How this page works
A betting market is a specific outcome that a bookmaker prices and accepts wagers on.
For one soccer match, a bookmaker might offer 200 or more separate markets, including match result, total goals, both teams to score, first goalscorer, corner totals, or half-time score. Each is its own bet, with its own price.
This page covers every market a typical soccer bettor encounters, grouped by what they predict.
For each one, you’ll find a definition, a worked example with hypothetical prices, a note on what moves the price up or down, and a line on when the market makes sense to use. The aim is for this page to be the reference you come back to when a market name throws you, not a one-time read.
If you want the broader picture of how soccer betting works before reading about specific markets, the soccer betting guide is the parent of this page. For short A–Z definitions of betting vocabulary beyond markets, and terms like accumulator, juice, value bet, please see the betting glossary.
Match Result (1X2)
The Match Result market is also called 1X2. This is a bet on the outcome of a soccer match in 90 minutes plus stoppage time.
The “1” is a home win, the “X” is a draw, and the “2” is an away win. It’s the most-bet market in soccer worldwide and the one bookmakers price most accurately, which means the margin is also the tightest here.
Bets settle at the full-time whistle of regulation play. Extra time and penalties do not count (even in cup ties), unless the match is part of a tournament where the bookmaker explicitly offers a “to qualify” market instead.
Liverpool 1.80 · Draw 3.60 · Chelsea 4.50
A £10 bet on Liverpool returns £18 if they win in 90 minutes. A draw or a Chelsea win loses the stake. The implied probabilities sum to roughly 105% — the 5% over 100 is the bookmaker’s margin (the overround).
Team news is the single biggest mover. A striker ruled out at the warm-up can shift the favourite’s price by 10–15%. Beyond that: home/away record, head-to-head history, motivation (late-season dead-rubber matches see surprising results), and weather in the days before a match.
Double Chance
Double Chance is a market where you bet on two of the three possible 1X2 outcomes in a single wager.
The three combinations are home or draw (1X), away or draw (X2), and home or away (12). You win if either of your covered outcomes happens.
Because Double Chance covers two-thirds of the result space, the odds are always lower than the equivalent 1X2 selection. The trade-off is straightforward: you give up some price for a much higher chance of the bet landing.
Liverpool or Draw (1X) 1.25 · Chelsea or Draw (X2) 2.10
A £10 bet on 1X returns £12.50 if Liverpool win or the match ends level. Only a Chelsea win loses the stake. You’ve cut the risk significantly compared with backing Liverpool outright at 1.80 — but you’ve also cut the upside.
Double Chance prices track the 1X2 market mechanically. They aren’t priced independently. So whatever moves the 1X2 price moves the Double Chance price proportionally. The most useful comparison is to a draw-leaning matchup: if a draw is genuinely likely, the X-covering Double Chance options (1X and X2) become more attractive.
Draw No Bet
Draw No Bet (DNB) is a market where you bet on either the home team or the away team to win, and your stake is refunded if the match ends in a draw.
The draw outcome is eliminated. You can only win or push.
The mechanics make DNB cleaner than Double Chance in some matchups: you keep the upside of backing a specific winner without losing the stake if the match ends level. Bookmakers price it accordingly and DNB odds sit between the equivalent 1X2 price and the equivalent Double Chance price.
Liverpool DNB 1.45 · Chelsea DNB 2.60
A £10 bet on Liverpool DNB returns £14.50 if Liverpool win, returns the £10 stake if the match ends in a draw, and loses if Chelsea win. Compare with Liverpool to win 1X2 at 1.80 — the DNB price is lower but the draw insurance is worth the trade in matches where a stalemate looks plausible.
DNB pricing tracks 1X2 mechanically. The variable worth watching is the implied probability of a draw: in tight derbies where the draw price shortens, DNB on either team becomes a better-value option than the equivalent 1X2 selection, because more of the probability mass is being insured against.
Over/Under Goals (Totals)
Over/Under Goals is a market on the total number of goals scored in a match, above or below a line set by the bookmaker.
The most common line is Over/Under 2.5, which means a match with three or more goals settles “over” and a match with two or fewer settles “under.” Half-line totals (1.5, 2.5, 3.5) eliminate the push.
Bookmakers offer multiple lines for the same match. This typically ranges from 0.5 through 5.5, with prices adjusted to reflect each line’s probability. The 2.5 line is the most-bet but isn’t always the best-priced.
Over 2.5 1.85 · Under 2.5 2.00
A £10 bet on Over 2.5 returns £18.50 if the match has 3 or more goals. A 2–0 or 1–1 scoreline loses the bet. A 2–1 settles over (three goals). Goal-fest matches (4–3, 3–2) are absorbed in the over price; bookmakers don’t pay more for higher totals on this line.
The biggest movers are first-choice strikers ruled out (under price shortens), known defensive vulnerabilities such as a backup keeper starting (over price shortens), the weather in the days before a match (heavy rain favours unders), and the referee. Some officials wave play on for contact, producing fewer fouls and more shots, while others fragment the game with whistles. League averages matter too: the Eredivisie and Bundesliga skew over; Serie A and Ligue 1 historically skew under.
Both Teams to Score (BTTS)
Both Teams to Score (BTTS) is a market on whether both teams will score at least one goal during a match.
“Yes” wins when each team scores; “No” wins when one or both teams fail to score. It’s a binary market, which means there’s no half-time variant of the standard BTTS bet, though most bookmakers offer “BTTS in the first half” and “BTTS in the second half” as separate markets.
BTTS combinations with the Match Result market (e.g., “Home win and BTTS Yes”) give substantially better prices than either market alone and are popular as parts of bet builders.
BTTS Yes 1.70 · BTTS No 2.10
A £10 bet on Yes returns £17 if both teams score. 1–0, 0–0, and 2–0 all settle No. 1–1, 2–1, 3–2 settle Yes. Combined with a Match Result selection (“Liverpool win & BTTS Yes”), the same Yes selection might be priced 3.00 or higher — but you now need both legs to land.
BTTS prices move on first-choice defender injuries (Yes shortens), goalkeeper changes, and whether either side has a recent run of clean sheets. Weather is a smaller factor than for totals as both teams scoring is less correlated with conditions. Watch for cup matches where the trailing side has nothing left to play for: BTTS Yes prices stretch in the second leg of dead-rubber European ties.
Asian Handicap
Asian Handicap is a market that eliminates the draw outcome by giving one team a virtual head start (a positive handicap) or deficit (a negative handicap) measured in goals.
It originated in Indonesia in the late 1990s and is the most-bet single market in Asian sportsbooks. In Europe and the US, it sits below 1X2 by volume but typically offers tighter margins.
The handicap line comes in three types. You can choose between the whole-line, half-line, and quarter-line handicaps. It’s worth noting that each behaves differently. Quarter lines (the +0.25, −0.75 variants) are the feature that makes Asian handicap distinct from the European version.
Whole-line handicaps (−1, −2, +1, +2)
If the match ends with the handicap-adjusted result a draw, the stake is refunded. Example: Liverpool −1. If Liverpool win 2–1, the handicapped score is 1–1 — your stake is returned in full. Liverpool by 2 or more goals wins the bet; any other outcome loses.
Half-line handicaps (−0.5, −1.5, +0.5, +1.5)
Half lines eliminate the push entirely. You win, or you lose, no refunds. Example: Liverpool −1.5 needs Liverpool to win by 2 or more. Liverpool −0.5 is functionally identical to Liverpool to win in 1X2 as they must win.
Quarter-line handicaps (−0.25, −0.75, +0.25, +0.75)
Quarter lines split the stake across two outcomes. A −0.25 bet is half −0.5 and half on the level line. Example: Liverpool −0.25 against Chelsea. If Liverpool win, both halves win. If the match draws, the level-line half is refunded, and the −0.5 half loses, you get half your stake back. If Chelsea win, both halves lose.
Liverpool −1.5 (1.95) · Chelsea +1.5 (1.85)
A £10 bet on Liverpool −1.5 returns £19.50 if Liverpool win by 2 or more. A 2–1, 1–1, or any Chelsea win loses the bet. The Asian handicap version of the same matchup will have a tighter overround than the equivalent 1X2 — typically 2–3% versus 5–7%, which is why sharp bettors gravitate to AH for high-confidence selections.
The same factors that move the 1X2 price move the Asian handicap. Again, it’s the team news, motivation, and head-to-head. But because Asian handicap markets have lower margins than 1X2, the price reflects information faster. Late team news (a starter dropped in the warm-up) shifts the AH line a quarter-goal or half-goal in minutes.
European Handicap (and how it differs from Asian)
European Handicap is a three-way handicap market: the handicap-adjusted result can be home win, draw, or away win.
Unlike Asian Handicap, the draw isn’t eliminated. It’s its own selection. The handicap is applied to whole goals only; there are no half lines or quarter lines.
Most major bookmakers offer European Handicap alongside Asian, particularly in continental European markets. It’s a useful market when you think the favourite will win, but you also want to bet on the exact margin, since the draw outcome remains in play.
Liverpool −1 EH: Liverpool win 1.95 · Draw 3.80 · Chelsea win 6.50
The handicap shifts Liverpool to −1. If Liverpool win 2–0, the handicapped score is 1–0 — Liverpool win. If Liverpool win 2–1, the handicapped score is 1–1 — settles as a draw on the EH selection (not a refund — a draw outcome). A Chelsea win or a Liverpool win by exactly 1 loses on the EH−1 selection.
Correct Score
Correct Score is a market on the exact final score of a match in regulation time.
A bookmaker typically prices every plausible scoreline from 0–0 up to roughly 4–3, with anything beyond listed under “any other home win” or “any other away win” buckets. Prices range from 6.00 for the most likely scoreline up to 200+ for unlikely high-scoring outcomes.
It’s a low-strike, high-payout market. Even with a strong view on the match shape, predicting the exact score is genuinely difficult, as top correct-score tipsters hit 12–18% strike rates.
2–1 Liverpool 7.50 · 1–0 Liverpool 8.00 · 2–0 Liverpool 9.50 · 1–1 Draw 7.00
A £5 bet on 2–1 Liverpool returns £37.50 if the match ends exactly 2–1 to Liverpool. Any other scoreline — including 2–1 Chelsea, 3–1 Liverpool, or 2–2 — loses the stake.
Half-Time/Full-Time
Half-Time/Full-Time (HT/FT) is a market where you bet on the leading team at half-time and at full-time as a single combined wager.
The nine possible combinations are home/home, home/draw, home/away, draw/home, draw/draw, draw/away, away/home, away/draw, away/away.
The most common selection is matching half-time and full-time results (home/home, away/away), which means the side leading at half-time wins the match. The high-value selections involve comeback outcomes (e.g., draw/home, away/home) where a team is level or behind at half-time and ahead at full-time.
Home/Home 3.20 · Draw/Home 5.50 · Away/Home 15.00
Liverpool leading at the break and winning at full-time settles Home/Home — £10 returns £32. A 0–0 half-time score with Liverpool winning 1–0 by full-time settles Draw/Home — £10 returns £55.
Goalscorer markets (First / Anytime / Last)
Goalscorer markets are bets on which player will score in a match.
The three variants are First Goalscorer (the player who scores the opening goal), Anytime Goalscorer (the player scores at any point in the match), and Last Goalscorer (the player scores the final goal). Anytime is the most-bet of the three.
Own goals don’t count for any goalscorer market. A 1–0 win settled by a defender’s own goal voids First Goalscorer bets, with stakes refunded. Players who don’t make the matchday squad have all goalscorer bets voided regardless of selection.
Salah First 5.50 · Anytime 1.85 · Last 5.00
A £10 bet on Salah Anytime returns £18.50 if he scores any goal during the match. If he comes off the bench in the 80th minute and doesn’t score, the bet loses. If he starts but is subbed off after 60 minutes scoreless, the bet still loses — there’s no “to score while on the pitch” condition.
When goalscorer markets make sense. When you can see a specific player matchup that favours one striker. For instance, a target man against a small centre-back, a winger against a slow full-back. Anytime is the easier sell at reasonable prices; First and Last are entertainment plays.
Cards, corners, and shots
Cards, corners, and shots are secondary markets priced on counts of in-game events rather than goals or results.
Each is offered as an over/under total. Bookmakers set a line, and you bet on whether the match will exceed it. Lines are typically half-numbers to eliminate pushes.
Cards markets usually total the yellow and red cards shown across the match, with red cards counting as two cards in most operators’ rulebooks. A standard line is over/under 3.5 or 4.5 cards in a Premier League match.
Corners markets total the corners awarded to both sides. The Premier League average is around 10–11 corners per match. Lines run 8.5 to 12.5.
Shots markets total shots on goal or total shots, including blocked attempts, depending on the operator. Read the rulebook before betting — definitions vary.
The referee is the single biggest mover for cards markets. Referees known as card-issuers with high card averages shift the over price by 10–15%. Corners markets move on team style: sides that cross frequently and have wingers running at full-backs produce more corners.
When these markets make sense. When you know the referee for cards bets, or when you’ve identified a specific tactical mismatch for corners (an attacking side facing a deep-defending opponent that concedes territory). Otherwise, treat as entertainment.
Bet Builders & Same Game Multis
A Bet Builder (also called a Same Game Multi or SGM at some operators) is a single bet that combines multiple selections from one match into a single wager.
You might combine “Liverpool to win,” “BTTS Yes,” and “Salah Anytime” into a single ticket priced at the combined odds. All legs must land for the bet to win.
Bet Builders are the fastest-growing market type in modern sportsbooks. They look appealing, that’s for sure. Three short prices combine into one big price, but they also stack the bookmaker’s margin: each leg has its own overround, and combining them multiplies the bookmaker’s edge.
Liverpool to win (1.80) + BTTS Yes (1.70) + Salah anytime (1.85) → Bet Builder 5.50
The true combined probability of those three legs landing together is closer to 6.00–6.50 at fair pricing. The 5.50 price reflects the operator stacking margin across three legs. A £10 bet returns £55 if all three land as every leg has to come off, so a 2–0 Liverpool win (no BTTS) loses the entire stake.
When Bet Builders make sense. As entertainment plays where you have a strong narrative read on a match. For instance, a “this is how the game will go” story you want to back. Treat them as high-variance entertainment, not value bets. For value, shop the same selections as separate single bets across operators.
Outrights & futures
Outright markets (also called futures) are long-term bets on tournament and season-long outcomes rather than single matches.
Examples include Premier League winner, top goalscorer, top four finish, and tournament winner. Bets are settled at the end of the relevant competition.
The defining feature is time. An outright placed in August on the Premier League title doesn’t settle until May. Your stake is tied up for the whole period. However, most bookmakers let you cash out partially as the price moves in your favour during the season.
Manchester City to win Premier League: 1.80 (pre-season) → 1.20 (March)
A £20 bet at 1.80 in August returns £36 if City finish top. If they’re 10 points clear in March and the price drifts to 1.20, the bookmaker will offer to cash out for roughly £30 — locking in a £10 profit but giving up the remaining £6 upside.
When outrights make sense. Pre-season is the highest-value entry point. Odds are widest, information is thinnest, and a small contrarian position can pay handsomely. Top-scorer markets are often less efficient than title markets and worth investigating.
How to pick the right market
The right soccer betting market depends on three things: your read on the match, how much risk you want to absorb, and how much edge you’re trying to extract.
Below are three of the most common decisions bettors face. This translates into pairings where two or more markets could legitimately fit, and one is usually better than the other.
These are mechanically similar as both cover the favourite-or-draw outcome. However, they’re priced differently. Asian Handicap +0.5 is functionally identical to Double Chance 1X but typically has a tighter margin, so the price is slightly better. Pick AH +0.5 when both are offered. Pick Double Chance only when the operator doesn’t offer half-line Asian Handicap on the match.
Both are goal-related markets, but they price different outcomes. A 2–0 win settles Over 2.5 (loses) and BTTS No (wins). A 2–2 draw settles both Over 2.5 (wins) and BTTS Yes (wins). Pick BTTS when you can see a specific attacking weakness on both sides. Pick Over 2.5 when you have a tempo read but no clear view on which side scores.
Both reward specific reads on a match. Correct Score asks you to predict the exact scoreline; HT/FT asks you to predict who leads at two points in the match. Pick HT/FT when you have a view on match shape (a strong starter, a slow second-half team) but not the specific scoreline. Pick Correct Score only when you have a very specific scoreline view, and treat the bet as entertainment, not value.
The broader principle is to match the market to your read. If your view is on the winning side, the cleanest expression is 1X2 or Asian Handicap. If your view is on goals, it’s Over/Under or BTTS. If your view is on a specific player or match shape, it’s the specials markets. Markets are tools; pick the tool that fits the need.
For deeper coverage of how to develop reads and avoid common market-selection mistakes, see the soccer betting strategy guide.
Frequently asked questions
The 1X2 Match Result market is the most-bet soccer market worldwide — it’s the simplest to understand and offered on every match by every operator. In Asian markets, Asian Handicap is more popular than 1X2 by volume. Bet Builders are the fastest-growing market category in 2026.
Asian Handicap eliminates the draw — your stake is either refunded or split if the handicap-adjusted score ends level. European Handicap keeps the draw as its own selection and uses only whole-goal handicaps. Asian Handicap also includes quarter-line variants (−0.25, −0.75) that European Handicap doesn’t.
No, for nearly all markets. Match Result, Asian Handicap, Over/Under, BTTS, and Correct Score all settle at the end of regulation (90 minutes plus stoppage time). Extra time and penalties don’t count. The exception is the “to qualify” market in knockout competitions, which explicitly includes the full result.
No. Own goals don’t count for First Goalscorer, Anytime Goalscorer, or Last Goalscorer markets. If a match’s opening goal is an own goal, all First Goalscorer bets on the players who later score are still active since the own goal is treated as if it didn’t exist for goalscorer market purposes.
Most operators void postponed matches and refund the stake if the match isn’t rescheduled within 48 hours. If the match is rescheduled within that window, bets typically remain active. Rules vary by operator so read the specific operator’s rulebook for postponement and abandonment clauses before betting on weather-affected fixtures.
Asian Handicap typically carries the tightest margin in soccer. It often sits at 2–3% on major league matches, compared with 5–7% for the equivalent 1X2. This is why sharp bettors gravitate to Asian Handicap for high-confidence selections. The trade-off is complexity; quarter-line mechanics take some getting used to.