Football betting: the markets explained calmly
Football is the most bet-on sport in much of the world and the one with the widest choice of markets. This page does not say who to back: it explains what each bet type buys and what it costs.
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1X2 and double chance
The basic market has three outcomes: 1 home win, X draw, 2 away win. Double chance covers two of three (1X, X2, 12) at a lower price. It is not free: its odds carry the margin of the market they come from. If 1X2 is priced 2.10 · 3.30 · 3.60, a 1X double chance will sit around 1.25 to 1.30, not at a margin-free figure.
Over/under and both teams to score
Over/under is about total goals against a line: "over 2.5" wins with three or more goals. The half goal removes the push. Both teams to score asks whether each side will score at least once. Neither depends on who wins, which suits people who follow playing styles more than league tables.
Handicaps: European and Asian
A handicap gives the underdog a virtual head start. In a European handicap (say 0:1) the draw after the handicap is its own outcome. In Asian handicaps, half-goal lines remove the draw and whole-goal lines refund the stake on a tie; quarter lines split the stake across two neighbouring lines. Read the bookmaker's settlement rules first.
Correct score, scorers and side markets
Correct score, goalscorer, corners and cards offer high prices and usually higher margins than the main markets. Fun to follow, more expensive over time.
| Market | What you bet on | Typical margin |
|---|---|---|
| 1X2 | final result | lowest |
| Over/under 2.5 | number of goals | low to medium |
| Correct score | exact score | higher |
| Goalscorer | who scores | high |
The margin column shows a general market tendency, not Woos's values: work them out from real prices as shown on the betting page.
In-play football
During a match prices move after every goal, red card or spell of pressure, and markets are suspended at critical moments. Streams and data feeds can lag behind the pitch: do not assume you are faster than the bookmaker.
A football bankroll
With many matches every weekend it is easy to multiply bets. Set a maximum number of bets per matchday and a flat unit, for example five bets of 4 from a monthly budget of 200.
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