The meaning of -2 in football betting is a question which has been troubling sports fans for years. What does it mean when two teams are tied at the end of regulation in a football game and the score is tied at the end of the third quarter?
The answer is surprisingly simple: the match is a draw, and each side gets a point, meaning that the final score will be 0-1.
But what exactly does this mathematical term mean? Simply put, when the scores are tied at the end of regulation and the game goes into extra time, the referee will give a penalty goalless draw and award the winning side a point.
If you’re new to football betting, this might not mean much. However, if you’re an experienced bettor, you’ll know exactly what is going on here.
When To Bet On A Draw
It’s important to note that a draw is not a given in football. For starters, sometimes the games end in a tie even when both teams are well-matched and have the same amount of chances to win. This happens all the time, particularly in lower-division football, due to the massive number of matches played each year.
Another factor which can affect the outcome of a match is a poor refereeing performance. Although it’s not the referees’ fault necessarily, poor performances by officials often result in draws. This is mainly because ties are fairly common in low-league football, where games are controlled by match officials rather than by specialists such as coaches or captains. In the event of a poor performance, you should avoid betting on any kind of a draw in football – you’ll almost certainly lose your money.
Why Are Ties Common In Football?
Even in professional football, where games are officiated by neutral referees and the like, ties are commonplace. This is mainly due to the immense value of the point in modern football. Thanks to the point for goals, which gives a slightly higher payout than just a piece of gold, football fans now have a financial incentive to make sure their team scores more often than not. As a result, there’s often a considerable amount of tension in football matches, with both teams trying their best to score goals and grab some well-earned points.
A similar situation can arise if the teams are tied after three quarters of regulation play. Most often this happens when one team is highly dominant and shuts down the opposition, preventing them from scoring for long periods. In this case, the game might be considered a stalemate and, as a result, a draw is often the outcome. This can also happen when there’s a lack of scoring goals, with neither team managing to put the ball in the back of the net for long.
What If Neither Team Scores After All?
In football, the most common way for a game to end in a draw is for neither team to score after all. It is rare but known to happen that after 90 minutes of even football, both teams end up with no score. Unfortunately, this often happens when one team is much better organized than the other, taking the opposition completely by surprise. In this case, the game goes to a penalty shootout, also known as sudden death.
In a penalty shootout, each team takes it in turn to shoot until one side scores. If neither team manages to shoot the ball through the other side’s goal, the match ends in a draw and both teams keep whatever they scored. This is also known as a deadlock.
Sudden death is an integral part of football. Thanks to the high value of a point in today’s football, even the smallest details can make a massive difference. Teams often train specifically for these situations, knowing that they’re sometimes unavoidable in football. So rather than risking your money on a draw, you might as well take your chances in a penalty shootout.
What If There Is Only One Goal Scored?
In the event of only one goal being scored in a football match, the other team will lose. It’s as simple as that. The only exception is if both teams score the same goal, resulting in a draw. This is also known as a coin toss, and it’s something you don’t want to bet on unless both teams are fairly equal.
The only way a team can score another goal is if the first half of the match is a draw, resulting in a halftime score of 0-0. In this case, the second half will be a replay of the first half with some slight modifications. The end result is also the same – only one goal will be scored, and the other team will lose. This kind of situation is extremely unlikely to happen, but it’s still a part of the game which you must know when placing a bet. For a more in-depth guide on football betting, be sure to check out our handy guide on how to bet correctly.