The world stops spinning during major soccer events. Think of the World Cup Finals. Over one billion people watched the World Cup final between France and Croatia in 2018. A year later, 400 million people tuned in to watch the Champions League final between Liverpool and Real Madrid. That’s a lot of people!
In other words, soccer is the people’s sport. If you love it, there are numerous ways to turn your passion into income. Here, we’ll highlight the most common methods.
Bet on Football Games
Let’s get this out of the way. The easiest way to make money from sports is to bet. You see, there are countless betting websites. Each of them would be glad to welcome you as a customer. In fact, some of them will give you a free bet immediately you create an account.
Now, betting sites aren’t created equal. Some bookies have better than others. Some payout quicker than their competitors. With that said, it would be smart to check this review of football betting sites to discover the best online sportsbooks for you.
Next, learn how to bet like a professional. It requires a great deal of research, identifying valuable bets and avoiding emotions. It’s challenging but possible to make money consistently. And if you’re lucky, you could hit a big jackpot through parlay betting.
Photo credit at the top of this page goes to Marcel.
Write for Football Blogs
So, you love to write? Turn your skills into money by writing for football blogs and news websites around the world. Most sports websites operate with the help of freelance journalists, so there’s a demand for knowledgeable sports writers.
In case you’re wondering, you don’t need a journalism degree to write for sports blogs. Many of them judge you by your writing skills and nothing else. Of course, this means you must be pretty competent in writing for the web to qualify.
That being said, the amount of money you make by writing for football blogs vary greatly. Small blogs can pay you $10 to $20 to rewrite news articles first published by the major websites. However, the big news networks pay top dollar to write on a wide range of topics.
Start a YouTube Channel
You probably already own a YouTube channel. And being a sports fan, you use it to watch football highlights, predictions, news and updates. Guess what? You could be the person behind the camera explaining why Karim Benzema or N’Golo Kante will win the Ballon D’Or someday.
Truth be said, running a successful YouTube challenge isn’t a walk in the park. People only pay attention to popular channels. Or they give attention to new channels if the content is good. You could be hilarious or you could post informative guides and highlights.
After you amass a following on YouTube, you can monetize it for money through adverts. You can ask people to subscribe, donate or buy branded merchandise from you. Top YouTubers command six-figure salaries, so give it a serious thought.
Become a Photojournalist
If you prefer taking photos to writing, there’s a way to profit from it. Partner with local football teams to take photos or record entire matches for them. Alternatively, take photos and sell them online.
Getty Images, iStock Photo, Etsy, Shutterstock—these are some of the biggest websites for selling images. On average, photos sell for $10 apiece at most of these sites. If you 100 people buy your photo, it’s a cool $1000 made.
To be clear, your can publish your images on multiple websites. This way, you can maximize your profits and build exposure for your brand.
Become a TV Sports Analyst
If you’re good at analyzing sports, find a way to get paid for it. Mainstream sports networks pay analysts up to $10M per year for their opinions. And guess what? Most of them are dead wrong.
Now, building your way to a point people pay to listen to you isn’t easy. But this is where social media, blogs and YouTube play a role. Create an account on Twitter and Facebook. Then analyze football games while sharing your predictions.
If you’re correct, people will share your posts and follow you. In doing so, they will make you famous. Once you’re popular, getting recognized by sports companies is easy. Alternatively, you could monetize your social media channels.
Sell Football Merchandise and Memorabilia
Sports merchandise and memorabilia are always in demand. Of course, the best-selling products are signed jerseys and cleats from world-class footballers like Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.
However, you don’t have to land a jersey from Messi to make money by selling memorabilia. Consider buying cheap used jerseys, balls, cleats and scarfs from websites like eBay and Craig list. Then resell these items at a profit.
Another idea is to sell regular merchandise. Buy jerseys in wholesale and sell them in retail at your website. Even if you make 10% as profits, it can be a great source of extra income.
Buy Football Shares
Buying shares is one of the easiest ways to make money from football. You don’t need to get involved a lot. All you need is to buy shares from a publicly listed company and give it time to grow.
Now, the growth part is where you need to worry about. No one knows when or whether a stock will grow in the future. All you can do is to research about a team and invest in it if you believe it has a future.
To lower risks, most people buy shares for the big clubs: Manchester United, Juventus, Arsenal, AS Roman, Rangers and Borussia Dortmund. Others invest in Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs).
Either way, take time to learn about the best football stocks. Also, invest a small amount of money.
Your Turn
If you love football, there’s no shortage of ways to make money from the sport. First up is to try betting. If it fails, consider working for blogs and news websites. If neither of the options feels right, start your own YouTube channel or website. Additionally, have a presence on social media and provide valuable content.