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How are booking points calculated?

how booking points are calculated

Table of contents

  1. ⚽How does booking points work in the Premier League?
  2. ✨What does 20+ booking points mean?
  3. 💡How does total booking points work?
  4. 🎯Are the odds better for booking points?
  5. 📈Should I bet on booking points?

When it comes to betting on football, there are a plethora of different markets open to you on each and every fixture. Depending on your betting strategy, you might be content to pick an outright winner, or build an accumulator around outright results. Other punters might look at more specific markets in pursuit of better odds. One of the more niche options for betting on football is to bet on booking points, a reflection of the total number of red and yellow cards received in a game. But what is booking points betting, how does it work, and are the odds better for betting on booking points than on other types of football betting?

How does booking points work in the Premier League?

Booking points works by assigning a points value to every card dealt in a game. As a general rule, a yellow card is scored at 10 points, while a red card is scored at 25 points. If a player gets two yellows, and therefore is sent off, they are scored at 35. Bookies will quote a fixed booking points line for every match, giving you the option of choosing to bet on over or under markets - for example, over or under 20 booking points would be a bet on the total booking points score being higher or lower than the 20 number.

Booking points is a way you can bet on the total level and severity of fouls in a match. If you anticipate a keenly fought contest, it might be wise to look at the booking points market, as a way of betting on the total number of cards that you think will be shown in a game. This often arrives with better odds than an outright bet, while giving you options for betting on the total number or value of cards that will be shown in a match.

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What does 20+ booking points mean?

20+ booking points refers to the total value of booking points to be shown from the cards in a game. Yellow cards are worth 10 points, so 20+ booking points could mean that the game sees more than two yellow cards in order to be a winner. Alternatively, red cards are scored at 25 per card, while two bookings and a red come in at 35 points. So when you’re betting on 20+ booking points, a single red card or more than two yellows would take you over the threshold.

Deciding whether to bet on booking points requires an assessment of how likely you think players are to be booked within a game. If you expect a number of yellow cards from an aggressive game, it would be worth considering betting above a certain booking points threshold. If you expect a calmer, more even-tempered game, you may expect there to be fewer booking points accrued through the match.

How does total booking points work?

Total booking points works by adding up all the yellow and red cards accrued through a game, and applying a numerical points based value to each card. Each card is valued at 10 points in the case of yellow cards and 25 points in the case of red cards. In the event that a player is booked twice, and therefore automatically sent off, they are awarded as 35 points cumulatively between the two yellows and the red. A total booking points bet is a bet on the total numerical value of all the cards in a game added up, which is determined after 90 minutes of action have been played.

When you’re placing your bets on booking points, you need to assess whether you expect there to be a number of cards in a game. This could be due to competitiveness - for example teams in a local derby or cup final may tend to see greater numbers of cards shown. Or it may be that you expect a more cautious match, in which case the number of cards may well be lower. Total points is based on the total numerical value at the end of the game.

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Are the odds better for booking points?

The odds on booking points generally tend to be better than outright bets, with no winner required for your bet to succeed. However, you are still betting on a general outcome, especially if you are betting on an over/under range based on a quoted booking points line. In this event, the true outcome will be either over or under the points total, so there will be limited scope for massive returns. As such booking points bets are often used in conjunction with outrights, first scorer and other types of markets in order to deliver better odds returns.

Booking points is a good type of bet for punters who are looking to gamble on aggression in a game. If you expect a game to be card heavy or otherwise, it’s worth looking at booking points markets to see whether there is scope for adding value to your betslip by including a booking points bet in your selection.

Should I bet on booking points?

Ultimately, the decision to bet on booking points is up to you. It’s always worth checking the booking points odds, and seeing whether this fits within your betting strategy. If you’re picking a selection on an outright, it is often worth betting around this selection on the same line to amplify your potential returns - especially where there are opportunities for good bets on the fringes.

Something like a booking points bet added to your line can increase the return if you win, but you need both the result and the booking points to fall in your favour to win on these types of bets. Consider it another tool in your armory for building winning football bets.

Booking points simply award a points total across all cards in a game, so you can bet on the level of carding that will play out in any given fixture. Alongside other bets, it can be a good way to boost your odds, while allowing you to bet on more outcomes in a match. Don't forget that football betting got many bets, have a look to our page explaing what are the most popular football bets.

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