Both Teams to Score asks one question and ignores everything else: will each side put at least one goal on the board? Who wins does not matter. A 4-0 win loses a Yes bet; a 1-1 draw wins it. That indifference to the result is why BTTS became one of the most popular markets in British football betting.
How it settles
The market has two outcomes, Yes and No, and it settles on 90 minutes plus stoppage time. Extra time and penalties do not count unless the market explicitly says so.
| Final score | Yes | No |
|---|---|---|
| 2-1 | Wins | Loses |
| 1-1 | Wins | Loses |
| 3-0 | Loses | Wins |
| 0-0 | Loses | Wins |
Own goals count as goals for the team credited with them. If a match is abandoned, most bookmakers void the bet unless it is replayed within the stated window — though some settle Yes early once both teams have scored, because the outcome is already decided. That clause is worth finding before you need it.
What the odds look like
A typical Premier League fixture prices BTTS somewhere near 1.72 Yes and 2.05 No, which in fractional terms is roughly 8/11 and 21/20. Those two prices imply a book of about 107 per cent, so the margin sits at around 6 or 7 per cent — wider than a match result market at the same bookmaker, and that is not an accident. Two-outcome markets with popular public opinion attached carry more margin because they get bet regardless.
Prices drift towards Yes when two attacking sides meet and towards No when a defensive team plays away from home. A price shorter than 1.60 on Yes is telling you the market expects goals at both ends; one longer than 2.00 is telling you it expects a clean sheet somewhere.
Where the value hides
The number to look at is not goals scored, it is clean sheets kept and conceded. A team averaging two goals a game is useless information for this market if it also keeps a clean sheet every third match. What you want is the pair of percentages: how often each side has both scored and conceded.
Three situations move the needle more than form does:
- A struggling defence against anyone. A side that has conceded in fifteen straight matches makes half the bet for you before kick-off.
- Cup ties and dead rubbers. Both sides attacking, neither protecting a league position, defences rotated.
- Two teams that need a win. Late-season relegation matches often produce the open game that a mid-table fixture does not.
And one that moves it the wrong way: a heavy favourite at home. Those matches look like goal fests and frequently end 3-0, because the away side never gets out of its own half.
BTTS in accumulators
BTTS is the backbone of the Saturday accumulator, and the reason is arithmetic. Four selections at 1.72 return about 8.76 to one from a single stake — roughly 7/1 — and each leg feels more attainable than picking four winners. That is the appeal, and also the trap: the bookmaker's margin compounds with every leg, so a four-fold carries roughly four times the margin of a single.
If you are going to build accas from this market, keep them short. A three-fold at a 6 per cent margin per leg is a considerably better proposition than an eight-fold at the same margin.
The variations you will meet
- BTTS and Win. Both teams score and a named side wins. Longer odds, two conditions, and a considerably lower strike rate.
- BTTS in the first half. Rare enough that prices reach 4.50 or longer. The market knows first halves are cagey.
- BTTS in both halves. A specials market, priced at 10.00 and upwards, and it lands about as often as the odds suggest.
- Team to score in both halves. Different market, often confused with the one above. Read the market name, not the headline.
Where to bet it
Every bookmaker in our rankings prices BTTS on major fixtures. What differs is how far down the pyramid it goes: some price it on the National League and the WSL, others stop at the Championship. Our football betting guide covers how the main markets are priced and which books go deepest.
Frequently asked questions
Does BTTS include extra time?
No. The market settles on 90 minutes plus stoppage time. Extra time and penalties in a cup tie are ignored unless a separate market says otherwise.
Do own goals count?
Yes. An own goal is credited to the attacking team and counts for BTTS purposes.
What happens if the match is abandoned?
Most bookmakers void the bet. Some settle Yes if both teams had already scored, because the outcome could no longer change. The rule varies by operator, so check before you stake.
Is BTTS available on other sports?
The name is football-specific, but the shape is not. Ice hockey and handball have equivalent markets, and in basketball the concept is meaningless because both teams always score.
Related guides: over/under betting · correct score · accumulators · football betting