ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT ONLINE FOOTBALL BETTING
When it comes to sports, Malaysians have a soft spot for football. We are active in participating and spectating football matches, no matter local or international. Just about a decade ago, our local football team knocked the nation’s socks off by bagging championship at a SEA (South East Asian) tournament. Since then, our passion for football skyrocketed.
When football season kicks off, so does our “mamak” session. Mamak stalls will set down a large projector screen at an open area, and very naturally, the place will be crammed with football enthusiasts who watch the matches intently over roti canai and teh tarik well into midnight. When a player scores a goal, the stall fills with roar and clamour.
Being a loyal spectator isn’t all that we do. To add a sense of thrill to the live matches, Malaysians also take part in football betting.
Football betting is part of online betting in Malaysia. It is predicting the result of a sports event and placing a bet on it, very straightforward. Here’s a fun fact – a total of RM4 million is spent on sports betting in Malaysia annually!
Sports Betting is not limited to football only, it covers a broad range of other activities such as basketball, volleyball, and the likes. For people that adore football, they anticipate the football season very much because that is when the betting reaches its peak. They can place bets on local matches like Liga Perdana, Malaysia Super League, Liga Semi-Pro Division 1, or, international matches like FIFA, Premier Leagues, UEFA and many more.
Online Betting 101
Sports Betting in Malaysia can be a little tricky because the Syariah law prohibits it. This is why we must only sports bet using an international sportsbook/bookie.
There are 3 ways we can place a bet with a bookie.
Telephone Betting Services
Bookmaking Shops
Placing a bet at a bookmaking shop might be a little inconvenient as it requires traveling but the process will not take much of your time. You only need to submit your betting slip to the counter together with your cash. You can check the odds either on the screen display or with the cashier.
If you win a bet, you can claim your pay out at the cashier upon showing your betting slip. You will be paid in cash if the amount is small, but the cashier might use other alternatives if your pay out is heftier.
A casino sportsbook is similar to a bookmaking shop, only it is more location-centric.
Online Bookmakers
An online betting site, otherwise known as an online bookmaker, is a staple in the betting industry. It is very accessible and contains dozens of sports and games which you can bet on. Before engaging in any betting site, remember to look up on its reputation and transaction currency and options! The hype over online betting is soaring and millions of betting enthusiasts use it. Let’s see what the craze is about!
Online betting is:
A) Convenient – you can make decisions literally at your fingertips. It is available on your everyday-electronic gadgets, which means you can bet anytime and anywhere (provided your device is equipped with internet access); there is no need to interact with anybody and you are in a safe space to bet without any external influences, and you don’t need to carry around with you heaps amount of cash, or withdraw when you are running low which can be risky. Convenience is the key reason why people switch to online betting.
B) Safe – All online betting sites must obtain the necessary licenses from official gaming and a government organization before the operation. Besides, they are regulated and supervised by 3rd party auditors. So, the concern about them running away or stealing your money is very unlikely. Plus, all personal data such as bank details and monetary transactions are encrypted, so there is no way it will be disclosed. They operate like a normal business, so, relax!
C) More generous with its odds and perks – Online betting sites always have higher odds and better lines. Besides, they offer perks like cashback on losses, direct extra funds, and rewards because they want YOU, and the existing customers to stay. You don’t get this anywhere else!
I can go on and on with the benefits, but is there still convincing to do?
Sports Betting Tips
Nobody is perfect.
This goes to say that even betting professionals make mistakes sometimes, and IT’S OKAY! You cannot learn all about sports betting overnight. It is a lot of trial and error, researching, losing, practicing and all the strenuous stuff before you can master it and taste the sweet taste of success.
If you are just learning about sports betting, chances are you will hit a roadblock most of the time. Don’t get frustrated though! Here’s a tip. Don’t make winning your goal, instead, take your time and focus on understanding the fundamentals of sports betting and strategies that you can use to improve your bets. Also, don’t be afraid of making mistakes. Making a wrong decision is the only way you can practice and get the hang of the game. Of course, this doesn’t mean you should bet blindly though.
On top of being patient, learn to watch your matches and try to get some football tips from avid football fans. This way, you can observe the way your favourite team or player performs on the field by looking at their forms, scores or styles of play. Also, keep track of roster changes or field injuries. Soon, you will learn to notice patterns that can give you better judgment and prediction on how a match will pan out, in return, increases your chances of winning a bet.
Other than spectating the matches, you can also read commentaries. These are in-depth football tips and opinions from sports experts and fans which could give you useful insights about a match.
Losing money when betting is inevitable. At times, you will lose more money than you win. Set yourself a budget and stick to it, and if you have maxed it, don’t continue or withdraw more money to hopefully win the losses back. Try your luck another time! This is also why you should never bite more than you can chew. The money you set aside is supposed to be money you are willing to burn, without expecting to win it back.
Sports betting is a long-term investment and it takes time to understand it inside and out. Always remember, don’t get too confident when you win, don’t get riled up when you lose.
Different Types of Bets
Now you know the way to place a bet and some tips to make the most out of your soccer betting, let’s learn about the different types of soccer bets! Understanding how each soccer bet works can be a useful guide for real-money betting as it helps maximize your bet.
- Full-time result – Predict whether the result at the end of normal time would be a draw, home win or away win.
- Soccer accumulator – Risky but has a high return! An accumulator is a bet on 4 or more combined bets. Some common accumulators are doubles (2 bets), trebles (3 bets), four-fold (4 bets), five-fold (5 bets) and six-fold (6 bets). If either one of the parts falls through, you lose the entire bet.
- Under/Over – You are to predict whether the total goals (at the end of normal time) by both teams will be over or below the goals quoted. The total is usually set to 2.5, but it varies! At times, you will see totals of 0.5, 1.5, 3.5 and 4.5.
- Correct Score – Predict the final score of a match at the end of normal time (extra time not included).
- Half time/full time – Predict if the result at half time and full time would be a draw, home win or away win.
- First goalscorer – Pick a player from either team who will score the first goal of the match.
- Final goalscorer – You guessed it right, it is the opposite of First Goalscorer. You need to pick a player from either team whom you think will score the last goal of the match.
- Draw no bet – Guess which team will bag champion for a match! If the result happens to be a draw, your bet will be refunded.
- Asian handicap – Designed to eliminate the chances of a draw in a match. The odds will be adjusted in such a way that either team will be given a virtual lead.
- Score cast – You need to predict the first player to score and the final score of the match (extra time not included). You only win if both predictions are correct.
- Money line – Also known as Match Odds. You can bet on 3 different outcomes; either for each team to win or a draw. Overtime and penalties time are not included.
- Single – A single bet is one of the easiest ones. You are placing a bet on one outcome/selection only. For instance, an outcome of which team will win a match.
Types of Sports Betting Odds
At this point, I am sure you are familiar with the term “the higher the odds, the better”. But what exactly are odds and how do they help you win?
Odds help calculate the pay out of a winning bet and display the likelihood of an outcome. Notice how when a person places a bet, he/she will be offered odds by a bookie. The higher the odds, the higher your chances are at winning which affects the amount you win. I will introduce to you 3 types of odds commonly used in Malaysia.
Decimal odds (aka European odds)
The odds are presented in decimals numbers and are multiplied with your bet. For instance, if you place a RM 10 bet at odds of 1.95, your winning amount is RM 19.50.
Fractional odds (aka British odds)
Another type of betting odds is known as fractional odds. The number above the line is the amount of money your bet will yield, and the number below the line is the amount you bet. Say, you bet RM 150 on Manchester United, then, your supposed net profit would be RM 100. If you win, not only do you get to retrieve your original bet of RM 150, you receive an additional RM 100 as your profit
10/15: RM 150 to win RM 100 = RM 250
Malay odds (aka Malaysian odds)
Sports betting in Malaysia commonly use this type of odds. They are split into positive and negative odds.
If the odds displayed are positive, multiply your stakes with the odds to get the profit. Say, the odds for teams Manchester and Chelsea to win are 0.90 (a positive). You place a stake of RM 50 on both teams. Here’s how you can calculate your profit:
RM 50 x 0.90 = RM 45
Your total return is RM 95 (add the amount from the initial stake with profit).
On the other hand, If the odds displayed are negative, divide your stakes instead. If Manchester has odds of -0.71 to beat Chelsea at odds of -0.43, and your stake is RM 200 on Manchester to win. Your profit is as such:
RM 200 / -0.71 = RM 281.69
Similarly, your total return would be RM 481.69 (initial stake plus profit).
Luck VS Sports Betting
Some people believe that clovers, acorns, and dreamcatchers are lucky charms that will bring them good luck when betting. Well, who knows? Because the truth is, online betting in Malaysia (or any other form of betting in any country) requires luck. Some days, you’re a cash magnet; the other days, you walk with a black cloud above your head.
But don’t let this be a killjoy! After all, Sports Betting has so much to offer that one or two times of bad luck shouldn’t leave a bad taste in your mouth. It is an everyday-entertainment with the potential to make money and learn a new spot. Some betting sites even offer football live stream so you can catch anticipated matches in real-time.
I hope that with this article, you can kickstart on your sports betting journey with an edge!
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