Over-under betting: everything you need to know

Over-under bets are bets in which a score of a sports match is predicted, that is to say, an outcome is predicted considering that the result will be above or below a specific amount.

It is one of the most common types of betting. It is extremely popular in soccer matches, where it is very easy to predict the result based on this scale with the number of goals. We can make a prediction, for example, predicting that more or less goals of a specific number will be scored. For example, under 2.5 goals.

What is an over-under bet

The over-under in betting gives a plus of flexibility to sports betting forecasts. We are talking about a resource that is used to predict a non-exact result, but an approximate one, getting the tendency of the result right, but not the exact number.

This allows the user to obtain a benefit in the form of a reward for having guessed the trend of the result, although not as large as if he had made a bet by marking the number of goals of each team.

Let's imagine for a moment that we have placed a bet under 2.5 goals. To win it, we will have to add up all the goals scored by both teams (this is important, the goals of both contenders are always added up) and, if the result is below (under) the 2.5, the bet is considered won.

The same is done for over bets, but the result is expected to be above. An over 2.5 goals bet will be won when the sum of the goals scored by the two teams exceeds the two and a half barrier. In other words, the match must end, at the very least, in a 2-1 scoreline.

In recent times, over-under bets have been very popular, which is why some bookmakers are now starting to experiment with this type of betting applied to other aspects of the match. For example, the number of corner kicks, the number of cards, the number of sets in a tennis match, the number of free throws scored in a basketball match... The variety is almost equivalent to each of the variables that can be considered in any sporting event.

What does "over" and "under" mean in sports betting?

Over and under are two concepts that come from English, and whose literal translation is the one used to designate this type of bet. Over means "over", "above", while under means "below". Just these meanings are the ones we will use in our sports betting: over 2.5 goals (over 2.5 goals), under 2.5 goals (under 2.5 goals).

To bet on an overs and unders market, several aspects must be taken into account, in addition to the number of goals scored by the two teams, which will determine the result. Factors such as losses can affect the final result, and these variables have to be taken into account when shaping a forecast that fits the reality.

But is it always a good idea to place an over-under bet? Not always. There are sports in which it is impossible to divide in two, or to simplify the results of the match to such simple scales. For example, in Formula 1, between 8 and 10 teams compete, with up to 22 single-seaters.

You could use an over-under bet on the number of times the safety car appears, or the number of yellow or red flags that may occur during a match, but it is not so popular or convenient, because you can obtain higher profit margins with other types of bets in which, in addition, you can show your knowledge of the sport and use it to your advantage.

On the other hand, in basketball, tennis or soccer matches, it is easier to place an over-under bet because the results of their matches usually move in a range between 0 and 5 90% of the time.

The real question to ask yourself is whether it really makes sense to place an over-under bet on a type of sport that you control or that can bring you higher profits with a successful prediction. Over-under bets are a good resource for predicting trends or scores, not for specific results.

Similarly, this handicap can be found with other types of bets, so it is always advisable that before making your predictions you know what each type of bet offers you and try to use the ones that offer you the best profit margin, combined with your real chances of success.