Quick answer: A Both Teams to Score (BTTS) bet asks one question: will each team score at least one goal? “Yes” wins at 1-1, 2-1 or 3-2; “No” wins at 0-0, 1-0 or 4-0. The final result does not matter, only whether both sides found the net, which makes BTTS a bet on two attacks and two defences rather than on who wins.
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How a BTTS Bet Settles
The market has two outcomes and is settled on goals scored in regular time, which in football means 90 minutes plus stoppage time. Extra time and penalty shootouts usually do not count, so a 1-1 draw that goes to penalties is a winning “Yes” bet. Own goals count for the team credited with the goal. Always check the house rules for a specific market, because “first half BTTS” and “BTTS in both halves” are separate bets with their own settlement.
- BTTS Yes: both teams score one or more goals.
- BTTS No: at least one team fails to score, including a 0-0 draw.
How the Odds Are Set
Bookmakers price BTTS from each team’s expected goals. Roughly, the chance of “Yes” is the chance team A scores multiplied by the chance team B scores, adjusted because goals in a match are not fully independent: an early goal often opens the game up. Our own illustration: if the home side has about a 75% chance to score and the away side about 60%, a simple estimate of “Yes” is 0.75 × 0.60 = 45%, which is fair odds of about 2.22. The price you see will be shorter than that, because the bookmaker adds a margin to both sides of the market. Our guide to reading betting odds shows how to turn any price back into a percentage.
What Actually Moves a BTTS Line
- Attack and defence quality. Two attacking sides with weak defences push “Yes” shorter. A strong defence on either side pushes “No” shorter.
- Expected goals (xG), not just results. A team that scores often but concedes plenty of chances is a different BTTS proposition from one that wins 1-0 every week. Our post on which football stats matter covers xG and shot quality.
- Match context. Cup ties, derbies and end-of-season games with nothing at stake can change how open a match is.
- Team news. A missing striker or first-choice goalkeeper moves the line, often before most bettors notice.
BTTS vs Over/Under 2.5 Goals
The two markets overlap but are not the same. A 3-0 win is “Over 2.5” but “BTTS No”. A 1-1 draw is “BTTS Yes” but “Under 2.5”. If you think a match will be close and low-scoring but neither defence will keep a clean sheet, BTTS Yes fits better than a totals bet. If you expect one side to run riot, the totals market fits better. Our over/under guide explains how totals lines are built.
Combination Markets
Many sportsbooks offer BTTS combined with another outcome, such as “Home win and BTTS Yes” or “BTTS Yes and Over 2.5”. These pay more because two things must happen, but the margin is usually higher too, because the bookmaker prices the combined outcome as one market. Treat them like small parlays: bigger payout, lower chance, and a bigger cut for the house.
Common Mistakes
- Betting “Yes” on reputation. Big-name attacks still fail to score against a well-organised low block.
- Forgetting the 0-0. A 0-0 is a loss for “Yes”, and in tight league games it happens more often than casual bettors expect.
- Stacking BTTS legs into accumulators. Four “Yes” legs at around 1.80 each look tempting, but each leg adds its own margin, and one 1-0 result sinks the whole slip.
Want to compare BTTS prices on today’s matches?
Frequently Asked Questions
Does an own goal count for BTTS?
Yes. An own goal is credited to the team that benefits from it, so it counts towards that team “scoring” for BTTS purposes.
Do extra time and penalties count?
Usually not. BTTS is normally settled on regular time only, including stoppage time. Check the rules of the specific market if a match can go to extra time.
What happens if the match is abandoned?
Rules vary. Some bookmakers void the bet unless the outcome was already decided (for example, both teams had already scored, which settles “Yes” as a win). Read the house rules before betting.
Is BTTS a good market for beginners?
It is one of the easiest to understand, because there are only two outcomes and the winner does not matter. That does not make it easier to win: the margin is built in just as it is for any other market.
Final Thoughts
BTTS is a bet on two attacks and two defences at the same time. Look at chances created and conceded, not just recent scorelines, and remember that a single clean sheet decides the market.
Treat every football bet as paid entertainment, not income. Set a budget before you start and stop when it is spent. If betting has stopped feeling like entertainment, read our responsible gambling guide for warning signs and free help, including the NCMH crisis hotline (1553). 21+ only.