The smallest of margins typically determine whether a side wins or loses a major final, and that is often the case with betting, too.

Sometimes, it is easy to pick the winning team in a fixture, but the bookmakers have also noticed that which means we will be faced with the problem of backing something else to increase the possibility of returning more money.

While people do stick with the easy calls and focus on building up their income

, research and reading analysis can

help find trends that you can take advantage of.

Here, you will be able to find a more specific market with more competitive odds than the 1X2 market.

These online casino markets are a brilliant way of finding value in the betting odds and subsequently lead punters to find odds that bookmakers could be priced too high, ultimately being the best way to beat the bookie.

It can also be used to increase the odds of success when playing Fantasy Premier League.

While it can be done, it certainly isn’t easy.

It is a matter of how much time you, the punter, are willing to put aside to find the best bet.

A lot of this time will be spent reading the analysis of past games over recent weeks, the head-to-head results and looking at any stat that could be beneficial to your bet.

In short, the more information that you get, the better it is for you.

Information

While it goes without saying that you should bet on the sport that you’re most passionate about, this purely isn’t enough.

The knowledge of a general fan of football will, of course, know a lot, but vital information about betting markets, such as the average number of corners or passes that their team is making, won’t be known off the top of your head.

Statistics and analysis can allow you to find mistakes in the bookies’ odds and help you find value bets to beat them.

This information will need to be researched, and then you can use it in a bet that you’re thinking of placing.

It’s no use thinking to yourself that you know the team you’re betting on passes the ball a lot; you should know the numbers.

The number of passes they make per game, the pass completion rate, and how much of the ball one team has compared to their rivals.

It isn’t worth taking a chance on it; instead, it’s better to back up your hypothesis with facts and figures to justify your means.

Markets

If a team at the top of the Premier League faces off against the team at the bottom of the division, then it is unlikely that the bookmakers will give competitive odds since the team at the top is a banker.

Punters should be aware of this, and instead of opting for the 1X2 markets, the analysis could point to a smarter bet.

The form of both teams should be considered, the past records in the head-to-head should also be considered, and the latest injury and suspension news is vital.

Should the team that is heavily odds-on be without two of its key goalscorers and have failed to win by two clear goals against the underdog, then it could be essential to take advantage of the handicap markets to maximise the amount that you could win.

This could either be solved by giving the favoured team a minus handicap or by giving the underdog a one—or two-goal head start.

Sources

It is essential to research the factors we have discussed, but all that effort would be in vain unless you are looking in the right place.

Looking for the latest injury news on an outdated website will mean that you could be running the risk of placing your wager only to find out that the player you believed was injured or suspended was no longer ineligible to play.

The best sources to find relevant information include:

  • Official social media accounts of teams.
  • Official websites of teams.
  • Reliable news websites such as Sky Sports, BBC and ESPN.
  • Governing bodies such as The FA.

However, it is also worth looking at online forums for information that won’t be widely reported on.

While this news could be accurate, it also needs to be taken at face value and not treated like a stone-cold fact.

Should you be smart about your research, then bookmakers will be quaking in their boots.

Patterns

It’s all well and good doing all the research, but reading the information you have found could be tricky.

There could be links between teams’ high possession rates and outscoring their opponents or even a team’s slow start to the season.

The latter of which should be examined further.

Do the team have a track record of starting the season slowly?

Or could it purely be down to the schedule that they have had to overcome in this particular season? These are both vital questions that should be asked before placing the bet.

If the answer to those questions is that the team started the previous season with seven points out of a possible nine, then it is worth considering that the fixture list this season hasn’t been as generous.

It is smart to continue asking questions about all the research you have until you no longer have questions and instead have all the answers.

Planning

Like everything in life, if you don’t plan, there will be no structure to what you’re trying to achieve.

It’s wise to be thorough with your research, but you need to ensure that you aren’t spending hours on just one possible avenue for a bet.

There are crucial questions that you should ask before starting:

  • Which sources am I going to use?
  • The factors that I am going to consider.
  • How much time am I going to spend looking at research and analysis?
  • When will I do the research?
  • How much information do I need for each factor?

But most importantly, remember that it is about quality and not quantity.

Should you do the proper research, then winning money from the bookmakers in football betting would be worth all the time that you have spent on the research process.

You’re putting in the time before the game, so you can enjoy the winnings after making smarter bets.