One of the best things about the UFWC is that it adds an extra layer of interest to the international fixture list. It neatly fill the four-year void between the official World Cups, and there is plenty of enjoyment to be had in watching an apparently meaningless friendly match with the knowledge that the victor will become the latest Unofficial Football World Champion.

If you’re into your football betting, then you may find that the UFWC adds extra interest here, too, particularly if you lose interest when it comes to simply picking out the winners from the latest list of fixtures. If you want to boost your passion for football betting further, and to boost your profits as well, then you may wish to consider making a few alternative bets on games, or ‘niche’ bets as they are also called.

With the UFWC title heading to the World Cup in Russia, there are lots of big matches on the way. Here are a few of the best niche bets available that will give you a real chance of enhancing your winnings on UFWC and World Cup matches.

Combined match result

A combined match result is a double wager where you bet on the outcome of the game and another element, such as over/under 2.5 goals or BTTS (both teams to score) yes/no. If a game is a ‘certainty’ then the odds are usually tightened up to the point where it is not really worth your while placing a wager.

If you fancy a team for a big win then combine your ‘1X2’ forecast with over 2.5 goals. The beauty of this is that the losing side may actually make some contribution to your bet. If you can’t see the opposition even scoring once then combine a win with BTTS ‘no’.

BTTS in both halves

You can usually acquire some very decent prices if you find BTTS both halves tips from FootballTips. With this bet you are wagering that the match has a goal in each half, and from each team. The game must therefore be at least 1-1 at half-time, and at least 2-2 at full time (as long as both teams have found the net in the second half).

It’s a complete no-brainer to up your odds, combining a BTTS in both halves bet with an over 3.5 goals bet, as to be a winner your BTTS in both halves bet must see at least four goals being scored.

BTTS and over/under 2.5 goals

Teams that score plenty of goals but concede just as many are a godsend to the football bettor. While some sides are content to grind out 1-0 wins, other sides don’t seem to care about how many goals they score as long as they score one more goal than the opposition.

When a fixture brings two such teams together, the result is usually a goal-fest (such as when current UFWC champions Peru lost to Chile in a 4-3 defeat in 2015). You can combine BTTS ‘yes’ and over 2.5 goals bets.

Nailed-on no score draws or 1-0 wins can be backed in a similar fashion with BTTS ‘no’ and under 2.5 goals.

BTTS first half

If you’ve crunched the numbers, you’ll be aware that more goals are scored in the second half of games than the first. Teams are often cagey during the opening stages of any match, as they scout the opposition out and look for ways to probe openings.

It’s reasonably uncommon for both sides to score during the first half of such games, so backing this bet in matches where the opposing teams are similar in terms of talent is usually a winner. The only downside is that sports books are aware of this ‘phenomenon’ too, tightening the odds as appropriate.

The above four bets are only a handful of the niche bets available to football punters, and you really need to expand your betting horizons if you want to make a profit. Take a detailed look at all the markets available and take a step beyond simply forecasting the winners of games.

There are plenty of UFWC and World Cup games coming up in which to test these niche bets. The next UFWC title match is Peru v Saudi Arabia on Sunday, 3 June. This will be followed by another warm-up friendly, before the World Cup gets underway on 14 June.