Both teams to score (BTTS) explained

In the "both teams to score" market, BTTS for short, only one question matters: does each team score at least one goal? A 1:1 wins for "Yes", a 4:0 for "No". Normal time is what counts, and own goals count for the team credited with the goal.

BTTS and over 2.5 goals are not the same

The two markets are related, but not completely. A 3:0 is over 2.5, but BTTS "No". A 1:1 is BTTS "Yes", but under 2.5. BTTS reacts strongly to the weaker attack: if one team rarely scores, the chance of "Yes" falls sharply, even if the other team scores plenty.

How to estimate the probability

A simple model works with each team's expected number of goals and assumes the two teams score independently of each other. According to the Poisson distribution, the probability that a team with λ expected goals scores at least once is 1 − e^(−λ).

When BTTS is interesting

The market becomes interesting in matches between two attacking teams with shaky defences – or, conversely, when a favourite that concedes very little faces toothless opponents. Absences matter too: if an underdog is missing its only reliable striker, the "Yes" probability drops noticeably.

The combination "win and both teams to score" is also popular. At its core, it is an accumulator of two dependent events; many bookmakers offer it as a separate market, with a correspondingly higher margin.