How to Bet on Soccer
Soccer — or football, as the markets are often labelled — is comfortably the most popular sport to bet on in South Africa. From the PSL to the Premier League, La Liga and the Champions League, almost every fixture carries dozens of markets. This guide covers the ones worth knowing, how the odds price a match, and how to bet soccer without giving back your edge.
Start with the match-result market (1X2)
Every soccer bet builds on the 1X2 market — the result of the match in 90 minutes:
- 1 — the home team wins
- X — the match is drawn
- 2 — the away team wins
A draw is a real, priced outcome in soccer, which is what makes it different from most other sports. If you only ever learn one market, learn this one — most other soccer bets are variations on it.
The markets that actually matter
You don’t need all of them. These five cover the vast majority of sensible soccer bets:
| Market | You’re betting on | Good when |
|---|---|---|
| 1X2 | Home / Draw / Away | You have a clear view on the winner |
| Double Chance | Two of the three results (e.g. 1X) | You like a side but fear the draw |
| Draw No Bet | The winner; stake refunded on a draw | You want the favourite without draw risk |
| Over/Under 2.5 goals | Total goals above or below 2.5 | You read the game by tempo, not winner |
| BTTS | Both teams to score: Yes/No | Two attacking sides, or two leaky defences |
Double Chance and Draw No Bet are the underrated beginner markets: both trade a slice of payout for a meaningfully higher strike rate, which is exactly the trade a new punter should be making while learning.
How soccer odds price a match
Soccer odds are quoted as decimal odds in South Africa — the number is your total
return per R1. Odds of 2.10 on a home win return R210 on a R100 stake (R110 profit
plus your R100 back). Convert any price to the chance it implies with 1 ÷ odds: a
2.10 home win is roughly a 48% chance in the book’s eyes.
The draw is the key tell. In an evenly-matched fixture the draw is often priced around 3.20–3.50 (≈ 29–31%), and that probability has to come from somewhere — it suppresses both teams’ win prices. Reading the draw price tells you how close the book thinks the match is. For the full method, see soccer betting odds explained.
A simple, disciplined approach
- Bet singles while you learn. One match, one market. You’ll understand why a bet won or lost, which is how you actually improve.
- Pick the market to fit your read. A view on the winner → 1X2 or Double Chance. A view on how open the game is → Over/Under or BTTS.
- Shop the price. A few cents of odds compounds over a season. Take the best price available on the selection you’ve decided on.
- Set a budget first. Decide your stake before kickoff, never during the match.
When you’re ready to combine selections for a bigger return, read soccer accumulator betting first — the maths is not your friend, and it pays to know why before you build one.
Betting the PSL and the big leagues
The Betway Premiership (PSL) is well covered, and local knowledge is a genuine edge here: home advantage at altitude, congested derby weekends and squad rotation are things you can read better than a global pricing model. The PSL betting guide goes deeper on the league. For Europe, the same markets apply — just with deeper liquidity and tighter prices.
Frequently asked
What is the best soccer bet for beginners?
A single bet on the Double Chance market — backing a team to win or draw — is the gentlest start. It has a higher strike rate than backing an outright winner, which helps you learn how matches play out before taking on riskier markets.
What does 1X2 mean in soccer betting?
1X2 is the match-result market. '1' is the home win, 'X' is the draw, and '2' is the away win. It is the most common soccer bet and the one most odds are quoted around.
What is BTTS?
BTTS stands for 'both teams to score'. You bet Yes if you expect both sides to find the net, or No if you expect at least one clean sheet. It ignores who wins, which makes it popular for tight matches.
Can you bet on the PSL at Scorebet?
Yes — South Africa's Premier Soccer League (Betway Premiership) is covered alongside the major European leagues, with match-result, goals and player markets on each fixture.
Why is the draw priced so high in soccer when there are only three outcomes?
It isn't really high — it just looks it next to a one-in-three split. In a tight, evenly-matched game the draw is often the single most likely individual outcome, yet it's frequently priced around 3.20 to 3.50 because the two win prices have to share the rest of the book. Reading the draw price tells you how close the bookmaker thinks the match is, and a short draw is a clear signal of a tight game.
Does Draw No Bet just give you your stake back, or does it cost you something?
It costs you in the price. Draw No Bet removes the draw risk by refunding your stake if the game ends level, but you pay for that safety net with shorter odds than backing the team to win outright. It's a sensible trade on a narrow favourite you fancy but can't trust to avoid a stalemate — you're buying a higher strike rate at the cost of a smaller return when it lands.