Betting on football is always great fun.  Putting your knowledge of the game up against the odds setting skills of the bookmakers.  However, with so much excitement surrounding the game, it can be easy to get caught up in bets which don’t really offer you the value you should be looking for.

We all know that while luck plays a part, discipline and research and the search for value arguably play a bigger role on the road to consistent betting bank growth.  So, rather than taking a blind punt, start working on your betting tools next time you look over the form.  Lets take a look at a few areas which should pay off -

Squad lists and injury reports: There are many teams who perform better when there are certain players or groups of players in the starting eleven.  Look out for missing players which weaken a team.  For example a fast midfielder who delivers accurate crosses to the box almost always gives that team a higher percentage chance of a win.  If he is injured, but the odds have not been adjusted to reflect this then there will be more value in a bet against the team.

Morale: I love to look at the morale within a team.  It only takes a bit of in fighting, an upset between the manager and a star player, or players sulking over pay to really weaken a team.  A lot of this comes down to the professionalism of the players, but you can usually spot a lazy sulking player on the field and use this to your advantage with In-play betting.