10 guides in this topic

Betting odds and markets

A market is one question you can bet on, such as "who will win?" or "will both teams score?". Bookmakers in Zimbabwe offer dozens of markets on every football match, but most punters use a handful.

The guides below explain each popular market with worked examples in US dollars, using local matches such as Dynamos vs CAPS United and English Premier League games. Each one shows how the bet is settled, what happens in unusual cases (like a draw or a cancelled match) and the mistakes people commonly make.

If you are new, read what 1X2 means first, then GG/NG and over/under goals. For an overview of everything on a typical match page, see common football betting markets explained.

All guides in this topic

  1. What does 1X2 mean in betting?

    1X2 is the most popular football bet: 1 is a home win, X is a draw and 2 is an away win. Learn how it is settled, including extra time and abandoned matches.

    3 min read

  2. Double chance betting explained

    Double chance lets one bet cover two of the three match results (1X, X2 or 12). Learn how it works, how the odds compare with 1X2 and when it does and does not make sense.

    3 min read

  3. Over/Under goals explained

    How over/under (totals) betting works: what over 2.5 and under 1.5 mean, why the half goal matters, and how whole-number lines like over 2 can be refunded.

    3 min read

  4. Both Teams To Score (BTTS / GG-NG) explained

    What GG and NG mean in betting: GG (both teams score) and NG (at least one team fails to score), with score examples, own goals and common mistakes.

    3 min read

  5. Handicap betting explained

    How handicap betting gives one team a head start: European (three-way) and Asian handicaps explained with goal-by-goal examples, refunds and split stakes.

    3 min read

  6. Draw no bet explained

    Draw no bet removes the draw: your team wins, you are paid; it draws, you get your stake back; it loses, you lose. Examples and how it compares with double chance.

    2 min read

  7. Accumulator (multibet) explained

    How accumulators work: why the odds multiply, why one wrong leg loses everything, how voids and acca bonuses work, and how the chance of winning shrinks with every selection.

    3 min read

  8. Live betting explained

    How live (in-play) betting works: odds that change during the match, suspended markets, bet delays and why live betting can quickly eat a budget.

    3 min read

  9. Cash out explained

    How cash out works, how bookmakers price it, partial and auto cash out, and why cashing out usually costs you a little compared with the bet's fair value.

    3 min read

  10. Common football betting markets explained

    A plain-English tour of the football markets on a typical Zimbabwean betting site: 1X2, double chance, GG/NG, totals, handicaps, correct score, HT/FT, corners, cards and goalscorers.

    3 min read