Betting soccer 101: props and three-way lines

We all want to bet football—it's as American as apple pie. But unfortunately for us, football doesn't start for a few months. So in the meantime, why not bet fútbol?

Soccer gets a bad rap in the United States and I'm not sure why. It could be our failings on the national level, confusion on tactics and rules, lack of television time, or maybe all of the above, but it's a fascinating sport to wager on. And throughout the rest of the world, it is by far the most popular. So what does the rest of the world know that Americans don't?

For starters they understand three-way lines, Asian handicaps and props. Luckily for us BetAmerica does too, because it provides plenty of betting opportunities for a sport that always has games to bet on. Just last week for the UEFA Nations League match between Portugal and Switzerland, for instance, 180 different markets/betting opportunities were being offered. If you like Super Bowl prop betting, this has to pique your interest. You enjoyed betting on how many catches Julian Edelman had? Now bet on how many corner kicks Brazil takes throughout an entire game. It's equally entertaining.

A three-way line allows for ties (draws). This creates markets that look very different from what many American sports bettors are accustomed to. A favorite might be paying plus money to win the game, because there are three betting options.

With an Asian handicap, the effective equivalent of a spread is applied to the game to create a two-way line. Your singular wager is essentially split between two wagers. If a team is +1/+1.5 and you bet $1000, $500 is on +1 (you push if they lose by one), and the other $500 is on +1.5 (you win if they lose by one). Lose by two and you might need to donate plasma again. But tie the game, and you win $1,000!

Major League Soccer is in full swing these days, but there are plenty of international events and matches taking place as well, so check out the markets and have some fun. You just might fall in love with it by the time English Premier League rolls back around this fall. Best of luck and enjoy the games.