Total Bets: What They Are and How to Place Them

Total bets are very popular among gamblers as, in fact, there is nothing so complicated involved. On the contrary, it is actually very simple. Predicting the number of points a particular opponent will score is generally even easier than trying to forecast which team will beat another. Beginners can also find useful betting basics at sites like casinos online in India. In the article below, we will cover everything you may need to learn about totals in sports betting.

What Is a Total?

Total is an English term that, in a literal sense, signifies "overall" or "sum." In betting, it is the total quantity of goals, points, games, etc., bookmakers set for prediction. Such a bet exists in any sport and is always in demand.

Because of this popularity, bookmakers keep expanding the scope of total betting markets. The players can enjoy overall totals, team or individual totals, and totals on specific halves, quarters, or sets.

Supply follows demand, and the list gets longer with increasingly exotic types of total bets. But first, let's discuss the fundamentals and the main types of total bets.

Types of Total Bets

Since a total is only a number, bookmakers force gamblers to predict whether the outcome will be over or under a line established. That is why there are only really two main types:

• Over (O/U Over)
• Under (O/U Under)

Bookmakers calculate the overall line for a match based on several statistical elements. This not only includes form of the teams at present but also outside factors such as weather, the state of the pitch or court, and even psychological state.

For example, in basketball, there is the "hard rim" – when the ball bounces off the rim and out, and not in. Teams strategically use such rims in home games. Away teams, who are not accustomed to them, take some time to adjust to them, but their home counterparts already have an advantage. Bookmakers will most certainly take such things into account when setting totals.

This demonstrates why bettors need to look for most accurate and up-to-date information in order to make improved predictions on totals. This is referred to as match analysis.

Let us examine football, basketball, and tennis examples using Asian (soft) totals to view how totals work in action.

Example 1: Football

Suppose the total line on the Barcelona-Manchester City soccer match has been set by a bookmaker at 3.5 goals.

• Taking Over 3.5 suggests that you expect 4 or more goals within the game.
• Taking Under 3.5 suggests that you expect 3 or fewer goals.

Because a soft total is 3, if precisely 3 goals are scored, the bet is refunded. Over wins with 4+ goals and Under wins with 0–2 goals.

Example 2: Basketball

In a basketball match between Khimki and Real Madrid, the bookmaker sets a line of 160.5 points.

• Over 160.5 means that 161 or more points are achieved.
• Under 160.5 means that 160 or fewer is achieved.

In a soft total of 160, if the match is being played precisely for 160 points, then all bets are returned.

Example 3: Tennis

For a Rafael Nadal vs. Novak Djokovic tennis match, the bookmaker can provide a line of 22.5 games.

• Over means that the match must be played for 23 or more games.
• Under means 22 or fewer.

With a soft total of 22, if the match is completed with exactly 22 games, then all the wagers are refunded.

Advantages and Disadvantages

Totals are considered to be one of the most balanced and sturdy types of bets. Unlike main results or handicaps, they are equally popular, yet in many cases, easier to break down. 

Some of the most significant advantages are:

• Corridor Strategy – a strategy whereby punters bet on slightly different totals over different bookies to ensure profit in a range of results.
• Insurance Against Draws – especially in basketball, whereby totals usually include overtime, making it a bigger opportunity for gamblers.
• Flexibility Across Sports – teams that always play offense football or tennis players who always get to tie-breaks are ideal for total betting.

There are few real disadvantages to mention, the only exception being that in sports where totals exclude overtime (e.g., football), prediction can be more complicated.

Live betting on totals is yet another enormous benefit. During a live game, situations change rapidly, and punters can often find better opportunities than before the match.

Conclusion

Total betting is a good and straightforward idea. When a player or team has a habit of usually opting for high or low totals, gamblers find a means of exploiting it. The idea is straightforward enough to grasp, even by inexperienced gamblers.

Provided discipline and strategy are practiced, total bets can translate into great profit over the long term. They can even be combined in parlays or systems for greater potential gains.

In brief, totals are worth taking seriously. Behind them is a sure avenue to regular betting prosperity.

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