Football tournaments can give you some of the most lucrative betting opportunities for sports fans all over the world. With massive international competitions like the FIFA World Cup, UEFA European Championship, and the Champions League, there are all sorts of ways to win big if you know what bets to place.
So, let’s take a look at some of the biggest paying football bets and strategies for getting the best possible returns.
Outright Winner Bets
One of the most popular options for tournaments, whether it’s World Cup betting or Champions League betting, is the outright winner bet – as it’s one of the highest-paying betting opportunities out there.
This basically involves putting a bet on which team you think will win the entire tournament. Because the odds are available for months – and sometimes even up to a year in advance, if you put an early bet on an underdog, it can lead to seriously massive payouts. So, for example, in the 2016 Euros, if you put an early bet on Portugal to win the tournament – at 16/1 odds you could have enjoyed seriously decent returns.
Getting a Big Payout
- Bet on a dark horse team that you think has solid potential.
- Think about hedging your bet as the tournament progresses.
- Look for early odds before any clear favourites start to emerge.
Top Goal Scorer – Golden Boot
Betting on who you think will be the top goal scorer is another way to try to land a solid payout. Players like Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, and Harry Kane have often been odds on favourites – but taking a risk on an underdog can lead to even bigger winnings. Since this bet is based on individual performance rather than the team as a whole, it can still be a solid option even if the team doesn’t win the tournament.
Getting a Big Payout:
- Look for a striker in a high-scoring team that’s got a relatively easy group stage draw.
- Think about each-way betting, which will pay out as long as your player finishes as one of the top scorers.
- Try to watch pre-tournament matches to look for the most in-form players.
Correct Score Bets
This is one of the highest-risk, highest-reward bet types. Trying to predict the exact score of a match often usually comes with odds of at least 10/1, depending on the teams involved. It might be difficult to predict, but a well-researched bet could lead to a massive payout.
Getting a Big Payout:
- Look at the head-to-head records between the two teams.
- Think about both the defensive and attacking strengths of both sides.
- Bet on the most likely results (e.g., 1-0, 2-1) rather than an extreme scoreline like 5-0.
Tournament Finalists & Group Winners
Another way to try to land a big win is by betting on who you think the tournament finalists will be. This simply involves trying to predict which two teams you think will make it to the final match. As well as this, betting on a group winner can also offer good odds, especially if it’s a balanced group where there is no clear favourite.
Getting a Big Payout:
- Look to see which teams have an easier path to the final.
- See what teams have performed consistently in past tournaments.
- Think about combining group winners into an accumulator for an even bigger payout.
Accumulator Bets
Accumulator bets basically combine more than one outcome into one big bet, which can massively increase the potential payout. For your bet to payout, all the selections need to win, so it’s pretty risky but a lot more rewarding. In a tournament accumulator, you could include things like group winners, top goal scorers, and match results into one big bet.
Getting a Big Payout:
- Keep your selections realistic and try not to add too many legs.
- Mix safe bets with a couple of higher-odds selections.
- Think about cashing out if most of your bets have won.
Underdog & Shock Result Bets
Football history is filled with underdog wins and shock results. Betting on an underdog, in either in a single match or even to win the whole tournament can lead to seriously huge payouts. For example – the 2016 Euros saw Iceland beating England at 25/1 odds… and Leicester City won the Premier League at odds 5000/1 .
Getting a Big Payout:
- Look for teams that have over-performed and done well in group stage matches.
- Think about betting on a surprise result in early tournament rounds.
So, there you have it! If you are thinking about placing a tournament bet and want the chance to win big, these are the bets you should go for.