Over/under explained

Over/under, also known as total goals, is the most popular football market after the classic 1X2 bet. It does not matter who wins. All that counts is the total number of goals scored by both teams after 90 minutes plus stoppage time.

The lines almost always use a half number so that there is no tie:

• Over 1.5 goals: at least two goals. Under 1.5: at most one goal.
• Over 2.5 goals: at least three goals. Under 2.5: at most two goals.
• Over 3.5 goals: at least four goals. Under 3.5: at most three goals.

So with a 2:1, over 1.5 and over 2.5 win, but so does under 3.5.

What the odds depend on

What matters is how many goals both teams score and concede on average. The Bundesliga has averaged around three goals per game for years, while many other leagues see fewer. That is why over 2.5 odds in the Bundesliga are often lower than in, say, Serie A or the French second division. On top of that come playing style, absences in defence or attack and the league situation: a team for whom a point is enough often plays more cautiously.

Asian lines

Besides the half lines, there are whole lines (for example over 2.0: with exactly two goals, your stake is returned) and quarter lines such as 2.25 or 2.75, where the stake is split across two lines. This works exactly as with the Asian handicap.

Good to know

Over/under is a market with a comparatively low margin, because there are only two outcomes. It is well suited to testing your own goal expectations. High-scoring statistics from recent matches, however, are usually already reflected in the odds – an "overs team" on its own is not yet a reason to bet.