More or less: This is the choice when you place an over/under bet. This choice is especially interesting for a goal bet. However, you can just as easily bet on the number of corners or cards with this bet. In any over/under bet, the norm is the deciding factor. And the choice is yours. Do you choose a norm 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. Although the choice is large, bettors still have a clear preference. The over/under bet, for example, 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 makes choosing an over/under bet even more attractive!
When looking at the bookmakers’ over/under betting category, one question is always at the top of the list: will the football match end with more or fewer goals than the set norm? If you like goals, you can also pay attention to the number of goals in the first or second half. Alternatively, you can just focus on the away or home team’s scoring chances. Corners are also interesting for an over/under bet. Some defenders play the ball over the line quickly when danger threatens. 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 corners than the second. It is up to you to assess the teams correctly when using the over/under system for corner betting.
Do you notice during your preparation that one of the teams is easily frustrated and therefore receives a lot of yellow (and sometimes even red) cards? In this case, you can bet on the number of cards with an over/under bet. With every foul, your eyes briefly turn to the referee. Only he decides whether this card will be given or not. And that means that 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. This is because the standard that the bookmaker puts on the platform is always 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 corners in a game is usually a bit higher than this. You can predict whether there will be more or fewer corners 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 on your betting slip. The principle is always the same, and that principle revolves entirely around half points. It might seem strange that a bookmaker uses half points as a standard. After all, half goals aren’t scored during the game, and half corners haven’t arrived in the football world yet. Nevertheless, it makes perfect sense for these half points to feature in these bets. This is because of the clear questions associated with this type of bet. There are more or less no other options. Consequently, there can never be a result that leaves the bet a draw. 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 odds at 2.5, clarity has been provided anyway. The question then becomes whether a maximum of two or a minimum of three goals will be scored. This question is good for a 50/50 chance.
With several standards there is a wide selection
Essentially, 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. Ultimately, do you bet more or put your money on less? But there is more to this over/under bet than you might think. In fact, there are more standards to choose from in each of these bets. And the bookmaker takes advantage of this.
Let’s say it’s time for the big final of the Champions League. Two teams are facing each other, both of which have some strong players in attack. In fact, in previous rounds they have shown that they are in form and know how to score well. Moreover, everything depends on this one match. So there is no time to rest and simply hope for opportunities. Everyone has to throw themselves into the game with all their heart to win and thus the title. In this type of duel, a lot of goals are to be expected. 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 matches where two defensive teams are on the pitch. Both sides hope for a counterattack, but they are not really actively attacking in this match. A 0-0 or at most 1-0 is the obvious result here.
These two football matches are complete opposites. However, it is important to realise that one match is not the other. If a lot of goals are expected, then a norm of 0.5 or 1.5 is not so interesting. Both the bookmaker and most bettors focus on a norm of 3.5 or even higher. This norm of 3.5 is simply completely useless in a duel between two defensive teams. The chance of four goals or more being scored is practically zero. Because every match is different, bookmakers never have a fixed yardstick. There are easily five different yardsticks 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 when there are two strong teams with a lot of goals on the field. This is because the bookmaker examines each bet critically 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 put “over 0.5 goals” on your bet slip, you’re fine. However, that belief quickly fades as soon as you look at the odds. Since every over/under bet works with multiple standards, the bookmaker has a lot of leeway to set the odds cleverly. With two teams that score a lot of goals, the “over” bet is of very little use if you take 0.5 or 1.5 as the norm. Because let’s be honest… you don’t do that for a 1.05 or 1.20 odds. It’s only at a 3.5 norm that the bet really becomes financially interesting. Suddenly the over/under bet easily returns 2.5 times 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 one or at most two goals? In this case, “under 1.5” can be a very interesting bet. While “over 1.5 goals” is worth only 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.
This will be your tactic
Bookmakers think carefully about the odds they assign to each betting option. You should also think carefully before entering the over/under bet in your betting slip. Look at the statistics so that you can get a clear picture of the game. Now you know roughly how many goals, corners or cards to expect. Then it’s time to study the odds. The trick is to find the happy medium. Don’t take too many risks, but don’t play it safe either. With this style of play, the over/under bet will pay off the most in the end.