Football betting is a big deal. Now, 23% of fans bet on the sport according to YouGov — and you might be one of them. From the Premier League to LaLiga, there are lots of football betting markets out there to dive into. Plus, in-game betting options are pretty much endless, whether you want to bet on what the final score will be or which team will keep a clean sheet.

Sky Bet, Betway, and bet365 are just some of the most popular apps that fans use to bet on football games. What you might not be aware of, though, is that many of these apps come with exciting features designed to boost your overall betting experience and make it more fun. Want to know what they are? Let’s find out.

5 Betting Features You Need to Try

Today’s football betting apps come jam-packed with features. We’re talking about hundreds of different tools that you can take advantage of, but not every bettor is smart enough to do this. Luckily, we’ve got your back. To start with, here are 5 betting features you need to try:

1. Same-Game Parlays

As a football betting newbie, one of the first features you should take advantage of is the same-game parlay. This is a type of bet that’s covered in detail on leading industry site Gamble USA and offered by most major sportsbooks. The way it works is very simple: you combine multiple bets from a specific game into one single wager. For example, if Manchester United are playing Liverpool in the Premier League, you might combine the following bets into your very own same-game parlay:

✅ Bruno Fernandes to assist

✅ Over 2.5 goals

✅ Over 10.5 corners

If all three of these legs were successful, this means you’d win and receive a payout for your same-game parlay. And because same-game parlays have much higher odds than standard single wagers, it usually means you get bigger payouts, too. Now that’s worth celebrating.

To create a same-game parlay, all you have to do is navigate to the ‘Same Game Parlay’ menu, which is something that most major sportsbooks have. If you don’t see this option, don’t worry. Instead, simply choose the bet legs you want from the same match, add them to your slip, and this should automatically create a same-game parlay for you.

2. Odds Boosts

Over recent years, football fans have slowly started to pick up on ‘odds boosts’ (also known as price boosts). At random moments, sites like bet365 will offer boosts on specific bets so that the odds are higher than they would usually be. For example, the odds of Erling Haaland might be boosted from 2/1 to 10/1, opening up a great betting opportunity for fans.

The incentive behind this promotional tool is that bettors receive higher payouts, yet many of them aren’t aware that odds boosts are available. The trick is to keep checking the odds for a specific football game you’re interested in to see if they’ve been boosted. Plus, many sites will also send out messages when they’ve boosted odds on particular days, so make sure your notifications are turned on.

3. Vig Calculator

Vig calculators are highly underrated and most football betting fans don’t even know they exist. When you fire up a vig calculator, also known as a ‘juice’ calculator, you can quickly discover how much money the betting site is going to take from your bet. Yep, that’s right: sports betting sites take a small commission fee from every bet your place. So, by using a vig calculator, you can see the bookermarker’s margin and make more informed football betting decisions as a result. For example, something that many football betting fans do is compare which bookmakers have the lowest vig and only place bets with them.

4. In-App Live Streams

Did you know that some sports betting platforms allow you to watch in-app live streams of football games for free? Usually, all you have to do is place a qualifying bet, click the icon, and you’ll gain instant access to a live stream. This is a betting feature that bet365, William Hill, and various other operators offer, which is great news for fans of the Premier League and other major football leagues. Not only can you place smarter bets based on the live in-game action, but you can also save money on streaming services. It’s a serious win-win.

5. Data-Driven Picks

Some sports betting sites provide users with data-driven picks. However, you typically have to find these picks from third-party sites or social media experts. Essentially, these picks are designed to help you place more winning bets, as they’re founded on data rather than guess-work. For example, one pick might recommend that you bet on Real Madrid to keep a clean sheet in a Champions League quarter-final. Not every pick is going to be right, but if you find a reliable source or site for your picks, it’s usually a great strategy to follow.

Final Thoughts

Planning to bet on some of the 2024-25 football season action? Moving forward, you should absolutely use the above-mentioned betting features, from same-game parlays to data-driven picks. Not only will your football betting experience be more worthwhile, but you’ll also get better value for money, especially when you take advantage of things like odds boosts when they’re made available.