Kick off your football betting in style by visiting the best bookmakers…

Known as the beautiful game, football is a global phenomenon.

Played around the world, it follows a simple set of rules which translate language barriers, making it one of the most universal games in existence.

The usual format is 11-aside, although 5-aside and 7-aside versions are also popular.

Most countries, however small or isolated, have at least some form of league system and a national team, which, in turn, allows for football betting.

With primitive footballs found in Ancient Egyptian tombs, as well as Ancient China, it seems people have been getting together for a kickabout for thousands of years.

However, football as we know it was born and bred in the UK, with the institution of the Football Association in 1863.

Having broken off from the rugby football association, the FA became the sports’ first governing body.

Britain’s love of football was immediate, and it’s reasonable to assume that football betting, in some form or another, has been around as long as the game itself.

Still, betting on football did not become legal until 1960, when the Betting and Gaming Act was passed, and betting shops began to pop up on highstreets across the UK.

The exception to the rule was the Pools.

Department store Littlewoods first offered pool betting, outside Old Trafford, in 1923. The Pools still exist but have changed a lot from those early days.

Today, football betting is as much a part of the game as wearing your club’s shirt or grabbing a pie or pint at half-time.

The English football season lasts from August until May, but with a plethora of football leagues and cups, both foreign and domestic, there is always a game being played somewhere, and you can always find some betting action.

Types of Football Bets:

The simplest way to bet on football is to predict win, lose or draw, but that is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the odds available.

For most football matches, you will be able to get prices on just about everything, from first and last goalscorer to the likelihood of a particular player being sent off.

In-play betting does what it says on the tin and allows you to place bets at any time during the game, right up until the final whistle.

Many bets also have a ‘CashOut’ feature, where you can decide to close your bet at the latest price offered to you.

With so many matches to bet on, the accumulator has become one of the most popular ways to play the odds.

Simply choose four or more eligible matches and place your bets on the final results. You can even get ‘acca insurance’ on some accumulators, in case one of your teams lets you down.

It’s not just matches you can bet on either.

Bookies love to run long odds on promotions, relegations, manager sackings and appointments. You can bet on the top goalscorer over the season or in a particular competition, such as the World Cup.

Finally, specials such as ‘Double Delight’ and ‘Hat-Trick Heaven’ help you to capitalise on an already successful bet, assuming your winning goalscorer scores more than one goal.