Over/under betting is an incredibly popular option for punters and is accessible across a multitude of sports. Although a simple wager to place, it's still important to know exactly what you're getting into and how the over/under betting market works.
In this in-depth guide, we’ll walk you through everything you need to know!
Over/Under Betting Guides – ThePuntersPage
ThePuntersPage currently has betting guides on various over/under betting markets. You can access them via the links below.
What Is Over/Under Betting?
An over/under bet, also known as ‘Totals’ betting, is a wager that doesn’t consider the outcome of the game. It’s independent of the result, so instead, you bet on how many times a particular event will occur in a selected game.
Thus, it is the number of points, runs or goals that are paramount, and not the match victor. Punters will have to decide whether they back the particular event to happen more or less than the pre-determined figure conjured up by the bookmaker.
In football, these pre-determined numbers are predictable and typically the same for every game. However, in American sports, these figures are much more flexible, with various factors taken into account.
- Visit the TPP Football Stats Centre to get your hands on some juicy statistics across all the major countries and leagues:
- If you’re not sure where to use your newfound statistical knowledge, be sure to check out our detailed guide to the 20 best football betting sites!
In What Sports Is Over/Under Betting Popular?
Bookmakers will offer over/under markets for any sport in which goals/points/runs are scored – which is the vast majority. However, this market is more popular with certain sports. Here are a few:
However, punters aren’t merely limited to total goals when betting on the over/under market. Bookies also offer such markets for corners and cards.
For instance, if bookmakers set the over/under score at 46.0 (this is more commonly referred to as “the line”), 47 combined points or more would be a winning bet, while 45 points or anything under would be a loser. Sometimes, a ‘push’ might occur, which means the line was matched at 46 – the game ends 30-16, for example. In this case, bets will be refunded. Overtime isn’t considered, either. The score at the end of regulation is all that matters.
Less popular over/under markets include total touchdowns, total field goals, individual player stats (such as completions, attempts, rushing yards, passing yards) and team points.
As well as total points, punters can bet on individual player stats (such as points, rebounds, assists) and team totals. There are fewer over/under options in basketball compared to American football, but it’s still a hugely-favoured market.
The in-play popularity of this market stems from the parameters set every over. You can persistently bet on how many runs will be scored in those six balls. You can even bet on a ball-by-ball basis.
Moreover, another option is betting on what you think a player’s highest checkout will be in the match. The bookmaker will set a ‘line’ and you’ll bet whether it’ll be a higher or lower checkout than that figure.
For example, if you back a bout between Tyson Fury and Deontay Wilder to last over 8.5 rounds, your bet will win should the fighters reach the halfway mark in round nine. 8.5 rounds in this instance does not mean 8 ½ rounds, it means 8.5 completed rounds. If the over/under is set at a whole number, let's say 7, and the fight is stopped in the corner between the seventh and eighth rounds, your bet will be a loser. There is no ‘push’.
Comparing the Different Over/Under Betting Markets – Football
The same rules apply for Over Under 2.5 Goals as for Over Under 1.5 Goals, with one obvious difference. Instead of the cut-off being two goals, it is three goals. As for Over Under 3.5 Goals, the cut-off is four.
These three markets tend to have wildly different odds, though. The difference in odds between an Over and Under 1.5 Goals is usually minimal. However, as the cut-off increases, the disparity does as well.
Over/Under Betting – FAQs
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No, the result is irrelevant in over/under betting.
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Yes. This is a popular option for bettors, and we recommend you try it out!
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Totals betting is another word for over/under.
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Any over/under bets will only consider what occurs during normal time/regulation.
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In cases where the line set by the bookmaker is a whole number, a ‘push’ can occur. This means the points accumulated matches the line. In this case, your bet will be refunded.
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Fortunately, TPP has various guides for betting on this market in football. These guides include over/under 1.5 goals, over/under 2.5 goals and over/under 3.5 goals.
ThePuntersPage Final Say
Over/under betting is a hugely popular option for punters as it often takes away the emotion of having to back a winner or loser. For novices, it’s a great way to ease you into the betting world, with this guide showing just how many different options there are with this type of bet.