Types of football bets explained

Football is the most-bet sport in every country we cover, and bookmakers offer hundreds of markets on a single match. Most of them are variations of a handful of basic bets. This guide explains them, with examples.

Unless a market says otherwise, football bets are settled on the result after 90 minutes plus stoppage time. Extra time and penalty shoot-outs do not count.

Match result (1X2)

The classic three-way bet:

• 1 — home team wins
• X — draw
• 2 — away team wins

Because there are three outcomes, odds on even a strong favourite are rarely very short. If you want to understand what the prices mean, start with how betting odds work.

Double chance

Covers two of the three outcomes in one bet: 1X (home or draw), X2 (draw or away) or 12 (either team wins). You win more often, but at much lower odds.

Draw no bet

You back a team to win, and if the match is drawn your stake is returned. It sits between 1X2 and double chance in risk and price.

Over/Under goals

You bet on the total number of goals in the match. Lines usually end in .5 so the bet cannot land exactly on the line:

• Over 2.5 wins with 3 or more goals.
• Under 2.5 wins with 0, 1 or 2 goals.

The same idea exists for corners, cards, shots and each team's individual goals.

Both teams to score (GG/NG)

• GG / BTTS Yes — both teams score at least once (1-1, 2-1, 3-2…).
• NG / BTTS No — at least one team does not score (0-0, 1-0, 2-0…).

Handicaps

Handicaps give one team a virtual head start to balance a one-sided match.

European handicap uses whole goals and keeps the draw. With Home −1, the home team starts a goal behind. A 2-1 home win counts as a draw on the handicap, so the "handicap draw" outcome wins.

Asian handicap removes the draw:

• −0.5 is the same as backing the team to win.
• −1.0: a win by 2+ goals wins the bet; a win by exactly 1 goal returns your stake; anything else loses.
• −1.5: the team must win by 2 or more goals.
• Quarter lines like −0.75 split your stake between −0.5 and −1.0, so a one-goal win pays half and returns half.

Correct score and HT/FT

Correct score asks you to predict the exact final score. Half-time/Full-time asks for the result at both half-time and full-time (for example Draw/Home). Odds are high because the chance of being right is low.

Accumulators (multiples)

An accumulator combines several selections into one bet. The odds multiply, but every selection must win. Some bookmakers offer "acca boosts" or insurance if one leg loses. Always read the terms: minimum odds per leg and the maximum refund are common conditions. Long accumulators look attractive but rarely win. Our odds guide shows why.

Live betting and cash out

Live (in-play) betting lets you bet while the match is on, with odds that change after every attack. Decisions are fast, which makes it easy to overspend. Decide your stake before kick-off.

Cash out lets you settle a bet early for less than its full potential return, or recover part of a stake that is going wrong. The bookmaker sets the cash-out price and includes its margin. Use it as a way to manage risk, not as a free option.

Bet builder

A bet builder combines several markets from the same match into one bet. For example, Home win + Over 2.5 goals + both teams 3+ corners. Because the outcomes are related, bookmakers price these themselves rather than simply multiplying the odds. Margins are usually higher than on single markets.

Before you place any bet

• Check how the market is settled (90 minutes, extra time, void rules if a match is postponed).
• Compare odds at more than one licensed bookmaker.
• Stick to a stake you decided in advance. See our bankroll guide.