Football betting is probably the most popular form of betting in general, and if you want to bet on football you'll do fine by just looking at the betting statistics and the odds to find out who's the favorite, but in order to beat the bookmaker and find value, some research about the teams involved needs to be done.

Club Performance Track Records

The quality of the club is evident through the past results and, as a general rule, the more known the club is, the better it is. Here it is important not to get caught in a trap of betting on club names only, as there are a lot of other factors involved which cause upsets in the football world on a weekly basis. A small club might be having a great season, and a big club might be having a season to forget.

Team Statistics

Check the past results of each team. It's important to note their past opponents' relative strength and read the match report to find out how did the team actually perform on the pitch and was it a lucky victory or an unlucky defeat.

Team News

Check the injuries and suspensions of each club, they might be important for the team's performance on the pitch. Is the team missing a key player? Are there many absentees in defence? All these questions can provide an answer about the current quality of a team. Note whether a certain player is absent for a long time or is a new addition to the absentee list. It's important to relate this information to the team's recent form.

Home and Away Records

Most teams perform better at home, but there are also some which perform better on the road for numerous reasons. They might have adopted a specific playing style which suits visiting matches better, or they may feel less pressure when away from home. Make sure to check the distance between the two teams, as they might be in the same region or even share the same stadium and therefore the usual home/away rules don't apply.

Head to head - h3H

Check the history between the two clubs. There are often patterns to follow, whether it be the host winning most of the matches, the match never ending in a draw, or one team dominating over the other one. Some teams have their bogey opponents which they find hard to beat.

Motivation

Although sometimes teams find it hard to perform in a must-win situation, often it is better to bet on a motivated team. Are they catching a certain place on the table? Is the competitive season over for them because they've reached their goals or already got relegated? Do they have a more important match coming up in a couple of days? In a busy season, teams tend to dose the amount of energy spent on invidual matches.

Past Opponents Results

As a general rule, a team will perform better after facing a strong opponent, and perform worse after relaxing and easily beating a weak opponent. Take note, really big matches tend to take a lot out of the players and they might be exhausted or might be carrying minor injuries.