What Is a Totals or Over/Under Bet?

How Bettors Should Bet On Over/Under Bets

Online Sports betting is now one the most sought after means of gambling in the world today. People around the globe now engage in sports betting. The most amazing feature about sports betting is the availability of different betting lines and markets, for bettors to choose from when placing bets. If you are new to sports betting and you are wondering if there are other betting markets aside from the Moneyline market, this piece is meant for you. Sports betting platforms offer various betting markets to their bettors, for example, the goal goal, handicaps, odd/even, and the over/under markets. This article is about the over and under betting market.

What Is Over And Under

over and under betting line image page

A sports betting novice may ask what does over/under bet mean? The answer is simple! Over and under bets are a type of sports betting market line known as totals, sports betting companies offer them to bettors, who can predict the number of points, goals, and statistics of a match. In most cases, the totals betting line market can be used on the total points, goals, and statistics of both teams. Therefore, a bettor can predict that the total stats, goals, or points of a given sports betting event can be higher or lower. See the example in the table below

The above table is the total market line of a Premier League fixture between Manchester City and Everton. For over 2.5 goals the odds market is 1.48, while the under 2.5 odds market is 2.75. If a punter predicts that this sports betting fixture will have an outcome of 2.5 goals, the meaning of this is that the match will have 3 goals or more, and on the other hand if the prediction says under, it simply means that the match will have a maximum of 2 goals or less. Online sports betting companies have stretched the availability of over/under betting to pre-match, on-going, and virtual betting events.

What Does It Mean To Have The Over Or The Under

When a bettor bets on over market, it simply means that the desired outcome in terms of goals, points, and stats will be more than the set line. If the prediction for goals, points, and stats are more, then a bettor should opt for over, and if the prediction is lower, a bettor can place bets on under. Apart from the money line market, the over or under is one of the popular betting market lines offered by online sportsbook marques. The over/under sports betting depends solely on the numbers of a given sports betting event outcome. Over or under betting is compatible with following sports betting events.

• Hockey
• Soccer
• Rugby
• American Football
• Basketball
• Volleyball
• Handball etc.

How Is An Over And Under Made

Various underlying factors may affect the over and under betting in sports events. This is the section, where we will discuss the three important factors that may affect over and under.

• Team History
• Weather Conditions
• Defence and Offence

Team History

Bettors are advised to not solely depend on this factor when it comes to the total betting market. But it is advisable to consider betting on the over/under, putting into consideration this factor to an extent. A team’s performing history can go a long way in determining if a bettor should stake on the over/under betting market.

Weather Conditions

Sportsbook marques consider this factor when setting betting lines. Therefore, bettors can stake on sports betting events with bad weather, as the total betting odds seem to be on the high side.

Defence and Offence

Another factor to consider in knowing the over and under betting market is teams defending and attacking prowess. Teams with an impressive defensive backline tend to concede fewer goals, thereby having lower odds on the under market, while teams with an excellent attacking front line will be given lower odds on the over, as a result of their scoring abilities.

Below is an example of over/under on pre-match betting events from the English premiership on sportybet sportsbook.

Chelsea versus Manchester over and under betting line

Chelsea Fc versus Manchester United (2.5)

Two of England’s premier league most decorated sides, Chelsea and Manchester United will meet in week 13 at the Stamford Bridge stadium. Chelsea is still the present European champion and sits on number one (1) on the English premiership table. The blues have won four (4) and drawn one (1) of their last five premier league matches, scoring fifteen (15) goals and conceding two (2) goals only.

Meanwhile United’s journey this season has not been smooth so far, they sit eight (8) on the league table, losing four and winning one from their last five premier league fixtures, conceding sixteen (16) times and catching the back of the goal post four (4) times.

Judging by Chelsea’s free-scoring record and United’s conceding rate of an average of 3 goals per match in their last five premier league matches, the clash between the blues and the reds is destined to have an outcome of three (3) or more goals (over 2.5).

Chelsea Fc versus Leeds (2.5)

Week 16 sees the blues locking horns with Leeds United at the Stamford Bridge stadium. Putting into consideration Chelsea’s amazing form this season, defensive backline, and ability to bury the ball inside the post of their opponent, Leeds is in for an uphill match against the blues. Leeds has been poor this season. It will be a goals fest when these two teams meet, you don't need a shrink to tell you that the outcome of this match will be over 2.5.

Chelsea Fc versus Everton (2.5)

The blues welcomes the toffees in week 17 of the English premier league at the Chelsea home ground. From the analysis on Chelsea’s form on both attacking and defending prowess and a not so encouraging campaign from Everton this season, as a result of injuries on key players, this match will be a one-sided affair, with the toffees at the receiving end. The total market outcome for this match is likely to be over 2.5 goals or more.

What Are The Chances My Total Bet Wins

Bettors who place stakes on the over/under betting have an equal percent opportunity to win bets with the total betting line market. The premier league fixture between Chelsea and Leeds, if played multiple times, will occasionally be a goals fest. Bookmakers rake in profits by vigs, which are a little sum of the charge before a bettor's stake is accepted. In most cases, you have to bet eight (8) dollars to enable you to get nine (9) dollars, irrespective of whether you choose an over or under betting market. 

What If The Game Goes To Overtime

The answer to this question depends on the sportsbook marque. Some online sportsbooks allow bets to be considered in overtime and the totals betting line market isn’t an exception. When it comes to overtime, it can have a great impact in changing the outcome of an over/under betting market. A typical example can be found in basketball when a basketball fixture has a tie outcome, an additional five (5) minutes overtime is added, with an option to add double overtime, if the outcome remains a tie. Bettors who have placed bets on an under outcome in a specific match with a tie outcome, stand a risk of getting their winning bets crushed. On the other hand, if a bettor predicts over if teams are tied and the outcome is under, over time are great periods for bettors to have a fighting chance at finishing at an over outcome. Another example is in the Nation Hockey Leagues, during overtime, any team that scores, signals the end of the match. In a nutshell, bettors who bank on the overtime are still likely to lose or win a prediction.

Line Shop For Greater Profit on Totals

Bettors can take advantage of the line shopping between various sports betting marques, most times bettors who are offered more odds lines ten to jump on the offer. For example, if the sports betting total line is set at under 3.5 and a bettor sees that the bookmaker has stretched the total line market to under 4.5, the latter will be a preferred betting option. The line shop offers punters a great opportunity to increase or decrease over/under betting prediction. There are two types of bettors, the radical risk bettor, and the safe-play bettor. The radical risk bettor can push for a higher outcome or a lower outcome, while the safe-play bettors can maintain prediction on the standard total line or play under. Bettors can make great profits on the totals line or over/under.

Should I Bet The Over/Under

Bettors are advised to embrace the totals lines market also known as the over/under betting. For a winner to emerge, all sports betting events require points, goals, or stats, the team with the highest points, goals, and stats is judged the winner of the match, except in some cases of a tie. Betting outcomes are uncertain, so bettors are caught up in the dilemma of not being able to ascertain over/under in sports betting. Regardless the teams playing a match are both playing to win, as long this system remains the norm, the total market line in sports betting offered by various bookies is a sure sport betting market for bettors to place bets on.

Over-under market from 1xbet

Totals And Parlays

In this article, we have discussed what a total market line is, so the question now is what are parlays? Simply put, these are an accruing string of bets, where winnings amassed from one transaction can be used for another bet. Parlays help bettors to accrue their winnings for more winnings. Just as much as parlays are compatible with over under betting or total line market, it also has their downsides. It is worthy of note for bettors to know that it is important for them to understand the concept of correlated parlays when taking advantage of the total line market and parlays.

Over/Under And Live Betting

The total line betting market, also known as the over/under betting market, is very much compatible with the live betting option offered to bettors by online sportsbook sites. As a result of tech innovations in sports betting, live betting sports events have been added for bettors to take advantage of. Over/under betting is made available as one of the markets offered in live betting. During a live sports event, if a team has an impressive defensive backline in an ongoing match, the total line market may reduce from under 3.5 to under 2.5. Another advantage of playing over and under betting on live games is that bettors can monitor how a match is played and also monitor the ability of both teams to score goals or earn points, to help predict whether the outcome of the match will have an outcome of over/under.