Match Result Betting on Football...

Match Result Betting on Football...

The following Match Result Betting markets are available with most bookmakers…

Full Time Result

Bet Guide

This is a straightforward bet on which team is going to win the match (or whether it will finish a draw). Teams playing at Home (always listed first) will normally be shorter odds favourites – unless the visiting Away team is very strong.

Double Chance

Bet Guide

This bet gives you two chances to win out of the three possible outcomes. You can either back a team to win AND the match to be a Draw (so you only lose if your pick loses). Or if you can bet on both teams to win (so you only lose if the match ends a Draw). Because you are covering more options, the odds are shorter than on Match Results.

Draw No Bet

Bet Guide

This is a straight win/lose bet – with the bet voided if the match is a Draw.

Handicap Result

Bet Guide

Handicaps can create a betting opportunity when it wouldn't otherwise exist – either making two teams more even, or getting better odds on short-priced favourites. You will see handicap bets applied to Goals (see Asian Handicaps) and Corners - the team with a 'minus' handicap having to overcome their deficit in order to win the bet.

So, for example, if a top team were awarded a (minus 2) handicap against a lesser team – they would need to win the actual match by at least 3 Goals to win the bet:

• Bet: Team A (-2) v Team B 
• Actual result: Team A wins 1-0 = bet loses
• Actual result: Team A wins 2-0 = bet loses
• Actual result: Team A wins 3-0 = bet WINS

Asian Handicap (sample)

* Bookmakers often use decimal odds for Asian Handicaps

Bet Guide

This is a popular way of betting in the Far East (hence the name), offering a potentially better chance than straight forward Match Result bets.

Handicaps are awarded (in brackets) that the winning team must overcome. These handicaps can vary from match to match – and are sometimes shown in 'fractions' of Goals. Of course you can't have 0.5, or 1.5 of a Goal – it is simply a means to decide winning margins. Below is a list of example handicaps and their outcomes:

• A team with a (-0.5) handicap must: Win the match by any score. Any other result and the bet is lost.
• A team with a (-1) handicap must: Win the match by 2 Goals. By 1 Goal and the bet is void and stakes are returned. Any other result the bet is lost.
• A team with a (-1.5) handicap must: Win by 2 Goals. Any other result and the bet is lost.

Split Handicaps

You may also see a 'split' Handicap, such as: (0, -0.5) – which splits the bet into two, for example:

- A team with a (0, -0.5) handicap must: Win the match by any score. If the match is a Draw – half the stake is refunded, half is lost. Any other result and the bet is lost.

- A team with a (-1, 1.5) handicap must: Win by 2 Goals. Win by 1 Goal and half the stake is returned, half lost. Any other result and it's a loser.

And so on…

There are also 'plus' split handicaps. For example, a team may have a (0, +0.5) handicap. If they win the match, the bet wins. If they draw, half wins and half is returned (if they lose, the bet loses).

Half Time/Full Time

Bet Guide

This allows you to bet on the result at Half Time AND Full Time – twice as difficult as predicting the outright winner, but offering bigger odds.

To Win to Nil

Bet Guide

You're betting on one team to win the match, and not concede a goal. For example: 1-0, 2-0, 3-0 etc…

Match Result & Both Teams to Score

Bet Guide

Here you're betting on one team to win the match and Both Teams to Score.

Winning Margin

Bet Guide

You're betting on one team to win the match by a certain amount of Goals. This offers more attractive odds than the Match Result market, but is more difficult to predict.