How Does Over/Under Betting Work?

Over/Under Betting

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Regardless of whether you are a sports betting veteran or a rookie, one of the most common bet types you need to understand is over/under betting. 

With that, I have created a guide below to explain what over/under betting is, the different types of over/under betting markets, how over/under betting is different across some of the major sports, as well as over/under betting strategies to consider before making your bets.

Defining Over/Under Bets

Simply put, the over/under in sports betting refers to betting on the total number of points/runs/goals scored in any one game or event.

Types of Over/Under Bets

The first thing to know about over/under betting is that there are many types of markets to choose from. The following are the common types that you will see across legal sportsbooks.

Full Game

Generally speaking, the most common type of over/under bet you can make is for the full game. Regardless of the sport you are betting on, this market will require the game or event to have concluded before your bet is settled.

The issue (or advantage) of a full game over/under bet is that there is more time for your bet to win or lose. For example, if you were betting on over 42.5 points in an NFL game, and at halftime, the score was 21-17, there is still a chance that the teams involved could not score again and stay under the total.

To the same point, the score at halftime could be 10-7, and the teams could suddenly find their offense and score a combined 28 points in the second half to push the total over.

First Half/Second Half

Another type of over/under market is first/second half bets. As the name suggests, this over/under market covers only the first or second half of the game you are betting on.

Making these types of bets can alleviate the stress of having to sweat out a full game bet, but at the same time, there is less time for your bet to win.

Quarters/Periods

A more specific over/under market is quarter totals or period totals. Quarter markets apply to football and basketball, while period markets apply to hockey. These over/under bets will be set even lower compared to first/second half over/under bets, but there will be even less time needed for them to win.

First 5-innings

The First 5-innings over/under market applies only to baseball, but works much like the others. Essentially, if you bet on this market, you will have bet on a total for only the first 5-innings of the game. This total could be set low or high based on several factors, such as the starting pitchers and the location of the game.

Over/Under Bets in Different Sports

Having explained that there are different types of over/under bets, it is also important to understand that over/under betting works differently across the major sports.

Football

Betting the over/under in football is straightforward, as you simply need the teams playing to score or not score touchdowns or field goals, depending on whether you bet on the over or under. Football over/under totals can be determined by several factors, including:

  • Injuries
  • Weather
  • For example, if you are betting on the total in a game between Team A vs Team B and Team B is missing its starting quarterback, the total is likely going to be several points lower.

Another example would be if you are betting on Team C vs Team D and the weather forecast shows a blizzard or heavy rain. This would force the total to be much less since not a lot of scoring would be expected.

Baseball

Baseball totals are significantly lower than those of a sport like football because it is a much slower-paced sport. Generally speaking, baseball totals will range from 6.5 to 12.5, depending on several factors:

  • Starting pitchers
  • Injuries
  • Weather
  • Location

For example, if both Team E and Team F are starting their Ace, the total will likely be much lower compared to if Team E and Team F were starting their fourth pitcher in the rotation.

Baseball totals are also heavily affected by where the game is being played and the weather. This is because baseball is one of the only sports where each stadium has different dimensions. 

Basketball

Basketball totals are higher compared to any other sport because of how fast-paced the game is. That being said, several factors can affect the total set in any given basketball game:

  • Injuries
  • Pace of Play
  • For example, one factor that directly affects the total in a basketball game is the pace of play. Whether it be in the NBA or in College, some teams tend to play at a much slower pace. Because of this, fewer points should be expected in the majority of their games.

Conversely, some basketball teams play at a rapid pace and are lacking defensively. In this situation, the totals will be set much higher, as more points are always expected.

Over/Under Betting Strategies

The most basic betting strategy for making over/under bets is to do research. Before making your bet, look at how the teams you are going to bet on play.

If a team’s offense averages near the bottom of the league, it might be best to avoid betting on the over in a game they are involved in. Additionally, be sure to always look at a team’s injury report before each game. Injuries occur in every sport, and are always a direct factor in how high or low the over/under is set.

While research will never guarantee wins, it will help you make informed decisions about the bets you place.

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