_(1).jpg?auto=webp&format=pjpg&width=3840&quality=60)
What is Specials Betting?
Those who have enjoyed a pleasant journey through our beginners football betting guide, will now nearly be aware of almost every single type of football bet that can be placed.
This is precisely the place that special betting resides, however, as they are the markets and odds for anything out of the ordinary.
Applying to a few markets we will outline below, special betting simply applies to anything else that could happen in a football game.
Breaking down Specials Betting
Most bookmakers will offer a special market, but it does vary what will be included in this.
Most offer something along these lines.
- To Be a Red Card
- A Penalty in the Match
- Own Goal
- The bigger and more popular sportsbooks then extend these markets, often including options like:
- Player to score/miss a penalty
- Player to be sent off
- Player to score an own goal
- Assists
There is one more type of special market called ‘Result Specials’. These are again only offered by a select few bookmakers and contain options such as:
- Team to Win from Behind
- Team wo Win to Nil
- Team to Win Either Half
- Team to Win Both Halves
- Team to Score in Both Halves
These are the most common types of markets being offered by bookmakers and can bring a whole new dimension to bettors playing.
They can now wager on these rare and intriguing aspects of the game, and because of their infrequency, oftentimes, find these at great odds and prices.
Should they manage to land one of these to potential payouts it can also be fantastic.
Special betting simply opens up a brand new way to play football, one that not everyone is on, and with the potential for massive profits.
Real-Life Example of Specials Betting
Most of the Special betting markets are pretty self-explanatory, for instance ‘To be a Red Card’ or ‘To be a Penalty’ as, if these happen then of course this will land.
However, some can be a little more confusing and a real-world example could come in handy.
Take a game between Manchester City and Liverpool. If a player bets on the special market ‘Man City to Win to Nil’.
The Sky Blue outfit would have to not only win the game but also keep a clean sheet.
For the same game say a bettor backed ‘Man City to Win Both Halves’. Then Pep Guardiola’s men must be winning the game at half time and full time.
Say City were leading 1-0 and half-time, and then 2-1 at full-time then the bet will land.
But if it were 1-1 at half time, and City still won 2-1, then the bet would not count as a win, as City were drawing at the 45-minute mark.
Most special bets are pretty self-explanatory, however, if there are any that customers get confused by the T&Cs are available on every single bookmaker's site to help clear up any issues.
New Special Betting Markets - Team Performances
Having been avid watchers of the Specials betting market for some time now we have noticed a brand new one that has sprung up, offering some considerable opportunities for punters to take advantage of.
These are called Team performances, with Bookmakers now having created a method by which they give points based on the in-match performances.
Bettors can then wager on over/under or points range markets, offering a range of different odds so people can always find what they are looking for.
Different bookmakers run different rules for ascribing points to individual teams, for in-game occurrences or the end result but we will detail the bet365 rules as an example below:
- Win the Match - 25 Points
- Draw the Match - 10 Points
- Goal Scored - 15 Points
- Each Corner taken - 3 Points
- Keep a Clean Sheet - 10 Points
- Score before the 20th minute - 10 Points - max 10 Points allowed
- Yellow Card - (Minus) 5 Points
- Red Card - (Minus) 15 Points
Points are only awarded for regulation time, and if the match is not completed or postponed all bets are voided.
As stated above, bettors must be aware that all bookmakers have different points rules, and these should be checked out before playing on this market.
Pros and Cons of Specials Betting
Pros | Cons |
New and unique betting options | Difficult to predict |
Often improved prices |
Special betting is steadily coming into its own with betting sites now, with more and more offering these markets for sports every coming month.
Each different type of special comes with its own benefits and drawbacks but there are a few in general that hold true for the majority of them.
First of all, is the fact that it opens up new betting opportunities for players, ones that previously were not available, bringing a whole new dynamic to bettors' wagers.
A team to win from behind, a penalty to be given or the brand new team performance option can place the onus more on the in-game occurrences rather than the result as a whole, offering a new and entertaining way of betting on a game.
Beyond that, it can bring some longer odds for players to explore, which brings with them the potential for greater profits, as these are things often out of the ordinary.
Of course, this does mean the probability of these things happening does decrease, but this is then compensated by the rise in prices and odds, so it's not all too bad.
Special betting can open up a whole new world of possibilities for bettors and bring plenty of value and entertainment to football betting.
Specials Betting FAQs
What do specials mean in betting?
Specials or special betting are merely odds and selections that perhaps are not always found under any other category.
Something like ‘a penalty to happen’ or ‘a team to win from behind’ are things that perhaps are a bit outlandish but something people will still want to bet on.
Where can I find specials?
Specials can normally be found within a football match in a game betting window. Once here players can look for a menu or tab called specials.
If in doubt, computer users can always press CTRL + F, and type specials. This should then highlight the markets for punters.
What are outright specials?
Outright specials are a different market entirely, this is where players can bet on out-of-the-ordinary permanent decisions in football, like a player transfer, manager sacking or something else along these lines.
Only a few select betting sites offer these types of markets, with bet365 and Sky Bet being the best for this in the UK right now.
Do football specials cover extra time?
No, most normal football specials will not cover extra time.
However, some specials may be geared directly towards extra time and as such will count. Something like ‘Barcelona to Win in Extra Time @4/1. This of course must occur in extra time therefore it is covered under the special bet.