Are you a bit unsure about the term “over/under”? Is it the same as “total betting”? What is the under 2.5 meaning? Don’t worry, we’re here to help, providing you with the best of sports betting guides, packed with everything you need to know about totals betting rules. This type of betting line is simple to get your head around and can give you a high payout if used wisely.
This handy blueprint to over/under sports betting will run you through the meaning of this type of wager and how to place under/over bets on the best sportsbook Parimatch. We will give you an array of tips and strategies that help you to get a deep understanding of the power of over-under stakes and how best to place them. This guide will also answer the frequently asked questions about over and under betting, so everything is clear in your mind.
Now, take a look at the real-life examples of over/under bets on the gambling site Parimatch and use this guide to get started with betting for entertainment purposes or for real money!
Contents
What Does Totals Bet Mean?
You might have seen the following questions pop up on various betting forums: “over 2.5 means,” “over 0.5 goals meaning,” “under 1.5 meaning,” “under 0.5 goals meaning,” etc. We will try our best to answer those questions in this section. Over/under (O/U) sports betting is sometimes referred to as total bets. The reason for this is that O/U betting is based on the final score in the match. When we talk about the total, we’re referring to the total number of points or goals in a match. This means the number of total points scored by both teams is added together. So if Chelsea plays Leicester City and Chelsea scores one goal and Leicester City scores two, the combined score of both teams would be three goals (1+2=3).
When placing over-under stakes, you are betting over or under a certain total. In this sense, the bookmaker places odds on the sportsbook against each possible total outcome and you bet whether the overall score will be over or under these set totals.
Here are a few examples of total odds for a football game within the Tanzania Premier League.
Just a small note. As you may notice, the totals are set as .5, such as 1.5 or 2.5 goals or points. While it is, of course, impossible to get half a goal or point, this is to avoid confusion. For example, if the bookmaker set the points scored at whole numbers on the sportsbook, such as 2, and the overall total was 2, would it be over or under 2? To avoid this confusion, the bookmaker would list the total as half points, like 1.5 and 2.5.
When you place an O/U bet, you are not betting on a particular score but on a range (unless you bet under 0.5, which would be zero goals). For example, if you wagered that the overall total will be under 2.5, you are at stake that the overall total number of goals could be zero, one, or two. Conversely, if you bet over 2.5, you are wagering that there will be three, four, five, six, seven, eight, etc, goals.
If you want to place total bets, you can also place bets on the half-time score instead of the full-time match. A little harder to predict, you can place bets on what the number of points scored by both teams will be in the first half and the second half independently.
Over/Under Betting Explained with Examples
It’s sometimes easier to get your head around over and under betting when seeing it in action. Here are a couple of examples of totals betting using soccer and basketball.
O/U Betting in Soccer
Take this sample below of West Ham versus Liverpool:
| Total goals | Over | Under |
| 0.5 | 1.02 | 14.00 |
| 1.5 | 1.18 | 5.00 |
| 2.5 | 1.36 | 2.45 |
As you can see, the odds for under a half point are 14.00. This would mean that if no goals were scored in the match, the odds would be 14.00. If you placed 10,000 TZS on zero goals being scored in this match, you would get bet payouts of 130,000 TZS (plus your 10,000 TZS stake). The odds are high because this is highly unlikely, as Liverpool is far better than West Ham, so fans would expect at least one goal.
As you can see, the odds for more points than 0.5 are extremely low. This is because this stake predicts that any number of goals will be scored above zero, which is highly likely to happen.
Over-Under Betting in Basketball
Basketball is a very fast-paced game with a lot of points scored. Players can score 1 point from a free throw, two points from inside the three-point line, and three points if they score from beyond the three-point line. As the game is so fast, teams tend to score at least 100 points during an NBA game. This is why the bookmaker often starts over/under wager quite high at over 200 points. Remember that the over/under bet is on the total score, so this would be at least 100 points per team.
Let’s take a look at this upcoming NBA game between the Charlotte Hornets and the New York Knicks:
| Total points | Over | Under |
| 202.5 | 1.43 | 2.60 |
| 203.5 | 1.48 | 2.47 |
| 204.5 | 1.53 | 2.34 |
| 205.5 | 1.59 | 2.22 |
As you can see, the bookmaker has started over-under at 202.5 points. It is more likely that more than 202.5 points will be scored during this match, as the payout odds for under 202.5 are 2.60, while the odds over 202.5 points are 1.43.
Which Sports Have Over/Under Betting Available on Parimatch?
Here at the best sportsbook Parimatch, we pride ourselves on having the most outstanding range of online betting options in Africa. We not only believe that our customers should be able to wager on all different kinds of betting strategies, but we also want to ensure that we’re offering a wealth of betting opportunities on a whole plethora of outdoor sports. Fancy placing a total bet on the NBA? Fancy an over/under wager on the NFL game, college football, or UEFA Cup? Perhaps you’d like to place an O/U stake in the NHL? Parimatch has a whole catalog of over/under bets available on our online betting application today.
When it comes to final score stakes, you will be seriously amazed at what we have on offer. Firstly, we like to cater to all kinds of gameplay. This is why we offer over/under options for pre-match, live, and virtual sports betting.
In our pre-match betting category, our users can enjoy placing pre-match over/under bets on football, NBA, volleyball, ice hockey, and most other sports.
In our live section, we offer live over-under bets on games and matches taking place at that very moment. Catch the game you are interested in and make live total bets in all the featured sports.
If you like to bet on virtual sports, we also have a bunch of over/under betting options on this section of our site. Click on the “Virtual” tab on your screen, and you can choose to place O/U bets on the Virtual Football Nations Cup, the Virtual Football World Cup, the Virtual Football League, the Virtual NBA League, and more.
Interestingly, depending on the sport, you can bet different kinds of totals. Most often, total points stakes refer to the number of points scored in a whole match or in each half. However, on the Parimatch betting app, you can bet on other kinds of totals as well. For example, in a soccer match, you can bet on total corners and total bookings.
How to Place Over/Under Bets on Parimatch
Looking to place an over/under stake on one of the top sportsbooks, Parimatch? Never fear! It’s super easy to get to grips with. Simply sign up for an account using the dedicated button on the screen. Follow the simple instructions to register and deposit funds, and you will be well on your way to total betting on Parimatch.
Here’s a quick guide to placing over/under stakes:
- Pick “Sports” (“Upcoming”), “Live”, or “Virtual” on the website or in the app;
- Push the button “Sports” (“Upcoming”), “Live”;
- Click on the country;
- Choose the tournament or league;
- Find the game;
- Click on the over/under bet you would like to place;
- Head to the betslip to finalize your bet.
What if the Set Total is a Whole Number?
As we noted before, you will rarely see the set total as a whole number. The sportsbooks will always make the set total .5 of a whole number. Why is this? This is because you don’t want any confusion about whether your stake was over or under.
Take the example of Watford versus Everton in the Premier League:
| Total goals | Over | Under |
| 0.5 | 1.06 | 9.00 |
| 1.5 | 1.32 | 3.40 |
| 2.5 | 2.01 | 1.81 |
Imagine that you would like to place an over-under bet on the total score of this game. You think that the overall exact number of goals will be one or two goals. You could bet that the score would be over 0.5 or under 1.5 if you think it will be one. If you’re not sure and you think it could be fewer points, you will either bet over 0.5 or under 2.5. In both of these scenarios, a set total of one or two goals would win. However, if you want to bet on the highest odds, you would bet on under 2.5 because the odds are 1.81, as opposed to over 0.5, where the odds are 1.06.
So, say you place a money bet for 10,000 TZS on under 2.5 goals in total at full-time. This means that if the set total is zero, one, or two, you will achieve.
In both of these situations, we know that one goal is more than 0.5, and we know that two goals are less than 2.5. If we were wagered on whole numbers, however, it would be much more confusing. Imagine that instead of 0.5 and 2.5, we could bet over and under 1 and 3 goals. Now picture that you think two goals will be scored, so you bet on “under 3” goals. If there are two goals overall, there is no problem. However, if there are three goals in the match, do you gain or lose the stake? Would three total goals be under 3 or included in 3?
To avoid this confusion, the bookmaker adds .5 to each whole number. If you’re betting that the goals will be under 3.5, you know for certain whether the whole number sits above or below that figure.
Does Overtime Affect Over/Under Bet Totals?
For most sports, overtime is not included in the set total for over/under betting. This means that if a goal is scored in overtime during a soccer match, this goal is not counted in the set total and therefore does not affect your bet. At Parimatch, we label any bets where overtime is included. This is usually dependent on the sport.
To illustrate, take this upcoming match between Club Brugge and Manchester United.
| Total goals | Over | Under |
| 0.5 | 1.06 | 9.20 |
| 1.5 | 1.32 | 3.45 |
| 2.5 | 1.99 | 1.83 |
| 3.5 | 3.40 | 1.32 |
Imagine you were to place a popular bet that there would be fewer than three goals scored in the entire match. You place a stake with a money amount of 20,000 TZS on under 3.5 goals at odds of 1.32.
When the match reaches 90 minutes, the number of goals is totted up, and three goals have been scored in the entire game. Now imagine that there are 7 minutes of extra time, and Club Brugge scores an extra goal. If this extra goal is counted in the overtime period, you would lose the bet. Luckily, on one of the top sportsbooks, Parimatch, we don’t take into account how many points are scored in soccer during overtime. This would make the set total 3, and you would win 6,400 TZS profit (the most part is your 20,000 TZS stake).
However, it is important to note that on some occasions, our betting platform does take into account overtime. In these situations, the website and app will always make it clear. For example, NBA under/over stakes might take overtime into account.
The Benefits of Over/Under Stakes
Over/under sports betting is a great strategy when you are struggling to make a prediction on the final score of the game, and here is why:
- You don’t need to pick a winner
If you’re not sure who the winner of a game will be because they are evenly matched sides, over/under stakes is a great option. If you have two evenly matched, heavily defensive sides, you can make under bets as the game is likely to be low-scoring. If you have two evenly matched, very offensive teams who lack on defense, you can bet high on overs. In both scenarios, you don’t need to pick a winner.
- You don’t need to pick exact points
With total bets, you have a range of scores that could win (unless you pick under 0.5). This is especially true if you pick over bets on games that are likely to be high scoring. Just like the game with Manchester United and Tranmere Rovers that ended in 6-0 to Man U, if you had bet over 3.5, you would have won if they had scored 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, etc goals.
- There is no draw in the equation
One of the difficulties with 1X2 stakes is that the draw scenario makes it difficult to place an accurate stake. Because over/under betting doesn’t require you to pick a winner on either side or a draw, this is taken out of the situation. That makes it much easier to place a stake. For example, with two evenly matched sides, if you were to be under 2.5, you would win if the match was 1-0, 2-0, 0-2, or 0-1, but you would also win if it was 0-0 or 1-1.
- There are many ways to bet on over/under
Over/under bets don’t have to be solely on the whole game. They could be on halves or a game or on each team’s performance. Equally, however, over-under bets could be placed on other variables, such as yellow cards or fouls. If you are betting on a soccer game with a team or player who has received a high number of yellow cards, you can bet overs on this.
What is more, there are many strategies to win your total bets. We’ve compiled a special guide on over/under betting strategies to help you figure out the best tactics.
What Are the Other Bet Types on Parimatch?
Bet types (also known as bet markets) are kinds of wagers you can place on sports events. On Parimatch, we’ve got a wide variety of bet types so that you could pick those you find most interesting and can give you more money:
- Winner (moneyline)
- Three-way (1×2)
- Double chance
- Handicap
- Asian handicap
- Odd/even goals
- Correct score
- Both teams to score
- Draw
- No draw
- Half-time/full-time
Totals Bet Summary
Over-under or total is a great way to give yourself some leeway when wagering on sports. Decide whether a game will be high or low scoring, and then you can wager either under or over a certain number of goals. If you’re not interested in goals, you can wager against the number of corners, fouls, red cards, and many other aspects of a variety of sports on best of sportsbooks Parimatch.
If you’re interested in placing the same bets, log on to our simple-to-use sports betting app or proceed to our website now and enjoy total betting on soccer, ice hockey, basketball, volleyball, and other sports and get even money. We have a range of options that allow our users to place over-under bets on live and virtual sports, as well as place bets before the match.
FAQ
What is the over-under total?
An over-under total in betting is when you place a bet on a game’s total number of points. During an over-under total betting, you are not predicting the exact amount. Instead, you are predicting that the goals, runs scores, or combined points will go over or under a predetermined amount.
Is it better to bet under or over?
Whether or not to bet under or over depends on your preferences. Some gamblers like to bet overs as they find it more fun, engaging, and adrenaline-pumping to cheer on for higher points. People with knowledge of the game also tend to bet overs as they opt for a team with a reputation for great offensive and excellent scoring patterns.
How do over-under bets work?
Generally, a prediction site, like Parimatch, predicts a number for the statistics of the game. Since we also allow you to bet on Parimatch, you can then place your wager and predict the outcome as being higher or lower than the given statistic number. If your predictions are right, then you win the bet.
What is total even in betting?
In betting, “total even” refers to a specific type of wager where the total number of goals, points, or other scoring units in a sports event is predicted to be an even number. This type of bet is commonly offered in markets like over/under or total goals. If the total number of scoring units in the event ends up being an even number, the “total even” bet is considered a winning outcome.