Paul Trevor

Greyhound racing is a fast paced and exciting sport that has a rich history.&nbsp; The races can provide a combination of speed, strategy and sometimes, mayhem.&nbsp;&nbsp;

After all, with no jockey on their back, they do what they want to and don’t think about collisions.&nbsp;

Betting on greyhound racing can be a little more frantic than <a href="https://outplayed.com/blog/types-of-horse-bets">horse racing betting</a> as the markets tend to jump around a lot quicker and of course, the races are considerably shorter compared to horses.

This, of course, adds to the excitement of the races and can make betting on them good fun.

This article will guide you through everything you need to know about greyhound racing. You'll learn about the types of races, the types of bets and how to place them, plus much more.

NOTE - For those of you who like to <a href="https://outplayed.com/blog/how-to-bet-on-horses">bet on the horses</a>, some of the information in this article will be familiar.

The origins of greyhound racing stem back to coursing, which involved dogs chasing live hares and sometimes other live game animals.&nbsp; The difference with greyhound hunting is they rely on sight rather than smell.

This moves us on to 1912 when American Owen Smith, introduced oval race tracks and a mechanical hare in an attempt to stop live animals being killed.&nbsp; Within 7 years, Smith introduced the very first professional greyhound racing track in California.

It wasn’t until 1926 that the modern form of greyhound racing was introduced to Britain by a different American, Charles Munn.&nbsp;

This brings us to the modern format we know today which is very popular in the United States, Australia, Ireland and the UK.

It’s important that you know at least the very basics of greyhound racing before you place any bets. This isn’t as important if you’re just a recreational bettor that does it for fun on the odd day out.

If you look closely enough, greyhound racing is riddled with terminology that looks like double dutch.&nbsp;

Post Time: This is the time that the race starts.

Trap:&nbsp; Similar to stalls in horse racing, this is the ‘box’ number that the greyhound will start the race in. There’s usually 1 to 6 traps.

Distance: This is the total distance of the race and is usually displayed in metres.

Grade: This is the class of the race and is based on the competitors abilities

That’s the basic terminology covered off but there’s a labyrinth of abbreviations used in the world of greyhound racing. Equipped with this level of information, you’ll be in a position to go to the dogs, literally of course!

Win Only Bets:&nbsp;

Also known as a <a href="https://outplayed.com/blog/what-is-a-single-bet">Single Bet</a>, this is by far the simplest type of bet to place.&nbsp; You are only betting on the greyhound to win the race.&nbsp; If the dog you back loses, so does your bet.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Some bookies offer price boosts on some, if not all of the races so it’s worth keeping an eye out for those. Another feature offered by some bookies is <a href="https://outplayed.com/blog/what-is-best-odds-guaranteed">Best Odds Guaranteed</a> (BOG).

The betting markets on greyhounds don’t really do much until minutes before the race but as soon as they start moving, things shift very quickly. Betting on a dog early can work to your advantage or it can go against you.

If the odds plummet after you’ve placed your bet then you’re getting a good <a href="https://outplayed.com/blog/what-is-value-betting">value bet</a>. However, sometimes it can go the other way meaning you missed out on higher odds. If the latter does happen, that’s where Best Odds Guaranteed can help.&nbsp; Should your dog win the race, the bookie will pay at the starting price of that dog and the starting price was higher than the odds you backed at, happy days.&nbsp;

Each Way Bets:

An <a href="https://outplayed.com/blog/how-does-an-each-way-bet-work">Each Way bet</a> is actually two bets rolled into one. Your first bet is backing the dog to win and the second bet is backing the dog to place which means to finish in a set number of positions in a race.&nbsp; Because there aren’t many competitors in greyhound races, this usually applies to two places.&nbsp;

If your dog places then you will be paid out at a fraction of the winning odds. The fractional payout and places offered are dependent on the number of dogs running. Be aware that when you place an each way bet your stake will be doubled when you tick the each way option, so a £10 e/w bet will actually be a £20 total stake.

Bet Multiples:

As with horse racing, there’s a plethora of bet multiples that can be placed on greyhound racing. These types of bets include Doubles, Trebles, Lucky 15, Heinz and Yankee bets.&nbsp;&nbsp;

They can range from a Double bet that includes 2 dogs in 1 bet all the way up to a Goliath bet that has 8 dogs to form a combination of 247 bets.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

These types of bets are for more advanced punters though so only consider these when you have a good grasp of greyhound betting.

<a href="https://outplayed.com/blog/how-to-read-betting-odds">Betting odds</a> are allocated to greyhounds to indicate the likelihood they have of winning a race. The lower the odds, the more likely the dog is to win the race.&nbsp; That said, don’t take the odds as gospel as there’s plenty of times when longer odds competitors win.

Point to note - Odds are used as an indicator of a greyhound's chances of winning but aren’t always accurate.&nbsp; Bookies make their money from adding a <a href="https://outplayed.com/blog/what-is-house-edge">house edge</a> which means the odds they offer aren’t usually an accurate representation of it happening. Always keep that at the back of your mind when looking at greyhound odds.

Odds format - customers have the option of using fractional, decimal and American odds with most bookies.

As Well as indicating a greyhound's chances of success, the odds also provide the information needed to calculate your potential winnings. For example, a £10 stake on a greyhound at odds of 7.0 (6/1) and it managed to win, you would get £70 (£60 profit) back from the bookie.&nbsp;

Best Odds - Odds on specific greyhounds won’t always be the same across all bookies.&nbsp; Some offer boosted prices and some are slower to react than others if there’s news or big sums lumped on a dog.&nbsp;

A great website for checking odds is <a href="https://www.oddschecker.com/greyhounds">Oddschecker</a>. If you have done a bit of research and like the look of a greyhound, it’s worth having a look to see which bookmaker is offering the best odds.

Here’s an example of Oddscheckers coverage of a greyhound race at <a href="https://oxford-stadium.co.uk/">Oxford Greyhound Race Stadium</a>.

As you can see, you are given the odds across various bookies and it’s no shock that Bet365 are the most generous with their odds. In fact, the favourite in this example, Clonkeen Mac has also been boosted by Bet365 to 3.25.&nbsp;

Clearly, your average punter doesn’t have accounts with all the bookies unless you’re a <a href="https://outplayed.com/blog/is-matched-betting-worth-it">matched bettor</a>.&nbsp; However, using odds comparison sites like this certainly helps you see where the best odds are.

Not too dissimilar to horse racing, greyhound racing uses a grading system to match dogs of similar skill levels in order to make the races as fair as possible.&nbsp; This also allows the greyhounds to move between the grades based on the record and performances.

The system is just based on racing distance alone, it also caters for the tracks being used, a dog's experience and if obstacles (hurdles) are involved.&nbsp;

Let’s cut to the chase and explain the graded races:

The vast majority of greyhound races fit into this category.&nbsp; They cover race distances of between 380 to 500 metres.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Grade A meetings are normally linked to standard races.&nbsp; Grade B races are very similar but have a subtle difference in terms of distance.&nbsp; Whilst they still sit within the same 380m to 500m distance, the standard distance at that track has been marginally changed.&nbsp;

Firstly, don’t ask where grade C is, we don’t have a clue!&nbsp; These grades are where we see speed and agility over shorter distances.

Grade D - these are normally shorter races covering between 200 to 350 metres and usually only involve two of the four track bends being used.&nbsp; These races are purely about speed and a dog’s ability to leave the trap quickly.

Grade H - This brings us onto hurdle races and whilst speed is still a necessity, these races are very much about agility.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Handicap, Stayers and Marathon - Grades HP/Hcp, S and M

Grade HP/Hcp - An interesting variation to normal greyhound races is the HP/Hcp grades racing.&nbsp; At this grade they stagger the stalls to create a level playing field for the slower dogs.

Grade S - This grade is all about endurance with bigger demands than normal races.&nbsp; The races are increased to distances of between 600 and 700 metres.

Grade M - The ‘M’ stands for marathon so you can guess what this grade is about. This is the longest type of greyhound racing, covering distances of 800 to 1000 metres.&nbsp;

Novice, Puppy and Open Races - Grades N, P and OR

Grade N - The ‘N’ stands for Novices so these races are aimed at previously unraced and inexperienced greyhounds.&nbsp; It’s mainly used as a training ground to get the dogs ready for racing.

Grade P - Also known as Puppy races, these are races purely for greyhounds aged between 15 to 24 months old. These races provide trainers, owners and punters a fantastic opportunity to look out for talented greyhounds before they move to races that involve older and more experienced dogs.

Grade OR - Open races are considered to be elite in greyhound races.&nbsp; Greyhounds usually stick to a ‘home’ track but Open Races see dogs from several different tracks competing. This then comes down to the best dogs having the adaptability to still perform at the top level. Open races make for more exciting contests and give bettors and dog trainers the chance to use their knowledge and strategies.

If we took you through every type of bet you could place on greyhounds, we would be here forever and a day.&nbsp; If you want to see a full list of bets available, take a look at the <a href="https://outplayed.com/blog/types-of-bets">Types of Bets</a> article.

As this is an introduction to betting on greyhounds, let’s cover off the basic bets and dip our toes into water with a multiple bet.

As mentioned before, <a href="https://outplayed.com/blog/what-is-a-single-bet">Single bets</a> are the simplest form of bet you can place. You are just picking one greyhound that you predict to win a race.

Pick which bookie you want to use then head to their website and find the greyhound betting markets.&nbsp; In this real example, we are using Bet365 and have opted to choose Hidden Cash (Trap 3) in the 12:29 race at <a href="https://www.harlowgreyhounds.co.uk/">Harlow Greyhound Stadium</a>.&nbsp;

Once you select the greyhound you want, it will open a bet slip as above.&nbsp; Just enter your stake and place the bet and you’re all done.

What are the returns if Rosstemple Mo wins?

Similar to single bets, placing <a href="https://outplayed.com/blog/how-does-an-each-way-bet-work">Each Way bets</a> is also pretty simple. Selecting your greyhound for the bet is the same.

The difference this time is that you need to click on the EW box in the bet slip as highlighted below.&nbsp; Using a greyhound from the 11.38am race at Harlow, this is what it would look like:

When placing each way bets, you’re increasing your chances of getting something back as your dog can finish first or second in this instance.

The each way terms will show in your bet slip and for this race the terms are 2 places and the place odds are ¼ of the win odds at 8.0.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The calculation for the place is as follows: 8.0 (odds) x 0.25 (¼ of 8) = 2.&nbsp; So what are the possible returns from this race?

Jiggys Turn doesn’t win or place

Multiple bets are something you should consider when you have more experience of betting on greyhounds.&nbsp; The bet combinations can be complex the further you move through them and the costs can ramp up very quickly.

The returns from bets such as <a href="https://outplayed.com/blog/what-is-a-lucky-15-bet">Lucky 15</a>, <a href="https://outplayed.com/blog/what-is-a-canadian-bet">Canadian</a> and <a href="https://outplayed.com/blog/what-is-a-heinz-bet">Heinz</a> bets can be phenomenal but you won’t land one by luck.&nbsp; To have a chance of success with these <a href="https://outplayed.com/blog/types-of-bets">types of bets</a>, you need to know your stuff.

This article is for less experienced bettors so we don’t want to confuse things by jumping the gun.&nbsp; However, so you can have an insight into how multiple bets work, let’s look at a <a href="https://outplayed.com/blog/what-is-a-yankee-bet">Yankee bet</a> which is middle of the road in terms of complexity.

The first thing you need to do is pick four greyhounds from four different races.&nbsp; That combination of four then creates 11 separate bets that are rolled into one bet.&nbsp; That one bet will have the following bet combinations:

How To Bet On Greyhounds: A Comprehensive Guide

Lynsey Thompson

Over/Under betting is a popular <a href="https://outplayed.com/blog/types-of-bets">betting market</a> that is used in almost all sports these days.

The bookmaker will set a specific statistic for a sporting event, for example the number of goals that might be scored in a <a href="https://outplayed.com/football-betting-guide">football match</a>, or the number of runs in a <a href="https://outplayed.com/blog/how-to-bet-on-cricket">cricket match</a>.

This is sometimes referred to as the ‘line’.

When you bet on the Over/Under market you are not betting on what you think the exact outcome will be. You are betting on whether you think the outcome will be over or under the line which has been pre-set by the bookie.

Basically, anything that can be counted can be used in Over/Under betting – points, goals, runs, frames, centuries, saves, assists, tackles etc. so the markets are vast.

So, how do Over/Under bets work in different sports? How do you place an Over/Under bet? What are the pros and cons of Over/Under betting? Let’s take a look.

The first step in the Over/Under market is for the bookie to determine the line and the subsequent <a href="https://outplayed.com/blog/how-to-read-betting-odds">betting odds</a>. Let’s look at a potential upcoming football match.

The bookmaker may set out Over/Under markets for the match around factors such as goals, corners, shots on target, fouls or booking points.

In some cases the bookie can take it much further, setting out lines for throw-ins, offsides, tackles or even free-kicks.

Using their knowledge and experience, previous match statistics, current form, and lots of data analysis, the bookie will come up with the specific betting lines and the odds for each.

Some markets may be standard for each match and only the odds will change, for example, Total Match Goals. Generally, most football matches will have options for the Total Match Goals market to be Over/Under 1.5, 2.5, 3.5, 4.5 or 5.5 for example.

However, some Over/Under lines will be specific to each game and the two teams competing. For example, two teams that have a history of creating lots of corners may have an Over/Under line of 11.5 corners, while other teams who don’t create a lot may have an Over/Under line of just 7.5 corners instead.

The Over-Under markets can, therefore, vary according to the specific match, so you should take this into consideration and look at all options when deciding your Over/Under betting strategy.

As with all types of betting, the odds will reflect how likely the bookmaker thinks the outcome will happen. Low odds suggest that it is more likely to happen, while high odds suggest it is less likely. But as we know with <a href="https://outplayed.com/blog/sports-betting-guide">sports betting</a>, anything can happen!

For now, let’s stick to football and look at some examples of Over/Under bets and their odds.

In the example above, the number of potential goals is listed on the far left column. The Over column is in the middle with the relevant odds listed underneath and the Under column is to the right with its relevant odds listed beneath.

The total goals number is presented in decimals of 0.5 to remove the possibility of the exact number of goals being hit. Obviously half goals can’t be scored, so this forces the bettor to select under or over.

If you’re confused by the decimal, just work out the next whole number either side of it. So, Over 1.5 goals means 2 goals or more, and Under 1.5 goals means one goal or less.

Remember, the Total Goals outcome is taken from the combined score of both teams in the match. So it doesn’t matter what the actual result is, or who won, just how many goals were scored in total.

You will also find similar markets for Home Team Total Goals, Away Team Total Goals and First Half Total Goals.

In this example, the bookie is predicting there to be close to 10.5 corners in the match. Again, this is shown as a decimal in order to avoid an exact number of corners being won. So you are basically betting on whether you think there will be 10 or fewer corners in the match (Under) or 11 or more corners in the match (Over).

The odds for Under 10.5 are lower so this suggests it is slightly more likely, but it is a very hard market to call. Remember, this market is looking at the overall total combined number of corners by both teams in the match.

You will also find similar markets for Home Team Corners, Away Team Corners and First Half Corners.

Yellow cards are very common in football matches, otherwise known as ‘bookings’. Red cards aren’t as common but do happen more often than you think.

This Over/Under market isn't based on how many cards are given, but how many booking points are accrued instead. Red cards are worth 25 points and yellow cards are valued at 10 points.

The example shows an Over/Under betting market of 42.5 booking points in a match. For a match to accrue 43 booking points or more it would have to involve at least five yellow cards (5 x 10 points) or one red card and two yellow cards (25 red points plus 2 x 10 yellow points).

You may also find similar Over/Under betting markets for 47.5 and 52.5 booking points.

Over/Under Betting is not just a popular market in football, there are tons of different Over/Under markets in just about every sport you can bet on. Let’s take a look at a few examples:

<a href="https://outplayed.com/blog/tennis-betting-guide">Tennis betting</a> has a few different statistics that make it suitable for Over/Under betting. Not only can you place an Over/Under bet on the overall game, but you can usually bet per Set and sometimes per player too.

The Total Games Over/Under market would be how many games will be played throughout the full match. Obviously this can vary in a tennis match due to the unusual scoring system.

For the Total Games market you might find options such as Over/Under 22.5, 23.5, 24.5. Plus, you can also bet on how many games will be in Set 1 and Set 2, for example, Over/Under 6.5, 7.5, 8.5 etc

Some bookies also offer a combined bet where you can pick your match winner along with the Over/Under total games market. The example below shows a match between Frances Tiafoe and Cameron Norrie. The market allows you to pick who you think will win the match and whether the match will have over or under a certain number of games.

Alternative Over/Under betting markets in tennis include Total Tie Breaks in the Match, Total Aces and Total Breaks of Serve.

Over/Under betting in <a href="https://outplayed.com/blog/darts-betting-guide">darts betting</a> relates to statistics such as how many Legs will be in a match or how many 180s will be thrown. In huge events such as the PDC World Darts Championships there’ll be many more Over/Under markets available relating to scoring and checkouts too.

You can usually find Over/Under markets that relate to both the overall match and the individual players. For example, Total 180’s in the Match might offer Over/Under 1.5 to 10.5, while you can also bet on Luke Littler to throw Over/Under 2.5 180’s.

You can find out more about <a href="https://outplayed.com/blog/darts-betting-guide">darts scoring here</a>.

<a href="https://outplayed.com/blog/how-to-bet-on-cricket">Cricket betting</a> offers numerous Over/Under betting markets relating to runs scored and boundaries. You can also get very detailed with cricket betting in terms of innings, overs, players, wickets and even individual deliveries.

For example you can bet on whether there will be Over or Under a certain number of runs scored per innings, per player, at the fall of the first wicket or in the first over.

Alternative Over/Under cricket betting markets include the Highest Individual Score, the Most Runs in a Single Over or the Number of Wickets Caught in the Match.

Over/Under betting in American Football is vast, as there are so many individual statistics that are measured.

Everyone knows about touchdowns, but there are also Over/Under markets for field goals, passing yards, rushing yards, receiving yards, tackles, and sacks, just to name a few. You can also place Over/Under bets on the longest or shortest touchdown too.

Most of these Over/Under betting markets are available per match and per player too.

Basketball Over/Under bets are as vast as the NFL when it comes to options. Many of the markets centre around points e.g. Total Game Points, Team Point Totals or whether a specific player will score Over/Under a point threshold.

However, there are also markets centred around steals, turnovers, blocks, threes and assists.

Placing an Over/Under bet is extremely simple. The hardest part is often navigating the many markets that are available.

Make sure you’re betting on the exact market that you want and remember you’re not placing a bet on the actual exact figure.

For example, if you are betting on the total goals in a football match to be over 2.5, then it doesn’t matter what the individual score is, which team wins or who scores the goals. All that matters is that between the two teams, the combined score shows that 3 goals or more have been scored.

Once you have found the market you want to bet on, simply click the relevant odds and it will automatically appear in your betting slip. You then just enter the stake you want to bet and confirm the bet.

Betting on the Over/Under market can be quite profitable so it is definitely worth considering if you don’t bet on it currently. As well as multiple and varied markets to choose from, it is also quite an open option, you don’t need to be exact with it.

Here are our top tips on placing Over/Under bets:

Looking at data from previous matches or players performances can help a lot when placing Over/Under bets. Luckily, in today’s data driven society, there is plenty available online.

Ideally, you are looking for trends – do the teams in question usually score a lot of points or goals? What is their goal match average? What are the previous head-to-head results of the two teams? These are all questions that can help provide some background and perspective to hone your Over/Under betting strategy.

Factors such as current player form, injuries, suspensions and change in formations can all influence the statistics in a game. Keep up to date with current news and information about your chosen teams and it will help you make more informed decisions.

Over/Under betting markets are actually difficult for bookmakers to predict so there are often some discrepancies when it comes to odds.

Betting comparison sites such as <a href="https://www.oddschecker.com/">Oddschecker</a> can help you find the best odds for the market you want to bet on. You can search for the specific market of your choice, e.g. Over 2.5 goals in a specific match, and it will tell you which bookie has the highest odds.

In many cases, the odds can be quite different between the Under and Over markets, but yet the actual match margins are small.

For example, if the Over 7.5 corners odds are 2.80 and the Under 7.5 corners odds are 1.85 then this is quite a big odds margin. However, the actual difference between the two options is just one single corner. You may decide the extra odds are worth it in this scenario.

If you’re thinking of placing Over/Under bets then it's worth looking at the positives and negatives before you do.

Wide and variable markets – you don’t need to be specific in terms of choosing a team to win, or what the exact score will be, or who will score the goal. The Over/Under market is much more open and allows more winning possibilities. In many cases it offers multiple variables so you can pick the one you want to bet on.

Simple – Over/Under betting is basically a 50/50 choice, you’re simply betting on whether the outcome will be over or under the specified line set by the bookie.

Doesn’t require research – although research and information can help you when making bets, it's not essential in the Over/Under market. The bookie has already done the work, they’ve set the line and the odds, you just need to pick which side.

Prolonging the fun – betting on an overall statistic such as points, goals, corners, runs etc will keep your interest in that match right till the end. This is especially true of the Over market as there’s always a chance of a late score coming in.

Ideal for Bet Builders – Over/Under markets are a good Leg of a bet builder because they are so wide and open, and can help to increase the overall odds.

Odds – because Over/Under markets are 50/50, they don’t always offer the most competitive betting odds. The exception is for bets which offer more obscure lines, for example, over 4.5 goals in a football match which rarely happens.

Unpredictable – the Over/Under market can be widely unpredictable. So many factors can happen within a sporting event – a red card, an injury, a penalty, etc that can change the course of the match entirely no matter how much research you have done.

Extra Time – in most cases Over/Under betting doesn’t include extra time. This is certainly true of football. So if a match goes to extra time, then any actions that happen in ET, won’t count towards your bet. This isn’t always the case in other sports though, so double check at the bookie when you place your bet.

How Does Over/Under Betting Work?

Stephanie Sorrell

If you’re just starting to become familiar with the world of <a href="https://outplayed.com/what-is-matched-betting">Matched Betting</a>, you might have heard about ‘lay betting’ without fully understanding how it works.

You might understand that it means to bet against something, rather than to bet for it, but why is it different to any other kind of bet? Why do you have to place a lay bet on an <a href="https://outplayed.com/blog/what-is-a-betting-exchange">exchange</a> rather than a regular betting site? And why is it so crucial to Matched Betting in the first place?

In this article, we’ll answer all those questions - and every other question you could think of - so by the time you finish reading, you’ll know all there is to know about lay betting, whether you’re a matched bettor or not.

A lay bet is a bet that something will not happen, in contrast to a back bet, which is a bet that something will happen. You could think of it as the opposite of a regular back bet.

For example, in an upcoming match between Manchester United and Chelsea, your friend might say, ‘I bet you £10 that Chelsea win.’ If you take their bet, you have effectively placed a lay bet. Any outcome other than a win for Chelsea - i.e. a win for Manchester United or a draw - would result in your winning your lay bet. Laying a bet therefore allows you to cover all outcomes other than a win (in contrast to placing a back bet on a team’s opponents, which wouldn’t allow for a draw).

Lay betting in Matched Betting works the same way, just on a bigger scale. You’re acting as a bookie yourself when you place a lay bet, in that you are selling a bet to other punters. If their bet doesn’t win, you keep the stake as profit; if it does, you have to pay out their winnings (but don’t worry - if you’re Matched Betting, your winnings from your back bet will balance this out).

Lay bets cannot be placed on regular betting sites. To lay a bet, you have to go to an exchange. These work very differently to bookies, and allow the public to bet against each other, making their money by taking a commission on winning bets.

An exchange matches bets between customers who want to buy a back bet, and those who want to sell a lay bet. The odds offered are therefore based on the odds other customers are willing to accept - but they’re usually pretty close to the <a href="https://outplayed.com/blog/how-are-betting-odds-determined">odds offered by a bookie</a>, so long as an event is popular enough to attract a good amount of interest from bettors.

There are five major betting exchanges in the UK, all of which are available on our <a href="https://outplayed.com/products/oddsmatcher">Oddsmatcher</a>:

How Is A Lay Bet Different From A Back Bet?

Many newcomers to Matched Betting assume that a lay bet works exactly the same way as a back bet, only against an outcome instead of for it. However, that isn’t at all the case. Because you’re effectively acting as the bookie, you’re responsible for paying out winnings to ‘your’ customer if their bet wins.

The amount you have to pay is known as your <a href="https://outplayed.com/blog/what-is-liability-in-matched-betting">‘liability’</a>. You don’t lose your original stake if your lay bet loses, but you do lose the amount you are liable for, which can be quite high, depending on the odds. Let’s have a look at an example to illustrate this.

For an upcoming match between Fulham and Crystal Palace, you decide to place a lay bet of £10 against a draw. The lay odds available are 3.5.

Your liability for this bet is £25, meaning that you will lose £25 (but not your original stake) if the outcome of the match is a draw. You therefore need to ensure you have at least £25 available in your account balance in the exchange when you place your lay bet.

The only exception to this is if you place lay bets against multiple outcomes at one exchange. For example, if you placed the above lay bet against a draw, and then also placed a lay bet against Crystal Palace winning. As it isn’t possible for both these outcomes to occur, you can’t possibly lose both bets - so the exchange will take this into account when calculating your liability.

<a href="https://outplayed.com/blog/matched-betting-liquidity">Liquidity</a> is the amount of money that can be placed on a lay bet at any particular odds, and it’s usually shown below the odds on the exchange website, as you can see below.

So long as the liquidity shown is higher than the lay stake you want to place, your lay bet will be immediately matched as soon as you place it. As you can see, there are several sets of odds available for each selection - back odds in blue, lay odds in red.

The best odds are shown in darker blue and red, but you also have the option of choosing slightly less advantageous odds if there isn’t enough liquidity for the amount you want to stake. So for example, you might want to lay £10 on a draw - but as there’s only £4 liquidity at odds of 3.6, you could choose to lay at 3.65 instead.

If there isn’t enough liquidity at your preferred odds and you attempt to place your bet regardless, you’ll have an <a href="https://outplayed.com/blog/what-are-unmatched-bets">unmatched or partially matched bet</a>. If this is the case, you can choose to wait to see if more liquidity at your preferred odds becomes available - or alternatively, you can cancel the unmatched portion of your bet and try again (using the <a href="https://outplayed.com/fix-a-matched-bet-calculator">Fixabet calculator</a> if need be) at the currently available odds.

We’ve already touched on the concept of commission, but it’s worth reiterating that you’ll usually be charged a percentage of your profits at an exchange, whether on back or lay bets, and it’s important to take this into account when Matched Betting.

Fortunately, our <a href="https://outplayed.com/calculator">Matched Betting calculator</a> allows you to enter your commission rate at the exchange, meaning that this will be automatically included in the profit figures you see when working out a matched bet using our tools. You can also enter your commission rates for each exchange in your account settings, so that these will always default to the correct rates.

Finally, don’t forget that Outplayed members enjoy 0% commission when using Matchbook, Smarkets and BetConnect, making for even more profitable Matched Betting.

How Can You Take Advantage Of Lay Betting?

The most obvious way to take advantage of lay betting is through Matched Betting. This is a technique that harnesses bookie offers, allowing you to place a qualifying back bet and lay it for a loss of only a few pence, and then use your free bet reward to make a guaranteed profit - so long as you do it right.

There are lots of different types of bookie offers out there, including <a href="https://outplayed.com/price-boosts">price boosts</a>, <a href="https://outplayed.com/blog/horse-racing-refunds">racing refunds</a>, <a href="https://outplayed.com/blog/extra-place-offers">extra place offers</a> and <a href="https://outplayed.com/blog/2up-master">2UP offers</a>, and most of these can be used to profit through Matched Betting. To find out more, check out our <a href="https://outplayed.com/what-is-matched-betting">complete Matched Betting guide for beginners</a>, or alternatively <a href="https://outplayed.com/user/register#1">sign up for our free trial</a> to get going right away.

<a href="https://outplayed.com/blog/matched-betting-underlaying-overlaying" target="_blank" title="">Underlaying And Overlaying</a>

As standard, our Matched Betting calculator will work out the right amount to lay to produce equal profit regardless of the outcome of an event.

However, in some circumstances you might want to lay a custom amount, to make a higher profit for one outcome or the other.

For example, if you’re placing a free bet, and will receive a further free bet if it wins (for example if completing the Betfair Exchange Free Bet Streak offer), you might consider overlaying, to boost your profit if the exchange bet wins, as you know you’ll have the chance to make additional profit from a further free bet if your bookie bet wins. You can use our advanced calculator to work out your profits in either case with the custom lay tool, as shown in the example below.

You might alternatively wish to underlay your bet in some situations - for example, if you receive a bonus if your qualifying bet loses (you can use the <a href="https://outplayed.com/calculators/bonus-lockin-calculator">bonus lock-in calculator</a> to work out the optimal amount to lay here).

It can also be useful to underlay a bet if you’re completing a sports offer that requires wagering a certain amount of money before you can withdraw a bonus.

If the bet wins at the bookie end, and you have to continue wagering, by underlaying you’ll have avoided reducing your bonus with that bet.

If it wins at the exchange end, you’ll have lost a little more - but the wagering is now complete, so you get to keep the entire remainder of the bonus.

Lay bets are instrumental in allowing us to make our profits from Matched Betting, so it’s important to understand how they work. Using a betting exchange, you’re able to bet against an outcome of an event, allowing you to lock in guaranteed profits from free bets - so long as you follow our instructions correctly.

When placing a lay bet, make sure there’s enough liquidity available for the stake you want to place, and that you’ve got a high enough balance in your exchange account to cover your liability - and don’t forget to take into account commission!

Even if you’re brand new to Matched Betting, it won’t be long before you’re lay betting like a pro.

What Is Lay Betting?

Gone are the days where football fans could only bet on whether a team is going to win, lose or draw.&nbsp; The <a href="https://outplayed.com/football-betting-guide">football betting</a> markets have never had so much variety to choose from.

One such variety is Goal Line betting or Over/Under betting as it’s also known.

This <a href="https://outplayed.com/blog/types-of-bets">type of bet</a> involves predicting the number of goals that are scored during the match, irrelevant of which team wins the game.

If you think there are likely to be a few goals in a match but aren’t sure who might win, a Goal Line bet might be just the thing for you.

During this article you'll learn what a Goal Line bet is, how it works, the different types of Goal Line bets and the pros and cons of Goal Line bets.

Goal Line bets allow punters to bet on the number of goals that will be scored in a football match.

However, you aren’t restricted to betting on the exact number of goals. Bookies set a Goal Line at 2.5 goals as standard and you have to decide if the total number of goals will be more or less than 2.5.

Obviously, scoring half a goal is impossible but the bookies use these goal lines so you can only win or lose.

So, if you thought there would be three or more goals scored between the two teams, you would bet on over 2.5.&nbsp; Alternatively, if you think it will be two or less goals, you would bet on under 2.5 goals.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Let’s break it down as an example where the bookie has a Goal Line market of 2.5 goals:

Why Is The Goal Line Betting Line Set At 2.5?

The number crunchers at the bookies have determined that not only is this the most popular goal betting option, but it’s approximately the average based on historical data.

Number crunching doesn’t need to be limited to the bookies though, customers can do their own data analysis to assess the probability of over or under 2.5 goals in a given match. If you really wanted to get down and dirty with the stats, you could consider the following when placing a Goal Line bet:

Knowing this level of information can only enhance your chances of making the right predictions on your Goal Line bet.

Fact: In the 2024/25 Premier League season, there were 1,115 goals scored.&nbsp; This amounts to 2.93 goals per game.&nbsp; Of the 380 games played that season, 215 had more than +2.5 goals scored in them.&nbsp; That’s an impressive 57% of the games played, had over 2.5 goals scored in them.

Looking at these figures, you would rightly think that always betting on over 2.5 goals is the way forward. Again, this is where a bit of research helps because individual team’s stats might suggest otherwise.

Whilst 71% of Brighton &amp; Hove Albion's league games (38 matches) in the 2024/25 season had three or more goals scored, Everton only managed to score three or more goals in 31% of their games.

You now know how the basic type of Goal Line bet works but your options aren’t just limited to one market.&nbsp; There are other types of Goal Line bets that you can add to your betting strategy so let’s have a look at what all of the Goal Line markets are:

This is the industry standard bet which we have already explained where a bettor predicts if there will be either under or over 2.5 goals scored in a football match.&nbsp; Some bookies will refer to this as the Goal Line market whilst others call it the Over/Under Goals Market and it’s usually in the goals section of a match.&nbsp;

Let’s look at real example of this market for a UEFA Champions League match between Arsenal and PSG.&nbsp; Navigate to the game and then click on the Goals tab as highlighted.&nbsp; The Goals Over/Under is the first market you can see and shows the industry standard Over/Under 2.5 goals market.

This is identical to the +/- 2.5 goals market in terms of how the bet works but it provides bettors with more <a href="https://outplayed.com/blog/first-goalscorer-bets">goal scoring</a> options.&nbsp; Again, you don’t need to predict who will win a match, just how many goals you think there might be.

The Goal Line markets outside of the 2.5 goals market can range from 0.5 up to 8.5.&nbsp; However, it is rare to see odds being offered on Goal Lines over 6.5 and even if they do, the odds will be extremely low.&nbsp; This is mainly down to the fact that the majority of football matches don’t have that many goals scored so most of the time it would be a sure bet and the bookies don’t enjoy giving money away.

There are times when using the Alternative Goal Line markets might appeal to bettors.&nbsp; For example, if a Premier League team is playing a team from League One in the FA Cup and the Premier team put out a strong side, it might be worth looking at the odds from the higher Goal Line market such as over 5.5.&nbsp; Alternatively, if there was a local derby between two evenly matched teams, you could look at what odds are on offer for under 1.5 goals.

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