Football Betting Guide: How to Bet on Soccer in Australia

Football betting in Australia covers more matches than any other sport, from the A-League and the Australia Cup at home to the Premier League and Champions League overnight. This guide explains every main soccer betting market, how to read the odds, how to place a bet and how to avoid the mistakes that cost beginners money.

Football Betting Markets Explained

Australian bookmakers price dozens of markets on every major football match. These are the ones worth knowing.

Head to head (match result): Back the home team, the draw or the away team. Football is a three-way market, so the draw is a result in its own right, and a bet on either team loses if the match is drawn.

Draw no bet: Back a team to win, with your stake refunded if the match is drawn. The price is shorter than head to head because one losing outcome is removed.

Double chance: Cover two of the three results in one bet: home or draw, away or draw, or either team to win.

Line and Asian handicap: One team starts with a goal head start. If Sydney FC are -1.5, they must win by two or more goals. If their opponents are +1.5, they can lose by one and the bet still wins. Half-goal lines remove the draw, while whole and quarter lines (such as -1 or -0.75) can produce a full or partial refund.

Total goals (over/under): Bet on whether the match will finish over or under a set number of goals, such as 2.5. The result does not matter, only the number of goals.

Both teams to score (BTTS): Back each team to score at least once, or back at least one side to keep a clean sheet.

Correct score: Pick the exact final score. It pays well because it is hard to land.

Half-time/full-time: Pick the leader at half-time and the result at full-time, such as draw/home.

Goalscorer markets: First, last and anytime goalscorer. Strikers are the shortest prices, while defenders who attack set pieces can offer value.

Cards and corners: Over/under markets on total bookings and corners, popular in derbies and big European ties.

Same game multi (SGM): Combine several markets from one match, such as a result, total goals and a goalscorer, into one bet. See our same game multi guide.

Outright Football Betting

Outright (futures) markets run all season and pay out at the end of it, so the price you take matters more than when you bet. The earlier you back a team, the bigger the odds, but the longer your money is tied up.

League winner: Back the champion. In the A-League there are two titles: the Premiers Plate for finishing first, and the Championship decided by the finals series.

Top four, top six and top ten: Back a team to finish inside a band of the table. It does not matter where, so these markets suit punters who rate a team without trusting it to win the league.

Relegation and to finish bottom: Back a team to go down, or to finish last. Relegation treble bets ask you to name all three relegated sides for a much bigger price. The A-League has no relegation, so its version is the wooden spoon.

Top goalscorer: Back the Golden Boot winner. Prices shorten fast once the goals start, so this market rewards an early bet.

How to Read Football Odds

Australian bookmakers display decimal odds, which show the total return per $1 including your stake. A $10 bet at $2.50 returns $25, a $15 profit. Divide 1 by the decimal price to get the implied chance: $2.50 is 40%.

You will still see fractional odds quoted in British coverage. To convert, divide the first number by the second and add 1:

Fractional	Decimal	$10 bet returns
Evens (1/1)	$2.00	$20
2/1	$3.00	$30
3/1	$4.00	$40
5/1	$6.00	$60
10/1	$11.00	$110

The longest odds in football history show why outright markets attract patient punters: Leicester City were 5000/1 ($5,001) to win the 2015/16 Premier League, and won it.

How to Place a Football Bet

Step 1: Choose a licensed Australian bookmaker. We recommend Picklebet, Dabble, Neds, Ladbrokes or bet365.

Step 2: Register and verify your identity. You must be 18 or over.

Step 3: Deposit funds and set a deposit limit.

Step 4: Open the soccer section, choose the competition, the match and the market.

Step 5: Add your selection to the bet slip, enter your stake and confirm before kick-off.

Which Football Competitions Can You Bet On?

Competition	When	Our coverage
A-League Men	October to June. The 2026/27 season starts on Friday 16 October 2026 with the Sydney Derby.	Round-by-round predictions and fixtures
Premier League	August to May, 20 clubs and 380 matches.	Tips, title odds and Golden Boot
Champions League	September to the final in late May or early June, starting with a 36-club league phase.	Tips and winner odds
Australia Cup	July to October, a knockout open to A-League and state league clubs.	Round-by-round tips
Socceroos	Qualifiers, friendlies and tournaments through the year.	Match tips and squad news
World Cup	Every four years. Spain won the 2026 edition in North America.	Full 2026 archive

Matches in Europe kick off overnight in Australia, mostly between 11pm and 7am AEDT, so set your bets before you go to bed.

Football Betting Tips for Beginners

Respect the draw: Around a quarter of top-flight matches finish level. If you fancy a team but not strongly, draw no bet or a +0.5 line protects you.

Check team news: Starting line-ups are usually confirmed about an hour before kick-off. A rested striker changes the goalscorer and total goals markets.

Watch the schedule: Clubs playing in Europe midweek often rotate at the weekend, and A-League sides travelling to or from New Zealand can tire late in a match.

Shop for the best price: Odds differ between bookmakers, especially in goalscorer and corner markets, so compare before you bet.

Set a budget: Decide what you can afford to lose each week, stick to it and never chase losses.

Live Football Betting in Australia

Online in-play betting is banned under the Interactive Gambling Act, so bookmaker apps and websites suspend match markets at kick-off. Live betting is allowed by phone, and most major bookmakers take in-play bets on football that way.

Best Bookmakers for Football Betting

• Picklebet
• Dabble
• Neds
• Ladbrokes
• bet365

For full reviews and sign-up offers, see our best soccer betting sites guide.

Football Betting Guide FAQs

What is the best bet on football?

There is no single best bet. Head to head is the simplest, but in a lopsided match the line (Asian handicap) or the over/under total usually offers a better price than backing a short favourite. Our free football multi tips and soccer tips show which markets we are using each week.

Does a draw count in head to head football betting?

Yes. Football match betting is three-way: home win, draw or away win. If you back a team to win and the match is drawn, the bet loses. Draw no bet and double chance markets cover the draw for a shorter price.

What does BTTS mean in football betting?

BTTS stands for both teams to score. The bet wins if each team scores at least once, whatever the result.

What is Asian handicap betting?

Asian handicap gives one team a goal start, such as -1.5 or +0.5, which removes the draw. Quarter lines like -0.75 split your stake across two handicaps, so half the bet can win or be refunded.

Can you bet live on football in Australia?

Yes, but only by phone. Online in-play betting is banned under the Interactive Gambling Act, so bookmaker apps and websites close their markets at kick-off. Most major bookmakers take live bets over the phone.

What do 2/1 and 3/1 odds mean in Australia?

Australian bookmakers show decimal odds, which include your stake. Fractional 2/1 is $3.00 in decimal odds and 3/1 is $4.00, so a $10 bet at $4.00 returns $40.

Where can I find free football tips today?

BettingPro publishes free tips for the A-League, Premier League, Champions League, Australia Cup and the Socceroos on our soccer tips hub, plus a weekly football multi.

Best Football (Soccer) Bookmakers in Australia

Looking for the best bookmakers to bet on football (soccer)? Our top-rated Australian bookmakers for football (soccer) betting are Picklebet, Dabble, Neds, Ladbrokes and bet365.

For our latest soccer tips and predictions, visit our soccer tips hub. Looking for the best football (soccer) betting sites? Check our betting sites guide. For same game multi tips, visit our SGM tips page.

Responsible gambling: Gamble responsibly. For free and confidential support call Gambling Help on 1800 858 858 or visit gamblinghelponline.org.au. 18+ only.