Betting on Soccer can sometimes be a low yield experience on account of the low odds that are a result of large talent imbalances in games. Take the upcoming world cup for example; in many preliminary games that pit a perennial favorite against a fringe team the contest will be a safe bet for the perennial favorite. Teams like Brazil, France or England playing a more borderline team such as the United States, Greece or Singapore will have little payout for the favorites. Teams that barely make it into the tournament rarely upset mainstays such as England and therefore betting on these games can prove to be fruitless.

Of course the optimistic soccer betting gambler will point out that taking long shots such as Cameroon, Paraguay or Honduras against a world soccer super power can pay huge dividends. But how often do upsets such as this happen in soccer? In other sports such as football, boxing and hockey long shots knocking off a contender are very common and can make the savvy bettor a great deal of money. However in soccer these upsets are few and far between. Going through the annals of great soccer upsets they tend to happen only once in every world cup. With forty-eight matches being played that is a very low percentage.

Of course if you can be the person who predicts that one big upset you will certainly enjoy a large payout. However the odds of predicting this outcome would be, you guessed it, forty eight to one. If you were to bet one hundred dollars on all forty eight games, the payout would obviously have to be a lot higher than forty-eight hundred to make it worth your while. Meaning it really is a needle in a hay stack situation. The more you know about the game of soccer, the more you know that picking an upset can be near impossible and akin to predicting where lightning will strike.

Even out of the worldcup betting in most league play predicting upsets can be a daunting task. Teams such as Manchester United, Arsenal and Real Madrid have got their reputations for a reason. They win, and win often. With this knowledge taking an underdog can be a real long shot. In other sports it is always possible for an upset to happen. With the longer schedules and smaller playing surfaces bad bounces, good days and freak luck can happen more in other sports than it can occur in soccer. The English Premiere League is rather predictable and as a result the bets can be affected. Of course with some of the mid-level teams you have a fighting chance with any selection but the large payouts are not always there.

While gambling and soccer will always go hand and hand, the largest action is generally found in the other more unpredictable sports. Be it in the World Cup where a few countries dominate, and if you are placing a bet you would be wise to pick one of these favorites at the low bet price provided, or in league play picking an upset is tough. A team upsetting the pack to win the whole World Cup is almost a wasted bet with the talent present in some countries. With the options available you’re best bet is going to be to stick to the games with an outcome in doubt rather than looking for long shots, pardon the pun.