How to Bet on Goals Markets in Football

Both Teams to Score (BTTS)

This is one of the best betting options for finding value in a match. You are presented with two simple options: both teams to score—yes or no. You do not have to predict the result of the match. 

If you bet on both teams to score, it can finish 1-1 or 7-4. As long as both teams find the back of the net at some point, you will be paid out.

The odds on this market will vary on a match-by-match basis. It all depends on how strong each defense is and how dangerous they are in front of the goal.

Total Goals (Over/Under)

This is a prediction on the cumulative goals scored by both teams during the match. When a site sets 2.5 as the total goals line, you can bet over or under this amount. 

With this type of bet, you are asked to predict whether there will be more or fewer than 2.5 total goals in the game. It doesn’t matter which team scores the goals, as long as you have predicted the total goals correctly. If there are three goals and you've bet on over 2.5, you'll win your bet. However, your bet will lose if it's a one-goal or two-goal game.

If it is a game between two teams that do not play particularly adventurous football, you can see great value in betting on over 2.5 goals. If both teams are regularly involved in high-scoring games, you should go for over 3.5 goals or even over 4.5 goals to find value. That is also true in a mismatch.

Alternative Total Goals

Bookmakers and betting apps usually offer alternative total goals markets alongside the main over/under line. The over/under line may not always be set at 2.5 as bookmakers change totals for each game, but 2.5 is the most common line.

If the over/under line is set at 2.5 goals, 1.5 and 3.5 goals might be offered as alternative total goals markets. If you fancy a goalfest, you can back over 3.5 or 4.5 goals, for example.

Team Goals

This bet type predicts how many goals a particular team will score in a match. You do not have to worry about how the opposition performs. You can also bet on the number of goals a particular team will score with the team total goals market.

Exact Goals

This is much trickier than betting on the over/under total, as it requires you to predict the exact number of goals that will be scored in a game. However, if you can pull it off, you will earn a significantly higher profit.

You can also bet on multiple options to give yourself a better chance of success. You can choose whether 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, or more goals will be scored. You can also bet on the exact goals a particular team will score.

Clean Sheet Betting

With clean sheet betting, you’re backing a team not to concede any goals. It does not matter how many goals they score. They must keep the opposition to zero goals for 90 minutes for your bet to pay off. It is similar to betting on a team to win to nil, but it covers if the game finishes 0-0.

Clean sheet betting is tricky because teams with sizable leads often make substitutions and take their foot off the gas late in games, making them more likely to concede. Likewise, a team with a tight lead is constantly threatened because the opposition desperately wants to score and get back into the game.

First Goalscorer

This is a straightforward bet on which player will score first in a match. The lead scorer for the stronger team will generally have the shortest odds of all players in this market.

The odds will grow progressively longer as you go down the list of players. You will eventually reach the rank of an outsider, like a defensive player who rarely scores.

Once again, you can cover multiple players in this market. If the player you bet on does not start the game and is not on the pitch when the first goal is scored, you should receive a refund.

Note that own goals generally don’t count toward settling goalscorer bets. If you've backed a player to score first and the first goal is an own goal, your bet is still alive.

For most other markets, such as total goals or both teams to score, own goals count the same as traditional goals.

Last Goalscorer

This is similar to the first goalscorer but involves predicting who will score the last goal. The odds on first and last goalscorer are usually identical, unless a particular player has a habit of popping up with last-gasp goals.

Anytime Goalscorer

This is often a far more appealing option than betting on a player to score first or last. It involves predicting a player's score at any time in the match. You will be paid out if that player finds the back of the net, regardless of when it occurs.

The odds available for a player to score at any time will always be shorter than the odds for that player to score first or last. However, you stand a much better chance of success on anytime goalscorer markets.

Alternative Player Goals Markets

Several bookmakers now offer an exciting range of player goals betting markets. You can bet on a player scoring 2+ goals in the match, which carries longer odds. Alternatively, bet on a player to score 3+ or 4+ goals for even longer odds. 

You could also bet on him to score a header, fire in a penalty shot, score from outside the box, or score an own goal. 

You can even bet while watching live streaming through a betting platform.

Time of First Goal Betting

This market allows you to predict when the game's first goal will be scored. It does not matter which team finds the back of the net. 

Some bookmakers divide it into 10- or 15-minute increments. You can bet on multiple increments if you like. 

The time of the first goal market is usually available with in-play (live) betting.

Odd or Even

This is a somewhat unusual market focusing on whether the total number of goals scored in a match will be odd or even. It is a bit like betting on red or black on a roulette wheel. 

It is not a sophisticated wager and might be best avoided unless you like playing the lottery.