What Does Over/Under Mean in Betting?

The three main bet types when it comes to sports games or matches are: moneyline, spread, and total or, as more commonly known, over/under. But how do these bets work?

Well, starting with moneyline, this is one of the simplest bets that you can place, as it is only betting on which team will win and which team will lose. Each team is given odds, which are decided by how each side favours when it comes to winning or losing. Odds are typically formatted with a plus or minus sign - an underdog, for example, would have a plus sign, while the favourites would have a minus sign.

Onto point spread betting: this is a way for those setting the odds to make a game between an underdog and a favourite more balanced by giving or taking away points from either or both teams. The stronger team will have a number of points taken away from their final score, while the weaker team will have the same number of points added to their end score. Rather than just having to win, the favourite has to win by at least the number of points indicated in their handicap for the bet to pay out.

Moving on, what does over/under mean in betting? This, or as some refer to it, totals betting, is the combined score of both teams. As the bettor, you will need to decide whether or not the combined number of goals/points will be over or under the number set by the sportsbooks.

Examples of Over/Under Bets

You can see a couple of examples of over/under bets from Paddy Power below, with bets on the Premier League and the Champions League.

Football Over/Under Bets

In football, over/under bets work in the same sort of way as other events. Bettors can bet on there being over or under a certain number of goals, whether this is under/over 0.5 goals, 1.5 goals, 2.5 goals, or even 3.5 goals. In fact, over/under betting can reach as high as over/under 8.5 goals, even though that number of goals is rare in football.

Of course, certain games are more likely to include a certain number of goals than others, with some teams better going forward or having more struggles defensively than others.

Betting Over/Under 2.5 Goals

Here, bettors have the option to bet on whether a game will involve over or under 2.5 goals. In many cases, it could be best to bet on under 2.5 goals, especially if the game is between two sides near the bottom of the table or in mid-table. Meanwhile, a clash between two sides at the top of the table such as Manchester City vs Arsenal is likely to include more goals, and it is best to bet over 2.5 goals.

Examples of over/under bets and over 2.5 goals tips include the Carabao Cup last eight tie between Newcastle United and Leicester City. Paddy Power has over 2.5 goals at 3/4, while under is 19/20. Such is the unpredictability of the cup, betting on over 2.5 goals may not be a bad shout here, especially given how poor Leicester City’s backline has been this season, in the Premier League at least, conceding 31 goals.

Betting Over/Under 1.5 Goals

You can also bet on over or under 1.5 goals for a game. The strategy here may well be to go for a side on the cusp of the top six playing at home against a side in the usual top six. So, for example, this could be Brighton & Hove Albion vs Liverpool, which is a fixture that would be best to bet over 1.5 goals, given how leaky Liverpool’s backline is against an in-form Brighton side at the Amex Stadium.

Paddy Power currently has the odds at 1/7 for over 1.5 goals, and 19/5 for under 1.5 goals in a fixture that could go either way between two sides in contrasting form.

NFL Over/Under Bets

Similarly to association football, in American football or the NFL, over/under bets are all about whether the number of combined points in a game will be over or under the number given by a sportsbook. There are a few more complications with the NFL over/under betting compared to football, however.

When it comes to the NFL, if the number of points lands exactly on the number quoted pre-match, then the total is declared a push and all stakes are returned to bettors. Overtime is also taken into consideration.

Coming up with NFL over/under betting tips includes thinking about betting on under first, with most NFL games falling under the number given.

An example of the number given is 56.5 total points, which could mean that the over line might have odds close to -106 and the under at around the -112 mark (depending on which teams are playing). So, while over under betting in the NFL is different from that of football, it could still be profitable.

NBA Over/Under Bets

Over/under betting in the NBA is when you predict whether a game will reach a certain number of combined points or not.

An over/under basketball betting strategy is different from one in football/soccer. That's because the game is more likely to go to overtime, and points in that period still count toward your bet. This should be taken into consideration when placing an over/under bet in basketball.

Over/Under Betting Line Predictions

Over/under is one of the most popular forms of betting. That's why Sports Betting Portfolio offers a subscription service where you can get predictions and tips from expert tipsters straight to your phone. These subscriptions vary in price and in service, starting with the SBP Sports plan, which is £30 per month.

The Infinity plan costs £50 a month and includes tips for both UK and Australian sports events delivered straight to your phone. Or, if you just want to focus on one sport, then we also offer a PAYG Basketball plan, with 25u of credits costing £50, as well as a PAYG Corners plan at the same price.

You can check out all of Sports Betting Portfolio’s subscription plans here.

Over/Under Betting FAQs

What Does 1.5 Goals Mean in Betting?

In betting, 1.5 goals means the number of points or goals that there will be in a sporting event or game, and this is usually a number seen in over/under betting for football.

When deciding to bet over or under 1.5 goals, it is best to look at the defensive records of the two sides involved. If both sides have leaky backlines, then it is best to bet on there to be over 1.5 goals. If two sides near the bottom of the table square off, with both notably struggling to score goals, then betting there will be under 1.5 goals is the suitable choice.

What Is Under 0.5 Goals in Betting?

Under 0.5 goals is usually seen in football betting. You are betting there will be fewer than 0.5 goals - which usually means a 0-0 scoreline.

It is best to bet on under 0.5 goals when two evenly matched sides come up against each other with similar defensive and offensive records. Likewise, a game with a lot on the line, which will be a cagey fair as a result, may also be a good bet for under 0.5 goals.

What Is 2.5 Goals in Betting?

2.5 goals usually relates to football betting, and it is the prediction of whether a game will feature a combined total of more than or less than 2.5 goals. If betting over 2.5 goals, it is best to do so on two offensively impressive teams.

Liverpool vs Arsenal, for example, rarely disappoints when it comes to entertainment and goals, making this fixture an ideal pick to bet on over 2.5 goals. Meanwhile, a mid-table fixture such as Leicester City vs Aston Villa is unlikely to feature more than 2.5 goals, and it is, therefore, best to bet on under rather than over.