Don't believe the hype about any other sport in spread betting - football is the daddy. Whether you count the number of markets, the number of punters or the sums of money gambled year after year, football is by far the number-one sport for this exciting and volatile form of betting.

Times are changing, too - the growth of in-running betting (that is, betting during live events) during the last few years has granted footie punters more options, and the recent slashing of margins by two major firms has given punters outstanding value. Chuck in the arrival of an exchange firm and you can see why spread betting is such a fascinating sector for football fans these days.