Betting on both teams to score, also known as BTTS, is increasingly popular and nowadays most, if not all, the top bookmakers have dedicated both teams to score coupons and long lists, as well as the occasional special offer or free bet.
This was not always the case though and in fact the market itself is a relatively new one. Betfred are credited with inventing the market through their Goals Galore coupon which only came about in the 2010s. Whilst Goals Galore was the forerunner for the market it has now been almost universally adopted and modified, with both teams to score being the commonly available resulting bet.
What is Both Teams to Score?
Betting on both teams to score is a great option that is fun, simple and very exciting. With most bookies (but not Betfred’s Goals Galore which only involves picking games where you think both teams will score) you pick “yes” – both teams will score – or “no”, both won’t (though either one can as long as the other doesn’t).
And that’s it! It doesn’t matter who scores or how many goals or whether they are own goals or whether they come in the first minute or the 98th (does that still exist now Fergie has retired?), as long as both teams score then bets on “yes” will win. Any scoreline with a zero in it, for either one or both sides, is a win for “no” bets.
Betting on the BTTS market is popular, especially when you are actually betting on both teams to score (that is to say, betting on “yes”), because the excitement almost always goes right until the closing minutes of the game. Even a game that is 0-0 with five minutes to go can change very quickly whilst any game where one team has scored is just a single kick, header or even shin or shoulder away from becoming a BTTS winner!
Best of all, you can get excited, be filled with hope and even cheer whenever any team is attacking and especially when either side scores. You might get some odd looks in the pub cheering for both sides but it certainly makes for entertaining viewing.
Which Bookmakers Offers BTTS?
As said, most major bookmakers include a dedicated both teams to score betting coupon, including the below:
- Coral – Plenty of matches but no branded coupon.
- Betfred – The original and classic Goals Galore coupon is great, with fixed odds for picking a set number of matches but no option to back “no” and a minimum of three games must be selected.
- BetVictor – One of the most extensive BTTS coupons and with great odds and an easy-to-use interface.
Both Team to Score Strategy
Betting on the BTTS market is popular because it is fun but it is also popular because it lends itself very nicely to stats-based analysis. It’s very easy to look back on the results of both sides and see if both teams scored in their recent matches.
Looking at the past results of both sides is the best way to pick which games you think will feature both teams scoring or which you think won’t. Of course, not all “yes” results are equal and a team that has been involved in lots of 1-1 games is probably less likely to be a good BTTS bet than a side that has been involved in higher scoring games such as 3-2s, 3-3 draws and the like.
As well as looking at recent matches, it is also crucial to look at the head to head information between the sides. Some teams seem to get into a run, almost a habit, of being involved in high scoring games against each other and whilst this is no guarantee it can mean that the crowd and players become expectant of an open, attacking game and often one ensues, with both teams scoring becoming highly probable.
One good example of that scenario is games between Spurs and Arsenal. In the Premier League era they have played 43 times (at the time of writing) and both have scored in 29 of those. However, given seven of the first 13 didn’t feature both teams scoring the recent run is 23 from 30 games and many of those have been crackers, with the last 20 averaging almost four goals per game!
The final thing to look for is the form and fitness of key players on both sides. If both are without their top strikers and both have goalkeepers in exceptional form then perhaps this is one on which to back “no”. Conversely if a team that has been struggling to score is welcoming back their best forwards from injury and/or suspension, the odds on both teams to score might not reflect that and could be great value.