The list of popular betting markets for football betting can be overwhelming. Hundreds to thousands of individual football-related bets can be placed in different betting options.

However, this article will focus on two popular goal-based markets: Over 1.5 goals and Both Teams to Score (BTTS). So read on and find out which market you should bet on. First, let's start with over 1.5 goals.

Over 1.5 Goals

This is one of the favourite markets among football bettors. Over 1.5 goals offer good liquidity for trading on the market and plenty of opportunities to capitalise on the value of a football game. But if you’re unfamiliar with it, you might wonder, “How can there be half a goal in a football game?”

Indeed, that isn’t possible, but setting the market up this way ensures that there will be two outcomes and the bet won’t finish in a draw. For example, when there are no goals or only one goal, this is considered under 1.5 goals. When there are two or more goals, it will be over 1.5 goals. It's really that simple. Any match with two or more goals of any scoreline is considered over 1.5 goals. And less than two goals will be under 1.5 goals.

However, for example, if the market was over/under 2 goals and the match finished at 1-1, the bet would be void. So, by setting it up as over/under 1.5 goals, there are only two possible outcomes. It's a straightforward, binary market for bettors.

Is Betting on Over 1.5 Goals Worth It?

It can be tempting to bet on over 1.5 goals as you’re hoping for an exciting game full of scored goals, which many prefer compared to a dull game with low-scoring goals. This market lets you celebrate a goal going in from either side and you don’t even need to worry about who wins the match.

It is also shown in the statistics that around 70-80% of football games finish with over 1.5 goals, which shows that you’ll have a high winning rate by betting in this market.

Indeed, the odds tend to be relatively low due to the high winning rate, so you won’t make that much money for every bet. But many small wins can quickly add up, so you shouldn’t disregard it as a potential strategy due to the low odds.

Besides that, the over/under 1.5 goals generally have good liquidity, and it's one of the best markets on Betfair (after the match odds market). So it's also one of the top markets for trading.

How about the Under 1.5 Bet?

An Under 1.5 is also a profitable market, but the chances of winning are extremely minimal. Also, having fewer than 1.5 bets restricts the total number of goals, which isn’t very thrilling. This market is ideal for tournament finals or defensive football leagues.

Now that you understand more about the Over 1.5 goals, let's move on to both teams to score (BTTS).

What is Both Teams to Score?

‘Both teams to score’ is a term and a recent addition to the betting markets in football. It's commonly known as BTTS and has grown in popularity since its creation. Today, it has become the bet commonly placed by football bettors. This is mainly due to its sheer simplicity and even recreational bettors prefer using it just for placing fun bets. However, serious bettors with winning betting strategies can also take advantage of this market.

So what exactly is both teams to score? It's a bet to merely predict if both teams will score in a single match, including injury time. The goals scored after the match in extra time don’t count. Bettors may choose one match or add multiple sections into an accumulator from various leagues on a coupon or a betting slip.

People like to bet on the BTTS market for its simplicity as it's one of the easiest betting markets. Bettors can successfully win their bets consistently with minimal effort in this market.

What’s the Difference between Over 1.5 Goals and Both Teams to Score?

The only similarity between the two betting markets is that there must be two goals or more. Betting on over 1.5 goals is where the teams you bet on need to make at least 2 goals in a match. On the other hand, both teams to score means that both teams that you placed the bet on need to score at least one goal each.

Is it Worth Betting on Both Teams to Score?

The fact that bets in this market only go for the entire 90 minutes makes it even more exciting to watch your favourite football matches. And you’ll need to decide whether you want to pay out or hold out until the final whistle. It's exhilarating! The biggest advantage is that the excitement and thrill of a late goal are even more important than ever, while the misery of a last-second goal destroying your bet is gone.

On a technical side, bettors enjoy a decent edge over the standard 3-way betting, just like other unique football betting markets. The probability of winning in the BTTS market improves to 50 percent instead of the usual 33.3 percent while trying to predict the game’s outcome as there are only two options. This market is also a favourite for live betting as the odds change immediately according to the game’s data.

Besides that, placing a BTTS bet also has the advantage of only requiring simple facts that are easy to interpret. For example, you can instantly determine whether a team has been gaining or giving up goals from the start of the season. Finally, you can look at matchups between certain opponents and determine if there are any noticeable patterns. Finding these opportunities at the right time is crucial when trying to win a bet in the BTTS market.

The main factors influencing BTTS are the attacking prowess of certain clubs, the defensive power of their opponents, the possibility of key players playing and the performance of both teams last season. It's also important to understand how these elements impact the outcome. However, remember that there is no way of predicting an outcome. Using a sensible approach or at least signing up with a reputable tipster and gaining some quality betting tips is important.

Which Betting Market is Better - Over 1.5 Goals or BTTS?

Both teams to score is a profitable betting market due to their high odds, which range between 1.7 to 2.6 or even more. It is a favourite betting option as getting three correct predictions may be enough to win a fortune if you stake high. Both teams to score is the perfect option for betting on football leagues that will witness several goals like the German Bundesliga. The appropriate strategy for both teams to score is to do serious research by looking at head-to-head statistics.

In our opinion, settling for over 1.5 is a slightly wiser option compared to both teams to score. Even though the over 1.5 market isn’t as profitable as BTTS due to the lower odds, it is safer as it only requires at least two goals from any team for you to win your bet. On the other hand, the both teams to score market requires at least one goal from each team.

Many games end with over 1.5 goals where both teams are not scoring. 1:0 or 0:0 are the only outcomes where the matches don’t record more than 1 goal. On the contrary, both teams to score is extremely risky as there are several possible results like 2:0, 3:0, 4:0 and so on.

Conclusion - The Best Part About Betting on Goals

Over 1.5 goals and Both teams to score are betting markets that are entirely based on goals. With the unpredictable nature of football, switching to betting on goals is the way to go.

Most matches don’t go according to our expectations, which eventually leads to great losses. This is one of the reasons why betting on goals is incredibly advantageous for any bettor, as you only need to worry about the number of goals.

If you’re betting on some of the bigger leagues that will likely produce high-scoring goals, you can’t go wrong with over 1.5 and both teams to score, which would bring you some decent earnings. All you need to do now is find a bookie and start betting on goals to make more money!