Over/Under bets are extremely popular with punters because there’s no need to pick a winning team. The challenge is to predict if the combined score of both participants in a sports event will be above or under a specific statistic for the match.
Considering an Over/Under is a two-bet preposition, both the Over and the Under will have separate odds of different or identical values. It's a bet type applicable to team events and individual sports, available in nearly all UK betting sites.
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Bet on something happening a certain number of times
Bookmaker decides the quantities in over/under bets
Bet on the number of goals, runs, tries and so on
Relatively safe betting option
Combine with other bets for bigger profits
Example of Over/Under Betting
Let’s explain in practical terms how an Over/Under functions by looking at a Premier League example. This is a hypothetical over/under betting football fixture between Arsenal F.C. and Nottingham Forest F.C.
Match
<
Over/Under
>
Arsenal F.C. vs Nottingham Forest F.C.
2.3
3.5
1.6
The decimal number in the total can be confusing, considering no half-point is available in any sport. However, this is necessary to eliminate the possibility of a draw or refund. You can win or lose; a push is not an option in sports betting.
Returning to our example, the 3.5 Over/Under means you can pick an Over and predict that teams will have a combined score of 4 or more goals. Alternatively, an Under will require the result after the final referee whistle to be 3 or fewer goals.
Bettors can select one of the two bets and choose a stake, which gets multiplied by the given odds. In this case, a £10 wager on an Over at 1.6 odds can produce a potential win of £16.
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18+ | New UK players only | Min deposit req. £10 | Certain deposit methods excluded | Place 1 sport bet (3+ selections) | Excl Horse Racing | Min stake £10 | Max stake £20 | Min Odds 2/1 (3.0) | Max FreeBet £20 for football only | FreeBet valid for 7 days | FreeBet stake not returned |
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How are Over/Under Numbers Determined
Bookies consider multiple factors when defining an Over/Under number:
Stats from both teams
Previous head-to-head matchups
Injuries
Current players' performance
The weather on game day if played at an open stadium
If coaching strategies focus on defence or offence
Another factor frequently overlooked is how punters react to a bet. If more wagers are made on an Over, betting sites can increase the total to encourage more betting on the Under.
This tactic is applied the other way around if the situation is reversed. The principles bookmakers use to formulate the number of points for an Over/Under can be used as an over/under betting strategy by punters to make an educated guess about the most likely combined score.
The Bottom Line
Over/Under bets, also known as totals, are popular for wagering on football, rugby, cricket, basketball, MMA, tennis, boxing, and nearly any other sport covered by sportsbooks. Although an Over/Under primarily focuses on forecasting the combined score for a complete game, it applies to other aspects.
Depending on the sport, half-time results or shots on goal, turnovers, assists, the number of wins in a season, and many other stats can be an option for this bet type.
Before placing an Over/Under, examine the given odds and how teams have performed in recent games and check our over/under betting tips.
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Now that you know the answer to the question of ‘What is over under betting?’, it could be a good idea to take a look at some other popular bet types and betting strategies. We’ll have anything from simple bets like
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New customers only. 7 days to place qualifying bet of £10 at 1/1 (2.0) to receive 4 x £10 Free Bets: 1 x £10 football, 1 x £10 horse racing & 2 x £10 Bet Builders. Free Bets cannot be used on e-sports and non-UK/IE horse racing. 7 day expiry. Exclusions apply. Stake not returned.
18+. T&Cs Apply.
18+ | New UK players only | Min deposit req. £10 | Certain deposit methods excluded | Place 1 sport bet (3+ selections) | Excl Horse Racing | Min stake £10 | Max stake £20 | Min Odds 2/1 (3.0) | Max FreeBet £20 for football only | FreeBet valid for 7 days | FreeBet stake not returned |
T&Cs apply.
18+ Opt in, bet £10 on any football (odds 1/1+) within 3 days of sign up. Get 2x£10 and 1x£5 Free Bets for set football markets + £5 Slots Bonus on Big Bass Splash, 30x wagering, max redeem £125. Bonuses expire in 14 days. Click for T&Cs. GambleAware.org
New customers & 18+ only. Min. deposit of £10. Qualifying real money bet of £10. Min odds greater than or equal to 1.5 required. E/W bets excluded. Offer awarded immediately but could be issued the next working day in exceptional circumstances such as technical fault. Additional T&Cs apply. Please gamble responsibly.
New customers only. Register (excl 05/04/25), deposit with Debit Card, and place first bet £10+ at Evens (2.0)+ on Sports within 7 days to get 3 x £10 in Sports Free Bets & 2 x £10 in Acca Free Bets within 10 hours of settlement. 7-day expiry. Eligibility exclusions & T&Cs Apply.
New customers only. 7 days to place qualifying bet of £10 at 1/1 (2.0) to receive 4 x £10 Free Bets: 1 x £10 football, 1 x £10 horse racing & 2 x £10 Bet Builders. Free Bets cannot be used on e-sports and non-UK/IE horse racing. 7 day expiry. Exclusions apply. Stake not returned.
18+. T&Cs Apply.
18+ | New UK players only | Min deposit req. £10 | Certain deposit methods excluded | Place 1 sport bet (3+ selections) | Excl Horse Racing | Min stake £10 | Max stake £20 | Min Odds 2/1 (3.0) | Max FreeBet £20 for football only | FreeBet valid for 7 days | FreeBet stake not returned |
T&Cs apply.
18+ Opt in, bet £10 on any football (odds 1/1+) within 3 days of sign up. Get 2x£10 and 1x£5 Free Bets for set football markets + £5 Slots Bonus on Big Bass Splash, 30x wagering, max redeem £125. Bonuses expire in 14 days. Click for T&Cs. GambleAware.org
New customers & 18+ only. Min. deposit of £10. Qualifying real money bet of £10. Min odds greater than or equal to 1.5 required. E/W bets excluded. Offer awarded immediately but could be issued the next working day in exceptional circumstances such as technical fault. Additional T&Cs apply. Please gamble responsibly.
New customers only. Register (excl 05/04/25), deposit with Debit Card, and place first bet £10+ at Evens (2.0)+ on Sports within 7 days to get 3 x £10 in Sports Free Bets & 2 x £10 in Acca Free Bets within 10 hours of settlement. 7-day expiry. Eligibility exclusions & T&Cs Apply.
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