Sign-Up Free Bet
At 888sport, their welcome bonus is bet £10 to get £40 in bonuses. Use an eligible deposit method and place a qualifying £10 bet or more at minimum odds of 1/2 (1.50) within 30 days of registering to take advantage of this offer. Further terms and conditions apply.
First Bet Insurance
Football promotions which insure your first bet with your stake returned as cash or a bonus token give you a certain level of protection. They provide you with an opportunity to try and find a winner again. Who doesn’t like being given a second chance, especially when you are having a bet?
Top First Bet Insurance Offer
Through SBK, the sign-up offer is a maximum refund of £20 on a qualifying bet after you make an eligible deposit. This risk-free bet sees your stake returned if the bet is settled as a loser and, of course, terms and conditions apply.
Matched Deposit
Some of the best football betting offers are ones which match the first deposit you make with the same amount in bonuses. Qualifying bets may or may not be attached to these football promotions, so it is important that you check the terms and conditions as some payments methods may not be eligible.
A free bet on football and matched deposit offers are better for punters, because there is a scenario with bet insurance where you don’t actually get a bonus. That would happen if the bet you placed won, and you don’t get anything extra.
Top Matched Deposit Offer
Types of Football Betting Offers for Existing Customers
The evolution of online betting has also led to a dramatic increase in the volume and variety of football betting promotions. Some are simply better than others, though, and – whether you’re a newbie or a veteran – these five offer types are the ones we’d recommend prioritising.
Free Bets
The vast majority of wagers you place on football will use cash, delivered into your account either via real money deposits or winning bets. There is another way to bet on football though, and that’s by using free bets.
How it Works
To an extent, the term ‘free bet’ is self-explanatory. Rather than actually costing you any real money, football free bets are like virtual tokens. They can still be used as stakes when placing wagers, but – if that wager loses – you haven’t lost anything from your account balance. If it wins, you still get the profit as cash. In fact, the only major difference between free bets and real money bets is that, with the former, the stake won’t be returned with any winnings. Win a £5 wager at 2/1 with a free bet, for example, and you’ll return £10 (the profit), rather than £15.
How to Get
Basically, football free bets are pretty great. If they win, you make a profit; if they lose… you don’t lose anything. But, how do you actually go about getting them?
Many bookies nowadays hand them out as part of a welcome offer. You’ll begin by making some form of real money, qualifying bet. Then, when that settles, you’ll usually be given multiple free bets to spend. A common example is the ‘Bet £10, Get £30’ welcome offer, in which you bet £10 in cash, and unlock £30 in free bets.
Bookies also offer free bets as part of ongoing football betting promotions, with the most popular version being the ‘Free Bet Club’. These promotions ask you to place a certain number of real money bets during the week. Fulfil the requirements within a given week, and you’ll be rewarded with a free bet.
Best Football Free Bets From UK Bookies
Acca Offers
The acca might not be the smartest bet type out there, but it’s definitely one of the most popular! As such, a whole lot of football betting offers have sprung up specifically for accumulator fans.
How it Works
For the newcomers amongst you, an accumulator is one bet containing multiple selections. Each selection must win for the overall wager to win. They’re difficult to get right, but you can make major profits by doing so, making them the definition of a ‘high risk/high reward’ proposition.
Acca Insurance
For our money, the best accumulator offer is ‘Acca Insurance’. These deals give you insurance on one of the legs in your acca, meaning that – even if one selection loses – the bet will still win. That might not sound like a big deal, but it’s actually extremely valuable and gives you a much better chance of turning a profit.
Acca Boosts
Speaking of profits… let’s talk about ‘Acca Boosts’! These football betting offers are specifically designed to help boost your winnings. Typically, they’ll give you a percentage-based boost on your winnings, with that percentage increasing depending on the number of selections. You might get a 5% boost on a 4-folds, for example, then 10% on a 5-folds, 15% on a 6-folds, and so on.
Football Acca Offers From UK Bookies
*Significant Terms: This acca bonus is available to new and eligible bet365 customers, and is available from 11:59:59 UK Time 5 February 2020. It is valid for returns on pre-match accumulators of 3 or more...Show More
*Significant Terms: This acca bonus is available to new and eligible bet365 customers, and is available from 11:59:59 UK Time 5 February 2020. It is valid for returns on pre-match accumulators of 3 or more selections on the standard Full Time Results, Both Teams to Score, or Result/Both Teams to Score markets for selected leagues and competitions that bet365 has listed on the Soccer Accumulator Bonus promotion page. Bets that are placed on the Full Time Results – Enhanced Prices market are not included in this offer. £100,000 (or currency equivalent) is the maximum bonus that can be received. Placing bets with Bet Credits, Double Chance bets, or combination bets with bonuses like Lucky 15s or Lucky 31s, etc. will not apply to this offer. This bonus does not apply where a stake has been fully Cashed Out. Where a stake has been partially Cashed Out, the bonus will be calculated based on the remaining active stake. This bonus will apply where all selections within the bet have been marked as won and this has been Cashed Out for the entire return value. If your qualifying bet is edited with bet365’s Edit Bet feature, the bonus will be calculated based on the new stake. If the bet is edited to include or amend a selection for an applicable event that is In-Play, the bonus does not apply. Full T&Cs apply.Show Less
Enhanced Odds
You probably already know that bookmakers’ odds change over time. The starting odds are based on two main factors: probability, and competitors’ prices. This price will almost certainly fluctuate, though, based on how much action the market gets.
How it Works
Nowadays, many bookies like to artificially drive additional action on a market by using Enhanced Odds. These football betting promotions involve inflating the price on a particular bet, thus making it more appealing. If a market was 8/1 previously, for example, the bookie might bump the odds up to a tastier 10/1.
There are a couple of other key things to know about Enhanced Odds.
Firstly, they’re short-term deals. If a match is kicking off at 12:30pm, for example, the promotion might not go live until the morning of that day. This means you need to make some pretty speedy judgements as to whether or not a particular offer appeals to you.
Secondly, Enhanced Odds are normally applied to multiples bets, rather than singles. A common example would be ‘Team A to Win 2-0, and Player X to Score’. Naturally these are harder bets to win… but that’s another reason why you’re getting such a good price on them!
Best Enhaned Odds Offers from UK Bookies
Early Payouts
It goes without saying that, with most bets, you only collect your winnings when your bet has actually… won! That’s the way things have been done since sports gambling was invented, and is completely logical.
Well, Early Payout football betting offers change this completely. As the name suggests, these innovative promotions can pay out your winnings before the outcome has actually been decided.
How it Works
One of the best current examples of this offer is Bet365’s famous 2 Goals Ahead Early Payout deal. To qualify, all you need to do is place a regular, pre-match bet on one team to win. If your team goes up by two goals at any point in the match, your bet automatically wins, regardless of the final outcome. The offer applies to all the biggest club tournaments, including the Premier League and Champions League, and can be used for either singles or multiples.
SportNation’s First Five Payout promotion is another excellent example. It also involves you placing a pre-match 1/X/2 wager, but this time you’ll be paid out if your team scores within the first five minutes. Winnings are still paid in cash, and stakes of up to £250 are eligible.
Best Early Payout Offers from UK Bookies
*Significant terms: The 2 Goals Ahead Early Payout offer is available to eligible bet365 customers, including new customers. The offer applies to matches that are played up to and including 31 December 2021. If you place a bet on the Full Time Result, that bet will not apply to this offer. The offers also does not apply to stakes that have been fully Cashed Out. If you partially Cash Out your bet and your team goes 2 goals ahead, the bets will be settled on the remaining active stake. If you edit your qualifying bet using bet365’s Edit Bet before kick-off and your team goes 2 goals ahead, your bet will be settled on the new stake. Where you edited your bet to include or amend a selection for an event that is In-Play, the offer will not apply. Full T&Cs apply.Show Less
*Significant Terms: This offer is available to new and eligible bet365 customers. This offer is valid for...Show More
*Significant Terms: This offer is available to new and eligible bet365 customers. This offer is valid for pre-game single and multiple bets on the Money Line (2-Way) market for any NFL game up to and including Super Bowl LV – Saturday 7 December 2021. The NFL Early Payout offer does not apply if your stake has been fully Cashed Out. If your stake has been only partially Cashed Out, and your team goes 17 points ahead, your bet will be settled on your remaining active stake. If you use the Edit Bet feature to edit your qualifying bet prior to the game starting, and your team goes 17 points ahead, your bet will be settled on the new stake. If you edit your bet to include or amend a selection for an event that is In-Play, the NFL Early Payout offer will not apply. Full T&Cs apply.Show Less
Profit Boost
These football betting promotions work similarly to Enhanced Odds, in that they inflate the price on a certain market. The crucial difference with Profit Boosts, though, is that you are in control of which prices get boosted.
How it Works
The most common way to do this is by giving you tokens, to use as you see fit. Some bookies give these to you as a reward for completing a welcome offer or ongoing promotion. Others, like William Hill and Ladbrokes, simply give you one free Profit Boost token each day.
888sport are one of the best sportsbooks when it comes to Profit Boost tokens. They’re offered in a few different circumstances, with you either triggering a particular promotion or making a certain number of qualifying bets. Regardless of how you get them, they always give you excellent value, sometimes literally doubling the price you’re given on a market.
Betfred also have a fascinating take on Profit Boosts, with their Double Delight and Hat-trick Heaven offers. Both are activated when you place a First Goalscorer bet. If your chosen player scores not just one, but two or three goals, your odds will be doubled or even trebled accordingly.
Best Profit Boost Offers from UK Bookies
Free Bet Clubs
If you like to bet regularly, then it is well worth looking into so-called Free Bet Clubs. These reward your loyalty by offering bonuses on a regular, usually weekly, basis. Here are some of the top promotions of this type:
Paddy’s Rewards Club
Paddy Power have a VIP Club which provides punters with a Power Up each week to enhance the odds of a bet they fancy if you have one bet of £5 at minimum odds of 1/2 (1.50). If, over the course of a week, you place five bets of £5, then you receive a £5 free bet the following week. Put five bets of £10 on, and get a £10 free bet for the week after. The week runs from Monday to Sunday.
Betway Free Bet Club
The Free Bet Club with Betway is all about accumulators. Place £25 worth of those in the space of a week, and get two free bets of £5 each. Qualifying bets must contain at least three legs and have cumulative odds of 2/1 (3.00) or higher. Get your bets on before 23:59 UK time on Friday night to receive a £5 free bet on Saturday and another on Monday.
Sky Bet Club
Opt in to the Sky Bet Club and place £25 worth of bets before 23:59 on Sunday night to receive a £5 free bet for the following week. Your qualifying bets must be minimum odds of evens (2.0). Tote bets and cashed out wagers do not count towards clearing the weekly quota.
Football Offers From Top Bookies
By now, you should have a good feel for the types of football betting promotions which are available. Within each offer type, though, some versions are absolutely superior to others. Below, you’ll learn about some of the very best offers of the bunch, and where you can find them.
Ladbrokes
Ladbrokes are one of the oldest and most prestigious sportsbooks around, having been operating since 1886. Though they focused on horse racing for many decades, football betting has been a huge part of their modern-day success.
Ladbrokes Football Promotions
Perhaps Ladbrokes’ most useful current football offer is their Odds Boost (mentioned above). Each day, you’re given a fresh Odds Boost token to use on whichever football markets you please. There are no qualifying requirements whatsoever; you’re simply given it for… being a customer!
In addition, Ladbrokes offer some of the best Price Boosts around. Each day (or near enough), you’ll find some markets on which you can net some enticing boosted profits. On top of that, Ladbrokes also have Super Price Boosts, which take the odds even higher!
If you’re a newcomer to Ladbrokes, we’d absolutely recommend using their welcome offer to kick off your football betting. For a mere £5 bet at odds of 1/2 or greater, you’ll be given an excellent £20 in free bets, thus instantly quadrupling your spending power.
Betfred
Founded in 1967, Betfred certainly qualify as being a veteran bookmaker. And, given that the company was set up using winnings from an ‘England to Win the 1966 World Cup’ bet… it’s fair to say football is pretty important to them!
Betfred Football Promotions
We touched upon a couple of Betfred’s offers earlier, but both deserve a second mention. After all, Double Delight and Hat-trick Heaven really are two of the best Profit Boosts you’ll find. First Goalscorer bets can be tough to win, which is why they have relatively good odds in the first place. Both promotions drastically improve those odds, thus altering the risk/reward balance significantly in your favour.
Betfred also have an Acca Insurance deal in place. This applies to accumulators of five or more selections in all major competitions, and refunds your stake as a free bet – up to £10 – if just one selection loses.
Finally, Betfred have a classic ‘Bet X, Get Y’ welcome offer in place for new football bettors. In this case, you must bet £10 or more at evens or greater, and are rewarded for doing so with a hefty £30 in free bets.
888sport
888sport might not be as experienced as the past couple of bookies we’ve looked at, but they’re still absolutely one of the best options out there for football betting offers.
888Sport Football Promotions
Their welcome offer is similar to Betfred’s, and serves as a great way to launch into your football wagering. To trigger it, you must use the code ‘30F’ at the deposit stage, then bet at least £10 at minimum odds of 1/2. All football markets are eligible for this qualifying wager. Once you’ve placed it, you’ll be given a generous £30 in free bets… which can also be used on football!
888sport’s Win Win promotion is similar to a Profit Boost, in that it gives you a bonus on your winnings, and it’s also another great way to grab some football free bets. In short, if you win a bet of £10 or more, at odds of 4/1 or higher, you’ll be given a £5 free bet – in addition to your winnings – as an extra reward.
SportNation
Since relaunching their site in 2017, SportNation really has gone from strength to strength. They’re also incredibly dedicated to the beautiful game, as evidenced by both their sponsorship of National League side Solihull Moors, and their excellent range of football promotions.
SportNation Football Promotions
Arguably the most impressive of those is the Create A Bet Bonus. To qualify, simply place a wager using SportNation’s Bet Builder (more on those below), at minimum odds of 4/1 and with at least three legs. If it wins, you’ll be given a free bet equal to your stake, and this can be repeated once a week, every week.
SportNation also have an excellent take on the Free Bet Club. To enter it, you must bet £25 or more on doubles, at evens or higher, in a given week. Do so, and you’ll be credited with a £5 free bet, with this promotion also available once a week.
Last but not least is the Double Rewards promotion. Every time you place an in-play bet on the Premier League, either singles or doubles, you’ll be given reward points. Save up enough, and you’ll be able to exchange them for even more football free bets!
Bet365
Over the past two decades, Bet365 have gone from not even existing to being one of the biggest sportsbooks in Britain. Along with brilliant leadership and user-friendly features, their constantly engaging promotions have played a huge part in this.
bet365 Football Promotions
Their Open Account Offer is one of the best on the market right now for new football bettors. You can deposit anywhere from £5-100, and – once you’ve settled qualifying bets to that value – Bet365 will match the amount in the form of free bets. Whether you see this as a risk-free bet, or a way to double your spending power, it’s simply a fantastic promotion.
Following that, Bet365 have a few ongoing football betting promotions for their customers. We’ve already discussed the wonderful 2 Goals Ahead Early Payout Offer, but their Bore Draw Money Back promotion is another classic. It also applies to Match Winner bets, refunding your entire stake if your bet lost and the game finished 0-0.
Bet365 have their textbook Soccer Accumulator Bonus on offer too. You only need three selection in your acca to trigger a 5% bonus to your winnings, but four will get you 10%, six will give you 15%, and so on.
Bet Builders & Football
Superior prices are the main attraction for placing multiples over singles. Actually creating them, however, can be a bit of a pain. Sometimes that’s because a bookie’s interface isn’t intuitive, but it can also simply be difficult to know what selections to choose.
Bet Builders solve both problems. Most major sportsbooks have them nowadays – including Bet365, William Hill, and Ladbrokes – and they make it easier than ever before to stick down doubles, trebles, 4-folds, and so on. They are essentially tools that have been designed to help you craft your own football multiples bets.
Click ‘Bet Builder’ within a game’s markets, and you’ll immediately be shown the most popular bet types: Double Chance, Both Teams to Score, Half Time/Full Time, and so on. If you like the look of any odds, just click that selection to add it to your bet, and keep doing so until you’re happy with your multiples. Then simply set a stake, and place the bet as normal.
If you’re new to football betting, we’d recommend using Bet Builders immediately, rather than trying to create your multiples manually. Do make sure that you balance your risk and reward, though, scaling your stake to the probability of the bet actually winning.
Major Football Leagues & Competitions to Bet On
Football has now surpassed horse racing as the number one sport that people in the British Isles bet on. With so many matches on TV, it has never had a higher profile. These are the major football league and competitions that punters places bets on regularly:
Premier League
Since its formation in 1992, the Premier League has become arguably the biggest football brand in the world. TV rights are worth billions and it is now a truly global product. Many of the best players in the game sign for Premier League clubs. With 20 teams in the division, it is almost two competitions in one. While clubs at the top, backed by powerful and wealthy owners, battle it out for the title and European places, those outside of the English football elite scrap in a dogfight each season to avoid the dreaded drop. Those that finish in the bottom three are relegated out of the Premier League.
When it comes to betting on this, there are tons of markets both on matchday and outright for the campaign as a whole. Premier League betting offers are equally big business with so many to choose from before a ball is kicked and for live in-play action. You can bet on match results, the correct score, number of cards, corners, handicaps, goalscorers and assists, and that is just the tip of the iceberg. The way in which this wealth of betting markets has developed on the Premier League is remarkable and reflects its place in the nation’s heart.
EFL Championship
As the division below the Premier League, the EFL Championship can be even more competitive at times. This is a desperate scramble to earn promotion and the mega money that comes with it. Only the top two teams go up automatically, while the clubs that finish third to sixth during the regular season take on the lottery that is the Play-Offs. There are 24 teams in the EFL Championship with six sides going up or dropping out of the division every year. So many former Premier League clubs, some wealthier than others with the benefit of parachute payments if they came down recently. are in the second tier that many bettors often take a view on it.
You can bet on promotion, relegation, top six, top half and bottom half finishes in the EFL Championship, as well as who will win the division outright. This largely mirrors the Premier League season markets available, and it is a similar story on matchday. All the betting options you would expect are there. If you follow the EFL Championship closely, then you will like as not be able to find a wager or two to consider here.
UEFA Champions League
Europe’s elite football clubs clash every year in the UEFA Champions League. Usually speaking, the top four teams in the Premier League qualify for this competition. It’s a long journey through the qualifying rounds and play-offs for clubs from smaller countries on the continent. The group stage sees 32 teams split into eight pools of four with each side playing the others home and away, and the top two in each advancing to the knockout phase after a winter break. Those who come third drop into the UEFA Europa League. The Champions League is then single elimination through the last 16, quarter-finals and semis and at last the final with the European Cup on the line.
If you want to bet on this, then you need good knowledge of other leagues in Europe. Champions League football betting offers and markets are again similar to what you should get to the Premier League. Famous players at big European clubs like Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Juventus, PSG and Real Madrid may have specials featuring them. You can also back the continent’s best strikers to be top goalscorer in the Champions League proper with group and stage of elimination markets also popular.
EFL League One
The third tier of English football, EFL League One, is the division which undergoes the most change from season to season. Three teams are promoted, the top two automatically at the end of the regular campaign and then the last spot is up for grabs in the Play-Offs, while four sides are relegated. This means that seven clubs go up or down from this level at the end of the campaign. Some of the great teams of English football down the years, notably Nottingham Forest and Leeds United, dropped into this division in tougher times. If their experience proves anything, then it’s that this is a league that is more difficult to get out of at the right end than it seems.
There are still plenty of League One promotions and betting markets available with the bookies, but probably not as many as you would find with higher divisions. During international breaks when there is no Premier League, Championship or Champions League football, however, there is a greater spotlight focused on the third tier. You may find some more specials and additional markets to go with a similar outright and in-play offering to the other leagues in English football.
EFL League Two
Rounding out the four tiers of the EFL is League Two. Four teams are promoted, the top three at the end of the regular season automatically while those clubs that finish fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh go into the Play-Offs. Just two sides, the bottom two, are relegated out of this division and the EFL altogether. That means six clubs go up or down from League Two each and every season. The National League (best known as the Conference) is the tier below this into which those clubs who suffer relegation drop. Former Premier League teams Bradford City and Portsmouth sank right down to League Two level and that illustrates what can happen if a side falls on hard times.
Every Saturday, you can expect to find plenty of betting markets on this division. League 2 promotions may involve teams for an enhanced accumulator or, if it’s one of those rare weekends when there is an international break, a match from this level may even get on TV and have special treatment from bookmakers. Although a far cry from the Premier League, EFL League Two has lots going for it from a betting perspective if you study the form or know your stuff.
Football Offers Glossary
- Accumulator boost – You can sometimes get your accumulators or accas boosted, depending on the number of legs. Some bookies reward your courage with greater boosted winnings in accas with several teams in them.
- Accumulator insurance – If one leg of your acca lets you down, it’s good to know that some online bookmakers provide insurance with your stake refunded or a free bet on football as compensation.
- Early payout – On occasions when it is apparently clear that a result or outright bet is going to be a winner, then the bookies admit defeat. Early payouts see bets struck settled before the wager becomes a formality.
- Enhanced odds – Price boosts which increase the odds available are common football betting promotions. These will be better than the standard market and may have maximum stakes or other restrictions on them, such as no cashout option.
- Matched deposit – Quite simply, when you make a deposit to a sportsbook, you get bonuses which match the cash value. Remember, there will always be a ceiling on these.
- Minimum deposit – The smallest amount of money you can deposit in order to open an account or receive an offer.
- Maximum bonus/free bet – This is the greatest amount of bonus(es) you can receive through a betting offer.
- Qualifying bet – In order to unlock certain promotions, you may need to place a wager that meets certain conditions. This is called a qualifying bet and the restrictions may include a set minimum odds threshold or not cashing it out.
- Risk-free bet – Arguably, there’s no such thing but here this means a wager where you will receive stake back either as cash or a bonus if it doesn’t win.
- Rollover – Certain betting bonuses may not be eligible for withdrawal until you have played through a certain value. Such rollover or wagering requirements will be specified in the terms and conditions.
Football Betting Offers FAQs
Can you get free football bets with no deposit required?
These are rare, but yes. One of the best football betting offers is one that doesn’t require you to make a deposit.
What is the best site for football betting?
This depends on what you are looking for. Premier League betting offers are one thing, but if you bet on other football matches that may not appeal to you. This page contains a list of the best sites for football coupons and betting.
Which sportsbook has the best football betting offers?
The best football betting offers can be found on different sportsbooks, depending on which leagues and competitions that you like to bet on. Check this page out for all the leading betting sites.
Bottom Line
Whether you’re a complete newcomer to football betting, or you’ve got some experience in it, the sheer amount of choice within this field can seem overwhelming. There are simply so many bookies, promotions, and bet types out there that it’s hard to know where to start.
After reading this article, though, you should be able to attack your football betting with newfound clarity. Both welcoming and ongoing promotions provide enormous benefits to bettors, and you now know exactly which football betting offers to target, and where to find them. All that remains is for you to go out there, follow our instructions… and have fun!