- The Premier League was created in 1992 as a break away from the Football League
- Every team plays 38 games every Premier League season
- The Premier League has three new teams every season
The English Premier League is the most watched sport in the world. According to research done by SPORT+MARKT, the Premier League has a viewership of 4.7 billion people, and the games are broadcasted into 643 homes, bars, and restaurants worldwide.
Whether you’re just getting started with Premier League betting or you want to start watching EPL, it can be challenging to know where to start. So, here’s an easy beginner’s guide to the world’s most popular soccer league.
Beginner’s Guide to the Premier League
History
The Football League started in England in 1888 and was made up of different league divisions.
In 1992, the First Division broke away from the Football League and formed the Premier League, also known as the EPL. The move was orchestrated by a few key individuals, including owners David Dein of Arsenal, Martin Edwards of Manchester United, Irving Scholar of Tottenham, Noel White of Liverpool, and Philip Carter of Everton.
The goal of the move was to create more revenue for the top teams in the league. The Premier League offered the best teams autonomy and opportunities to grow the commercial and business aspects of the clubs.
Broadcasting rights have undoubtedly been the most significant influence on the EPL and its staggering revenue. It is now broadcast in over 200 countries around the world.
Clubs With the Most EPL Titles: 1888-2022
| Club | Number of Titles |
|---|---|
| Manchester United | 20 |
| Liverpool | 19 |
| Arsenal | 13 |
| Everton | 9 |
| Manchester City | 8 |
How Many Teams Are in the Premier League?
There are 20 teams in every Premier League season. Although many of the teams remain unchanged, three new clubs enter and leave the EPL through the process of relegation and promotion.
How Many Games Does Each Team Play?
Every club will play the 19 other teams twice in a Premier League season. One game is played at home and the other away. This means every team plays 38 games.
The Premier League Schedule
The EPL normally starts in August and ends in May. Most games are played on the weekend, but some are played during the weeks if there are clashes with domestic cup campaigns.
There are two transfer windows in the Premier League. The winter window is the quieter of the two and runs during January. The summer window is when most transfer activity takes place and runs from June through September.
Points System
The Premier League is based on a points system. A win is three points, a draw is one point, and a loss is none.
The “Big Six”
The most internationally renowned clubs in the Premier League are known as the “Big Six.” They include Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, and Tottenham Hotspur.
These are the teams that the soccer odds would generally predict to top the table at the end of the season.
While the influence of these huge clubs is undeniable, they certainly aren’t impenetrable when it comes to their place on the Premier League Table. Clubs like Leicester City, Wolves, and West Ham have proved that they can eclipse a few of the “Big Six.”
The Table
The No. 1 spot on the table is certainly not the only significant rank in the EPL. The most coveted positions are the top four, as these teams automatically qualify for the UEFA Champions League.
The fifth place in the table is entered into the Europa League and the team that wins the FA Cup. If the FA Cup winning team is already in the top five, the sixth team will take their spot.
The next most significant spots on the table are the bottom three. This is the relegation zone and the places clubs try to avoid at all costs.
You’ll find EPL betting odds for these significant spots on the EPL table.
Relegation and Promotion
Teams in the bottom three places of the EPL table are dropped to the Championship and replaced with the top three teams from that league for the next season.
This means that the teams in the Premier League change every season, although the bigger clubs rarely fall into the relegation zone.
What Happens if Teams Are Level on Points
The Premier League uses a few different techniques to differentiate teams that end the season with the same points.
First, they decide using goal differential (goals for minus goals against.) The team with the higher goal difference gets the higher spot.
If this still doesn’t separate the teams, then the team that has scored the most goals is superior. If this is also equal, then the teams will occupy the same spot, as long as if it doesn’t impact European competition, relegation, or title places.
If the above are at stake, the higher points earned in the two team’s head-to-head matches will come out on top. If this doesn’t differentiate them, then the number of away goals scored will be used.
If, in some unlikely circumstance, the teams still can’t be separated, then a playoff match will take place.
Soccer Odds at BetMGM
Whether you’re a first-time bettor, casual fan, or longtime diehard, there are soccer odds for everyone at BetMGM.
Throughout the year, you can view online sports betting opportunities for the Premier League, World Cup, Champions League, and more events around the world.
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