While football is the sport that dominates headlines and captures the imagination of fans from across the globe (especially during a World Cup), ‘futsal’ retains a cult following of fans from around the world too.
Of course, this sport borrows heavily from football, although it’s played between teams with five players each, and matches are usually held on a hard indoor court that’s noticeably smaller than a football pitch.
But where did the sport originate, and what are the UK’s best Futsal betting sites? Let’s find out!
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A Brief History of Futsal
Futsal originated in 1930s Uruguay, at a time when outdoor football was incredibly popular in the South American country.
After all, the Uruguayan national team won successive gold medals at the Olympics in 1924 and 1928 before lifting the inaugural World Cup in 1930.
So, a teacher from Montevideo (Juan Carlos Ceriani) decided to develop an indoor iteration of football, primarily for entertainment purposes in YMCAs nationwide.
The first rule book was subsequently published in 1933, with this set of guidelines taking elements from multiple sports in addition to football, namely basketball, handball, and even water polo.
The sport subsequently developed a cult following across the whole of South America before spreading to other countries and regions such as Thailand, Spain, and even Guatemala.
The Best Bookies for Futsal Wagers
If you’re interested in the sport and want to place futsal bets, the key is to identify the best value bookies.
After all, not all sportsbooks offer a broad selection of futsal markets, while each one also varies from the perspective of their individual welcome offers. Here’s our pick of the top three Futsal sportsbooks:
- #1. LeoVegas Sports: The multinational betting brand LeoVegas Sports offers the broadest range of futsal markets, while the company also promotes a generous welcome offer to new customers. This takes the form of a 100% ‘profit boost’ up to the value of €100 on your first wager, which can effectively double your winnings if the wager comes in. You simply need to credit your account with a minimum of €10 to qualify for the bonus.
- #2. Betiton: Futsal is also governed by FIFA, with some of the biggest tournaments, including the Futsal World Cup, the UEFA Champions League, and the Primera Division. Through Betiton, you can live stream most of these major tournaments while executing informed in-play and micro-bets to optimize your profits. As a new customer, you can also earn a free bet of €10 when you credit your account with €10 and place a qualifying wager worth €15 with minimum odds of 2.00.
- #3. Parimatch: Parimatch Sports is a UK betting brand that’s relatively new to the market, but it also has a ready-made name by popularising a wide range of betting markets across sports, such as futsal. When you register as a new customer with the brand, you can also make a qualifying wager of €5 and receive two free €10 bets in return, so long as your selections have odds of at least 2.00. There are also wagering requirements of 35x the total value of the bonus in play here.
Our Top Futsal Betting Tips
Now that you know where you can wager on futsal, the next step is to determine how to make informed betting selections and get the most from your bankroll.
To help you on your way, here are three insightful futsal betting tips to help you create a viable betting strategy!
#1. Target the Best Betting Markets
As futsal has a great deal in common with football, these sports share several popular betting markets.
For example, match betting is particularly popular among futsal fans, especially during high-profile tournaments such as the World Cup.
Outright wagers are similarly popular, as are even-money bets such as both sides scoring (or not) and various over/under markets, including the total number of goals scored in a game.
It’s your task to target the best markets and betting odds in real time so you can identify value and leverage knowledge to achieve the best return on your bankroll.
#2. Follow the Form
In futsal, the form also significantly impacts individual results and outcomes, and it’s important to study this in detail before betting on individual matches.
However, this rule doesn’t just apply to a sequence of results over a given period, as home and away form can also vary, with some sides particularly strong either in front of their own fans or when out on the road.
You should track and factor in your betting decisions, as this may help identify value in published odds and gain a competitive edge over bookies.
#3. Get the Latest Injury and Suspension Information
On a similar note, the implied probability of a particular outcome (or range of outcomes) associated with a futsal match or tournament may also be influenced by injuries and suspensions.
Certainly, even the best futsal clubs and countries can be weakened by injuries and suspensions, potentially making a mockery of published odds and affording unfancied outsiders to win matches at much more competitive prices.
So, be sure to do your homework and evaluate the latest injury and suspension information before placing wagers, as this data may change your mind and the nature of your bet slips!
