There are dozens of professional soccer leagues around the world and you can bet on most, if not all, of them right here in PA. That includes North American leagues (MLS), UK and European leagues (Premier League, Champions League, Serie A) and the deepest rungs of the international leagues.

Here at home, MLS has gained a lot of traction from the local team, the Philadelphia Union. There are active NCAA soccer betting markets as well and, with the US men’s and women’s national teams as competitive as ever, betting odds for the World Cup have also come to life.

All kinds of soccer odds, lines and markets are available 24/7 at PA online sportsbooks and betting apps. Most also offer live betting and props on the most popular matches. Here’s how to dive in with online soccer betting right now.

Bet on US national teams

The United States men’s national soccer team (USMNT) represents the US in international soccer competitions like the FIFA World Cup. The team has appeared in 10 FIFA World Cups, including the first in 1930, where it finished third. However, the US did not qualify for a World Cup from 1950 until 1990.

The team’s best finish this millennium was a quarter-finals berth in the 2002 World Cup. The USMNT did not qualify for the 2018 World Cup.

Qualification for the 2022 World Cup for the Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football began in 2019. USMNT betting markets, including three-way moneyline, spread and totals for each game, is open in PA.

You can also currently bet 2022 World Cup futures in PA (see above). At last check, the US was at +13000 to win the 2022 World Cup on DraftKings Sportsbook.

You can also bet on the United States women’s national soccer team (USWNT), the most successful team in international women’s soccer history. The team has won four Women’s World Cup titles, four Olympic gold medals, and eight CONCACAF Gold Cups.

MLS/English Premier League Live Odds

Two of the most popular soccer leagues to bet on in Pennsylvania are Major League Soccer, thanks to the presence of the home-state Philadelphia Union, and the much-loved English Premier League. To see real-time odds for games in either league, check our live odds feed from PA online sportsbooks below. Use the toggle menu on the left to change leagues.

How does soccer betting work?

Futures markets at most PA online sportsbooks include these international competitions and major soccer league championships from around the world.

Single-game wagering is available for most games in these competitions and leagues. It typically involves standard moneyline, point spread and totals bets, referred to as goal line betting.

The big difference when it comes to soccer betting is three-way betting, meaning you can bet on either team to win OR the game to end in a draw. That and other intricacies of the game also open up other betting options, including:

• Double chance bets: Reduced odds bets covering two of the three possible outcomes in a soccer match, including the home team win and draw or the away team win and draw.
• Cards betting: Handicap and total cards markets for major leagues and competitions with lines set based on points for red and yellow cards.
• Corners betting: Over/under, handicap and moneyline betting on the corner count for each side.

Live, in-play betting is also available on a variety of major soccer matches. This allows you to bet on all kinds of live soccer markets during a game at odds that change alongside the action.

Bet on MLS

The MLS has 29 clubs and the league is divided into the Eastern and Western Conference. St. Louis City SC is the newest team to join in 2023.

Each team plays a 34-game regular season schedule with 17 home and 17 away matches. At the end of the regular season, the top seven teams in each conference qualify for the MLS Cup Playoffs. They play in separate conference brackets, with the top seed in each conference getting a first-round bye.

All rounds are single-match elimination games hosted by the higher seed. In the event of a tie, two straight 15-minute extra time periods act as a tie-breaker before a penalty kick shootout is held.

Los Angeles FC won the 2022 MLS title after beating the hometown Philadelphia Union in the final. The two sides played to a 3-3 draw before LAFC won the crown on penalties.

2023 MLS Cup and Supporters’ Shield futures markets are available at most PA online and mobile sportsbooks. Plus, single-game wagering including three-way moneyline, spread and totals markets are available for each game throughout the regular season and playoffs.

Bet on Philadelphia Union

• Stadium: Subaru Park
• Capacity: 18,500
• Location: Chester, Pennsylvania
• Coach: Jim Curtin
• Owner: Keystone Sports and Entertainment LLC
• MLS since: 2010

The Philadelphia Union is Philadelphia’s MLS team, although they are based in Chester, Pennsylvania, and play home games at Subaru Park on Chester’s waterfront along the Delaware River.

The Union, which joined MLS in 2010, are in the league’s Eastern Conference. The team made the MLS Cup Playoffs for the first time in 2011, finishing third in the Eastern Conference with a record of 11–8–15. However, the team lost to eventual MLS Cup finalist Houston Dynamo in the Conference Semifinal first round.

The Union captured the Supporter’s Shield for the first time in 2020 for finishing the best regular season with a 14-4-5 record. Unfortunately, they were eliminated by the New England Revolution in the first round of the MLS Cup Playoffs.

Last year, the Union qualified for its first MLS Cup appearance. Despite coming up short, the team is in a good position to make some more noise this season.

Union games are now broadcast locally on WPHL-TV and WPVI-TV. Philadelphia Union futures markets are available at most PA online sportsbooks, and single-game betting including three-way moneyline, spread and totals markets are available for each Union game.

How to bet on the English Premier League from PA

Twenty English teams compete in the league, including the top 17 teams from the previous season standings and three others teams promoted from the lower-level English Football League Championship division.

Each of the 20 teams plays the others twice: once at home and once away. That means each team plays 38 matches. Three points are awarded for a win and one for a draw. The team with the most points at the end of the season is declared the champion. The teams that finish in the bottom three spots in the standings are relegated to the English Football League Championship.

Premier League clubs also play in the FA Cup and League Cup (Carabao Cup) tournaments. The FA Cup actually includes the top 10 divisions of English football. Premier League clubs join in the third round. The League Cup is a tournament for clubs in England’s top four divisions. The top four teams in the Premier League standings qualify for the UEFA Champions League.

The FA Cup winners, League Cup winners and the fifth-place team in the Premier League standings go into the Europa League. However, if the cup winners finish in the top four in the standings, their places go to the teams in sixth and seventh place.

UEFA Champions League betting from PA

The UEFA Champions League is an annual club football competition contested by top teams from the top-division European leagues. It is considered the most prestigious football tournament in the world and is most certainly the most prestigious club competition in Europe.

Most PA online sportsbooks post three-way moneyline, spread, and totals markets for each Champions League match. Champions League matches are contested over two legs, and markets are available for each leg and the total match.

Next World Cup odds

The FIFA World Cup plays out every four years. The biggest international soccer event features the top 32 national teams in the world, including a team from the host nation. It plays out over the course of four weeks and usually takes place in the summer. The 2022 World Cup took place in Qatar in November-December and Argentina emerged victorious.

The World Cup starts with a group stage where each group plays a round-robin tournament consisting of matches against the other teams in the same group. The top two teams from each group advance to the knockout stage where a knockout tournament is played for the World Cup title.

World Cup futures markets will be available at PA sportsbooks well ahead of the tournament. Three-way moneyline, spread and totals markets for each World Cup game will open near the start of the event.

Qualification for the World Cup begins three years out. Check below for the most recent World Cup futures. (Note: Always see your sportsbook for most recent odds)

What are the biggest soccer betting leagues?

MLS is the highest level of pro soccer in the US and Canada. The league, which launched in 1996, has 34 teams. The top pro soccer leagues and most prosperous betting markets in Europe include:

• English Premier League
• La Liga in Spain
• Serie A in Italy
• Bundesliga in Germany 
• Ligue 1 in France

The best teams from the top European soccer leagues also compete annually in the UEFA Champions League. The Champions League was born out of the European Champion Clubs’ Cup. It sees 32 clubs divided into eight groups playing in the Champions League group stage. The winner and runner-up from each group advance to the knockout stage, where they play a tournament for the title.

CONCACAF = North American Champions League

There is also a version of the Champions League on this side of the globe called the CONCACAF Champions League. It is considered the most prestigious international club competition in North American soccer. This knockout tournament runs February through April featuring 16 teams, at least nine from North America, one from the Caribbean and six from other CONCACAF countries.

The North American teams are from Major League Soccer and Liga MX in Mexico, which qualify through the leagues and other tournaments. The Caribbean team qualifies through the Caribbean Club Championship and the others through various CONCACAF leagues.

Which other soccer leagues can I bet on?

More leagues or events you can bet on right here in PA:

• Belarusian Premier League: The Belarusian Premier League is the top-tier football league in Belarus.
• Liga MX: The Liga MX is the top-flight soccer league in Mexico. It is divided into two championships: the Torneo Apertura and the Torneo Clausura. Each follows the same format and involves the same 19 club teams.
• Caribbean Club Championship: The Caribbean Club Championship is the international club football competition for top-tier teams in the Caribbean. The winner qualifies for the CONCACAF Champions League.
• UEFA European Championship (Euro 2020): UEFA postponed Euro 2020 and moved the tournament to 2021. The event was scheduled from June 12 to July 12 across 12 countries. It is now scheduled to take place from June 11 to July 11, 2021. Futures markets are still open at PA sportsbooks.
• 2022 FIFA World Cup: The 2022 FIFA World Cup is scheduled for late November until mid-December in Qatar. It will be the first World Cup ever in the Arab world and the first not to be held in May, June or July. It’s also set to be played over just 28 days with the final on Dec. 18, 2022. World Cup futures markets are already open at PA sportsbooks.

NCAA soccer in PA

A total of 205 NCAA schools with men’s soccer programs compete in the NCAA Division I men’s soccer season. The regular season begins in late August and continues until the third weekend of November.

The season wraps up with the completion of the NCAA Division I Men’s Soccer Tournament, otherwise known as the College Cup. The final four will be held on on Friday, December 9, 2022. The two teams winning in the semifinals will advance and compete in national championship game on Monday, December 12, 2022 in Cary, North Carolina.

The NCAA Division I Men’s Soccer Tournament features 48 teams: 24 Division I conference tournament champions or conference leaders and 24 at-large bids awarded to the highest ranking non-conference winning teams in the country.

In 20121, the Clemson Tigers won the NCAA title after beating the No. 2 Washington 2-0. 

The University of Pittsburgh Panthers men’s soccer team lost to Notre Dame in the third round of the 2021 men’s soccer NCAA tournament.

The Penn State Nittany Lions men’s soccer team lost to Hofstra in the second round of the 2021 tournament.

The following Pennsylvania schools also run NCAA Division I men’s soccer programs but failed to make it to the 2019 NCAA Division I Men’s Soccer Tournament:

• Temple University
• Lehigh University
• Duquesne University
• La Salle University
• Saint Joseph’s University
• Villanova University
• Drexel University
• University of Pennsylvania (Penn)
• Robert Morris University
• Saint Francis University
• Bucknell University
• Lafayette College

NCAA soccer futures markets should be available at PA online and mobile sportsbooks, allowing you to bet on the winner of the NCAA Division I Men’s Soccer Tournament. Plus, single-game wagering including three-way moneyline, spread and totals markets should be available for NCAA Division I men’s soccer games.

Information about NCAA Division I men’s soccer can be found through the NCAA.

Soccer betting tips

Soccer betting is huge in most parts of the world. However, it’s new to most of us here in Pennsylvania. Here are three basic betting tips that can help you becoming a winner betting on soccer in PA:

1. Do your homework

Betting on soccer in PA often involves wagering on games taking place quite far from home. Watching games in time zones that are eight or more hours ahead of us can be hard, but that doesn’t mean you can’t put a good amount of research time in before making your picks. Read about the teams and the leagues you’re wagering on, and in particular, review the history between the two teams you’re thinking about betting on. Knowing not only how teams play, but how they play against one another, can give you an edge.

2. Stick to what you know

There are literally hundreds of soccer matches from around the world you can bet on right here in PA. That said, you’ll want to be selective about the leagues and teams you bet on. Following the MLS here at home doesn’t necessarily make you an expert on the English Premier League. Stick to what you know, and you’ll be more successful. And remember, branching out doesn’t just mean betting on other leagues and teams, it means researching other leagues and teams first.

3. Factor in form

If you’re thinking about betting on a soccer team, check the schedule and the scores. See how many games the team’s played recently and how it’s fared. Are the players tired? Are they in good form lately? Is the game before or after this one more important to the team? Study the schedule to see where the team’s at and recent match reports to see if the players are hot or not. It’s more homework, but it’s the kind of homework that’ll help turn your guesses into informed and educated picks.

Top soccer betting apps in PA

When it comes to betting on soccer from a phone or tablet in PA, DraftKings Sportsbook and FanDuel Sportsbook are the top two options. Here’s why:

1. DraftKings Sportsbook — $50 Bonus Bet, up to $1,000 in bonuses

DraftKings offers three-way moneylines, spreads and totals for a huge variety of soccer matches from around the world.

There’s also live, in-play betting on select games. Plus, futures markets for everything from the Euro Championship to the World Cup.

The DraftKings app is available for both iPhone and Android.

Get $50 Bonus Bet with $5 minimum deposit, and up to $1,000 in bonuses when you sign up for DraftKings Sportsbook in PA through our exclusive link.

• Get the DraftKings app and claim your $50 Bonus Bet

2. FanDuel Sportsbook app — up to $1,000 No Sweat First Bet

FanDuel offers core wagering options on a massive variety of soccer from across the globe. Available soccer bet types include:

• Moneylines
• Proposition wagers
• Spreads
• Total goals
• Parlays
• Futures
• Round robins
• Three-way spread betting

FanDuel also offers live, in-play betting on select soccer matches. Plus, futures markets include the MLS and most international leagues and competitions.

The FanDuel Sportsbook app is available for iPhone and Android. Plus, you can get up to a $1,000 No Sweat First Bet just for signing up with FanDuel Sportsbook PA through our exclusive link.

• Get the FanDuel app and claim your No Sweat First Bet now

Legal soccer betting apps vs. offshore

PA online sportsbooks and betting apps offer soccer betting in a legal and regulated environment. Offshore betting apps (i.e. those based in the UK or Europe) may provide more soccer betting options than PA sportsbooks, but it’s not in your best interest to skirt the laws of PA to try them.

The biggest advantage legal and regulated PA sportsbooks offer is the regulation itself. Use a licensed PA sports betting app and you can place bets in a safe, legal and state-regulated environment with confidence. If there’s any confusion or doubt about the outcome of any of your bets, you have somewhere to turn.

Simply put, your money is safe and secure when you bet with legal and regulated PA sportsbooks. If you find yourself outside PA and in a state without legal and regulated sports betting options, you may be tempted to bet with an offshore book. Don’t bother.

Not only will the banking methods be much tougher to deal with, there’s simply nowhere to go if the offshore and illegal sportsbook of your choice gets funny with the money or simply disappears.