While every manager adopts their own formation and style of play, football fans betting on the Beautiful Game definitely fall into certain categories too.
In this guide, we’ll run through five common footy betting strategies and match them up the formation you’d use if you were a football manager.
So, are you an idealist like Pep Guardiola, an Eddie Howe hipster or a pragmatic Sam Allardyce when it comes to your bet slip each weekend? Find out below.


Source: Everton Football Club via Facebook

4-4-2

Cut the nonsense; why mess around? Just get the job done.
You don’t need fancy tricks to smash it up. Stick to the formula and work hard and you’ll reap the rewards.
You put a three-fold acca on every weekend on three teams that you fancy - although they’re by no means guarantees. Stoke at home appear on your bet slip at every opportunity.
Your Typical Bet: Stoke to beat Everton, West Brom to beat Southampton, Newcastle to beat Leicester.

4-2-3-1

You’re a cautious optimist who is progressive but doesn’t subscribe to all the latest fads.
You like to try before you buy, but you’re not against the odd lavish purchase.
You love signing up to online bookmakers to claim a sneaky free bet and keep a close eye on the best online bookies offers. By all means, you’ll take up Paddy Power on their free £20 bonus, but you don’t promise to stick around.
Generally, you like to place doubles and trebles on pretty comfortable home wins.
Your Typical Bet: Liverpool to beat West Ham, Everton to beat Swansea.


Source: Manchester United via Facebook

4-2-4

Some people just grab life by the horns, and you’re one of them.
You don’t spread your bets, and you certainly don’t back dead certs. The FA Cup Third Round is your favourite weekend of the year as you back Exeter to beat Chelsea and Solihull Moors to topple Liverpool as part of a 15-fold accumulator.
Admittedly, wins are few and far between. But when they do come in… my word.
Your Typical Bet: Exeter to beat Chelsea, Solihull to beat Liverpool, Bournemouth to beat Man City, West Brom 5-5 Stoke, Joe Hart first goalscorer, Everton over 5.5 goals, Arsenal v Tottenham to have over 29 corners, England to win the World Cup…

3-5-2

3-5-2? You’re a football hipster.
You keep up with the latest trends and want to win in style with a well-researched bet that can cover any team in the world.
Each week you back Eibar and Östersunds to win in a cheeky double. Sometimes you even pull it off.
Your Typical Bet: Eibar to beat Real Sociedad, Östersunds to beat Gothenburg

5-3-2

You’re a pragmatic realist. 3-5-2 and 5-3-2 are essentially the same formation but you use it to keep things tight and not give much away.
Man City at home to Southampton? City double chance at 1/100 is your bet. In a single.
You keep your cards close to your chest and rarely experience a loser. You keep pocketing your winnings while all the other mugs keep their head in the clouds.
Your Typical Bet: Man City to win or draw against Southampton at home.