Betting on soccer has become a popular activity for Nigerians and many others around the world. It’s a game that attracts diehard fans of the sport as well as those who love the element of luck and skill associated with sports betting. Despite this wave of popularity, many bettors have trouble placing consistently winning bets. This quick guide should help you hone your game and make you more likely to walk away a winner.

Finding Value and Knowing What That Means

Finding the right bets starts with understanding what makes certain odds more appealing than others. Value betting is a common strategy that requires you to really look at the different odds listed by sportsbooks and compare them to your own analysis. Regardless of what type of sports betting you’re doing, value betting can be used.

If one sportsbook has Germany as a strong winner against Nigeria in an upcoming match, but you know that Germany hasn’t been performing as well or there was a recent injury that could seriously affect their odds, you’ve just found a value bet. These bets aren’t sure things, but you’re looking for a string of bets where a small bet can make a big payout, helping you recoup your losses on other value bets that may not have gone your way.

You’re basically looking for sportsbooks that have misjudged a matchup. This strategy does require you to manage different accounts on different sites and a good bit of research. But if you were already researching the teams beforehand (which you should definitely be doing) then it’s just a little extra time spent comparing odds at different sites.

Learning Money Management

Before we talk about bankrolls, remember that the average Nigerian spent $15 USD each day on sports betting in 2023. That number is growing, and it is mainly due to social media influencers luring followers in with big wins of their own, which are few and far between. Keep a level head while betting, and don’t let your emotions control your betting behaviors.

While a great deal of sports betting requires you to be knowledgable and have a passion for the game, you can benefit just as much from learning how to manage your bankroll. Your bankroll is the money that you have set aside for betting. For some players, it can be 1000 Naira, while for others, it’s 100,000 Naira. Regardless, the point is, you can lose 100,000 Naira just as quickly as 1000 if you’re not careful.

Are you putting all of your eggs in one basket? Or are you separating them out? One large bet can easily halve or bankrupt your wallet, while dozens of small ones can shield you from having to hit up the ATM. The longer you stay in the game, the more bets you can place. Some players will only put 1% of their bankroll on any given bet. However, this percentage can change depending on the odds. You might be willing to put 5% on a very safe bet or .5% on a slightly riskier bet.

Try to bet so that you win the same amount on a win. If 1% of your bankroll is 100 Naira, then any win should net you 100 Naira, no more, no less. You can still adjust this number according to what you believe to be a value bet, but unless you have a history of wins built up it may be better to stick to safer methods at first.

Watch Every Game

For diehard Nigerian fans, this is an easy checkbox. For others, it can be a drag to do. The point is, you’re more likely to notice changes in team performance and coaching skills if you know the results of every game as well as how it played out. Even just having the game on in the background while you work or sit around can help.

For those who can’t dedicate that much time to watching football or simply don’t want to, download an app that gives you real-time updates and results. Watch highlight reels after the games are done to get a grasp on who was the star performer or if someone is routinely making big blunders.

Another great reason you should tune in to every match is to hear local commentators and other football pros. Humanity is a collective knowledge of information. Treat your sports betting the same way. Watch different channels or listen to different social media influencers to really cast a wide net. Then, take that information into account when making your own analysis. You’d be surprised how much you can learn and what you don’t notice yourself. The global sports analytics market is valued at close to $5bn USD, with estimates suggesting it will be over $32bn USD in 2032. If there’s that much money floating around, it must be doing something.

Wrap-up

Sports betting can be risky, but it doesn’t have to be. Use your brain, and avoid betting with your bleeding football fan heart. This will help you find value bets and manage your bankroll better, keeping you in the game longer. And remember—football is a great hobby. Sports betting should be adding to your experience with the hobby, not taking away from it. Watch every game and bet as much as you like, but when you start to feel angrier than usual at losses or have huge swaths of anxiety during PKs, it may be time to take a break.