Soccer Betting In New Zealand
New Zealand itself does not have a national soccer league, although the sport is relatively popular. This means that punters from the islands mostly bet on international leagues such as the AFL or the English Premier League. As with all sports betting on soccer should be done with a knowledge of the game as well as the various wagers available to punters.
Recognising Value
All wagers have an odds and probability factor to them, and soccer is no different. The sport is slightly less complex to bet on as there are not as many pins scored in the game as other sports for example rugby. Being able to work out your own probability and odds on a game or a league however will go a long way to helping you become an expert in the soccer betting field. Of course there are online tipsters who offer their versions of odds for a game, but always take what other people have to say with a pinch of salt.
Once you are able to work out your own odds and probability you can work out which soccer bets have value, and which are simply not worth placing. For example, a win bet on a match between Manchester City and Crystal Palace would hold no value at all, as obviously Man City will come out of the match victorious.
Pick A League
There are a number of soccer leagues in the world which a New Zealand punter can place bets on. It is advisable however to stick to one league and get to know the teams and players in that league well. Specialisation is always a better plan than spreading yourself too thin, as it results in a sounder knowledge and ultimately more successful wagers.
Learn The Rules
Betting on soccer comes with its own set of rules which are mostly the same the world over. These rules can be found online on a number of betting sites so are easily accessible. Reading the rules and understanding them is very important when placing a bet on a soccer game or league, as failure to follow them may result in you losing your bet to a technicality.
Different Wagers
Although soccer is a much simpler game than say cricket, there are a number of different wagers which one can place both on the games themselves and on the players. Simple bets include such things as outright wins, or a head to head bet. Complex wagers can range from futures betting where you predict the outcome of a season before it has begun to handicaps or Asian handicaps.
Understanding Handicaps
Having a good grasp on handicaps and how they are applied to soccer teams can also make your wagering much more profitable. Handicap bets are often harder to predict than outright head to head or win bets, as they involve complex point systems. This is also known as a point spread and is imposed by the bookies themselves in order to level the playing field between the teams.
As with all sports betting, the more complex the bet and the harder it is to get right, the more profitable it can potentially be. Handicaps or point spreads can be one of the best bets to make when betting on soccer buy should not be undertaken without a sound knowledge of how they work.