This market is one of the easiest to understand. Football matches are won and lost through goals, with some games boasting more goals than others. Other betting markets can become quite complex with multiple requirements, goals, bookings and other in-game occurrences.
What does over 0.5 goals mean?
Over 0.5 goals is a football betting market. A bet on this betting market will win if one or more goals are scored in the match. If the match finishes 0-0, the bet will lose. The bet applies to the ninety minutes of the match plus injury time at the end of each half. Goals scored during extra time or in a penalty shootout will not count.
With ‘Over 0.5 Goals’, there is just one way to win: Either team must score at least one (1) goal within a set timeframe (if applicable). This is because, in the ‘Over’ goals market, there is no possibility for a draw or refund – also known as a ‘push’ – as the .5 decimal point eliminates any chance of such an outcome. Half-goals cannot be scored in football, so there can only be two results for you; a draw or a win.
Here’s a description of the Over Goals market according to popular UK bookmaker William Hill:
William Hill Description
Predict whether the number of goals scored in a match will be over/under the number specified.
As the line between winning and losing a bet on this market is small, in that you only need one goal otherwise the bet loses, odds are often poor.
Therefore, we recommend trying to find value in teams that wouldn’t usually be expected to score against stronger opposition.
You’ll get better value and greater potential payouts by betting on weaker teams. It’s worth noting that some sports betting sites will only offer this market on First Half or Second Half results but not the match as a whole.
The opposite of this betting market is under 0.5 goals. These under/over 0.5 goals markets are usually part of the “alternative match goals” betting markets. The main goals betting market is usually over 2.5 goals or under 2.5 goals.
To recap how Over 0.5 Goals bets work:
- No goals scored by either team – Bet loses
- One or more goals scored by either team – Bet wins
Betting Strategy For Over 0.5 Goals Betting
- The betting strategy for this market requires very little, as most games boast more than one goal.
- However, there are certain fixtures that have a vast history of 0-0 draws, and it’s in these matches where you can find value.
- Making a decent return on bets where both teams score bags of goals will be incredibly hard in this market, if not impossible.
0-0 Statistics in the top european leagues
According to WinDrawWin.com, 7% of European football matches from the top five leagues finish 0-0. La Liga had more goalless stalemates in 2021/22 than any other big division, with over 11% of fixtures ending without either team breaking the deadlock. The Premier League’s total 0-0 percentage for the same year was 5.79% (22 0-0’s).
WinDrawWin.com
Find Games That Normally Only Have One Or Two Goals
In addition, games that regularly have one or two goals may offer good value.
According to data collected by stats site FootyStats.org, 1-1 and 1-0 are the most common scorelines in football. If neither side looks capable of scoring many goals, the odds on Over 0.5 Goals markets should rise.
In tandem, the prices listed for Under 0.5 Goals markets will fall. You need to take advantage of this circumstance.
For example, Tottenham and Wolves are due to face off in the next Premier League matchday at the time of writing. None of the meetings between these two sides has ended without a goal since 2010, yet ‘Over 0.5 Goals’ is priced at 1.07 (35/500) at William Hill. Of all the Saturday Premier League kick-offs, this selection offers the most rewarding odds at this particular bookie. You will need to set a rather large stake to earn significant returns (e.g. a £30 wager returns just £32.14, £2.14 profit), but incremental profits are better than none at all.
In short, your betting strategy should:
- Entail researching low-scoring fixtures.
- Include teams that don’t score many goals to find better value.
- Have big games, as the more that’s at stake can result in fewer goals.
Is Over 0.5 Goals a Good Bet?
Whether or not ‘0.5 Goals’ is a good or bad bet comes down to your risk tolerance. Are you someone that wants to win as much as possible by spending very little? Or do you prefer to try and take smaller profits from bets with a high likelihood of winning (and in turn, poor odds)?
If the latter sounds like you, then wagering on ‘Over 0.5 Goals’ is a great bet. You can bet as little as you want and make small profits along the way, with larger punts accruing greater returns. The only downside to this is that you may become envious of other bettors that earn sensational winnings from bite-sized stakes – but that’s part and parcel of betting on low odds.
There’s no right or wrong answer to the question ‘Is Over 0.5 Goals a Good Bet’, as it’s all subjective. If you feel comfortable betting on selections that don’t pay out as much but are significantly more likely to pay out, go for it.
Just make sure you have a strategy.
Best Bookies & Odds For Over 0.5 Goals Markets
There is no outright best bookmaker, but some offer better odds than others at different stages of the football year. For example, you may find that Paddy Power are providing better bang for your buck one weekend, then discover that SkyBet have the more impressive odds next week. It’s a constantly-evolving industry with zero stand-still.
That’s why we recommend shopping around to find the best odds for the selection in question. Our favourite sportsbooks for ‘Over 0.5 Goals’ bets are as follows:
- William Hill
- SkyBet
- Betfair
- Paddy Power
An example of this is the difference between SkyBet’s and William Hill’s current odds for Tottenham Hotspur vs Wolves. SkyBet are offering 1.01 (1/100), whereas William Hill are far more generous at 1.07(35/500). Therefore, you’ll get better value from your wager by betting at William Hill than SkyBet for this selection. The roles may be reversed for other selections, however.
Over 0.5 Goals Market Terminology
As explained already, this market operates at a more basic level compared to others on offer at big bookmakers. Other bet types can get confusing and intricate, whereas this one is simple, to-the-point and has just two outcomes.
To know exactly what you’re getting yourself into, you should get to know the terminology associated with this market. Don’t worry if none of the words listed below means anything to you at first glance; we’re going to guide you through every step of the way.
‘Over’ is the market letting us know that we’re hoping for ‘more than’ a specific number of goals to be scored in the game. The bookie sets the number, which is ‘0.5’ in this case, and if the number is beaten then the bet wins. Should the match end 0-0, the bet does not payout as the ‘0.5’ goal requirement has not been met. Any other scoreline and the wager is a winner.
The word ‘Goals’ is simply a reference point as to what statistic we’re betting on. In other markets, this part of the market may read as ‘Corners’, ‘Bookings’, or ‘Shots’ – so be diligent when picking your bets. The last thing you want to do is take a punt on the wrong selection.
When you throw all these words together, you get the following:
Over 0.5 Goals
We now know that the bet will win if one or more goals are scored by either team (unless stated otherwise, some selections are team-specific). With this information, we can come up with a plan to choose an adequate wager.
