When it comes to enjoying some footballing fun, Fantasy Premier League is where it’s at more than 11 million people played in the 2023/24 season, so it’s fair to say it’s no longer a hobby, but more of a tactical battleground. If you fancy yourself a thriving fantasy manager, you’ve probably thought about cashing in your knowledge at one point or the other, and some clever sports betting may just be the scratch for that itch.
If you use some of the modern betting tools that are available to you, there’s a real potential of making decent money (and gaining the upper hand in the FPL). After all, you already know the trends with the players and the teams, so why not try your hand? Read on to discover a few of the perfect betting features from the best odds bookmakers to up your skills and create that perfect strategy.
React Like a Pro with Live Betting
If you’re a savvy punter, live in-play betting may be the option for you. Since you’re probably already watching the game, why not place a bet or two based on the hunch you’re getting? This option utilises your crucial skills of watching, adapting, and anticipating as a fantasy manager and is often a natural tactic to take advantage of the fact that you’re paying attention.
How to make the most of it?
Let’s say you’re unsure about the player who’s starting in the next matchday. By observing his odds to score or assist in a current match (adjusted live) you can gain some valuable insight into his form before FPL price changes reflect it. If a forward’s goal odds drop substantially mid-match, this can point to an under-the-radar form worth capitalising on.
If you’re looking for some mid-term benefits with the help of second-by-second data, FPL fixtures articles may help you with the planning, too, although live-betting really bridges that gap to game-day reactions.
Know When to Hold or Fold with Cash Out
Cash out is a sports betting feature that allows you to take control before the final whistle. If you’ve backed a team to win, but they’re wobbling at halftime, this option can save your stake and secure a partial return. If we transfer this to FPL, it would be something like transferring out an injured or underperforming player.
How to make the most of it?
As in sports betting, fantasy football is about knowing when to cut your losses. A top tip is to listen closely when injury rumours begin to swirl, as this is usually a good time to transfer the player out while he still holds his price. The cash-out feature of sports betting speaks directly to this kind of foresight, but speed is a crucial factor in this exchange.
Craft Your Squad as a Bet Builder
A widely popular betting option these days are bet builders, a feature that allows you to combine multiple betting options for a single match into one customised bet. You could, for example, back Mohamed Salah to score, Liverpool to win and the match to have at least three corners. All of these have to hit for a successful bet, but the level of control you have here makes it so appealing, especially if you’re a fantasy manager accustomed to balancing a squad under budget constraints.
How to make the most of it?
In combo with the previous cash-out feature, you can hold your chips for that ultimate matchday where you captain one premium, back defenders from teams with clean sheet potential and squeeze in a budget enabler or two.
Unlock Extra Value Through Boosted Odds
Every fantasy manager revels in the glory of finding that underpriced gem before everyone else does. In sports betting, this is known as boosted odds. By investigating multiple sports betting platforms, you can uncover when individual bookmakers enhance odds on certain teams or players for a limited time. This is where the Goldilocks area of winning can happen.
How to make the most of it?
Some betting providers will even tailor odds boosts around Premier League specials only, which makes this feature even more useful. In FPL, you scout value players with the potential of maximum returns. Boosted odds are your equivalent of a 4 mil defender who keeps returning points. However, if you put this to practice, even better chances are to find that sweet value goalscorer.
What you do is compare players’ goal-scoring odds for the past couple of games, and if predicted odds are better for the next matchday, you may want to consider signing them up!
Bet Smarter, Manage Sharper
If there’s one closing thought we’d leave you with, it’s be FPL and sports betting overlap in increasingly useful ways. Sometimes, the lines are pretty blurred as we are also seeing a growth of fantasy-inspired betting markets. This is why learning to navigate betting features will sharpen your intuition and make you a better fantasy manager. The weekly FPL Captain Picks should help you to keep those skills sharp and give you a little inspiration when needed.
However, we always express the fact that you should approach betting responsibly and treat it as a companion to fantasy planning, rather than a financial dependency. Chasing those green arrows or an occasional bit of cash always comes down to knowledge and keeping your head on your shoulders.
