Women’s Football Betting is an opportunity for punters, 7-0, 9-1, 6-0, 4-0, 7-0. No, these aren’t typos – these are the Barcelona Women’s team’s actual scorelines in the 2023/24 season.
Women’s football ranks among the world’s most rapidly expanding participation sports. The explosive growth has created exciting women’s football betting opportunities, yet many punters struggle to predict these high-scoring games.
The WSL matches averaged 3.31 goals last season, and Chelsea’s five-season title reign shows patterns that differ substantially from the men’s game.
You can transform these distinctive characteristics into profitable betting opportunities. Team statistics and value bets are the foundations of winning at women’s football betting.
Let’s tuck into the strategies that will help you make smarter betting decisions in women’s football.
Understanding Women’s Football Betting Markets
Women’s football betting offers different opportunities than the men’s game. The sport’s quick rise in popularity has created a betting landscape with unique features that smart bettors can use to their advantage. Women’s soccer stands at the top among women’s sports betting markets, with an impressive annual growth rate of approximately 20% since 2020.
Key differences from men’s football betting
The women’s football markets have several notable differences from men’s football betting. Bookmakers list fewer fixtures for women’s matches and focus on top leagues and tournaments. You’ll also find these betting options closer to kickoff time instead of days ahead.
There’s another reason that sets it apart – market depth. Women’s football betting options show fewer available markets than men’s games, especially for player-specific bets like goalscorer markets. Bookmakers have less detailed data and analysis about women’s football players.
The skill gaps between top teams and others are wider in women’s football. This creates unique scoreline patterns that you can utilize in your betting strategy. Understanding these structural differences helps build a foundation to win at women’s football betting.
Popular women’s football betting markets
The major betting markets exist for women’s football despite having fewer options. Here are the most common markets:
- Full-Time Result (match winner)
- Double Chance
- Goals Over/Under
- Correct Score
- Half-Time/Full-Time
- Asian Handicap
- Draw No Bet
The Women’s World Cup, FA Women’s Super League, and UEFA Women’s Champions League get the most betting attention. Tournament-specific betting has grown substantially after events like the 2022 European Championships, which saw record-breaking attendance and betting activity.
Live betting is a great way to get started with women’s football betting for newcomers. You can place bets after the match starts and watch how the game unfolds. Many experienced bettors find value here because the betting markets are often “more inefficient than the men’s”. This means you’ll find more chances to spot favorable odds.
How bookmakers set women’s football odds
Bookmakers handle women’s football odds similar to men’s football but with key differences. They calculate simple probabilities first and add their profit margin (overround) to ensure they make money whatever the outcome.
Team form, player injuries/suspensions, and historical data between teams play a role in setting the odds for women’s matches. The professional women’s football scene is newer (many top leagues like the WSL started in 2011), so historical data isn’t as extensive.
Weather conditions and home advantage are environmental factors that affect the odds. Bookmakers adjust these odds based on betting patterns and lower them on heavily-backed selections to balance their risk.
Women’s football betting becomes more interesting because bookmakers sometimes offer “softer” or less competitive lines compared to men’s football. This happens because fewer sharp bettors and betting syndicates focus on women’s football, creating value opportunities for knowledgeable bettors.
Women’s football keeps growing at an impressive rate, and betting markets will become more sophisticated. Right now, knowing these market dynamics gives you a substantial advantage when betting on women’s football.
Researching Teams and Players for Better Predictions
Research lays the groundwork for successful women’s football betting. The women’s game has become more professional, which means we now have more data than before, though it’s nowhere near as complete as men’s football.
Top women’s leagues and tournaments to follow
The Barclays FA Women’s Super League (WSL) leads English women’s football with 12 clubs, including powerhouses like Arsenal, Chelsea, and Manchester City. The league’s extensive data coverage makes it perfect to research betting opportunities. Several other leagues deserve attention:
- Liga F (Spain) – Barcelona’s home turf, ranked 3rd globally among women’s leagues
- NWSL (United States) – Known for balanced competition with fewer one-sided matches
- Frauen Bundesliga (Germany) – A powerhouse league featuring VFL Wolfsburg and Bayern Munich
- Première Ligue (France) – Olympique Lyonnais dominates with 17 titles
The UEFA Women’s Champions League and Women’s World Cup draw substantial betting interest. The Women’s FA Cup also attracts bettors, with Wembley seeing a record 32,912 fans in 2016.
Key statistics that matter in women’s football
Some statistics predict outcomes better in women’s matches. Players typically cover 9-11.5 km per game, with heart rates staying above 85% HRmax. High-speed running (≥19 km/h) saw a 21% jump between the 2015 and 2019 Women’s World Cups.
Player workload adds another layer to betting analysis. FIFPRO’s 2024 Women’s Player Workload Monitoring report reveals extreme travel demands. Australia’s Hayley Raso clocked 147,498 kilometers last season, while Chelsea’s Ashley Lawrence took 31 international trips.
Competition balance plays a vital role. The UEFA Women’s Champions League sees more one-sided victories (four-goal margins or higher), while NWSL games stay more competitive. These patterns shape betting strategies across different competitions.
Finding reliable information sources
Club, league, and tournament websites provide simple stats like tables, goals, assists, and appearances. Several specialized resources offer deeper insights:
FBRef leads the pack as the best free data website. It offers complete metrics from percentile ranks to scouting reports, post-shot xG, pressures, and key passing statistics. Footy Stats excels at match-specific data, showing previous encounters, points per game, and home/away performance differences.
The Analyst delivers WSL-specific expected goals data powered by Stats Perform. These advanced metrics are a great way to get true team performance insights versus results.
Teams use premium services like Opta and Statsbomb to analyze performance, scout opposition, and recruit players. These platforms cost more but provide the most detailed data available.
Tracking team form and player performance
Player performance depends on many factors beyond pure statistics. The menstrual cycle’s phases (menstruation, follicular, ovulation, and luteal) can affect player readiness.
Teams still perform better at home, just like in men’s football. Travel distance matters too—especially for international players who rack up countless hours between club and national team duties.
Team lineups need close attention. Missing star players through injury leaves teams vulnerable. This matters even more in women’s football, where the gap in squad depth between top teams and others can be huge.
Developing a Winning Women’s Football Betting Strategy
Betting markets in women’s football are growing faster than ever. Swedish betting on first-tier Damallsvenskan shows this growth – from seven million Swedish krona in 2019 to 27.7 million SEK in 2023. This creates new ways to make money, though challenges exist too.
Value betting in women’s football
Value betting is the lifeblood of any winning strategy in women’s football betting. Bookmakers sometimes get their odds wrong compared to actual outcome probabilities. You’ll find value when your calculated event probability beats what bookmakers offer.
Here’s how to make value betting work in women’s football:
- Calculate true probabilities based on your research
- Convert these probabilities to odds (e.g., 50% chance equals 2.0 odds)
- Compare your odds with bookmaker offerings
- Bet only when bookmaker odds exceed your calculated fair odds
Women’s football markets give better value chances than men’s because bookmakers use simpler models for women’s games. One expert in the industry explains that “the increased exposure, popularity and interest in the women’s game should definitely dovetail with a step-change for betting operators”.
Identifying betting opportunities in mismatched games
Mismatched games stand out in women’s football. England, France, USA, Germany, and Brazil have put high investment into their women’s programs. This creates big skill gaps when playing against less-developed teams.
These betting approaches work best for mismatched games:
- Asian handicap markets beat simple match-winner bets
- The Total Goals market looks promising since women’s games average 3.31 goals per match
- Mismatched teams can score seven or more goals combined
A betting expert suggests that “it can often be advantageous to side with a favorite either on the win market, Asian Handicap market, or even from an accumulator point-of-view”.
Tournament-specific strategies
Each women’s football tournament needs its own betting approach. International competitions raise integrity issues – 38 matches showed suspicious betting patterns worldwide from January to November 2024.
Major tournaments like the Women’s World Cup see bookmakers offering more market options. In-play betting works great for women’s football. You can watch how the match unfolds before placing your bet.
Spain’s recent performance shows what to look for in tournaments. They won all eight World Cup qualifying games and scored 39 goals in 12 matches. These patterns help create better tournament betting strategies.
Women’s football betting requires a different approach than men’s games. Your edge in this fast-changing market comes from knowing women’s competitions, finding true value, and adapting your strategy to specific tournaments.
Managing Your Bankroll for Long-Term Success
Your success in women’s football betting depends on disciplined money management as much as solid strategies. Smart bankroll management can transform occasional wins into steady profits over time.
Setting a dedicated women’s football betting budget
Start by creating a betting bankroll that’s completely separate from your living expenses. Your betting fund should only come from money you can afford to lose. Most experts say you shouldn’t bet more than 5% of your spare cash. This way, you won’t feel pressured to bet with money you need for bills, which often results in bad choices.
The women’s soccer betting market has grown by about 20% each year since 2020. This growth brings new opportunities, but you’ll need strong financial discipline to make the most of them.
Stake sizing based on confidence levels
Protecting your bankroll depends heavily on how you size your stakes. The unit system works well – just divide your bankroll into equal parts. A good rule is to bet between 1-5% of your total bankroll on each wager.
You can choose from several staking approaches:
- Flat betting: Bet the same amount every time, no matter how confident you feel
- Proportional betting: Bet a percentage of what’s in your bankroll
- Kelly Criterion: A math formula that calculates your best stake based on your edge
For women’s football betting, most experts suggest using 20-30% of what the full Kelly formula recommends. This careful approach helps avoid big losses while still letting you earn good profits.
Record-keeping and performance tracking
Detailed records are the foundation of better bankroll management. Keep track of every bet you make:
- Date and event details
- Stake amount and odds
- Market type (match winner, total goals, etc.)
- Outcome and profit/loss
Good records show which women’s football markets make you the most money. Look at your data to spot patterns – you might be great at predicting tournament matches but not so good with regular league games.
Smart bankroll management and careful tracking will help you build the financial base you need to succeed in women’s football betting markets.
Using Women’s Football Betting Odds to Your Advantage
Successful women’s football betting starts with understanding odds. The betting volume in women’s football has grown by 20% each year since 2020. Knowing how to interpret odds gives you an edge over other bettors.
Comparing odds across bookmakers
Bookmakers price women’s football markets differently because they aren’t equally confident in their assessments. To name just one example, you might find Chelsea Women at 1/100 with one bookmaker while getting better value somewhere else. Women’s football markets aren’t as efficient as men’s, which creates more opportunities to find good value.
Odds comparison tools make life easier by collecting the best odds from over 100 operators. The price differences in women’s football can be huge, and bookmakers often set vastly different values for the same events.
Understanding implied probability
Betting odds convert into percentages through implied probability. This shows what bookmakers think about an outcome’s likelihood. Here’s how to calculate it:
Decimal odds: (1 / decimal odds) × 100 = implied probability percentage
Fractional odds: denominator / (denominator + numerator) × 100 = implied probability
Let’s look at an example. The decimal odds of 5.50 give you an 18.1% implied probability. This calculation helps you spot value when your probability assessment exceeds the bookmaker’s implied odds.
When to place early bets vs. waiting for team news
Early betting, several days before kickoff, usually gets you better odds before they drop due to market demand. This works best when you know something that suggests the odds will decrease.
Betting just before kickoff lets you use important information about team lineups, injuries, and tactical changes. This becomes even more valuable in women’s football since bookmakers typically open their markets closer to match time than in men’s football.
Weather plays a big role in women’s matches, and late betting helps you assess conditions better. You might want to wait if you’re not sure about lineups or if there’s doubt about key players’ availability.
Womens Football Betting Verdict
Betting on women’s football is a great way to get ahead if you learn its unique patterns. My research shows that bettors gain an edge by understanding how it differs from men’s football. The scoring patterns and competitive balance vary by a lot.
You just need to do proper research using reliable sources like FBRef and The Analyst. Good bankroll management plays a crucial role too. The women’s football markets aren’t as efficient, which creates valuable betting opportunities. You can find great odds by comparing different bookmakers.
Note that timing affects your success by a lot. Early bets usually get better odds. Sometimes waiting for team news works better for specific matches. Your strategy improves when you keep consistent records and track performance.
The impressive growth in women’s football might make these betting opportunities harder to find soon. The perfect time to use these strategies and build your expertise in this growing market is now.
FAQs
Q1. What are the key differences between betting on women’s and men’s football? Women’s football betting offers fewer fixtures and markets, with odds typically available closer to kickoff. There are greater skill gaps between top teams and others, leading to distinctive scoreline patterns. Bookmakers often have less sophisticated models for women’s games, potentially creating more value opportunities.
Q2. How can I research effectively for women’s football betting? Focus on top leagues like the WSL, Liga F, and NWSL. Use reliable sources such as FBRef and The Analyst for comprehensive statistics. Pay attention to player workload, competitive balance, and contextual factors like the menstrual cycle and travel demands. Track team lineups closely, as squad depth can vary dramatically.
Q3. What betting strategies work well for women’s football? Value betting is crucial – calculate true probabilities and compare them with bookmaker odds. For mismatched games, consider Asian handicap and Total Goals markets. Develop tournament-specific strategies and adapt to the unique characteristics of women’s competitions. In-play betting can be particularly valuable in women’s football.
Q4. How should I manage my bankroll for women’s football betting? Set a dedicated budget separate from essential expenses, ideally no more than 5% of your disposable income. Use a staking system like flat betting or a fractional Kelly Criterion approach. Keep detailed records of all bets to track performance and identify profitable markets.
Q5. When is the best time to place bets on women’s football matches? Early betting (days before kickoff) often secures better odds before they shorten. However, late betting (just before kickoff) allows access to crucial information like team lineups and weather conditions. The best timing depends on your level of insight and the specific match circumstances.
