Why Friendly Matches Can Be A Punter's Enemy

Betting on international and other friendly matches is big business for the online bookies, and also extremely popular with punters.

Patriotism plays a major part in that, and the bookies use that to very good effect, especially since many are televised.

I can't for the life of me ever generate much interest in friendly matches, let alone a desire to bet. 

Having worked in betting shops for several decades I know just how popular these matches can be, and I also see just how profitable they are too - for the bookie. 

No wonder the auld-enemy are keen to promote betting on friendlies and give us a wide choice of bets and specials.

How can you truly assess the football form of teams in a friendly?

Now, I know there are punters out there who love friendlies and if you say you make a profit I'll certainly believe you.

However there's a number of logical reasons why friendly match betting can be a serious wealth-risk for your wallet.

Reasons Not To Bet In Friendly Football Matches !

Let's take a look at some of them:

1) Teams don't have to win.

No matter what's on the horizon - be it a major qualifier or an international tournament - teams playing in friendlies know there's nothing lost if they don't win. 

No matter how seriously they try to take it, or how motivated the manager may try to get them, at the back of the player's minds, it's still just a friendly.

They don't have to push as hard as in a tournament match.

2) Managers WILL experiment

This is the only chance that managers have to test players and formation or tweak squads, so you can be betting on something that isn't a rock-solid team with a desire to get past the opponent and progress, or a simple one-off test a manager may make to see if it works.

3) Teams can be unbalanced

Often, friendly teams will be a mix of experienced players and younger players who really want to impress, so what you end up with is some players giving 100% to try to get a place in a team, and other players who won't give 100% because they are already in the team/squad and don't have the same desires.

4) Players who look after themselves

The final round of friendlies before a major tournament can be an additional minefield. 

These usually come at the end of a long season, and you don't expect players to go all out and suffer the risks of injury when a major tournament is only weeks away, do you? 

Some players may also be taking it a little easier because of injury concerns at the end of the normal season, but still want to play to retain their place in the team or keep a level of fitness.

5) Lack of incentive

Few friendlies offer any kind of incentive for teams to play as they could. 

Some rivalries do exist (Scotland/England for example) and a case could be made for these giving players the incentive to raise the game, but the majority of friendlies have a specific purpose, and that purpose (getting a team sorted for a future event), is not conducive to good betting, in my view.

6) Multiple Substitutions

Now that managers can make wholesale changes during friendlies it's not really helpful for betting because you don't have a settled team on the pitch.

 It'll help the manager get a look at more players, but it's bound to disrupt team-play and tactics and is just another reason why friendlies aren't good betting mediums

All-in-all, I'll avoid friendly matches if you don't mind. If you do well at them, then more power to you and your betting slip, but they're just not my cup of tea.

I'd rather have a Sottish Third Division relegation battle where players are at least giving it all.