When you place an over/under bet, you decide whether or not a game or match’s total score or points will end up more or less than an amount set by a bookmaker, and by how much or little. You’re making a tough call between two different outcomes, and these bets can apply to scorelines, goals scored, runs achieved – the list goes on.
Thanks to being relatively accessible (and the fact that they can apply to most sports available to bet on), over/under wagers are some of the most popular picks for online punters. In this guide, we’ll go into more detail about how these bets work, some common types, and how you can place your own here at Tonybet.
Check out over/under bets in the Tonybet sportsbook!
What is an over/under bet?
An over/under bet decides whether or not a final scoreline (or goals, runs, etc.) will total more or less than the bookmaker’s recommended figure. In some cases, these bets are known as ‘totals’, and you’ll find them when betting on football, rugby, tennis, cricket and more.
Let’s say that Tonybet sets a total scoreline for a football match between Arsenal and Manchester City at 4. This means that the bookmaker predicts that there will be four goals scored, in total, between the two teams. If you make an over bet on this event, you predict that there will be more than four goals (so, for example, the scoreline might be Arsenal 3, City 2, or Arsenal 2, City 4).
If you bet under this amount, however, you predict that there will be fewer than four goals scored – this could be Arsenal 2, City 1, or Arsenal 0, City 2, or even a nil-nil draw. You’ll find that bookmakers list over/under bets for different amounts, meaning that you bet on how much you think the score will be over or under by.
For instance, say that you choose the same football match from above. You may be able to bet on the score being over 1, under 2, or even break the scores down into decimals with specific odds along the way. At Tonybet, we aim to cover as broad a spectrum as possible, but be aware that odds will get longer as the scoreline is less and less likely.
A bookmaker will present odds based on how likely it believes the score will, in actuality, be less than or more than what it has set. You can also bet on the exact score, though these markets typically carry much longer odds because they’re extremely niche (and less likely to happen in practice).
The payout on an over/under bet will, of course, depend on the odds that your bookmaker sets. It will also depend on how you choose your odds to appear (for example, fractional, decimal or moneyline). Tonybet makes it clear for you to understand what you’re betting and what your potential returns are.
How over/under odds and returns are calculated
As with any odds and markets, bookmakers dive deep into researching players, teams and previous scores to produce baselines for over/under bets. Just as punters look carefully at form to decide which team to bet on (when punting on straight markets), bookmakers such as Tonybet also look carefully at various stats and figures to make sure that they’re confident in the positions they set.
So, we decide the baseline scores or figures, and then set the odds for whether or not scores will be over or under specific amounts. We take into account statistics and data such as:
- Scoring history for specific teams: For example, in football, are the teams in play scoring highly recently? Do either of them perform better with a home advantage?
- Scoring history for specific players: Are there players in the game or match who are prolific point- or goal-scorers? For example, are there players in the lineup who are already scaling the ranks of the league’s best scorers?
- Specific history between players and teams: With ice hockey, basketball, football and rugby, for example, how do the specific teams in play generally perform against each other? Does one team typically outperform the other? Or, are they likely to get stuck in a deadlock and come up with few goals?
- Injuries and substitutes: We also pay close attention to the latest sports news. Are there players who have recently come back from injury and who may not be playing at top performance? Is there anyone in the game who is prone to injury or substitution? What have the teams’ strategies been in recent matches regarding substitutes?
- Location advantages: As mentioned, with team sports, the ‘home advantage’ is an important consideration. Do teams seem to score more at their own ground? With individual competitions, such as tennis, do certain players score more on certain types of ground (such as clay or grass, again, for tennis)?
- Rival sportsbook odds: Yes, it’s reasonable to expect bookmakers to keep a close eye on each other to see what the going averages are on over/under scorelines. Doing so allows bookies to get a good feel for what other experts predict. This way, the odds aren’t too wildly placed in too extreme a direction.
These are just a few examples of what Tonybet considers when setting baselines and odds for over/under betting. Remember that we have our own specific methodologies behind the scenes to help keep odds competitive and fair, and that not all sportsbooks will follow the same processes!
It’s always worth comparing odds, but at Tonybet, you can be sure that we’ve taken genuine time and effort to carefully consider outcomes for every market we set odds for.
Types of over/under odds
Over/under odds can apply to many different sports and scoring opportunities. Much of the time, you’re likely to see this type of bet appear when there is a total score potential, such as with football or rugby. You’d simply add the scoreline together that you think the teams will meet, and then determine how much you think the result will be over or under by.
Then, with sports such as cricket, you might decide to bet on whether or not a total number of runs are achieved between two teams. Or, in tennis, you might decide if there will be more or less than a certain number of sets in a certain match.
From there, you can start diving deeper into the specifics of certain matches and games. For example, you might choose over or under a specific number of tries in rugby. Or, a bookmaker might decide that there will be a certain number of corners given in a Champions League match, and you’d bet on whether that figure is too low or too high (and by how much, either way).
Crucially, over/under bets are popular because they offer a sometimes more accessible alternative to betting on who will win outright. You might find, for instance, that it’s difficult to choose between one team and another to win a specific match. Therefore, betting on what the outright scoreline is might be more palatable.
In many cases, you can also add over/under bets to accumulators. Some bettors choose these odds and markets alongside outright odds to mix things up.
How to place an over/under bet
You can place over/under bets on a wide range of sports at Tonybet either through the desktop sportsbook or via mobile, as you prefer. Once you’ve logged into your account through your preferred platform, select a sport, event or league from the menu or side bar (depending on your choice of device).
Find an event you’d like to bet on, and click or tap the large number followed by a dropdown symbol. For example, there might be 4,070 markets for a rugby match. This opens up all the different ways for you to bet on the match, and as you scroll down, you’ll find ‘Total’ markets.
Here, you’ll see what odds you’ll get on the final scoreline being over or under a certain amount. The odds here are set at decimal by default. Select the markets that appeal to you and add bets to your slip. Remember, you’ll need to make sure that your account is topped up with a deposit so that you can make a cash bet.
And, as with other bets made via Tonybet, simply wait for the match, game or event to finish, and you’ll receive any money won shortly after the final whistle.
Take your time browsing the different over/under markets and other options available at Tonybet. The sheer variety of betting opportunities stretch into the thousands! However, we make sure to organise all the odds and options you need to know about so that they are always easy to access. Of course, if you need any help, just contact the team!
Keep up to date with Tonybet
Regardless of the sport, Tonybet always keeps you up to date on the latest and most competitive odds on the global betting market. And, if you’re a live bettor, you’ll know that these statistics change regularly and often!
Take your time looking through over/under bets in our sportsbook and check back in regularly for big events and the latest developments. And, if you are a live betting fan, make sure to check the Tonybet odds and markets available in-play for even more ways to interact with your favourite sports and stars.
