More or less: that’s the choice when you make an over/under bet. This choice is particularly interesting for a goal bet. However, with this bet you can bet on the number of corner kicks or cards as well. In any over/under bet, the norm is the deciding factor. And the choice is yours. Do you decide on a standard of 0.5, 2.5 or 4.5? If you choose the norm wisely, you can get the most out of your bet.
Every situation calls for an over/under bet
Bookmakers offer you a long list of bets. Football in particular has a lot to offer in this regard. While there is a wide range to choose from, bettors have a clear preference. For example, the over/under bet is very popular. Thanks to the enormous popularity of this betting option, more and more situations have been added in recent years that offer such an over/under bet. For you as a betting enthusiast, this only makes choosing an Over/Under bet even more appealing!
Looking at the bookmakers’ over/under betting category, one question always tops the list: will the football match end with more or fewer goals than the set norm? Those who like to deal with goals can also pay attention to the number of goals in the first or second half. Alternatively, you can just focus on the scoring chances of the away or home team. Corners are also interesting for an over/under bet. Some defenders quickly play the ball over the line when danger is imminent. Others, on the other hand, do everything they can to defend well and keep the ball in play. The first style of play automatically leads to more corner kicks than the second. It’s up to you to judge teams correctly when using the Over/Under system for corner kick betting.
As you prepare, do you find that one of the teams gets frustrated easily and gets a lot of yellow (and sometimes even red) cards as a result? In this case, you can bet on the number of cards with an over/under bet. With each foul, your eyes are directed briefly to the referee. Only he decides whether this card will exist or not. And that means the referee can help you win.
It’s the half points that count
When you look at the over/under bets on offer, one thing immediately catches your eye. Because the standard that the bookmaker puts on the platform always consists of half points. If you want to bet on the total number of goals, 0.5, 1.5, 2.5, 3.5, 4.5 and 5.5 will almost always appear on your screen as possible standards. However, the number of corner kicks in a game is usually slightly higher than this. You can predict if there will be more or fewer corner kicks than 8.5, 10.5 or even 12.5. It just depends on what the game requires.
It doesn’t matter which Over/Under bet ends up appearing on your betslip. The principle is always the same, and this principle is all about half points. It may seem strange that a bookmaker would use half points as the standard. After all, half goals are not scored during the game, and half corners have not yet arrived in the football world either. Still, it makes perfect sense for those half points to appear in these bets. This is due to the clear questions associated with this type of bet. There are more or less no other options. Consequently, there can never be an outcome that leaves the bet tied. If the odds are set at 2.0 and two goals are actually scored in the 90 minutes of play, there is no bet. By setting the quota at 2.5, clarity has been created anyway. The question then is whether a maximum of two or at least three goals will be scored. This question is good for a 50/50 chance.
With multiple standards, there is a wide range to choose from
Basically, the concept of an over/under bet is very simple. Half points leave no room for a tie bet, so a clear decision must always be made. Finally, are you betting more or are you betting your money less? But there’s more to this over/under bet than you might think. In fact, with each of these bets, there are more standards to choose from. And the bookmaker takes advantage of that.
Let’s say it’s time for the Champions League grand final. There are two clubs facing each other, both of which have some strong players in attack. In fact, they’ve shown in the past few rounds that they’re in good form and they hit the target well. Beyond that, everything depends on this one game. So there is no time to take it easy and simply hope for opportunities. Everyone must throw their hearts into the game to claim victory and the title. A lot of goals are to be expected in this type of duel. A 2-1, 2-2 or even 3-2… these are the positions that can appear on the scoreboard after 90 minutes of football. The situation is completely different in games in which two defensively playing teams are on the pitch. Both sides are hoping for a counterattack, but they’re not really actively attacking in this game. A 0:0 or at most 1:0 is the obvious result here.
These two football games are absolute opposites. Still, it’s important to realize that one game isn’t the other. If a lot of goals are expected, then a norm of 0.5 or 1.5 is not that interesting. Both the bookmaker and most bettors focus on a norm of 3.5 or even higher. This standard of 3.5 is simply completely useless in a duel between two defensively playing teams. The chance of scoring four goals or more is practically nil. Because every game is different, there is never a fixed standard for bookmakers. There are easily five different scales to choose from per football match. At least if you focus on the total number of goals. But you are also spoiled for choice with the other over/under bets. The “over 0.5 goals” option is of little use if there are two strong teams with many goals on the field. This is because the bookmaker critically examines each bet and adjusts the odds accordingly.
The odds as a guide for your over/under bet
With multiple standards, the choice seems easy. You want to win the bet and if you state “more than 0.5 goals” on your bet slip, everything is fine. However, that belief quickly fades once you look at the odds. Because each over/under bet uses multiple standards, the bookmaker has plenty of leeway to craft odds. With two teams scoring a lot of goals, the “over” bet will do very little if you take 0.5 or 1.5 as the norm. Because let’s face it… you don’t do that for a 1.05 or 1.20 odds. Only at a norm of 3.5 does the bet become financially really interesting. Suddenly the over/under bet easily pays out 2.5x your stake.
The whole situation changes if you prefer to swap the “Over” field for “Under”. Do you have confidence in the teams’ defense and do you expect a goal or two at most? In this case, “below 1.5” can be a very interesting bet. While “over 1.5 goals” is only worth 1.20 times the stake, “under 1.5 goals” has odds of 4.50. So you can make a lot of money if you make a good choice.
That will be your tactic
The bookmakers think carefully about the odds they assign to each betting option. You too should think carefully before entering the over/under bet on your betting slip. Check out the stats so you can get a clear picture of the game. Now you know approximately how many goals, corners or cards to expect. Then it’s time to study the odds. The trick is to find the golden mean. Don’t take too much risk, but don’t play it safe either. Playing this way, the Over/Under bet will pay off the most in the end.