Over & Under 3.5 Goals Meaning Explained

Over/Under 3.5 goals is a betting market used in soccer, where you bet on the total amount of goals scored in a game. We’re going to fully explore the over 3.5 goals meaning and will also explain how betting on under 3.5 goals works on a sportsbook.

How Does Over/Under Betting Work?

Over/under betting is a popular choice amongst soccer fans. It is a type of market that allows bettors to wager on all sorts of statistics from a football match, with goals being the most common.

When it comes to goals, overs/unders markets on offshore sportsbooks set a proposition regarding the amount of goals that will be scored in a game.

The number with always include a half goal. This is so that there cannot be a tie in these type of goals bets.

So with over/under 3.5 goals, you are betting on whether there will be over 3.5 goals, or under 3.5 goals.

If there are four or more goals in the game, then over 3.5 goals wins. Should there be three goals or less, then under 3.5 goals would be the winner.

There are only two options to bet on. Over or under 3.5 goals. If the number of goals did not have the half goal, then there would have to be three betting options.

With a market for over/under 3 goals, you need an option for over three goals, under three goals and exactly three goals.

Bettors generally find betting on over/under markets with half goals preferable. There are just two options, making it easier to correctly predict how these markets will pan out.

Over 3.5 Goals Examples

Let’s give you an example from soccer betting sites that will better explain the over 3.5 goals meaning.

You’ll see in the picture above that Columbus Crew face Philadelphia Union in an MLS match. Over 3.5 goals is the underdog in the market at +110, with under 3.5 goals at -147.

A plus sign before the betting odds indicates that the price shows how much you could win if you bet $100. So in this example, let’s imagine that we are placing a $100 bet on over 3.5 goals at +110 in order to potentially win $110 (we would also receive our stake back).

With this type of bet we are trying to predict the total number of goals scored in the game by the two teams, accumulatively. The eventual match winner is irrelevant. All we are interested in is how many goals are scored.

So a score of Columbus Crew 2 Philadelphia Union 2, for example, means a total of four goals scored. This would make our bet of over 3.5 goals a winner.

Four goals is the least amount of goals that we need to be scored in this game for our over 3.5 goals bet to win. We are predicting that this will be a high-scoring game, with four, five, six or even more goals, being scored.

If there are zero, one, two or three goals scored in the game, then our bet of over 3.5 goals will be a loser. The total amount of goals scored, would not be above the 3.5 goals threshold in such an instance.

Under 3.5 Goals Examples

Now let’s show you an example of betting on under 3.5 goals. Look at the example below.

Montreal are playing Cincinnati. Under 3.5 goals is the favorite at -147, with over 3.5 goals the underdog at +106.

Soccer normally produces relatively low-scoring games, so under 3.5 goals is generally the favorite. In this instance the figure of 147 after the minus sign, indicates how much we need to bet to win $100.

So we place a $147 bet in order to win $100 (plus our stake back). We are looking for there to be under 3.5 goals. As explained earlier, that means that we need the total amount of goals scored to be either zero, one, two or three.

That means that there are relatively few possible scorelines that would result in a winning bet. A 0-0 or 1-1 draw would see our bet win. So would a 1-0, 2-0, or 2-1 victory for either team.

Something to remember with both -3.5 betting, and over 3.5 bets, is that only the goals scored in regular time and added time for stoppages, will count. If the game is tied and goes into a period of extra time, this market will be settled on the result of the 90-minute matches. Goals scored in penalty shootouts, also don’t count.

Alternative Markets to Over/Under 3.5 Goals

Bettors love to wager on goals in soccer / football matches. It’s a great way to have an interest in a game, without having to root for one particular team.

Over/under 3.5 is far from being the only goals betting market available. The over/under format is used with different numbers of goals, creating various markets.

Let’s take a look at some of the most popular options that are available at betting sites.

Asian Over/Under 3.5 Goals

There is also a type of the over/under bet known as Asian over/under. This type of betting was popularized in Asia, hence the name.

With Asian over/under markets there are not just half goals, but also full and quarter goals. These quarter goals create a situation where you can either lose just half of your total stake. Full goals can result in a tie and a push in sports betting, resulting in the return of your stake.

So, if you bet on over/under 3 goals, two goals or less would see unders wins, four goals or more would see overs wins and exactly three goals would see a push and your stake returned.

Quarter increments see the bet split into two. With 3.25 goals, half the stake goes on over/under 3.5 goals and half on over/under 3. If there are exactly three goals you will get that half of the stake returned with a push.

Pros & Cons of Over/Under 3.5 Goals

No exploration of the over and under 3.5 goals meaning would be complete without looking at both the advantages and disadvantages of this type of wager. Here are the pros and cons as we see them:

Effective Over/Under 3.5 Goals Betting Strategy

By now you should understand the over and under 3.5 goals meaning. If you’re now ready to place a bet on this market, make sure that you read these strategy points before diving in.

FAQs

What is over 3.5 goals in betting?

With a bet of over 3.5 goals, you are hoping that the total number of goals in a soccer match will be four or more. If there are three or less goals in the single match that you’re betting on, then your bet will lose. 

What does under 3.5 goals mean?

With a under 3.5 goals bet you are hoping that the total amount of goals in a soccer game is three or less. If there are four scored then there will be over 3.5 goals meaning that your unders bet will be a loser. 

Is it better to bet over or under 3.5 goals?

Under 3.5 goals is more often the favorite, with overs generally the underdog. Betting on favorites gives you more of a chance of winning, but you will normally be risking a higher stake. With a bet on the underdog, you can place a smaller stake, giving you less risk. 

How do you win under 3.5 goals?

Scan through upcoming matches to find one where the over/under 3.5 goals odds have a pick that you think is a value bet. The price of unders could be too big in a game where you don’t expect there to be many goals, or overs could be too large, in a match where you expect the goals to flow.