What Does Over Under Mean in Betting?

If you love betting on sports, you’ll love over/under betting! This popular type of wager adds extra excitement when you bet at the top online sportsbooks and can be applied to a wide range of events.

Today, we’re going to answer the question ‘what does over and under mean in betting?’. We’ll also give you an example of an over/under bet and a list of the most popular sports where you can use over under betting. 

Over/Under betting, also known as ‘totals betting’, is a popular form of sports wagering that focuses on the combined score or other statistical outcomes of a game, rather than the final result.

Instead of predicting the winner, you bet on whether the total points scored by both teams in a game will be over or under a specific number set by the bookmaker.

This type of bet can add excitement to your experience, as it’s a type of wager you can enjoy, regardless of which team is leading.

The mechanics of over/under bets are relatively straightforward. The sportsbook sets a number, known as the ‘total’, which represents their prediction for a specific statistic of a game - most commonly the total points scored by both teams.

To avoid a push, or tie scenario, sportsbooks often use half-point increments (e.g. 1.5 instead of 1 or 2) in football betting. This ensures that the bet will result in a definitive outcome since it's impossible for a match to end with a fractional score. 

What does over/under 1.5 mean in betting?

In sports betting, an over/under line of 1.5 is a common type of ‘totals’ bet, especially in low-scoring sports such as football.

When you see an over/under of 1.5, it means that you’re betting on whether the total number of goals in a game will be greater than 1.5 (over) or less than 1.5 (under).

Here’s how it works:

• Over 1.5: If you bet on the "over" for a line of 1.5, you are betting that the combined total will be 2 or more. In football, for example, this means you are betting that the game will have at least 2 goals scored in total
• Under 1.5: If you bet on the "under" for a line of 1.5, you are wagering that the total will be 1 or fewer. Using the same football example, you’re betting that the game will end with 0 or 1 goal scored

This type of bet is particularly useful for games that are expected to be low-scoring, as it provides a clear and simple way to engage with the game without needing to predict the exact outcome or winner.

Betting on over/under 1.5 is straightforward and can be applied to various sports and events, making it a versatile option for bettors.

To illustrate how over/under betting works, let's look at an example from an English Premier League football match between Manchester United and Liverpool.

Suppose a sportsbook sets the over/under line for the total goals scored in the game at 2.5.

Here's how you would approach this bet:

• Over 2.5: If you believe that the combined total goals scored by both teams will be more than 2.5, you would place a bet on the "over." For example, if the final score is Manchester United 2, Liverpool 2, the total goals scored would be 4. Since 4 is greater than 2.5, a bet on the over would win
• Under 1.5: If you think the total goals scored will be less than 2.5, you would bet on the "under." Using the same teams, if the game ends with a score of Manchester United 1, Liverpool 1, the total goals would be 2. Since 2 is less than 2.5, a bet on the under wins

This type of bet is particularly useful for games that are expected to be low-scoring, as it provides a clear and simple way to engage with the game without needing to predict the exact outcome or winner.

Betting on over/under 1.5 is straightforward and can be applied to various sports and events, making it a versatile option for bettors.