Over / Under Betting in Football Explained

Relatively straightforward with some attractive odds, over/under betting is hugely popular with football punters.

How does it work?

A bookmaker will set a number of goals scored over the course of the game, and you have to guess whether the final amount will be lower or higher.

Want a closer look before you place a bet? Here’s everything you need to know.

According to bleacherreport.com, the Eredivisie is the football league with the highest scoring matches, with 3.18 goals per game.

In Betting, What Does Over and Under Mean?

In short: a better must guess whether the total number of goals scored by both teams is over or under what the bookmaker has set.

There are a number of different betting markets within this, each with their own odds.

Over/Under 0.5

Over/under 0.5 goals is just one variation.

Back under 0.5, you’re betting no goals will be scored. Back over 0.5, you’re betting more than 0 will be scored. The total can be any number, all that matters is that someone scores.

This tends to be less lucrative than some of the other markets, particularly for games where it’s highly likely someone will score, such as a match in the Premier League .

Over/Under 1.5

With the over/under 1.5 goals market, under bets win if fewer than 1 goal is scored. Over bets win if more than 1 is scored. This tends to be a popular betting choice, found across many different matches and leagues.

Over/Under 2.5

Over/under 2.5 goals follow the same principle. If you back over and the final score is 3 and over, your bet wins. Back under – the opposite is true.

According to www.windrawwin.com, 20 of the 22 Icelandic Úrvalsdeild matches that Vikingur Reykjavik have played so far in the 2022/23 season have resulted in over 2.5 goals.

Over/Under 3.5

Reckon 3 or more goals will be scored across the 90 minutes? Back an over 3.5 goals bet. Reckon it will be less than 3? Back an under 3.5 goals bet.

This is how the over/under 3.5 goals market works.

Over/Under 4.5

Over/under 4.5 goals allows you to bet on either more than 4, or less than 4, goals to be scored.

Over/Under 5.5

If you have a number of great strikers in a football match, or on the older hand two poor defences, you might be tempted by the over/under 5.5 goals market.

This lets you bet on either more than 5 or less than 5 goals to be scored over the course of the game.

What are the Odds Like?

Odds vary widely depending on the match itself, the bookmaker, and the market.

There are some lucrative odds to be found, as some punters have made some high profits thanks to their winning bets.

It’s been known that some bookmakers offer odds as high as 3.50, particularly for the 1.5 goals market. Odds tend to climb the more goals you predict will win, however this isn’t a universal rule.

If you’re new to the world of football betting and don’t yet quite understanding how odds work, you’ll learn a lot from reading our how betting odds work blog.

Our expert football writers have written a number of excellent blogs. Check out our other articles.

Advice for Placing a Bet in These Markets

Ensure you’re betting intelligently at all times, regardless of the market you choose. To help you do so, here’s some advice.

Look for Patterns

Nothing is easy to predict in sports betting, and particularly in football. However, looking for common occurrences can be a good strategy to apply. Look for how many times a team has produced over or under a particular amount of goals.

For example, let’s say that Coventry City have only scored more than 2 goals in 8 out of their last 18 games played in the Championship. This is slightly below half, and should defer you from backing the over/under 2.5 goals market.

Watch Out for the Average

Trying to work out the average number of goals scored by a particular team can sound like a great tactic on paper. However, this isn’t necessarily the best betting strategy to apply when it comes to these markets.

This is due to the fact it isn’t about how many goals the team has scored overall, but how many they score, or concede, in the game in question.

Use Tips and Predictions

Free football tips can help guide you when placing a bet, ensuring you don’t part with your money blind. Use these to your advantage to reduce the chance of unnecessary losses. Our expert writers spend their time looking at eye-catching matches from over 30 leagues worldwide in each of these over/under markets.

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Written by Ashley Salek for kickoff.co.uk