As a football betting strategy, a bet on one side to draw or win a match can be one of the most profitable, especially when applied in the right manner, as bookmakers usually offer good odds on these outcomes and, even if you lose one or more bets, one successful wager can still leave you ahead.

For the bet to offer the best odds, we need to wait until a match is actually in play and has reached half-time without any goals. Now we have two opportunities to bet – either that the match will end in a draw, or that one team or other will achieve a victory. Compare the odds, and see which offers the better opportunity to win and either bet on that, or lay one bet against the other to reduce the risk – but also reduce the possible winnings.

As ever, key to betting success lies in choosing our leagues and teams carefully. Focusing on a large team – like Real Madrid or Manchester United – will help simplify implementation of this football betting strategy, but we could also look at a game between two mid-table teams as well, as long as we are sufficiently confident that one will win in the end.

The reason why big teams are favoured are because, even if they start a match slowly, they will grow into a match, and, under pressure from their fans or their manager, start to produce their best form in the second-half. This is especially true if they are involved in a Championship race where they have to win to stay in touch with their rivals or in a Cup tie where they want to avoid the tie going to extra time or a replay.

Choosing the right match is key. The best type of selection for this football betting strategy is where one team goes into the match beset by injuries or suspensions, or off the back of a disappointing elimination from a European cup competition. Also, research the recent results between the two sides and determine how likely it is that one side will get the better of the other – there are some rivalries that, due to psychological factors as much as anything else, invariably sees one side triumph at the expense of the other.

Consider home advantage as well. Whilst some teams can struggle in front of their home fans if they are going through a poor run of form, for many, the local support can act as the proverbial “twelfth man” and inspire them to victory, sometimes against the odds.

Remember that this is an “either/or” type of football betting strategy, so consider the odds for both a tie or win and choose the one that offers the most attractive odds. If you are betting on one side to score, the longer the game remains goalless, the greater the odds in your favour. However, there is always the risk that the score will remain the same, in which case you will lose your bet.

As ever, this type of strategy takes time to learn and apply but, once you have begun to master it, offers one of the most attractive of all ways to bet on football.