How To Bet On The Premier League

Premier League betting continues to grow year after year, with millions of pounds bet across the world each weekend of the season. As one of the world’s most competitive football leagues, betting on the Premier League presents its own unique challenges to both novice and serious football bettors alike. Our detailed How To Bet On The Premier League guide will show you how to improve your betting on the top flight of English football this season.

Premier League Betting: An Introduction

The English Premier League is the top tier of English football and is the most popular league to watch across the globe, regularly broadcasting to over 4 billion people worldwide. As such Premier League betting is also extremely popular with more Premier League bets placed each season than Germany’s Bundesliga and Italy’s Serie A combined.

In the bettingexpert How To Bet On The Premier League guide, we’re going to discuss in detail how to bet on England’s top division.

Contents

1. How The Premier League Works

The Premier League, sometimes referred to as the EPL or English Premier League outside of the United Kingdom, consists of 20 teams who play each other twice over the course of one season, once at home and once away, meaning each side plays 38 Premier League games per season. The season typically runs from August through to May.

Premier League Champions and European Qualification

The team that finishes with the most points after 38 games become Premier League Champions. The top four teams qualify for the most prestigious European club competition, the Champions League, the following season.

Fifth place earns a spot in the second continental club competition, the Europa League, for the following season. Depending on teams’ success in the domestic as well as continental cup competitions throughout the season, teams who finish in Sixth and Seventh position can also qualify for a Europa League place.

Winners of the English domestic cup competitions the FA Cup and the League Cup are guaranteed spots in the Europa League, but if the winner(s) of these Cups finish in the top four of the Premier League they enter the Champions League, and their Europa League spot(s) is given to the next highest-finishing team who is not already guaranteed a spot in a European competition.

Premier League Relegation

Positions 18, 19 and 20 make up what is known as the ‘relegation zone’. The three sides who finish in these positions after their 38 games are relegated to the second tier of English football, currently known as The Championship. Their places are taken by the two teams who finish First and Second in the Championship that season, and the winners of the Championship Play-Offs, competed for by the four sides that finish 3^rd to 6^th place in the division.

2. The History Of Premier League Football

The English Premier League was formed in 1992 after the clubs competing in the English First Division broke away from the Football League. This led to the Premier League operating one of the four professional English leagues and the Football League continuing to operate the other three. The top division became the Premier League, the second division became Football League Division One, the third Football League Division Two and the fourth Football League Division Three.

Due to sponsorship, the Premier League football has had different titles since its inception. It began life as the FA Premier League and was then known as the FA Carling Premiership from 1993/1994 until 2001. Barclaycard then became the top league’s sponsor until 2004, then in 2007 the league was rebranded again and became known as the Barclays Premier League. This name lasted until the 2016/2017 season when the league became known simply as the Premier League.

Premiership football began life as a 24 team league. This was reduced to 20 for the 1994-1995 season and has remained with the same number of teams competing ever since. Altogether, (as of the 2015/2016 season) there has been 47 teams who have spent at least one season playing Premiership football in England’s top flight, and in total six teams have been crowned Premier League Champions. These are:

• Manchester United (13 times Champions)
• Manchester City (6)
• Chelsea (5)
• Arsenal (3)
• Leicester City. (1)
• Blackburn Rovers (1)
• Liverpool (1)

Almost every side to have competed in the Premier League have been English-based, with Swansea City becoming the first non-English club to play Premier League football when they were promoted in 2011. They were joined by their Welsh rivals Cardiff City in 2013, but were relegated a season later.

Premier League Champions

*denotes the Premier League title won on goal difference 

3. Premier League Odds Explained

Understanding Premier League odds and the various betting markets available is important for betting on the Premier League. Bookmakers offer odds on almost everything when it comes to Premier League football, with betting markets ranging from what we call outright bets (a bet that is placed on the outcome of a whole league or tournament) such as Title Winners and Top Four Finishers, to betting on individual Premier League games like Asian Handicaps and Both Teams To Score bets.

Premier League Odds For Individual Matches

There are dozens of bet types covering outcomes for individual Premier League games. The most popular of these include:

• Match Result 1X2: Selecting the result (Home win, Draw, Away win) at the end of 90 minutes plus added time.
• Asian Handicap: Selecting the winner with each competing team carrying a goals handicap.
• Goal Total Over/Under: Selecting either over or under a specified number of goals.

For a comprehensive list and detailed descriptions of football bet types, please read our How To Bet On Football – Football Bets Explained guide.

Premier League Title Odds

Every bookmaker offers odds for each Premier League club to win the Premier League title. Commonly referred to as Premier League title odds, this market is available before and throughout the season. Most famously, Leicester City were 5001.00 to win the Premier League title before the 2015/2016 season began and indeed went on to become Premier League champions in one of the biggest Premier League shocks of all time. Reports suggest it cost British bookmakers £25 million, the biggest loss for bookies in British history on a single sports market.

Odds to win the Premier League vary with different bookmakers. It’s important to shop around for the best odds available on a given betting market. And Premier League outright winner betting is no different. To ensure you are getting the best odds on your selection, it’s a good idea to use an odds comparison site.

Odds on a particular team winning the Premier League title fluctuate over the course of a season, depending on a team’s performance and standing in the league table as the season progresses. Premier League winner odds also depend on change of manager, injuries to key players, new signings and so on. Anything that dictates how a team performs also dictates the odds that bookmakers will offer.

Some bookmakers offer Premier League winner each-way betting odds. Using the example above, we can see that each way terms are1/5 odds on teams to finish in the top 3 of the league, In this instance if we were to bet on Tottenham £20 each-way, we would be betting £20 on them to win the Premier League at odds of 10.0 and £20 on them to finish in the top 3 at 1/5 the odds of 10.0.

Each way odds are calculated as:

((Each way terms) of (winner odds – 1)) +1

So in this example, our each way odds for Tottenham would be:

(1/5 of (10.0 – 1) +1

(1/5 of 9.0) +1

1.80 + 1

2.80

So our £20 each way on Tottenham, is essentially two bets:

£20 on Tottenham to win the Premier League at odds of 10.0

£20 on Tottenham to finish top 3 at odds of 2.80

One of the reasons that Premier League outright betting is so popular is the ability to trade in and out of the market throughout the season. For example, a particular club may have a difficult schedule first month or so. In this instance, you may look to wait until after that opening run of fixtures as a run of poor results will see that club’s odds drift. On the other hand, a club may have an easy run of opening fixtures. In this case you may look to bet early as their odds are likely to shorten after a run of early victories.

Premier League Top 4 Odds

The Premier League Top 4 race keeps viewers watching to the last game of the season, regardless of whether the title and relegation places have been decided already. The top four Premier League places are significant as they dictate which teams will be playing in the Champions League the season after, which not only adds prestige to that particular club but also offers huge financial rewards.

Premier League top 4 odds is a huge betting market. The most common way to bet on this market is to pick one side to finish in the Top 4, though you can also place what is known as an exacta bet where you must correctly predict each of the teams to finish in the Premier League top 4 this season.

Positional finish betting isn’t limited to just the top 4. You can also bet on the following markets:

• Premier League Top 2 Odds
• Premier League Top 6 Odds
• Premier League Top 10 Odds
• Premier League Bottom 10 Odds
• Premier League Not To Finish Top 4 Odds
• Premier League Not To Finish Top 6 Odds
• Premier League To Finish Bottom Odds
• Premier League Top At Christmas Odds
• Premier League Bottom At Christmas Odds

Premier League Relegation Odds

Betting on which sides will finish in the Premier League bottom three is another favourite for many bettors. As with League Winner and Top Four Finisher bets, Premier League relegation odds are available in this market before and during a season, with the odds fluctuating as the season progresses depending on a team’s position in the table.

Premier League relegation odds aren’t limited to the clubs that will go down to the Championship. You can also bet on whether or not a club will remain in the Premier League. This market is typically referred to To Will Stay Up.

Premier League Points Handicap Odds

This is an always popular and extremely intriguing market whereby each club in the Premier League is given a points handicap. Typically the club that is favourite to win the league is given mark of 0 (scratch) all the way down to the relegation candidates who are usually around the +40 points mark.

As you can see, each club is given a handicap so as to create an even race of sorts. At the completion of the season, each club has their points total added to their handicap, with the club totally the highest numer of total combined points, winning the market. It’s a particularly interesting market for those bettors who feel able to identify less publicised clubs that are due to over perform in the coming season.

Premier League Top Goalscorer Odds

Betting on the Premier League Top Goalscorer is a favoured market. Like other Outright Markets, you can bet on who will finish the season as the Premier League’s Top Goalscorer at the start of and throughout the season. 

Many bookmakers also offer odds of which player will be the top goalscorer at their club. This can prove to be a benefit for bettors who have a deep knowledge of the league particularly those clubs that are expected to finish in the lower half of the league table. Many bettors can make an educated guess as to who will finish top goalscorer for Manchester City or Arsenal. But how many can assess who will finish top goalscorer for the likes of Bournemouth or Burnley?

Premier League Top Goalscorers Season By Season

4. How To Bet On The Premier League

When betting on the Premier League, there are a number of things you can do to improve your wagering. Most of these apply to football betting regardless of what league, division or tournament your are placing bets on . The most important of these include:

• Bet only when there is value
• Specialise in certain markets
• Apply a consistent staking method
• Keep detailed records of your bets
• Have accounts with multiple bookmakers

To learn more about the basics of successful football betting, please read our How To Bet On Football guide.

Conduct Regular Research And Analysis

Make no mistake, when it comes to beating bookmaker odds, the Premier League is one of the most difficult leagues to beat. We’re not just talking football leagues either. Stack up any sports league across the world against the Premier League, and you’ll find that Premier League odds are as accurate as any.

Why?

Because the Premier League is one of the most bet on sports leagues on the planet. The sheer volume of money bet on any Premier League match on a typical weekend reflects thousands of astute opinions. It’s that volume of considered opinion that creates what is often referred to as an ‘efficient betting market’, meaning the odds are an accurate reflection of each clubs chances of winning the contest. 

Only the most astute football bettors succeed when betting on the Premier League. If you’re up for the challenge you need to research. Study everything you can. Premier League news, Premier League stats, upcoming Premier League fixtures, injuries, suspensions, head-to-head records, study everything you can.

5. Premier League Betting Statistics

How does the Premier League compare with other leagues in terms of goal averages? How often do Premier League matches end without a goal scored? What is home field advantage worth in the Premier League? In this section we’ll take a look at some basic Premier League betting statistics, looking at data from 1,900 Premier League matches played across the last five seasons and comparing that data with nine other top European football leagues.

Please keep in mind that these stats should be considered only as part of your preliminary analysis only and as a comparative guide to the Premier League and other European leagues. In other words, don’t place bets from this data alone. Dig deeper.

5.1 What Is Home Field Advantage Worth In The Premier League?

Let’s begin by taking a look at home field advantage in the Premier League, The table below shows the win rates for both home and away teams in seasons 2017/18 to 2021/22.

League results 2017/18 to 2021/22

Premier League home teams have performed to the seven league average over the last five seasons with 43.8% of matches won by the home club, while 33.4% of matches were won by the away club, above the average for visiting teams of 31.5%.

Premier League results 2017/18 to 2021/22

The table above shows the win rates for home and away clubs in the Premier League across the last five seasons. We can see that home field advantage was severely diminished during covid impacted play in 2020/21 with just 37.9% of matches won by home teams with away teams winning 40.3% of matches.

What has home advantage been in the Premier League in terms of goals the last five seasons? We can see that home teams have seen an advantage of +0.25 goals, just short of the seven league average of +0.29 goals.

League average goals for and against 2017/18 to 2021/22

The table below shows average goals scored for both home and away clubs in the Premier League across the last five seasons. We can see there was minimal advantage for home Premier League clubs in 2020/21 with a peak of +0.38 goals in 2017/18.

Premier League average goals for and against 2017/18 to 2021/22

5.2 How Often Are Premier League Matches Drawn At Halftime?

How often are Premier League matches drawn at halftime? The table below shows the home, away and drawn match results for leagues over the last five seasons.

League halftime results 2017/18 to 2021/22

Premier League has seen slightly fewer halftime draws than the average, with 39.7% of matches drawn at halftime compared to the average of 40.4% while 33.5% of home teams won the opening half compared to the seven league average of 33.6%.

Below we can see the halftime results in the Premier League across the last five seasons.

Premier League halftime results 2017/18 to 2021/22

What has home field advantage been worth in the opening half in the Premier League the last five seasons. Home teams have scored 0.67 goals to away clubs 0.57 goals in the Premier League over the last five seasons.

League halftime goals for and against 2017/18 to 2021/22

The table below shows the halftime average goals for both home and away teams in the Premier League the last five seasons. While there was a peak advantage for home teams in 2019/20 at +0.15 goals, season 2020/21 saw an advantage of just +0.06 goals.

Premier League halftime goals for and against 2017/18 to 2021/22

5.3 How Often Do Home Clubs Lead Halftime/Fulltime In The Premier League?

How often do home clubs in the Premier League win at halftime and hold their advantage to fulltime? The table below shows the halftime fulltime results for the top seven leagues of Europe over the last five seasons.

League halftime fulltime results 2017/18 to 2021/22

5.4 Who Wins When A Premier League Match Is Drawn At Halftime?

The table below displays the chances of a fulltime victory based on the match being drawn at the half across the last five seasons.

League fulltime results when match drawn at halftime 2017/18 to 2021/22

5.5 What Is The Most Common Winning Margin In The Premier League?

What has been the most common winning margin in the Premier League over the last five seasons? The table below shows the number of matches that ended with a given margin from 2017/18 to 2021/22.

League most common fulltime margins 2017/18 to 2021/22

We can see that 18.1% Premier League matches ended with a margin of three goals or greater, compared to the seven league average of 17.0%. Meanwhile, 22.4% of Premier League matches ended with a margin of 2 goals compared to the average of 20.9% while 36.7% ended with 1 single goal margin as opposed to the seven league average of 37.4%.

5.6 How Often Do Premier League Matches End Over 2.5 Goals?

Let’s take a look at the number of Premier League matches that ended with over 2.5 goals the last five seasons. The table below shows the goal rates for the top seven leagues of Europe the last five seasons.

League goal total over under rates 2017/18 to 2021/22

We can see that 52.2% of Premier League matches the last five seasons ended with over 2.5 goals, just short of the seven league average of 52.8%. The Premier League saw 29.7% over matches end with at least four goals just below the seven league average of 30.6%.

5.7 How Often Do Both Teams Score In The Premier League?

How often do both teams score in the Premier League? The table below shows the rates of both teams scoring yes and no over the last five seasons.

League both teams to score results 2017/18 to 2021/22

Just over half of Premier League matches saw both teams scoring over the last five seasons, with a rate of 50.1%, below the seven league average of 53% .

5.8 How Often Do Premier League Matches End Scoreless?

What percentage of Premier League matches ended without a goal scored from 2017/18 to 2021/22?

League scoreless match rates 2017/18 to 2021/22

Just 6.7% of Premier League matches ended without a goal the last five seasons, exactly the same as the seven league average.

6. Betting On The Premier League Online

Choosing an online bookmaker for your Premier League betting can seem a little overwhelming at first, with literally every bookmaker on the planet offering a range of Premier League betting markets.

When it comes to selecting a bookmaker there are a number things to consider. In terms of Premier League betting, the most important to consider are:

• The bookmaker’s reputation and media profile.
• The diversity of Premier League betting markets available.
• Premier League In-Play betting markets and Cash Out available.
• Premier League betting odds and bookmaker commissions.
• Mobile betting on Premier League matches.
• Welcome Bonus and Premier League promotional offers.

To learn more about selecting the perfect Premier League bookmaker for you, please consult our Football Bookmakers guide.

And to read detailed reviews of over 50 online bookmakers, please visit our Bookmaker Reviews listing.

 For all the latest Premier League free bets and promotions available, please visit our Free Bets listing. Additionally, check out Coral’s enhanced odds offers.