Which football league is more unpredictable for betting: First division or Premier division?

Ireland has such a thriving football culture that most people heavily invest in the teams that match their values. Not only do they keep up with their stats, but they also place wagers on Irish teams as well as those in the UK. As such, the number of the best football betting apps has been growing steadily over the years. But which football league is the best for a budding punter? We look at the top divisions in the country and their likely outcomes based on history to help you determine where to best invest your time and money.

Breaking Down the Divisions

Like most countries with tough football teams, Ireland divides its teams based on performance. The top two divisions are the first and premier divisions, home to the top football teams. Let’s consider what makes them great for betting:

1.The Premier Division

This division, formed in 1985, comprises the top ten Ireland teams. Each year, the teams compete for the top spot from February to November. The matches require teams to face each other four times - two matches occur at home, and the other two are away. After 36 games, all teams receive their ranking based on the points awarded to them following their wins, losses, and draws. Those with the same points draw - if this happens during the championship or relegation stage, the teams must go head-to-head to determine who wins.

Since this is the highest division, teams play to remain in the lineup. The bottom two teams face relegation. The last team automatically gets relegated to the first division. The second-last team plays against the second-ranking team in the first division to determine which of them remains in the premier division.

Ease of Predictability.

All the teams in this division have been relegated to the first division at some point, save for the St Patrick's Athletic and Bohemians. Let's consider the top teams in this category:

• Shamrock Rovers has won 11 titles. It won the 2020, 2021, 2022, and 2023 titles.
• Dundalk has won 8 titles.
• Shelbourne has won 6 titles.
• St Patrick's Athletic has won 5 titles.
• Bohemians has won 4 titles.

Cork City, Derry City, Sligo Rovers, Drogheda United, and Athlone Town have also won titles.

2.The First Division.

This division is second in the football pyramid and dates back to 1985. Like the Premier Division, it boasts ten clubs that compete to determine who stays in the league and who moves to other divisions. This process takes place as follows:

• Promotion: The team that performs best in this division automatically advances to the Premier Division. The second team competes with the second-last team in the Premier Division, so the winning team competes in the Premier category in the next season.
• Relegation: This division has a relationship with the Leinster Senior League Senior Division, the Munster Senior League and the Ulster Senior League. While the terms of relegation to these tiers are not standard, teams from these divisions have sometimes joined this league.

This competitive format has resulted in teams putting their best foot forward to compete in the highest tier, which offers more perks.

Ease of Predictability.

In the almost four decades this tier has existed, the following teams have accumulated the most wins.

• Drogheda United has had 5 wins.
• Waterford has had 4 wins.
• UCD, Limerick, and Bray Wanderers have had 3 wins.
• Athlone Town, Cork City, Derry City, Dundalk, Galway United, Shelbourne, and Sligo Rovers have had 2 wins.

The following teams have won one title - Wexford Youths, Longford Town, Cobh Ramblers, Shamrock Rovers, Finn Harps, Dublin City, and Kilkenny City.

Which Tier is Best for Betting?

The premier division is home to teams with considerably similar skill sets. As such, their performance is often at par. Take the example of the 2023 season. The first six teams had a point range of 14 points, such that the winning team only beat the second by 7 points, and the second beat the third by 3 points. The first division is home to teams with considerably different skill sets. Thanks to this variation, teams often beat each other with substantial point differences. In the 2023 season, the first six teams had a point range of 50 points, such that the winner had 94 points, the second team had 69 points, and the sixth team had 44 points.

Based on this, predicting a winner in the premier division would be more challenging as the teams are highly competitive and boast similar strengths, including financial power. Moreover, since teams don’t want to face relegation, they often work hard to ensure they do not face this fate.

What This Means for Punters

Unpredictability results in competitive odds, which can benefit punters who make the most of them. So, what can you do to get ahead? First, you must research teams and understand how to analyse the data you get from credible sources. Secondly, you should keep abreast of news updates, including weather changes and injuries. And thirdly, you must understand how to manage your spending so that you can maximise your profits while protecting your capital. With these strategies, you can turn uncertainty into profits as you cheer on your favourite teams!