What Does Over & Under Mean in Soccer Betting?

One of the most interesting betting formats to emerge over the past few years is
over & under betting. Basically, you place a wager on the outcome of an
event—for example, the total goals scored in a match—and you either win or lose
based on the number you predicted.

The concept behind over & under betting is to take into account the
difference in quality between two teams or players. If, for example, you place a
wager that New York City will score more than three goals in a game versus
Manhattan, you’re not simply wagering that NYC will score more than three goals
in the game. You’re also wagering that the quality of play between the two
teams will be more even than the total number of goals would suggest.

Over & Under is one of the more popular sports betting formats because it
provides a fun opportunity to make a wager while keeping an element of
skepticism. If you’re unfamiliar, you can read more about over & under betting
on our blog or check out Oddsology, a sports betting odds comparison tool that
can be accessed from any device.

How Does It Work?

The basic idea behind over & under is that you make a bold statement about
the outcome of an event (for example, an NFL game) while also entertaining
yourself with a healthy dose of skepticism. Take a look at the New York City vs.
Manhattan example above: you predict New York City will score more than three
goals in a game and win if they do, but you also place a wager that Manhattan
will cover the number. In case you’re curious, the over/under for that game was
3.5 goals scored.

What if NYC doesn’t score three goals but instead scores two? You’d win
half the bet you placed with Manhattan, as the total number of goals in the game
would suggest. But you’d also lose the other half, because your New York team
failed to exceed three goals.

Types Of Over & Under Bets

There are a number of unique things you can do with over & under bets. For
example, you can make some combination of the following wagers:

  • Over/Under
  • Total Goals
  • Field Goal
  • Possession
  • Winner Of Next Game
  • Over/Under In Either Game
  • Top Scorer
  • Current Season
  • Top Goalscorer
  • Under/Over In Either Game
  • Home Team
  • Away Team
  • Etc.

You can also make slightly different wagers by focusing on the opponent. For
instance, if you think a certain team will cover the spread more often than not,
you can bet under on that team (for example, the under on Washington in the
NFC East). Or, if you think they will play well within their division more often
than not, you can bet over on them in other divisions (such as the over on
Minnesota in the NFC West).

Making Money With Over & Under

One of the primary reasons people enjoy betting on over & under is the
opportunity to make money quickly. If you’re a skilled gambler who enjoys
sports, you can make a living off betting on over & under games. You’ll just need
to follow a simple formula to ensure you stay ahead of the game and make the most
of your opportunities:

  • Find a good bookie who offers various odds on a variety of sports.
  • Set a minimum betting requirement (for example, $100 or more per week) to maintain your account.
  • Use layman’s terms and don’t get confused by the confusing odds and terms used by the sportsbooks.
  • Build up a small reserve, just in case you lose one of your bets.
  • Enjoy the fun of the game and keep an open mind about whether your predictions will come true.

By following these steps, you’ll be able to maximize your profit significantly
(and it’s easy enough to get started).

The Future Of Over & Under

Based on recent trends, it would seem that over & under is here to stay. The
concept has caught on and there are now dozens of booksie options that cater to
over & under bettors. With the 2018 World Cup coming up, bookmakers are
scrambling to provide the best odds possible for international fans wanting to
place bets on their favorite teams (and to hell with the spread, as always). It’s
an exciting time for over & under sports bettors as the industry continues to
evolve.