Over/Under 2.5 Goals Betting

The market for Over Under 2.5 Goals Betting is one that might well confuse the casual gambler, because the obvious question is, how can you have half a goal?

The simple answer is that the .5 is a term used by bookmakers to make it a two horse race. It means the bet can only have two outcome, 3 or more goals scored (over), and less than 3 goals scored (under).

Over 2.5 Goals Means

A bet on over 2.5 goals is simply a bet on there being 3 or more goals in a match. This means scorelines like 2-1, 2-2, 3-0, 5-1, 5-4, would all see a bet on over 2.5 goals win.

Under 2.5 Goals Means

Under 2.5 goals really means under 3 goals. So for example if you placed a bet on Under 2.5 Goals, and the match finished 1-1, you would have won your bet because only 2 goals would have been scored.

The only score lines that can finish Under 2.5 Goals are 0-0, 1-0, 0-1, 1-1, 2-0 or 0-2.

90 Minutes Bet Only

The Over/Under 2.5 Goals market is a 90 minutes (plus injury time) market only, meaning extra-time doesn’t count. So if you are betting on a league game (which doesn’t have extra-time) you have no problem as it’s simply the final score that will count towards settling this bet.

Have a bet on a cup tie, and the bet differs. The outcome of the bet will be settled on the 90 minutes of the match, extra-time won’t count.

Don’t get stoppage time mixed up with extra-time. Stoppage time is the 3 to 4 minutes added on at the end of a match, for substitutions, time wasting, goal celebrations, etc. Stoppage time is included in this bet.

Extra-time is the additional 30 minutes added on at the end of cup tie, this doesn’t count towards the outcome of this bet.

So if you have a bet on over 2.5 goals in the FA Cup final, and at the end of the 90 minutes it was 1-1, but the match finished 2-1 after extra-time, your bet on over 2.5 goals would be classed as a loser.

This is because the match was 1-1 at the end of normal time.

Over/Under 2.5 Goals Betting Examples

  • You place a bet at 11/10 on over 2.5 goals on a match between Manchester United and Crystal Palace. The match finishes 1-1, with the Eagles hanging on for a draw. Your bet has lost because there was only 2 goals scored.
  • On the same day Liverpool are at home to Bournemouth, so you place a bet on over 2.5 goals as you think the Reds will hammer Bournemouth. Liverpool win 3-0, and your bet is a winner, as there have been 3 goals scored.
over under 2.5 goals betting
A winning example of over 2.5 goals in the over/under 2.5 goals betting market

Football Betting Explained

Bookmakers can have well over 100 different markets on a given football match. These can be markets on corners, goals, yellow cards, even shirt numbers. There is probably a market for everyone, especially on a Premier League match.

Here we are focusing more on the more popular betting markets, such as match winner betting, over/under 2.5 goals, both teams to score, etc.

We have put together a brief guide below, but please feel free to click on the relevant page for more information, as well as example bets on the selected markets.

  • Match Winner Betting – Also known as Win//Draw/Win, Home/Draw/Away or 1X2, the match winner market is a bet on what you think the outcome of a match over 90 minutes will be. Home win, draw, or away win.
  • Both Teams To Score Betting – A bet on whether you think both teams will score or not. Bet on ‘Yes’ if you think both teams will score, or ‘No’ if you think they won’t. Also known as BTTS.
  • First Goalscorer Betting – This is a pretty simple bet, you just back the player who you think will score first. This bet usually has pretty decent odds.
  • Anytime Goalscorer Betting – A bet on a player to score anytime in the match. It doesn’t matter if your selected player scores first or last, as long as the player scores, the bet is a winner.


Football Betting

Betting on football has gone through the stratosphere over the past few years. This is part down to the explosion in online betting, and popularity of the Premier League.

Here at football betting explained, we aim to try and help make your football betting experience a far easier and enjoyable one. To assist you with this, we have put together the ultimate football betting glossary page.

football betting
Helping you to understand football betting in more detail

Here on this website we will be explaining football betting in more detail. For example, what does over 2.5 mean goals in a bet?

By helping to make football betting easier to understand, we believe we are playing our part in making it a more enjoyable experience for you.

Football Betting Systems

Football Betting Systems

Another great football betting resource is using football betting systems. These can be great as they can open your eyes to a whole new world of football betting.

Successful football betting systems can be based around a whole number of different betting markets. They can be correct score based, or even trading football markets on the betting exchanges, pre kick off,etc.

Football betting systems can be home made as well. For example, I love trading the over/under 2.5 goals market on the Betfair Betting Exchange before a match starts. It’s fairly easy to make around 1 to 2% profit of your betting bank, using this method.