Football Betting Guide | How To Bet On Football In 2025

The objective of the game is to score goals by getting the ball into the opponent’s goalpost. The team that scores the most goals within the allotted time (usually 90 minutes) wins the game.

The main rules of football are as follows:

• Number of players: Each team is allowed to have 11 players on the field at any given time, one of whom must be the goalkeeper.
• Use of hands: The ball can only be touched with hands by the goalkeeper within the penalty area. The only exception is throw-ins, where the ball is thrown back into play from the point where it went out by a player of the team that did not touch the ball out of play.
• Free kicks and penalties: Free kicks are awarded for fouls and can either be direct or indirect. Penalties are awarded for fouls committed within the penalty area and result in a direct kick from the penalty spot.
• Duration of the game: A typical football game lasts for 90 minutes, divided into two halves of 45 minutes each. Additional time may be added at the end of each half to compensate for lost time due to injuries or other interruptions.

The main positions in football are as follows:

• Goalkeepers: The only player allowed to use their hands (within the penalty area) and is responsible for defending the goal and stopping shots.
• Defenders: Players who play in the defensive third of the field and are primarily responsible for preventing the opposition from scoring.
• Midfielders: Players who play in the middle third of the field and are responsible for both attacking and defending.
• Forwards: Players who play in the attacking third of the field and are primarily responsible for scoring goals. They typically include wingers (who operate closer to the sides of the pitch), and strikers (who operate through the centre).

The offside rule in football (soccer) aims to prevent unfair advantages being gained by attacking players who are in front of the ball when a pass is made to them.

A player is in an offside position if they are closer to the opponent’s goal line than both the ball and the second-to-last defender (excluding the goalkeeper).

If a player in an offside position is involved in active play by touching the ball or interfering with an opponent, they are committing an offside offense. The result is an indirect free kick for the opposing team from the place where the offside offense occurred.

There are some exceptions to the offside rule, such as when the player receives the ball directly from a goal kick, corner kick, or throw-in.

Fouls are committed when a player makes contact with an opponent without making contact with the ball, or when a player makes illegal use of their arms or hands.