Over/under betting works the same way in all sports. The bookmaker sets a certain number of goals or points for a bet. You can then bet that more (over) or less (under) goals or points will be made in the match. Over/under bets always refer to the total number of goals in the match – that is, the number of goals/points achieved by both teams combined.
In this article, we take a closer look at the most common games in the over/under betting market. No matter what sport you’re betting on, it can be good to have a little extra knowledge to ultimately give you an edge over the betting sites.
What is Over/Under in Betting?
Let’s start with the basics. When we talk about betting on winners, we’re simply talking about two different choices. At least when it comes to sports like cricket, basketball and tennis. Here, there are two options to choose from. When betting on winners, the best bookmakers set odds according to the quality of the team/player. The better a team or player is compared to the opponent, the lower the odds if you choose a bet on the favourite.
Over/under in betting is different since you don’t bet on the winner. Instead, you bet on how many goals or points are made in total during the match. This type of betting is popular on the best soccer betting sites, especially when the winner is quite obvious. For example, most people will expect Manchester United to beat Burnley, and you’re unlikely to find good odds for that game. Instead, you can place under/over bets on the number of goals scored in the match to add extra excitement.
Let’s look at the over/under 2.5 markets as an example. You bet on the over if you predict that a specific Premier League match will score more than 2.5 goals. If you think the opposite, you choose to bet on the under. A big advantage of over/under betting is that the cross is taken out of the equation, making it easier to get the value of your bet up
Potential Outcomes of Over/Under Bets
One of the advantages of over/under betting is that it is easy to understand. If the line in a match is half a point, half a goal or half a game or set (e.g. -0.5, -5.5), there are only two possible outcomes for an over/under bet. You can either win or lose.
Where the “line” is a whole number (e.g. -1, -6), there is the possibility of hitting the line exactly – which also means a third outcome where you can get your money back, known as a “push”.
The line might confuse beginners, as they usually include a half-point. However, this will ensure the result is a win or loss since there are no half goals in soccer. If the bet is set at -2.5, you’ll win if three or more goals are scored and lose with two or fewer.
Over and Under Betting FAQ’s
What is under and over in cricket betting?
Generally, over and under betting in cricket applies to the number of runs scored by the two teams combined during a match.
What is over and under betting?
Over and under betting is simply betting on the number of goals, runs or points made in a match by the two teams combined.
What is over betting?
If you bet on over, you predict the match will produce more goals or points than the line.
What is under betting?
When you bet on under, you predict the match will produce fewer goals or points than the line.
Can an over and under bet result in a draw?
No, all over and under bets contain a decimal that makes draw an impossible outcome. For example, if the line is 4.5 in a football match, five or more goals are needed for the over bet to win, while four or fewer goals is needed for under.
How are the Over/Under Odds Calculated?
Over/under bets on totals are affected by a wide range of factors, which can vary from sport to sport. Some of the most common considerations to consider before betting is the form of the players or teams, whether there are injuries to key players, weather conditions, surface conditions and whether the match is more concerning for either team or player.
The oddsmakers will also weigh in the teams’ game schedule and recent travel route. Perhaps Manchester United has just played at home and will now travel to Barcelona, where the home team has been resting and has not played a match for several days. Also, the home/away stats are quite relevant. Many teams perform worse away than at home, while others are not particularly dependent on home ground.
Does Over/Under include Extra Time?
When playing over/under, it is important to read what applies to your bet as this might differ. If you bet on Under 4.5 goals in total in the match Manchester United - Burnley during the normal time, the result after 90 minutes played applies. So, if the result is 3-2, but the last goal is scored a minute on overtime, you’ll still win the bet.
Sports for Over/Under Betting
🏏 Over/Under Cricket Betting
Cricket is the most popular sport in India, with over/under bets being a popular choice. Normally, you can bet on the total number of runs scored, either for one team or combined, but the best sites for online cricket betting will also have Under/Over bets down to player levels. Such as batman scores, wickets and more.
Like other sports, most over/under cricket bets will include a decimal since there are no half runs. For example, if you bet on Under 260.5 in a T20 match between Australia-India, you’ll lose if the total score is 261 or more but win if it’s 300 or less.
⚽ Over/Under Soccer Betting
Not surprisingly, most over/under bets are placed on football, which is also one of the sports on which most bettors in India place bets. The most common form of betting in football is 1X2 – home win – draw – away win, which gives three different outcomes. But on a closer look, you can also see a lot of markets for various forms of over/under bets, which can be anything from the total number of goals to the number of corners, yellow cards, offsides or tackles.
🏈 Over/Under NFL Betting
American football lends itself very well to over/under play. Here the variety of options is excellent, and as a player, you can pick and choose from various options at the best NFL betting sites. You can bet on a team to win over or under a certain line – for example, the Green Bay Packers winning by at least a 10 point margin.
The most popular in American football and the NFL is the total number of points in a game. Other options include over/under in a quarter or half (2 quarters 1-2 or 3-4). At the larger bookmakers that offer a greater selection of odds, it is also possible to find over/under bets on individual players and their performance. This could be a quarterback throwing over or under a certain number of yards or a running back is noted for.
In American football and the NFL, a lot is about statistics and we can certainly recommend that you note recent statistics before you bet. How have the players and teams performed in previous games, and are any star players injured? Perhaps one team is missing a vital player, which means that the lines set in the match don’t feel quite right.
Arjun Jindal | Last Modified: July 29, 2022
