Most Common Football Betting Types
Outright (Winner) Bets
The Outright Winner market involves predicting which team will win a particular tournament, such as the UEFA Champions League or the English Premier League. Also referred to as futures or ante-post bets, these wagers span an entire season or tournament, making the wait for results longer compared to single match bets. For instance, you might place an outright bet on Manchester City to win the Premier League or Real Madrid to secure the Champions League title. While the waiting period is extended, the potential payouts are often higher due to increased uncertainty, with outright bets typically offering higher odds than regular match bets.
Handicaps
Handicap betting is popular when a stronger team faces a weaker one, aiming to level the playing field by giving the superior team a disadvantage. Bookmakers assign a virtual advantage or disadvantage (the handicap) to teams, usually in terms of goals. The favorite team gets a handicap marked by a minus sign (-). For example, if Manchester City plays Watford, the bookmaker might give Manchester City a -1.5 handicap. To win, Manchester City must score at least 2 more goals than Watford. Conversely, the underdog receives a head start, marked by a plus sign (+). Betting on Nottingham Forest (+1.5) means they can win, draw, or lose by one goal for your bet to win. Handicap bets make uneven matches more exciting by offering alternatives beyond a simple win/lose outcome for the favorite.
Over/Under Markets
The Over/Under market is another popular football betting option, focusing on the total score of the game rather than the winner. Bookmakers set a predicted combined score for both teams (goals), and you bet on whether the actual total score will be higher (Over) or lower (Under) than that number. For example, if the Over/Under for a Chelsea vs. Liverpool match is set at 2.5 goals, you win an Over bet if the final score is 3-0, 2-1, or any result with 3 or more goals. You win an Under bet if the game ends 1-0, 0-0, or 2-0 (2 or fewer goals). If the final score exactly matches the bookmaker’s number, the bet is a push, and your stake is refunded.
Parlay/Accumulators
A Parlay (known as an Accumulator in the UK) combines several selections into one bet, where all selections must win. You choose two or more separate wagers on different football matches (or other events). These individual bets are called “legs” of the parlay. To win the parlay, every leg must be successful. If any leg loses, the entire parlay bet loses. For example, in a tournament, you might bet on Arsenal to win, Chelsea to lose, Manchester City to win, and Crystal Palace to win. If all predictions are correct, you win the accumulator. However, if any prediction is incorrect, you lose the entire bet. The reward for a winning parlay is much greater than the sum of the individual bets’ payouts due to the higher difficulty.
Totals – Corners, Bookings, etc.
The Totals market involves betting on the total number of specific events in a match, such as corners, goals, or points. You can also bet on the total number of bookings in a game.
- Total Corners: This market focuses on the total number of corner kicks in a match, regardless of which team takes them. Bookmakers set a number (e.g., 10.5 corners), and you bet on whether the actual number will be Over or Under that number. Betting Over 10.5 corners means you win if there are 11 or more corners in the match. Betting Under 10.5 corners wins if there are 10 or fewer corners.
- Total Bookings: This market deals with the total number of yellow and red cards shown during the match. Bookmakers provide a number (e.g., 4.5 cards), and you bet on whether the total number of cards will be Over or Under that amount. For instance, betting Over 4.5 cards wins if there are 5 or more cards shown, while betting Under 4.5 cards wins if there are 4 or fewer cards shown.
Correct Score
In football betting, a correct score bet involves predicting the exact final score of the match. It’s a high-risk, high-reward type of wager. You must predict the exact number of goals each team will score by the end of the game (e.g., 2-1, 0-0). Due to the difficulty of guessing the correct score, these bets offer potentially high payouts. If your predicted score doesn’t match the final result exactly, you lose the bet, with no margin for error.
Double Chance
A double chance bet increases your chances of winning on a single match by covering two of the three possible outcomes. This is ideal when you’re uncertain about the outright winner but confident about the general outcome. For example, if Chelsea is playing Arsenal, you can bet on Chelsea to win or draw. You win the bet if Chelsea wins or the match ends in a draw. However, these bets usually have smaller odds since they are considered less risky.
Scorecast
A scorecast is a combined bet where you predict both the first goal scorer and the final score of the match. This type of bet offers potentially high payouts but is significantly challenging. For example, in a match between Liverpool and Chelsea, you might bet on Mohamed Salah to score the first goal and Liverpool to win 3-1. Due to the difficulty of accurately predicting both elements, scorecast bets offer much higher potential payouts than regular bets.
Half Time/Full Time (HT/FT)
In football betting, a Half Time/Full Time (HT/FT) bet involves predicting the outcome of the match at both half time and full time. It’s essentially two bets in one, requiring you to guess the leader at both points in the game. Extra time in knockout matches does not apply, only the usual 90 minutes. There are three possible outcomes for each half:
- Home Win/Home Win: The home team leads at both half time and full time.
- Draw/Away Win: The game is tied at half time, but the away team wins by full time.
- Away Win/Draw: The away team leads at half time, but the match ends in a draw.
HT/FT bets are typically displayed with a hyphen separating the two selections. For example, “Man United/Chelsea” means you predict Manchester United to lead at half time and Chelsea to win the match. Due to the double prediction, successful HT/FT bets offer potentially larger payouts than regular bets on the outright winner.