If you like to have a little betting punt on the football, no doubt you’ll be pleased that the English Premier League is back underway. However, as we are currently living in a world semi-paralysed by the coronavirus pandemic, this season has a different feel about it.
Of course, the final quarter of the 2019/20 season was played out in the covid-19 era, but now we are starting from scratch. In this article, we want to share some considerations for punters that have a flutter on the footy. Hopefully, these tips will help to improve your bet selections, and allow you to find extra value in the markets.
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Still no fans
It just doesn’t feel right watching the Premier League without fans, although like everyone else, we are slowly adapting. With the UK government shelving plans to let a limited number of supporters back in; it looks most likely that the majority (if not all) of this season will be played behind closed doors.
We no 12th man roaring their side on, playing in empty stadiums dilutes the advantage of playing at home. As the season progresses, you’ll be able to compare each club’s home and away records. This could lead to finding some interesting bets that you may have ignored otherwise.
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Congested fixture list
The Premier League started in September, about one month after it usually begins. However, with the European Championships being moved to the summer of 2021, the end date for the EPL 2020-21 is May.
That alone is not the issue, but when you also add the Champions League, Europa League, FA Cup, League Cup, and international breaks, the number of fixtures really start to pile up. This will impact some clubs more than others. Keep an eye on rotations to the starting XIs, and injuries will undoubtedly part a big part this season.
These considerations can be overlooked if you simply check recent form. You need to go deeper in your pre-match research; however, don’t place your bets too early, wait for team news to surface before deciding on your selections.
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Players catching covid
Already David Moyes and two West Ham players have tested positive for covid-19, and we find it highly unlikely that this will be the last case. The point is that it doesn’t need to be first team staff either. The fact that players/people within a club have it may affect the regular starters. Will their mind be on the match? It’s an unknown variable that is worth considering.
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European travel
Even before the coronavirus, certain clubs had a tendency to perform poorly after playing away in Europe. We believe that this could be magnified now as there will be more checks at airports, and other time-consuming things due to the virus that may drain players – both mentally and physically.
Managers with strong squads will try to rotate, but not all have that luxury. It is always something to factor in. You’ll be surprised at the extra value you will find when betting if you spot a potential upset.
Where to bet?
The Premier League is a global product, and this means that every sportsbook worth its salt has an abundance of betting markets on every match. We will let you decide which betting site is the best one for you, but we recommend bearing in mind a few things.
Licensing and regulation: Several countries have their own gambling regulators, such as the UK Gambling Commission and the Swedish Gambling Authority. Ultimately, whichever sportsbook you choose; make sure it is legal as this gives you some protection if there is a problem of any kind. That said, there are a few brands that are unlicenced, which also have a decent track record. For instance, Bovada is legit but not technically legal in the USA under UIGEA regulations, but it has a loyal band of (mainly) US customers.
Good odds: Calculating bookmakers’ margins is betting 101. As a punter, you want good value, and that means low margins and high odds. It’s easy to be swayed by a plethora of bonuses and promotions, but top betting odds day-in, day-out beat these hands down.
Fast payouts: Some online bookies take longer to payout than others. Therefore, before joining, find out what the ‘processing time’ is for withdrawals. Any longer than 72 hours is stretching it in our opinion.
Lastly, we’d like to remind all bettors to gamble responsibly. Never bet with money you don’t have. Treat football betting as a form of entertainment. Certainly, it is possible to be successful, but there are no guarantees – especially during this covid Premier League season.
The published material expresses the position of the author, which may not coincide with the opinion of the editor.