Over 2.5 bets – and consequently also Under 2.5 bets – are one of the most popular types of bets in the world of football betting. This market allows bettors to predict the total number of goals in a match, without necessarily having to bet on one or the other team winning (or on a draw). But, exactly, what does Over 2.5 mean? How many goals are there? How to bet on Over 2.5? Let's start by seeing which bookmakers offer the best odds for this market in Canada.

With the Over 2.5 bet, it will not be necessary to predict the exact result of a match, it will be enough to guess whether more or less than three goals will be scored at the end of the match. In detail:

Unlike in double chance betting, with over 2.5 there is no double final option: the bet will either win or lose depending on the final outcome.

Over 2.5, what does it mean and how does it work?

The section dedicated to total goals in the various markets available to the best online betting sites is very popular among betting enthusiasts in Canada, both online and in betting centers. The idea of this market is to bet on the number of total goals scored during a football match. Usually, there are two options-Over and Under-and the possibility of betting on a number of goals higher or lower than the limit set by the bookmaker.

It doesn't matter who the scorer is or which team will take home the victory: all that matters with Over 2.5 is the total number of goals scored by both sides during the ninety minutes of gameplay in a match. Some bookmakers offer markets for total goals Over/Under even during extra time or penalties, but most operators choose to provide only the interval of the regular 90 minutes (plus any stoppage time).

Do own goals count in Over 2.5 bets?

So, if you come across an Over 2.5 bet that also includes extra time, it's probably not a mistake, so you should take advantage of it if you think you can predict the total number of goals. Many bettors often wonder if own goals are also counted in the total count of Over 2.5 (or Under 2.5). The answer is yes. As mentioned before, it doesn't matter who scores the goal: in the Over 2.5 betting market, only the final result counts.

Differences with Total Goals bets

This type of bet differs from the total goals market, as here it is not required to predict the exact total of final goals but rather if the exact total of final goals is higher or lower than a particular number, which will always be a decimal number and not an integer. There are different types of bets on total goals. Below we will list the most common ones:

Outcome Bets Over 2.5 Goals

We have seen that the Over 2.5 market is one of the most popular markets for total goals. Statistically speaking, most bettors place at least one Over 2.5 or Under bet every two games. The Over 2.5 goals market means betting on the total number of goals scored during a football match, in this case above 2.5. The final result of the match will be irrelevant. In this case, the bet will be won regardless of one of these results:

 

Otherwise, if the final result of the match is 1-1, 0-0, or 1-0, the Over 2.5 bet will be lost. It doesn't matter which team scores the goal. The match could even end 6-0-and therefore the total number of goals will be higher than the 2.5 odds-and the bet would still be considered a win.

Under/Over combos 2.5

After having seen what over 2.5 means, we would like to remind you that there are various types of possible bets that include Over 2.5. We are talking about combo U/O bets. Here, we provide a small list of quote types with Over 2.5:

These are only the main bets that match the Over 2.5, but there are also combos that combine 3 odds (e.g. 1X2 + Both Teams to Score + Under/Over 2.5), so the important thing is to understand what each odd means and then combine them together.

The opposite of Over 2.5 is Under 2.5, a type of odd that, in order to win, requires less than 3 goals to be scored in the match, therefore the exact opposite of Over 2.5. Obviously, the convenience of one or the other odd is given by the type of match, but bettors do not like Under 2.5 so much because there is a good chance that at least 3 goals will be scored in a match.

There are also various betting systems focused on Over 2.5, here we highlight one particularly effective: the Over 2.5/Even method.

When to play Over 2.5

As we saw in the previous paragraphs, there are numerous results that make the Over 2.5 bet a winning one. The only outcomes that result in a losing bet are: 0-0, 1-0, 0-1, 1-1, 2-0, and 0-2. With all other results, our Over 2.5 bet will be a winning one. Additionally, unlike 1X2 odds, we do not have to bet on the victory of a single team, but rather on the goals of both teams, which protects us from possible surprises. This feature is common to all Under Over bets.

But when should you bet on Over 2.5 goals? On which matches? Every good bettor knows that there are leagues where more goals are scored than others, for example in the Dutch league or in the Swiss league (but also in A league). However, this factor determines whether the odds for this bet are higher or lower. Here are the national tournaments where the most goals are scored per game in Europe:

Some bettors prefer to place bets on individual teams that are prone to overs, either because they concede many goals or because they score many goals (or both). However, even these teams usually have very low odds for Over 2.5.

It is therefore advisable to identify the surprise “Over 2.5”, essentially we need at least 3 goals to be scored in a match where it was unlikely to happen. It is certainly not easy to find such matches and, to do such work, it is necessary to cross several data such as the average goals per match of various leagues, the percentages of different results and study many other variables that require a lot of time and, above all, the use of a precise and rigorous method.

Pros and cons of betting on the Over 2.5 market

Like any other betting market, Over 2.5 has both advantages and disadvantages. One advantage is that you won't have to worry about which team will win the match (or even who will score the goals): the only thing that matters is the total number of goals in the match. This will take a lot of pressure off the bettor's shoulders and give them a reason to watch the matches until the end. Another major advantage is that Over 2.5 (and Under 2.5) bets have better odds than all other Under and Over markets.

Having said that, all that's left is to try the Over 2.5 through one of our top bookmakers, Bodog:

Over 2.5 Betting Tips

There are some things you need to consider when you want to bet on Over 2.5. First of all, you need to consider when to place the Over 2.5 bet, whether it is in pre-match (before the game starts) or in-play (live, during the game), in order to have slightly better odds. In addition to this point, there are some factors to keep in mind before attempting to bet on Over 2.5 and they are:

How to bet Over 2.5

Betting with online bookmakers is very simple. We have developed a short and simple guide on Betting Trends now that will show you how to bet with Over 2.5. In short:

1. Go to your bookmaker's website. If you don't have one, you need to create an account, verify your account, and make a deposit.
2. Go to the Soccer section on the left menu and choose a match on which you want to place an Over 2.5 bet.
3. Find the section with Under and Over markets (sometimes called U/O or Total goals)
4. Click on the Under/Over selection, and then on Over 2.5 (as indicated by the red arrow at the top)
5. Enter the amount of the bet and click on the final button BET.

 

Which bookmakers to choose for Over 2.5 bets?

There are many bookmakers – if not all – that offer this market, but only a few offer significantly better odds on Over 2.5 on soccer bets. To find the best online bookmaker to bet with, our experts have considered many factors, including the availability of live or in-play betting and live streaming, the available cash-out, and of course, the welcome bonuses. Here, at the end of our review, are the top 3 betting sites for the Over 2.5 market:

Betting Strategies on Over 2.5

Many bettors exclusively study past results and statistics to gain a higher success rate with the Over 2.5. By looking at the previous results of each team, the average amount of goals in matches can quickly be seen. If each team regularly scores a high number of goals per game (both for and against), then it is likely that there will be a high number of goals in their next match. However, relying solely on statistics could be counterproductive. Here are some factors to consider for Over 2.5 betting:

Conclusions

The most important football matches will always involve the over 2.5 betting market, but not only. There are many other Under and Over markets, as we have seen. Although markets like Over 1.5 goals will have lower odds, these automatically become matches where it is easier to win bets, as it is very common for a football match to end with at least two goals scored.

Combining two, three or more of these bets can produce a multiple with very high final odds. These types of bets are very popular as they require little study and application, and with the large number of football matches available to bet on every day, there is usually plenty to choose from.

The Best Bookmaker for Over 2.5

Frequently Asked Questions Over 2.5 – FAQ

What does Over 2.5 mean?

The idea of this type of bet is to guess the number of total goals scored during a soccer match. We will have two options, Over 2.5 and Under 2.5. The specific scorers or which team will win will not be of interest to us. All that will matter in the end is the total number of goals scored by both sides during the match and within the ninety minutes.

Why use a decimal number and not a whole number?

A decimal number is chosen to make it easier for bettors to choose a market. If the term "over 3" were used instead of 2.5, there would be confusion about what would happen if the game ended with exactly 3 goals. The term "Over 2.5" helps to avoid this discrepancy. The game will end with three goals and this will mean that the bet is won.

What are the best betting sites for Over 2.5?

The experts at trendsnow have chosen bookmakers for Over 2.5 based on odds, bonuses, and variety of markets available, identifying LeoVegas as the top bookmaker.