How to Predict Winners in Football: Tips & Tricks

Apart from being the most popular sport on the planet, football is also the sport that has the highest betting volume.

Each day, punters from all over the world, stake millions on their favorite football teams in hopes of a big payday.

And while most of the occasional football punters are so-called “feel” players that place bets subjectively, there are also bettors who have a more methodical approach.

Today we break down the top strategies that help seasoned bettors make money with online sports betting in Africa and worldwide.

Insider Information

We will start from the one that is the hardest to accomplish and that is getting insider information from the players, coaches, staff, or someone else closely connected to the football club.

While it is hard to keep information secret in this day and age, getting it on time can be equally important.

Punters with insider information have the luxury of placing bets on matches with incorrect odds before the bookmakers have the opportunity to adjust them.

Insider information can be anything from player injuries to the state of the pitch.

Seasoned punters can make small fortunes on this information, while less experienced bettors can be happy if they turn a profit.

This is because it is very important to know how and if the data has an impact on the match at all.

Research

Doing proper research on football teams before placing wagers is one of the easiest ways to make good bets.

However, because it requires a lot of time or because the bettors are just lazy, not a lot of punters research the teams they are betting on.

This is one of the reasons why only 3 to 5 percent of punters are profitable.

Research allows you to take a bigger number of matches and work your way down to the one or two that are interesting and profitable enough for you to place a bet.

how to predict football winners

This preparation includes researching the form of the teams, injuries and potential suspensions, home and away trends, and previous matches between the teams.

These are some of the main things you should be looking into. However, during your research, you will often cross paths with some other data that might be valuable, so keep your eyes open.

The Internet

Bookmakers use the power of technology to create and adjust betting odds in a matter of minutes, and the only way to keep up with them is to use the power of the internet yourself.

This means becoming a part of online forums, groups, and sites in which other bettors exchange information to gain an edge over the bookies.

This is a long process, so don’t expect to get good information and advice from the first group you join, and treat everything you get your hands on with a grain of salt.

Do not place bets using the information from these sources until you are sure that they are viable.

The last thing you want to do is use your hard-earned money to place bets based on fake information.

However, as you will find out, there are a lot of good sources on the internet; they are just not as easy to find as the bad ones.

Statistical Models

You have probably heard that many successful football bettors use independent statistical models to predict football, find value and place good bets.

Although each of these models is different, almost all of them use statistical data about the teams, players, coaches, and even weather to make the most statistically correct prediction.

Creating these models takes a lot of time, and it is safe to say that most bettors don’t have the time, resources, or knowledge to do something like this.

predicting football winners

So, one of the ways you can use these models without building them yourselves is to find a reputable online site that bases their picks on this method.

In most cases, these predictions will not be free, because people want to get paid for their hard work and they are not willing to share their knowledge for free.

Just like with the forums, sites, and groups, you need to be extra careful with these predictions until you confirm that they are viable.

Don’t buy a few picks and put all your money on them hoping you will make a big score with a bookmaker. Stay patient and try to be as sure as you can possibly be.