What Does BTTS Mean in Betting? – Both Teams To Score Explained

BTTS stands for ‘both teams to score’ and is a popular type of sports bet predicting whether both teams competing in a sports game can score at least one goal each.

There are also variations of BTTS, as a goal applies mainly to soccer, but we will walk you through the different BTTS markets, exactly how they work, and the different types you will come across to get you started.

What Does BTTS Mean?

BTTS stands for ‘both teams to score’. Therefore, if you bet yes, the bet is successful if both teams score. If you bet no, then one team has to remain goalless or pointless for you to win. While there are variations of this bet, which we will cover in more detail later, overall, it is a very simple type of bet and it can be really easy to make accurate predictions for both teams to score.

The easiest way of understanding a BTTS bet is through an example. So, take a look at this example of an English Premier League match between Everton and Arsenal.

On the bottom line you are offered the choice of:

• Both teams to score YES 1.70
• Both teams to score NO 2.00

Betting yes would mean the bet would be successful if both Everton and Arsenal both score at least one goal each. If one team fails to score, the bet will be lost.

Betting no would mean the bet is successful if one team fails to score. If both teams score at least one goal, then the bet would lose.

What is BTTS in Betting?

You now know that BTTS stands for ‘both teams to score’, so, when you decide to place a bet on this market you are looking at the probability of whether both teams will be able to score at least one goal each. You will find this type of BTTS bet available at most sportsbooks, and it is an extremely popular market to bet on, although it isn’t available for all sports. Soccer is the most common sport you will find, and you are simply placing a yes or no bet on whether both teams will score, or whether one or both teams will fail to score.

Note that betting ‘yes’ is much more popular than betting ‘no’, however, it is worth doing your research as results to nil are very common, especially in the big leagues such as the English Premier League.  There are also other variations such as BTTS with an under/over bet, or BTTS for a winning bet which can kick things up a notch and we will go into these in detail below.

What are the Types of BTTS Bets?

Sports betting has seen an extraordinary rise in recent years, and in the online sports betting market, the number of users is expected to amount to over 49m by 2027. This means that more sportsbooks are creating different markets, meaning more both teams to score markets and odds.

It should be noted that the availability of these bets will depend on the sportsbook, so it’s worth checking out the best online sportsbooks on Reddit first to see what you think and look at any reviews. But, next up we will take you through what the different types of BTTS bets are and give you a run down on each one.

BTTS in Both Halves

A BTTS in both halves bet focuses on the goal scoring activity of each half of the match instead of the match as a whole. For example, betting yes on a first-half BTTS bet would mean that you are predicting that each team will score at least one goal each before the end of the first half of the match. In this situation, any second half goals do not apply to the bet.

A second-half BTTS bet would work in exactly the same way. Betting yes would mean that you are predicting that each team will score at least one goal in the second half of the match, with any goals having been scored in the first half not counting towards the bet.

If you were to bet BTTS in both halves, then you are predicting both teams scoring will score in the first half and that both teams will also score in the second half.

BTTS and Win

A BTTS and win bet essentially comprises of two bets in one: whether both teams will score and which team will win. So, you could choose yes or no to the both teams scoring part and then choose which team will win the match. This is one of the most popular in the BTTS betting market, and it can increase the betting odds dramatically.

In the example below of the match between Everton and Arsenal you can see that there are six choices available in this market. There are three outcomes – Everton to win, Arsenal to win and a draw and each of the outcomes also includes a BTTS yes option and a BTTS no option.

If the result ended up Everton 2 Arsenal 1, then the winning bet would be ‘Everton & Yes’ because Everton would have won and both teams would have scored.

Both Teams to Score Yes or No

Both teams to score in betting can be as simple as yes or no and this is certainly one of the most popular BTTS bets out there thanks to its simplicity. Betting yes means that you are predicting that both teams will score at least one goal, whereas betting no means that you are predicting that either one or both of the teams will not score a goal. This is the standard bet and is possibly the most popular out of them all.

BTTS & Over/Under

A BTTS over/under bet is a combination of both teams to score and over/under all rolled into one. The BTTS part of the bet works as normal – you are betting whether both teams score or not. The over/under part means you are betting as to whether the total number of goals scored will be more or less than a certain number, for example, over or under 2.5.

BTTS 2+

While a standard BTTS bet requires both teams to score, a BTTS 2+ bet takes it up a notch by requiring both teams to score at least two goals each. Because it is a little bit less likely, you will find that the betting odds for this type of BTTS bet are usually better.

BTTS in Different Sports

The sheer number of different sports bets out there these days is staggering and that is thanks to the accessibility of online sportsbooks. You can find betting tailored to every single sport in the world and  BTTS can be used in a number of different sports.

Generally, BTTS bets are often thought about in relation to soccer matches and that is due to the low-scoring nature of the sport. It is common in football for one or both teams not to score any goals so that is why BTTS fits so well – another good form of wagering is double chance betting in soccer.

However, that doesn’t mean the BTTS principle can’t be adapted and applied to other high scoring sports too such as:

• Football
• Basketball
• Hockey
• Rugby
• Tennis
• Volleyball

Note that, with each sport, the BTTS bets will vary depending on the type of game. As an example, in basketball, you could place a BTTS over or under bet, which would mean betting on whether both teams score over or under a certain number of points. This type of BTTS bet works well for tennis and volleyball, too.

Just note that BTTS does work best for soccer betting, as it comes down to the chances of the teams scoring. Plus, soccer there is much more choice for BTTS bettors. Further sports betting advice can be found via our Sports Guides.

The Rules of Both Teams to Score

By now, you can hopefully see that both teams to score betting is incredibly straightforward. However, there still are some basic rules that must be taken into account and we have listed these below:

• If you bet yes, both teams must score at least one goal each for the bet to be successful. If one team fails to score, you lose the bet.
• If you bet no, at least one of the teams cannot score a goal for the bet to be successful.
• Own-goals and penalties do count towards the bet.
• Goals scored outside of the main time, i.e. in extra time, do not count towards the bet.
• The bet is voided if the match is canceled and you would receive your stake back.

Betting Tips & Strategy for Both Teams to Score

While it is important to remember that live sport is unpredictable, having a good strategy can make all the difference and give you the means to make accurate BTTS predictions. Below, you will find some BTTS betting tips to help you get the most out of your experience:

1. Do Your Research

Doing a little bit of research before you place your BTTS predictions can mean the difference between winning and losing the bet. A quick search of individual players or a team’s recent form will provide you with enough information for you to be able to make a strong prediction. You can also find BTTS football tips online.

2. Keep Up to Date with News

Keeping up to date with specific players and teams is key, such as a new addition or if a certain player is off on injury. If you are interested in betting on one particular league then you will find BTTS data via free websites such as which teams are currently the top of the league for BTTS results.

3. Analyze

It’s important to not just research but analyze the different teams you will be betting on. Each team, no matter the sport, has different styles, players, and tactics. Every professional sports team has what it takes to score a goal, but it’s up to you to analyze the probability of that happening based on factors like whether they will be playing at home or away, what the previous head to head records show or what their previous five games suggests.

4. Don’t Ignore the BTTS ‘No’

Most BTTS bettors go for the yes option as default as they have an expectation that both teams will score in most games. However, there is a staggering amount of scores across the top five European soccer leagues that end 0-0 every season, and there have already been several 0-0 games in the first few weeks of the 2023/24 La Liga.

If we look at some results from the English Premier League 23/24 season you will see that of the five games played in the period below, both teams failed to score in four of the matches.

Pros & Cons of BTTS Betting

By now, we should hopefully have answered the question of what does BTTS mean in betting, though there are some pros and cons to be aware of.

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