Goal and Point Betting Guide
Goal and Point Betting Explained
Goal betting provides some variety to the typical betting markets found at most online sportsbooks. In this guide, you’ll learn what goal betting is, the different types of goal bets and how to make the most of them - and if you need to dust up your basics about betting, check out our article here.
Table of Contents
What is Goal and Point Betting
Goal bets are any type of bet relating to the goals, points or runs that are scored during the game. There are several different types of goal bets, and depending on the sport you’re betting on, some or all of these types may be available to you. Examples include first team to score, anytime goalscorer, next goalscorer, and first individual goalscorer. Additionally, you also have total goals or points scored.
Each of these bets works in more or less the same way. You make your prediction on which player you think will score, with different options for when you think they’ll score. First time goalscorer is a prediction on who will score first. Anytime goalscorer is a prediction of who will score at any point in the game while the next goal is a prediction of who will score next after you place the bet.
Total goals/points scored allows you to choose under or over a certain amount, predicting how many goals you think will be scored during the game. For some games, this may only include goals scored during standard time, while others may also include overtime. Make sure you check before you place your bet.
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Examples of Goal Betting
While goal betting is relatively straightforward to understand, we’ve included some examples of the most popular goal bet types to make things more clear.
To Score
A to score bet lets you choose a team or player who you think will score either as the first or at any point during the game. To place this bet type, simply load up your sportsbook, choose the event you’d like to bet on, and look for the first team to score, anytime goalscorer, or to score at any point selection. Choose from the list of teams or players to add it to your slip, then select your stake to place the bet.
As an example, let’s say you want to place a bet on Filip Forsberg to score for the Nashville Predators vs the Detroit Red Wings. Forsberg is +145 to score at any time, meaning you’d win $145 if you bet $100 and Forsberg scores at least one goal.
First Goal/Points
Similar to the top score bet, you’re betting on a particular player to score during the game. This time, however, the player you select must score the first goal of the game for your bet to win. If any other player scores first, including those on the other team, you’ll lose your bet.
As an example, you could choose Filip Forsberg again to score against the Detroit Red Wings. This time, however, you’d be backing him to score the first goal of the match. As the chances are lower, the odds are much longer, and you can potentially win a lot more. The odds for this selection are +900, meaning you’d win $900 with a $100 bet.
Next Goal/Points
This selection isn’t available to bet on before the game begins, as it’s a live betting market. When you choose this selection, you’re predicting which player you think will score the next goal or point. As with the first goal bet, you’ll lose your bet if any other player than the one you chose scores the next point. You can find this offered in most major games at sportsbooks with decent live selections.
As an example, imagine you’re watching the Dallas Cowboys vs the Pittsburgh Steelers, and you see that the Cowboys’ offense looks highly effective. You might decide to place a live bet on Ezekiel Elliot to score the next touchdown. The odds will change as the game is in progress, so if you time it right, you can improve your value.
Total Points, runs or Goals Over/Under
Betting on the total points means you’ll be predicting how many points or goals will be scored during the game. Sportsbooks will allow you to choose between over or under a certain number of points, with different odds for each option.
As an example, let’s look again at the Cowboys vs the Steelers. This match had an over/under total points of 43.5. The odds were:
- Over 43.5 points -110
- Under 43.5 points -110
If you bet over 43.5 points, you’d win your bet provided the total score ended up in 44 or more points. However, if you bet on under 43.5 points, you’d be wanting the score to remain below 44 for your bet to win.
Advantages of Goal and Point Betting
Goal betting offers much more variety than typical moneyline or point spread betting. For that reason, it’s a big favorite of those who place bets to have fun. Betting on total points scored in particular is a lot of fun, as every goal or point during the game adds to the excitement.
With goal betting, you can also make informed decisions regarding your bets, as there are a lot of available statistics on goals/points/runs scored. If you’re placing live bets on the next goalscorer, you have even more information you can use to your advantage. Watching the match while you bet lets you see which players are more likely to get on the scoresheet next.
With goal betting, the overall result of the match doesn’t really matter, as you’re only focusing on the goals or points being scored. This means that even if there’s a clear favorite, the odds can still be relatively even, and you have loads of different betting opportunities to choose from.
Goal and Point Betting Strategy
Now you know what a goal bet is and the different types of goal bets, you’re almost ready to start placing bets. First things first, take a look at our goal betting strategy tips to make sure you have the best chance of success with your bets.
- Research your bets - This goes for any type of bet, but you can get some excellent value out of goal and point scorer bets if you research well. Make sure you’re looking closely at the form of teams and individual players as well as head-to-head records. Some players are notorious for always scoring against certain opposition, so be sure to get to the bottom of all the stats before making any bets.
- Make the most of live betting opportunities - Live bets are a great way to take advantage of moving lines and make some extra profit. Next goal is one of the most popular live markets as you can often tell which players look most like scoring early on in the game. Pay attention to which team is on top and whether any particular player is threatening to score.
- Bet responsibly - Betting is a lot of fun and should remain so. To keep it that way, always keep your bets relatively small and try to preserve your bankroll as much as possible. Never bet what you can’t afford to lose and if you’re not having fun, take a break.
Provided you follow these tips, your sports betting experience should be enjoyable and hopefully profitable too. Now you’re ready to sign up to an online sportsbook and start placing some bets. Choose a site from our recommended sportsbooks and make sure you claim your welcome bonus to boost your bankroll when you first join.
