Betting market

A betting market is a specific question a provider puts about an event. A football match is not just about who wins. You can also tip the number of goals, the half-time score or whether both teams score. Each of these questions is a market in its own right with its own odds. Instead of betting market, people also just say market or betting option.

A single match can carry many betting markets, with big matches often running to several hundred. That lets you find the market that fits your read of the game. Whether you tip the result, a statistic or a fine detail is up to you.

It matters to keep the market and the odds apart. The market is the question, for example who wins the match. The odds are the figure attached to a particular answer, that is, to a particular selection. So a market always holds several sets of odds.

The number of markets has grown sharply over the years. There used to be mainly the tip on the winner. Today, on many matches, you can bet on countless details. That variety is handy, but it also means you need to know exactly what you are getting into.

The guide Bet types at a glance explains the wider context.

Some markets turn up on almost every match. They form the backbone of the betting range and are easy for beginners to follow.

• Match winner: home win, draw or away win.
• Over/under: a tip on the total number of goals, for example over 2.5.
• Both to score: whether both teams score.
• Handicap: a team starts on paper with a head start or a deficit.
• Half-time: the score or result after 45 minutes.

Alongside these, there are many more markets, right down to rare detail questions. Which ones are on offer depends on the match and the provider.

For beginners, the few basic markets are often plenty. The match winner and the over/under bet are easy to follow. More specialised markets call for more knowledge and are harder to judge. It is best to start with a market you understand.

A match often offers several markets at once. The table shows three markets for the same match, each with an example selection and odds.

Each market stands on its own. You pick the market that fits your read and tip a selection within it.

You can also bundle tips from different markets into an accumulator. Then every selected answer has to come in. That builds a single slip with higher odds from several markets, which raises the risk too.

In the betting shop, you see the main markets on the odds board and at the self-service terminal. Online the range is usually wider, since rarer markets and live options are there too. Either way you can easily find the market that interests you.

On the odds board in the betting shop, the markets are usually sorted by match and league. Online you can often filter by sport, market or match. In both cases it pays to look calmly rather than grab the first market you come across.

A wide choice of markets is tempting. Do not let the variety push you into rash tips, and pick only markets you understand. Stake only money you can afford to lose. Gambling is permitted only from the age of 18 (21 in Bremen) and can be addictive.

More markets do not automatically mean better chances. It is often wiser to stick to a few markets you can read well. Use your provider's protection tools too, to keep track of your stakes.