No derby in English football has the history or intensity of the Merseyside derby. Liverpool is a city where the inhabitants live and breathe the game. The rivalry divides families and friends on a match day and is as synonymous with the city as The Beatles. There have been more than 240 derbies to date, making it one of the most-played rivalries in world football.

The first derby occurred in 1894 when the then-established Everton FC trounced their local rivals, Liverpool, who had existed for only two years. Despite the intensity of the rivalry, the Merseyside derby does not cut through social or political divides the way other derbies do, such as Glasgow’s ‘Old Firm’ derby.

Therefore, it has developed a reputation as a ‘friendly derby’ as both sets of supporters have shared stands over the years, including at Wembley. There have been other unifying factors, too, such as the horrendous events at Hillsborough that impacted the entire city.

Everton was one of the founding football league members, but in recent decades, the red side of Merseyside has had much more to shout about. Everton’s last significant cup triumph stretches back over 30 years. That doesn’t mean the head-to-head rivalry is any less intense, however.

Many games are tightly fought and hostile encounters, with Everton regularly taking points from their rivals despite their apparent gulf on paper. This unpredictability and tenacity, which can often spill over into goals, bookings, and red cards, means the fixture remains popular for football bettors.

How to Bet on the Merseyside Derby

Betting on the Merseyside derby is simple. Fire up your LeoVegas account, toggle over to the sports and football betting options, and look for the date when the next Merseyside derby is set to take place. Markets won’t appear until a couple of weeks before the fixture takes place, but as long as you have deposited funds into your account, you can place your bet on the next instalment of the iconic derby.

Overview of the betting markets available

• Match Winner - This is a pretty straightforward market. You can either bet on Liverpool, the draw, or Everton. If they’re playing in the cup, remember that these markets only apply to 90 minutes and will be void if the game goes into extra time.
• Over/Under Goals - This is a market you can find across the EPL. If you are betting on the Everton vs Liverpool game, you will find this market in the days or weeks before the fixture is set to take place.
• Handicap Betting - You can also bet on winning margins in the Merseyside derby. If you fancy Liverpool to smash their rivals, -3 would be a victory by three goals or more.
• Both Teams to Score (BTTS) - This is a bet on both teams to get on the scoresheet during the 90 minutes.
• Cards/Booking Points - This is always a good bet for the derby considering there have been more red cards in this fixture than any other game in English football. With the size of the EPL betting markets, you can bet on individual players to pick up a yellow or a red card.

Other Niche Merseyside Derby Betting Markets

Some of the other Liverpool vs Everton betting markets are the same niche markets we see across the EPL, including:

• Total shots on target - usually displayed as an over/under figure
• Everton or Liverpool to win to nil
• Penalty kick awarded
• Total corners in the first half
• Player to assist a goal
• Individual players to score from a header or from outside the box

Merseyside Derby Betting Tips

Everton have proven to be a challenge for their neighbours in recent years, especially at Goodison Park. Everton all but put the final nail in the coffin for Jurgen Klopp’s title hopes at the end of the 23/24 season, and Carlo Ancelotti guided Everton to their first win at Anfield in 2019 for the first time in 20 years.

Liverpool’s domestic dominance in the last few years is irrelevant to the derbies as they are considered one-off fixtures. Games can be tense affairs, one-sided beatdowns, or games that are laden with controversy. The Reds have won 18 of the 33 games at Anfield in the EPL, with Everton only managing three. So, at least when it comes to games at Anfield, the odds are skewed in favour of Liverpool.

The only predictable thing about the Merseyside derby is that it won’t be a run-of-the-mill fixture. It’s a game that many bettors avoid, and the bookies often get it wrong. This is a significant reason that a Merseyside derby betting guide is all about throwing the conventional rule book out the window. Although Liverpool has the edge at Anfield and the stats would back this up, betting on the Merseyside derby is the bookmaker equivalent of walking a tightrope.

Form often goes out the window in the lead-up to a derby, with the passion of the event fuelling players to find that extra 5 or 10%.

Why the Merseyside Derby is Unique for Betting

There have been more sending-offs in the Merseyside derby than in any other game in the history of English football. If you like to bet on niche markets that revolve around yellow or red cards and which player is likely to be carded, this is a good game to target.

The last-ever derby at Goodison Park in 2025 saw a dramatic last-minute rocket from a defender who rarely finds the back of the net for Everton FC. Just as the tension reached fever pitch following a lengthy VAR check, a massive brawl broke out, and three players and coaching members from each side received red cards.

As we discussed in the last section, form goes out the window when these two rivals meet. The fact that it’s called the ‘friendly derby’ means it does have a different feel than traditional derbies. Judging by the bile that both fans aim at each other on social media in the modern age, it’s a rivalry that is becoming more sour.

With Everton set to move to their new ground, perhaps their fortunes could change with their new stadium.

Best Betting Markets for the Merseyside Derby

The yellow and red card markets are always the best bet for the Merseyside derby, and the data compounds this point of view. Anfield is a bogey ground for the blues, with their only win in this century recorded in 2021. It had the distinction of being the only Merseyside derby that has ever been played in front of a crowd of nil due to the pandemic.

If there’s a lot on the line in the upcoming derby, usually a relegation dogfight for Everton FC or a title charge for Liverpool, these can be more cagey affairs. When the stakes are high, both teams look to squeeze through and keep marching toward their goal.

However, derbies where both teams don’t have too much to play for (such as the 24/25 Goodison derby, when Liverpool had essentially wrapped up the title) can be the games that see the most action both on the pitch and, in some cases, in the dugout.

The best bets for the Merseyside derby usually focus on specific events, such as cards or BTTS, rather than any attempt to digest the data and develop a prediction. More often than not, you’ll be miles off.

Why Bet on the Merseyside Derby?

Many bettors like to take advantage of the unpredictability as it often results in wider odds. There have been recent games in which Liverpool have dominated 4-1, and there have been games that have ended goalless or 1-0, even after extra time. Then there is the 2009 FA Cup tie, which saw the TV broadcast go to adverts as Dan Gosling scored Everton’s injury-time winner.

Likewise, there have been recent periods when the teams have drawn 0-0, only for Liverpool to win 5-2 or 4-1 a few months later. Everton have also beaten Liverpool despite being light years behind them in the table and on paper. It’s a genuine mixed bag.

As far as sports betting is concerned, betting on Merseyside derby markets means remaining open to any eventuality. Most fans appreciate that the game is one of the reasons English football continues to be revered throughout the sporting world.

To some extent, the EPL has several games that are hard to predict. You only need to scroll through recent head-to-heads and their respective positions in the league to see that this rivalry does not always pan out in reality the way it does on paper.

The tenacity and ferocity of the game make it a footballing spectacle, and it is one of the most-watched fixtures in English football. Domestically and internationally, the Merseyside Derby showcases why the oldest top-flight rivalry in English football still demands attention.