Top 3 Most Popular Type of Football Bet Updated for January 2026

Updated: 8th January 2026

It does not seem all that long ago that the type of football bet that bookmakers would accept was a treble.

However, a huge increase in the number of live games covered on television and radio allayed the layers` fears of match fixing and allowed for betting on single fixtures.

Coupled with the rise of the online bookmaking firms, this has lead to a great rise in the popularity of football betting.

The obvious bet of a single wager on a football match for it to be either a home win, draw or away win ranks as the most popular. Let's look at the other types of bets that punters use and rank in our top 3 below.

Punters' Favourite 3 Type of Football Bet

High demand has seen the introduction of a vast range of football bets. Some of the most popular are discussed below:

1. Betting on a Single Result

Newcomers to football betting often remark that the odds offered appear generous. Take this example Germany at 5/6 to beat Portugal (7/2) in a European Championship game.

The important thing to note here and often overlooked by novices, is that the draw is also priced up (around 12/5, in this example).

So a bet on either side to win, in this market, is lost if the game is drawn.

Seemingly obvious, but you`d be surprised. Also noteworthy is that betting applies to 90 minutes play only. Extra-time and penalties not counting.

2. Betting Without the Draw

Late equalisers are a cause of great frustration to football punters.

Many an enjoyable Saturday afternoon has be ruined by an injury-time goal that denies a big pay out.

This has seen a rise in popularity of forms of betting that eliminate the drawn game from the match “equation.” A “Draw, No Bet” type of football bet is exactly what it says.

The stake refunded on a drawn game, or treated as a non-runner in a multiple bet.

Prices are shorter than 1-2-X betting, for example, the Germany-Portugal tie may well be priced up as 4/11 Germany and 2/1 Portugal.

3. Asian Handicap Betting

In “Asian Handicap” betting, the side considered the weaker of the pair receives a head start of a fractional number of goals.

So that when the handicap is taken into account, the game cannot be drawn.

For the Germany-Portugal example, a reasonable Asian handicap would be Germany -0.5 goals, Portugal +0.5 goals, with both sides priced at 10/11.

As well as betting on the outright result, there are numerous betting opportunities on all aspects of a match.

A quick look at a leading UK bookmakers reveals 150+ different types of football bet relating to the Germany-Portugal Euro  encounter, over and above those already mentioned.

These include the correct score after 90 minutes. Numbers of goals, corners, throw-ins and yellow / red cards, goal scorers.

Shirt numbers, keeping a clean sheet, having a penalty awarded and many others.

This massive range of available bets can greatly increase the enjoyment derived from watching a live game. This is especially true if realising a profit via free football betting sites bonus offers.

Top Football Bookmakers

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