Betting on Penalties Explained

Penalties can be the ultimate tiebreakers in decisive cup matches and influence the outcome of individual games. In this betting guide, we look at the best strategies for betting on penalties and the penalty betting markets offered by the bookmakers. We’ll talk about how a penalty is awarded, and how to bet on penalty kicks, along with advice to help you make profitable football betting.

Betting on penalty shootouts is a thrilling affair, but also one affected by high volatility. Football is the easiest sport to bet on and given the appeal of football betting the biggest bookmakers in the world offer this market.

The summary of the article

1What are penalties in football?
2Penalty markets
3Essential facts for betting on penalties
4Strategies for success in penalty betting
5Pros and cons of betting on penalties
6Try the exotic football market of penalty betting
7FAQ: Your questions about betting on penalties answered

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What are Penalties in Football?

The name is self-explanatory:

Penalties usually serve the goal of punishing forbidden actions in the box.
When a player commits a foul or a handball in this area, the referee dictates a penalty for the other team.
Any player can try to convert the penalty into a goal during regular season matches or football tournaments.
Punters can bet on the penalty to be scored or missed at any major bookmakers. This is one of the first things to figure out after learning how to bet on football and anyone can do it.

Penalty Markets

The simplicity of this betting market in football matches doesn’t imply the absence of worthy betting alternatives. Once you learn what is a penalty in football, there are several betting options to consider. When players compare bookmakers they can also take a look at these special wagering options.

With the introduction of VAR, sports betting penalties have gained a lot of traction. There are more penalties awarded than ever before, therefore more opportunities. Players rarely miss from the penalty box, so by the time the ball gets to the 11 m mark, the odds are low. A lucrative penalty betting game depends on your ability to anticipate such an event, something that we explain in this betting guide.

Bet on a penalty to be awarded

Before the game begins, you can bet on the penalty kick awarded yes/no market. You don’t need to predict the team that gets it and whether the penalty is converted or not. You win or lose if your penalty-awarded prediction proves to be correct.

The beauty of the penalty-awarded betting option is that it can occur at any moment, including stoppage time. It is more likely for penalties to be awarded in derbies and grudge matches. This is when players compete more aggressively, and take more chances even in their box. They are also more likely to use excessive force if their team is led, which is great for placing a bet at bookmakers on penalties.

Penalty awarded and scored

Savvy punters can spice things up and bet on the penalty to be awarded with a twist. The odds are better if you also try to predict whether the penalty is scored or not. These types of sports betting options carry high odds which makes them more appealing. Compared to the aforesaid market, the odds are better; this has great value because the conversion of penalties is quite good.

Most punters prefer to place bets on penalties on the better team because they spend more time attacking. This is the safe approach, but there is merit in combining penalty markets with underdog betting. When teams bring too many players forward, they can be caught on the counterattack. Defenders are more likely to get complacent and forced to tackle strikers.

Penalty awarded and sent off

You can boost the odds of betting on penalties across the best sports to bet on by including the sending-off event. In case of blatant fouls that prevent players from scoring, the penalty is frequently accompanied by a player being sent off. This is one of the most popular football betting penalty strategies.

The reasoning behind this strategy is sound, as faults committed by the last defender are harshly sanctioned. A red card is often shown immediately, but even a yellow card might be enough. Defenders are the players that commit the most faults and see the most yellow cards. This combination of red cards and penalties for sports betting is of great value.

First goal from the penalty spot

If you want to make money betting on football and fancy penalties, this is a good market. This type of penalty card betting will deliver superior odds, but it is a highly volatile and unpredictable market. This is one of the more risky football betting strategies because there is a high level of uncertainty.

Goals scored from action, corner kicks, and free kicks are more likely. One of the smart betting strategies with great betting odds implies live wagering. Betting sites enable players to watch live streams and bet on the next goal. If enough time has passed without a goal and teams play aggressively, this is one of the penalty betting options worth considering.

Home and away penalty goals

The easiest solution for betting on penalties is to predict the team scoring from the spot. You can bet on the home team to score from a penalty or the away team to score from a penalty and enjoy some truly exciting odds. These are two distinct bets, as you predict the team to score from the penalty box. Home pitch advantage usually compels teams to play attacking football.

Straight betting on the home team to score from penalty is justified by this offensive approach. You need to be extra careful in lower-league football because counterattacks are more dangerous. When defenders are unable to regroup quickly, they can resort to risky tackles. In these cases, Asian handicap betting and even straight handicap betting can be a better option than penalties.

Multiple Penalties in a Game

Perhaps the biggest odds you can find in the penalty betting markets imply multiple shots taken from 11 m. This is an unlikely scenario even for derbies and warrants low stakes. If you are wondering if penalty shootout goals count in betting, the answer is no. There are different penalty shootout betting rules. One of them states that multiple penalties only count during 90 minutes and stoppage time.

It’s worth looking at the individual stats of the referees to see if they tend to give penalties. The introduction of the video assistant referee has reduced the impact of individual decisions in that matter. Today, it is more useful to see how many penalties receive and concede the teams.

Essential Facts for Betting on Penalties

Learning what a penalty kick is in football takes only a few seconds, but mastering betting on penalties is much more difficult. Luckily, there are penalty tips for football betting strategies to increase the odds of winning. These are some of the things to consider when placing a bet:

The first penalty is scored more often – when it comes to penalty shootout betting the first penalty is the most likely to be scored. The percentages decrease for the following shots.

Some referees have an itchy finger – in championships where VAR isn’t used, the impact of the referee on the number of penalties can be significant.

Defenders commit more fouls that lead to penalties -players in the backline are usually responsible for the fouls. Meanwhile, the strikers are the ones who try to convert them into goals.

Strategies for Success in Penalty Betting

Betting on penalties is a risky affair because of the unpredictable nature of these events. Most penalties are scored, but the odds on this market are low, hence less appealing. Betting sites with live streaming provide some of the best options for those who want to mix penalties with live betting. These basic tips can be used both pre-game and in real-time to boost the odds of winning.

Tip

👉 Choose derbies for penalty betting – rivalry and championship-deciding games often produce penalties.

👉 Focus on aggressive defending teams – defenders commit most fouls that lead to penalties. So focus on those games involving teams with aggressive players in the backline.

👉 Bet on games that use VAR technology – on average more penalties are awarded in games where video assistant referee technology is used.

👉 Seek top odds for betting on penalties – choose the best bookmakers for penalty bets to enjoy superior odds.

Pros and Cons of Betting on Penalties

PROS

More exciting than outright betting
High odds and multiple betting options
Suitable for pregame and live wagering

CONS

High volatility and risk of losing

Try the Exotic Football Market of Penalty Betting

Betting on penalties can be an exciting activity for football fans who seek higher odds. This type of bet is random and punters don’t seem to have a reliable way to improve the odds of winning. There are multiple markets for the best bookmakers for betting on penalties and truly appealing odds. With the right strategy and the use of smart penalties betting tips the house edge can be reduced. The risks posed by high volatility are always there, but they can be reduced with the right approach and attitude.

FAQ: Your Questions About Betting on Penalties Answered

How do penalty shootouts affect a draw no bet?

They don’t affect the outcome of the draw no bet at all. The stakes are refunded if the match ends undecided and punters can place a new bet on the penalty shootout.

How often do favourites win the penalties shootout?

Although penalty shootouts depend mainly on luck, composure during these intense moments is vital. Not surprisingly, the favorites have a slight edge with almost 60% conversion, as opposed to 40% for the underdogs.

What is the average conversion rate of penalties in football?

On average, penalties are converted in 75% of the cases. The first penalty has a higher percentage and the next ones are slightly less likely to be converted into goals.

Which football league has the highest percentage of awarded penalties?

Serie A has the highest percentage of awarded penalties followed by La Liga and the Premier League.Serie A in the 2023-2024 season had around 35% of matches with at least one penalty.La Liga, in the 2023-2024 season, had around 31% of matches with at least one penalty.Premier League in the 2023-2024 season had around 25% of matches with at least one penalty.

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