Online Betting » Betting Guide » Everything You Need to Know About Futures Betting: Written by Expert Bettors

Everything You Need to Know About Futures Betting: Written by Expert Bettors

Dave Kuzio
Editor
Fact checked by: Jim Knight
Publish Date: 06.02.2024

Without overstating the obvious. Futures betting is basically betting on events in the future.

It really is as simple as that. In this guide, I will explain more about futures betting, I will cover what futures betting actually means as well as covering various examples when it comes to betting on soccer.

Also during this guide I will explain the probability of your bet actually being a winning one. Enjoy.

What Is Futures Betting?

Instead of betting on a single match result or a first goalscorer, futures betting allows you to back the winner of a competition.

Normally, future bets are put on to determine the winner of a league or cup tournament, and those bets are put on before the season or competition gets underway.

You can still place bets on the outcome once it has started, but if you back a team that has started well then your odds will shift based on performances, so you could get poorer odds than if you did it before it started, or better odds if a team starts badly and you have a feeling they will come good..

Some bookmakers will name their Futures Betting market as an ‘outright’ bet, so if you are struggling to find a section about Futures, just look for the outright tab.

Futures Betting Premier League 2023/24
To win outright To win outright without
Top goalscorer Top goalscorer without
To be relegated Not to be relegated

How To Read Futures Betting Odds

When betting on a futures market, you will see the odds in the form of a list. So, a team with short odds to win the FA Cup will be at the top of the list, while teams with longer odds will be at the bottom end of the list.

FA Cup 2023/24

  • Manchester City 5/2
  • Chelsea 9/1
  • Manchester United 9/1
  • Arsenal 10/1
  • Newcastle United 11/1
  • Liverpool 12/1
  • Tottenham Hotspur 14/1
  • Brighton 16/1
  • Aston Villa 20/2
  • West Ham 25/1
  • Wrexham 500/1
  • Huddersfield Town 1000/1
  • Wigan Athletic 1000/1
  • Maidstone United 5000/1

Examples Of Futures Betting

Euro 2024 Betting

If you decided to back England to win Euro 2024, then that would be a futures bet. The tournament has not yet started but the market is available – so it is in the future.

To Win Outright

  • England 7/2
  • France 7/2
  • Germany 6/1
  • Spain 7/1
  • Portugal 8/1

World Cup 2026

Backing England to win the FIFA World Cup in 2026 is also classed as a Futures Bet. That one is way into the future as the qualifying campaign has not been sorted yet.

To Win Outright

  • France 11/2
  • Brazil 11/2
  • England 13/2
  • Argentina 8/1

Ballon d’Or Winner 2024

Other markets include relegation from competitions, top goalscorers, teams to be relegated and even teams to finish in the top four or six. You can also bet on the winner of the Ballon d’Or as well for next year. So if you fancy Harry Maguire to win the Ballon d’Or – well you’d be wasting your money – but you could still do it.

  • Jude Bellingham 11/4
  • Kylian Mbappe 4/1
  • Erling Haaland 9/2
  • Harry Kane 9/2

Convert Your Futures Bet To The Probability Of It Happening

We have all done the following. Seen a nice odds figure on a certain team to win the Euros or the Premier League, backed it without knowing the real value of the bet or the percentage in which it could happen.

futures betting banner image

There are ways to convert your Futures Bet into a Probability. You can use one of the many odds converters online, but sometimes it’s good to get the old brain ticking over.

Let’s take Euro 2024 as the main example. I have included four odds on countries to win the tournament in Germany and I will work out the probability of those bets happening.

Euro 2024 Betting

  • England 7/2
  • Germany 6/1
  • Italy 16/1
  • Scotland 80/1

The calculation for the probability of all these bets is as follows. The odds in fractions indicate the denominator divided by the denominator and numerator. Once you have done that you will need to multiply by 100 to get the percentage. In a fractional bet, the denominator is the second number and the numerator is the first figure.

  • England – 2/(2+7) = 2/9 = 0.2222 x 100 = 22.22%
  • Germany – 1/(1+6) = 1/7 = 0.1428 x 100 = 14.29
  • Italy – 1/(1+16) = 1/17 = 0.0588 x 100 = 5.88%
  • Scotland – 1/(1+80) = 1/81 = 0.0123 x 100 = 1.23%
Bet Odds Implied Probability
England to win Euro 2024 7/2 22.22%
Germany to win Euro 2024 6/1 14.29%
Italy to win Euro 2024 16/1 5.88%
Scotland to win Euro 2024 80/1 1.23%

How To Place A Futures Bet

The following steps will allow you to place your first Futures Bet:

  1. Do your research on what bookmaker you want to use then register as a new customer. You can only place bets if you are signed up with an operator, so it is important you choose the right one for you.
  2. If the site you have chosen has a welcome offer, make sure you follow the instructions carefully to get your reward.
  3. Make the required deposit and then head over to the sport you wish to bet on.
  4. Once you are in your selected sport – let’s say soccer – click on the Futures market (outright).
  5. Place your bet and let the season unfold. Hopefully, you will have played a blinder and predicted the winner months in advance.

Final Say On Futures Betting

In my eyes, Futures Betting is very similar to Prop Bets. They are fun and entertaining and keep your interest for quite a while.

Futures betting is good if you follow that tournament for a whole season. You will watch out for the results and check their injury problems. It will be like playing Football Manager but without having to actually do anything.

As long as sports still have leagues and cup competitions, then Futures Betting is here to say. If you have never bet on anything in the future, I would recommend it. One piece of advice, do not forget you have actually placed the bet, but remember each bookmaker website will have a ‘My Bets’ section so you can keep track of it there.

Futures Betting Pros & Cons

  • Opportunity to get good odds before tournament starts
  • Keeps you interested for the duration of your bet
  • Can be lucrative
  • Long time to wait for a payout
  • ”More exposed to unforeseen circumstances

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Futures Betting FAQ

What is a Futures Bet?

A Futures Bet allows you to focus on a bet that is happening in the future. For example, backing on the winner of Euro 2024 months in advance.

Where Can I Place a Futures Bet?

The majority of online bookmakers will have a Futures market. They might word it as an ‘outright’ bet but it is the same. You are betting on the winner of a tournament in the future. 

Is It Just Soccer You Bet On In The Futures Market?

No that is not the case. Sports like American Football, Ice Hockey, Rugby League and Union, Golf, Basketball and Baseball will all have Futures Bets available for their respective competitions.

Top Betting Sites
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