Match Result Betting

Match ResultIt’s the big question isn’t it – what will the result of the match be? At one time the number of bets available in this area were pretty restricted, but now there’s a whole range of bets linked to the full-time result and this article takes a look at them.

It all used to be so easy. Placing a bet on the full-time result simply meant working out whether it was going to be a home win, an away win, or a draw. That’s all changed, and now there are a multitude of bets that can be placed based around the full-time result.

Match Result Odds

Final Whistle
Bigstock / RTimages

When it comes to betting on the match result there are a wide variety of odds available. It all depends on the relative calibre of the two teams taking part in the game. If it’s a World Cup tie between a top nation and a minnow then the odds on the favourites won’t be good at all. In this situation, if a team are say 1/10 to win, it’s probably time to head down the handicap route to see any real value (must win by 1+ goals, for example). However, the odds on a draw or the outsiders winning will be very attractive, so that may be worth considering.

As the class gap between the two sides narrows the odds for the favourite to win will gradually improve. Odds of between 1/3 and 10/11 are starting to look more backable and are ideal to put in accumulators. The odds on a draw or on the outsiders will drop but still be attractive.

If it’s a game between two closely matched sides then the odds will be a lot more attractive, perhaps all three available results will be odds against. A more difficult decision to make but well worth it if you can make the right choice.

Research is really important here. Take a good look at the form for both sides before making your decision. This way you can avoid putting money on a team to win and then finding out they haven’t won at home for six games straight. Definitely do this for those obscure overseas games that crop up on betting sites these days; if you don’t have local knowledge then research is key.

Match Result Bet Alternatives

So the basics of match result betting are easy as pie. Now let’s have a look at some of the additional features we can add to our bets to make them more interesting and also more lucrative.

It’s worth pointing out that for all of these bets only the regular 90 minutes including injury time count towards your bet. If, for whatever reason, a match goes into extra time, it will be the score at the end of 90 minutes that dictates whether or not your bet is a winner.

Result & Both Teams To Score

This is two markets in one, so you don’t just have to correctly predict the match result but also decide whether you think both teams will find the back of the net. It’s a more difficult bet but the odds will be higher.

Better odds will be available if there’s a heavily odds on favourite because the chances of the outsiders scoring won’t be so good. If the odds for the match result are closer then the odds on the full-time result and both teams to score won’t be so high.

Say the match is between West Ham and Liverpool, there will be six options available to bet on:

Match Winner West Ham to Score Liverpool to Score
West Ham Yes Yes
West Ham Yes No
Liverpool Yes Yes
Liverpool No Yes
Draw No No
Draw Yes Yes

You’ll need to do a bit of research for this bet. Look to see if both teams are scoring regularly; do West Ham have a good home record and if so are they rarely winning to nil; how good are Liverpool on the road and do they score lots of goals?  Answer those questions and you’ll be getting closer to working out the probable match result and whether both teams will score or not.

You don’t need to get too specific because the actual score doesn’t matter to you in this situation. If you have bet on Liverpool to win and both teams to score then a 2-1 win is just as good as a 5-2 win. You just need the correct team to walk away with 3 points and the losing side to score at least once.

Result & Player to Score

This bet takes things a step further and is another one that is difficult to land but well worth it when you do. You don’t just have to predict the full-time result (home win/draw/away win) but hope that your nominated player finds their way onto the scoresheet as well. A win for your team without your player scoring results in a lost bet.

This is a little more in depth because as well as looking at general team stats you need to look at which players are on form at the moment, who hasn’t scored in a while, maybe even whether a player who doesn’t score very often might have a chance. If you back someone who only tends to score once or twice each season you will find great odds.

Result and Player to Score

As you can see in the example above, Liverpool are the favourites so the odds of West Ham winning and Alberto Moreno, a left back, scoring for Liverpool are ridiculous. On the other hand, the chances of victory for Liverpool aided by a goal from Moreno are higher, and the odds reflect this. The other player, Lallana, is an attacking midfielder and more prone to scoring goals, so while his odds follow the same pattern, they aren’t as long.

You can sometimes find a similar bet but with two players to score, one from each team. Odds can be around 16/1 for this bet type so it’s well worth having a small wager on it as even a £1 stake see’s healthy returns. It’s a bet that can create a lot of tension and last right up to the end of the game.

Draw No Bet

The title of the bet says it all really. This is a bet based on the full-time result but that removes the possibility of a draw, turning a three way market a two way market. So you can either bet on the home side or the away side to win the match but at smaller odds than if the draw option was available.

If the game does end in a draw then your stake is returned to you. It’s a good bet when you fancy a side to win but also want to reduce risk. Take a chance on the team you fancy winning at lesser odds and even if the result is a draw you at least get your stake back rather than seeing your bet lost.

No Draw Bet

Sticking with West Ham vs Liverpool, if you had a £10 bet on West Ham to win (very brave) on a no draw bet at 7/1:

Winner Money +/-
West Ham + £70
Liverpool – £10
Draw Evens (bet returned)

If you had placed the same £10 wager on a regular match result bet the odds would have been a little better at 17/2 but it would have looked like this:

Winner Money +/-
West Ham + £85
Liverpool – £10
Draw – £10

So you have more chance of losing your stake and if you won you would only be £15 richer than if you had placed a no draw bet. Considering that around 25% of Premiere league games between the 2012/13 and 2016/17 seasons ended in a draw this can be a very savvy move.

Double Chance

Double Chance

Another bet that looks at the full-time result in a slightly different way. Here, you can have two bets in one and cover two of the three potential outcomes in one go. In the West Ham v Liverpool game, you can go for:

West Ham-Draw = Bet wins if West Ham win the game or it is a draw.

Liverpool-Draw = Bet wins if Liverpool win the game or it is a draw.

West Ham-Liverpool = Bet wins if either team win, but not if it is a draw.

The odds are a lot less attractive as you can see, but it’s a good one to go for in really close games where you want a bit of a safety net.

Winning Margin

With this variation, you don’t just have to get the right full-time result but the winning margin too. In our example, you could go for Liverpool to win and by a margin of two goals. The odds will be much better.

As well as the odds, in terms of excitement you’ll be on tenterhooks right up to the final whistle. If Liverpool are a goal up can they find the back of the net again and win you your bet? If they are two goals up can they manage to hold of West Ham until the final whistle and stop them closing the gap and ruining your bet?

Win to Nil

This full-time result bet has a strong defensive side to it. You choose which team you think will win and also bet on them keeping a clean sheet. The available odds are better because, again, you are essentially making two bets in one, but your nerves will take a bit of a beating every time the other side goes on the attack.

Do some research and look to see if teams are winning and keeping clean sheets. Going for the away team to win to nil in a closely fought contest can really pay dividends if it comes off. A team who are 7/5 to win could be around 7/2 to win to nil, and on a £10 bet that’s an extra £20 onto your winnings.

Here is some interesting info on English Premiere League teams and clean sheets as of Feb 2019:

Team Clean Sheets since 92/93
Man Utd 442
Chelsea 415
Arsenal 397
Liverpool 386
Everton 313
Tottenham Hotspur 291
Aston Villa 268
Man City 267
Newcastle United 237
West Ham United 230

A few surprises in that top ten, perhaps? At 38 games a season for 27 seasons that’s 1,026 games played, which gives you some idea of how often clean sheets occur.

Result & Over Under (O/U)

What will the full-time result be and how many goals will be scored in the regulation 90 minutes. Research helps a lot with this bet; are the teams involved regularly playing in high scoring games or should we be expecting a boring low-scoring match? Is there a prolific goal scorer up front and is the opposition’s defence unbreakable?

Odds will be available for the full-time result plus whether there will be over or under a certain number of goals in the match. This is the total number of goals scored by both teams not just the winner.

Result and Over Under

For example, you could bet that West Ham will win and under 2.5 goals scored; so as long as West Ham win there only needs to be one or two goals in the match for your bet to come up. This leaves you with two winning outcomes, either a 1-0 or a 2-0 win to the Hammers will net you a profit. If they win 3-0 that is over the 2.5 goals so you lose. If they win 2-1 the same applies. The only other possibility under the goal cap is a 0-0 or a 1-1 draw, in which case your bet loses because West Ham didn’t win.

Again, better odds are available because it’s a more complex bet, and you’ll be nervously anticipating the final whistle as each new development on the pitch could make or break your bet.

Cash Out

Tense Bettor
Bigstock / Master1305

It may well be the full time result you are placing bets on but you don’t have to wait for the final whistle to collect some money. The Cash Out facility is available on most sites now – although not on all bets so do check beforehand – and it allows you to end your bet whenever you want.

If you’ve gone for Liverpool to win and they are 1-0 up but West Ham are fighting back and Liverpool look tired, then you may want to cash out. Imagine the relief if you do and the game ends up 1-1. Of course, cashing out and seeing the result remain in your favour is frustrating as you could have collected at the higher odds, but that’s the nature of this bet.

Just be aware that cashing out will usually mean taking worse odds as a result. You are essentially buying your way out of the bet in return for a fixed return. It won’t always be worth it and odds fluctuate all the time once the game is in play, so you need to be quick at weighing up the pros and the cons.

Conclusion

As you can see, there are lots of interesting ways you can bet on the full-time match result. It’s often a question of whether you want to be adventurous, for example going for a team to win and the winning margin, or play it a bit safer with a double chance bet. This decision will be influenced by who exactly is playing, of course, and maybe also by how much time you have to do your research, as some bets require a more hands on approach than others.

All very exciting though and you can get some good wins.