Newcomers to football betting should be aware of the rules concerning extra time and penalties, specifically important for knockout games where these outcomes may occur.
In games where these mechanisms determine the winner, such as the majority of football bets, extra time and penalties are typically not included.
Generally speaking, unless a market explicitly mentions them (which will be discussed later), you can safely assume that your bet applies only to the 90 minutes of regular play plus added injury time.
What do we mean by this? How does it impact your bets, and which markets include extra time and penalties? We have the answers to all these questions and more right here.
In football, most bets apply to the full 90 minutes only, WHY?
Football is the most heavily wagered sport globally, with betting on a team to win is the most popular type of bet.
Embracing this theme of grandness and excellence, let’s examine placing a wager on the World Cup final—the pinnacle match in football and arguably the largest sporting event worldwide.
If you wager on Brazil to win and they secure the World Cup, you’d assume your bet is a winner, correct?
However, if you placed your bet under standard match odds (referred to as To Win, 90 Minutes, Home/Draw/Away, 1X2 among other names), and Brazil triumphs via penalties or during extra time, unfortunately your bet will lose.
According to the rules, these additional methods are only used if the match ends in a draw at full time. Therefore, placing a bet on Brazil to win would not result in a victory.
This applies similarly to nearly all main football betting markets.
Before we examine those, let’s clarify that when we refer to “90 minutes,” it almost always includes stoppage time at the end of each half.
Unless otherwise specified for stoppage time specifically, 90-minute bets encompass added time after each 45-minute period but do not include extra periods or penalty shootouts.
Which markets exclude ET or pens?
In addition to the main match odds markets, none of the following options include extra time or penalties by default.
Over/under goals—if the match concludes with a score of 1-1, an under 2.5 goals bet will lose regardless of how many additional goals are scored in extra time.
BTTS—if the score is 0-0 at full time, then both teams to score bets are considered losses, even if the game ends up 4-4 after extra time.
– Bets on first, last, and anytime goal scorers apply to the 90-minute regulation time only.
Correct score – this is a straightforward wager on the outcome at the end of regular time, excluding any additional play.
Handicaps—both standard and Asian types—are applicable only to the full-time result.
However, unless otherwise specified, all bets will pertain to only 90 minutes of play.
This includes statistics-based wagers like total corners, goals or cards; and whether there will be a penalty awarded, a clean sheet maintained or any player sent off—all apply solely within the regular duration of the match.
If you have any concerns, feel free to reach out to the bookmaker’s customer service team before placing your bet.
Alternatively, you can visit the sports rules section of their website and focus on football-specific information.
Additionally, some bookmakers offer more details under headings like “Sporting Queries,” FAQs, or similar categories.
Are Extra Time and Penalties Included in Football Betting?
Typically, only bets specifically focused on extra time and/or penalties will account for those periods. However, an exception to this rule applies to tournament top scorer or Golden Boot bets.
These are settled according to official tournament statistics; therefore, goals scored during extra time contribute to a player’s total count.
Conversely, goals from penalty shootouts do not count towards the total because they align with the official records used by organizations like FIFA, UEFA, FA or other governing bodies.
Another market that stands out as an exception is the “To Lift Trophy” market, or depending on the competition stage, it may be called “To Qualify.”
These markets are crucial to understand in relation to match odds. The former is available during a cup or tournament final, while “To Qualify” applies to earlier rounds.
Both options account for extra time and penalties if necessary. This means you receive shorter odds but your bet wins regardless of whether the team triumphs in normal time, extra time, or through a penalty shootout—a scenario often described as a lottery.
Conclusion
Football betting rules dictate that most bets apply to the full 90 minutes of regular play plus added injury time.
Extra time and penalties are typically not included in games where these mechanisms determine the winner, such as knockout games.
Most main betting markets exclude over/under goals, BTTS, first, last, and anytime goal scorers, correct score, and handicaps.
These markets typically include stoppage time at the end of each half but do not include extra periods or penalty shootouts.
For more information, contact the bookmaker’s customer service team or visit their sports rules section.
