Before joining Basketball Insiders, Johnny spent 10 years writing for some of the biggest names in the industry including Odds Checker, Sportsbook Review, OddsJam, The Sports Daily, and more. He has a Bachelor of Science in finance and has appeared twice on the UFC’s official betting show On the Line.
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David spent 25 years as both a writer and editor within the betting/casino industries - including at The Guardian, Racing Post, 888Casino and Sky Sports Racing - prior to joining BBI. He has a diploma in sub-editing and law, is the author of four books, and remains a successful sports tipster.
All posts by David MyersBetting on under/over 3.5 goals has become increasingly popular owing to its simplicity – the bet requires you to choose whether the total number of goals will tally to more or less than a certain number (3.5 in this example).
In this guide, we will take a comprehensive look at the over/under 3.5 bet, looking at everything from the odds involved, explaining how it works, the popular sports that have the bet as an option, tips for winning them, and much more.
Let’s dive into all things over/under 3.5 goals betting.
What is Over/Under 3.5 Goals in Betting?
As long as there are less than four goals scored, the under 3.5 goals market will pay out. Conversely, if there are more than 3.5 goals scored in a match, the over 3.5 goals will pay out. The ‘.5’ following the number ‘3’ is crucial, of course, since it guarantees that the minimum number of goals required to declare a losing wager is four, and there is no tie (or “draw”).
This is due to the fact that half-goals are not allowed in football, of course, and the point at which a wager is deemed lost is therefore determined by rounding up to the next whole number by bookmakers. As a point of reference, from 2016-2020, there were just under 3 goals scored per game on average in the world’s top professional leagues, making the under a more (on average) profitable wager.
There are very few games that end with four goals scored, so the odds for this market are thus often relatively low, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t a successful betting alternative. In order to get any form of worthwhile return, you must be meticulous and selective in your matches, taking a look at all aspects of both teams.
It is worth noting that whether you see under/over 3.5 goals or over/under 3.5 goals on any of the soccer betting apps, both mean the exact same thing and just depend on the sportsbook you are using.
How Does an Over/Under 3.5 Goals Bet Work?
Although under/over goals markets might be perplexing to some at first, the Over/Under 3.5 goals market’s foundation is straightforward and should come naturally as you get into it.
Simply put, you are betting on four or more goals being scored in 90 minutes (plus extra time) if you bet on a game to conclude with over 3.5 goals being scored. On the flip side, if three goals or fewer are scored throughout the game, a wager on under 3.5 goals being scored will be cashed out as a winner.
Because they are active for the whole game, and casual bettors are typically attracted to more action, over 3.5 goals picks are seen to be more popular. On the other side of the coin, under 3.5 goals selections might be boring, but according to data, hit at a much higher clip.
Over/Under 3.5 Goals Betting Explained
Full-Time Score Total Number of Goals Under 3.5 Goals Bet: Win or Lose 0-0 0 Win 1-0 1 Win 1-1 2 Win 2-1 3 Win 2-2 4 Lose Full-Time Score Total Number of Goals Over 3.5 Goals Bet: Win or Lose 1-1 2 Lose 2-1 3 Lose 2-2 4 Win 3-2 5 Win 3-3 6 Win What Odds Can You Get On 3.5 Goals?
Unlike betting on the money line where odds are often juiced heavily in one direction or another based on what team is bettors, betting on over under 3.5 goals is mostly juiced equally on both sides. Even still, based on the teams in play, one of the sides will be juiced, with the under often being the favorite.
You can always identify the favorite by the number with a negative (-) symbol next to it. While over 3.5 goal predictions and under 3.5 goal predictions are the most popular in football betting, you can bet on the over/under at other intervals too, such as 1.5 all the way up to 5.5. If you decide to move away from under/over 3.5 goals, the juice will increase in the direction in which you move for the bet to go the opposite direction.
Most Popular Sports for Over/Under 3.5 Goals Betting
With reports showing that the global sports betting market accounted for $83.65 billion in 2022, there are clearly ample opportunities for under/over 3.5 goals bets across a wide range of sports.
The most popular sport to bet on the over/under 3.5 goals market is far and away football, but that doesn’t mean that other sports aren’t involved in the action. Let’s take a deeper dive into all the most popular sports for betting on over/under 3.5 markets.
Soccer/Football
In football betting, the phrase “under/over 3.5 goals” simply means that you correctly estimate that the final tally of goals scored will not go beyond/below three. Soccer, more commonly known as football, is a prevalent sport, and many teams typically manage to score fewer than three goals every game.
Hockey
The over/under 3.5 betting option is clearly shown on many betting websites for hockey, whether you are betting on field hockey or ice hockey. In fact, based on how teams perform in games, you will find experts making hockey over 3.5 goals predictions across the web. If you select under 3.5, just like in soccer, you are making a prediction that the final score (in regulation) will be fewer than three and a half goals.
Tennis
Okay, forget goals when it comes to tennis, but bettors can still place a wager on how many sets of a tennis match will be played overall. If you bet on under 3.5 sets, you pick a game to last no more than three sets when all is said and done. Conversely, of course, any match that lasts four sets or more, the over will be a winner.
In What Soccer Leagues Is Over/Under 3.5 Goals Betting Available?
An over/under point is typically set between 2-4 goals for soccer league games, with 3.5 being the most common value.
However, the over/under total line can be adjusted upward to 4 or down to 3 in some leagues where goal scoring is slightly higher or lower. Some of the leagues you’d expect to see in these markets are in Major League Soccer (MLS), English Premier League, La Liga, NWSL, International Friendlies, and many more. Some of the top teams you can on in this market are Arsenal (English Premier League) and Barcelona (La Liga) – who were both amongst the goals during the 2022/23 season.
Let’s take a look at the match between Manchester City and Aston Villa in the English Premier League in 2022 that serves as a perfect illustration of soccer over/under the total line. At the end of the game, Aston Villa had been defeated 3-2 by Manchester City, making the total goals scored five. Before the match, the under goal total for the game was set at 3.5 goals at +125 odds, with the over set at -130.
Image source: Premier League Since you had to wager $130 to get $100 back (a total of $230 refunded) on the over total, it is obvious that the soccer odds suggested the game would include less than four goals. If you placed a $100 wager and won $125 (a total of $125 refunded), you would have won your $100 bet. As it happened, Villa established a lead before winning 3-2 in regulation. If you had bet $100 on the over 3.5 goals, you won your bet and collected the $225.
Tips and Predictions for Over/Under 3.5 Betting
Finding the right over under 3.5 goals strategy is key to your success in finding winners within the market, and we have tips that can serve any bettor. First off, you’ll want to make sure of any recent injuries on both sides, specifically around players that typically score the most goals for either side. Additionally, it makes sense to look at how each team fares away from home vs. on their own pitch, and how that success leads to goals being scored (or scored against.
Another way to look at a matchup in terms of an over 3.5 goals prediction or under 3.5 goals prediction, is looking at how the two teams have fared in past head-to-heads. In most leagues, teams play each other twice a year, so if later in the season, look at how the match went in addition to seasons past. Lastly, it’s always good to look at the weather, as games featuring rain or snow might lead to sloppy performances from both teams and a more conservative approach when it comes to defending.
Betting Over/Under 3.5 Goals Accumulators
In sports betting, a parlay is a single wager that includes two or more teams. An accumulator, sometimes known as an acca bet, is when you include four or more teams where you must correctly guess every outcome in your bet for your football accumulator to cash. You may choose as many teams as you like for a football accumulator, starting from four to ten or more.
You stand to gain more money if you wager on more teams, while of course the odds of losing increase as there are more teams in the wager. Depending on how many teams are included in the accumulator, the payments might be quite significant, however, it’s important to keep in mind that it’s a loser if even one of those bets loses.
Accumulators being good bets have been questioned, and I believe there are two possible answers depending on your situation. Football accumulators are unquestionably not worth it if you’re wanting to gamble professionally or in an effort to get rich quickly, which few if any ever do. Despite the possible big payouts, major victory on a football accumulator is quite unlikely according to the numbers. On the flipside, a football accumulator is unquestionably worthwhile if you enjoy betting a few dollars on a few sports teams each weekend, and are doing it just for pure entertainment.
Doubles and trebles are examples of small football accumulators that may be profitable, but finding the best value pairings requires deep investigation and research, something few bettors outside of professionals are willing to do. If you do decide to bet an accumulator using the over/under 3.5 goals market, make sure you have done the work – one way is to check form via recent results and the league table.
Advantages of Over/Under 3.5 Goals betting
The over/under 3.5 goals betting market is one that bettors all over the world keep coming back to time after time. For one, bettors are prone to like excitement, and just like in other sports, betting over 3.5 goals will always be more popular as it means there was a ton of action throughout the game, something bettors and fans alike love to see.
Betting on over/under 3.5 goals also allows for bettors to not have to pick the correct side, but allows them to instead sit back and just root for a ton of goals to be scored. If bettors are fans of certain players and not teams, they can also just root for their player to score goals vs. having to root for one side or another. Conversely, and you will see this more among serious bettors, betting under 3.5 goals is the more common approach of serious bettors, as they know that the public is more likely to bet on the over.
No matter which side of the over/under 3.5 goals bet you take, all you have to do is sit back and enjoy the match, and not be confined to only root for a certain team or player. If you’re attending a game in person, it’s especially exciting to bet over 3.5 goals, as you’ll get to witness all the action before your very eyes while cashing a winning ticket along the way.
What Sportsbooks Offer Over/Under 3.5 Goals Betting?
Whether we like to admit it or not, each and every bettor has a favorite sportsbook that depends on their preferences and what they value in a bookmaker. Some people enjoy how user-friendly the offshore sportsbook experience is, while others favor how straightforward the onshore-regulated sportsbooks are. When it comes to betting on a football match, individual tastes should fit their needs at the time.
But when it comes to markets and things at your disposal, there are some sportsbooks that stand head and shoulders above others. We specifically mean that while some market leaders fall back and wait until the very last minute to have their numbers posted, there are bookmakers that routinely publish early prices on markets like under/over 3.5 goals.
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