Betting on Goals Scored (Under)

Even complete beginners have probably come across markets such as Under 2.5 Goals in betting. Those with more experience probably know what Under 2.5 Goals means – but do you know how to use it? This will be an overview of the Goals Scored market in football betting – specifically the Under X part of it.

Before we move on, a short disclaimer. These kinds of markets are usually combined into a single Over/Under market. We’ve already covered the “Over” part of this pair, and we recommend you read both of these betting guides. These markets are sides of the same coin but still require an opposite approach if you want to win. We’ve also written about how the two interact, which you can read here.

What is betting on Goals Scored (Under)?

The basic principle of this betting market is quite simple. As the name implies, you’re predicting that the total number of goals will be lower than a specific number. In football betting, this number is usually 2.5. However, it may be higher or lower than that. For instance, Under 1.5 and Under 3.5 betting markets are quite common.

So, why the decimal point? You can’t score half a goal in football, right?

The decimal was added to make it clearer how to win Goals Scored bets. Technically, under 2.5 means that there have to be fewer than 3 goals in total. If it were named Under 3, punters wouldn’t be sure if they won if exactly 3 goals are scored. This way, you always know if your wager is successful or not.

Note that nothing else in the match matters for your bet. The final winner or score do not affect the outcome of this bet. As long as fewer than, say, 2.5 Goals are on the scoreboard, you’re good.

We would also like to point out that this market is made specifically for football betting. Other sports often have similar ones, but they usually use a different number. While the basic idea remains the same, we’ll focus on Under 2.5 Goals in football betting in this guide. It’s the most common form – but you can use the same information for Under 1.5 Goals, for example.

Goals Scored (Under) Betting Strategy

So, when and how to bet on Goals Scored (Under)? The best way to use this market to your advantage is to look for teams which play defensively.  An ideal game for this kind of bet has two teams who rarely concede goals, but also rarely score them. There are some issues with this idea, though.

For starters, football today is all about flashy strikers and possession-based aggression. That means that the world’s top teams rarely present good opportunities for Under bets. As a result, you may find fewer opportunities for Goals Scored (Under) bets in top European football leagues.

You’ll also want the teams to be more-or-less equally matched. If one team is much stronger, they tend to dominate with a lot of goals.

However, there are some Under 2.5 Goals betting advantages. For starters, the bet can only have two possible outcomes – win or lose. Statistically, this increases your chances of success compared to markets like 1X2. It’s also nice that you don’t have to rely on anyone performing up to form. In fact, you may want teams to underperform.

Goals Scored bets are also versatile because this “line” can be moved to fit your need. Under 2.5 Betting Odds are shorter than Under 3.5, but changing this number can be used to your advantage.

Goals Scored (Under) Betting Tips

Now we’ll give you some Under 2.5 Goals betting tips and pointers so you can start wagering right away.

• Pay attention to team stats such as goals per game or how often they confirm Under 2.5 or BTTS markets. This often gives you an idea of how a team plays.
• Ideally, you’ll want to check head-to-head statistics as well. Sometimes, a matchup between two teams may go differently than the stats imply. Some teams just have a problem getting through another team’s defence, for example.
• Consider all the options. Under 3.5 Goals betting odds can sometimes have more value than Under 2.5, for example. Use all the tools at your disposal.
• Bad weather or turf conditions are actually pretty good for this market. After all, they impair players’ goalscoring.
• This also applies to team news and the context of the match. Key offensive players missing may mean an excellent opportunity for winning Goals Scored (Under) bets. Similarly, a friendly game may feature fewer goals than a league’s playoffs.
• Consider combining bets like Even Goals with Under 2.5. If a match confirms Under 2.5, there’s a 66% chance that it also confirms Even Goals.
• Find a great bookmaker. Due to their versatility, these markets sometimes vary greatly in terms of how they are priced. This means that finding an online bookmaker with the best odds is key.

Conclusion

This Goals Scored (Under) betting guide should give you an idea of where to start with this market. If you’re still not sure, we recommend going through our betting tips and predictions for concrete suggestions. Good luck!