A football coupon is full of short codes. Once you know what each one means, the coupon is easy to read. This guide explains the common terms in plain words, with a made-up match, Team A vs Team B, for every example. It is educational only. It gives no tips, and nothing here makes a bet more likely to win.
1, X, 2: the match result
#This is the basic market. You pick one of three results:
- 1 means a home win (Team A wins).
- X means a draw.
- 2 means an away win (Team B wins).
The result counts normal time only: 90 minutes plus the stoppage time the referee adds. Extra time and penalty shootouts do not count. If a cup match is level after 90 minutes, the market result is X, even if one team wins on penalties later.
Example: Team A vs Team B ends 2-1. The result is 1. A bet on X or 2 loses.
Double chance: 1X, X2, 12
#A double chance covers two of the three results in one bet.
- 1X: home win or draw.
- X2: draw or away win.
- 12: home win or away win (no draw).
Because two results win, the odds are lower than for a single result.
Example: Team A vs Team B ends 1-1. 1X wins (draw). X2 wins (draw). 12 loses (no winner).
Draw no bet
#You pick Team A or Team B to win. If the match is a draw, your stake is returned. If your team loses, you lose the stake.
Example: you pick Team A. At 1-0 you win. At 1-1 the stake is returned. At 0-2 you lose.
Total goals: over and under
#You bet on the total number of goals scored by both teams, not on who wins. Bookmakers use half-goal lines such as 0.5, 1.5, 2.5 and 3.5.
- Over 2.5: three or more goals.
- Under 2.5: two goals or fewer.
The ".5" is there on purpose. A match cannot have 2.5 goals, so the bet always has a clear winner and a draw (a "push") is not possible. Whole-number lines such as 2 can land exactly on the line, and then the stake is usually returned.
The common lines:
- Over 0.5: at least 1 goal. Only 0-0 loses.
- Over 1.5: at least 2 goals.
- Over 2.5: at least 3 goals.
- Over 3.5: at least 4 goals.
- Under 2.5: at most 2 goals.
Example: Team A vs Team B ends 2-1, which is 3 goals. Over 0.5, over 1.5 and over 2.5 win. Over 3.5 and under 2.5 lose.
Balkan coupon notation: 0-1, 0-2, 2+, 3+ and more
#Many coupons in the Balkans do not print "over 2.5". They show the number of goals instead. This is what the codes usually mean:
- 2+: two or more goals. Same as over 1.5.
- 3+: three or more goals. Same as over 2.5.
- 4+: four or more goals. Same as over 3.5.
- 5+: five or more goals. Same as over 4.5.
- 0-1: zero or one goal. Same as under 1.5.
- 0-2: zero, one or two goals. Same as under 2.5.
- 2-3: exactly two or three goals.
Some coupons also print "UG" before the number (for example "UG 3+"), which is short for "ukupno golova", total goals.
Example: Team A vs Team B ends 2-0. That is 2 goals. 2+ wins. 3+ loses. 0-2 wins. 2-3 wins. 0-1 loses.
Important: we found Serbian betting media using "3+" and "2+", but we could not find an official bookmaker help page that defines the ranges "0-2" and "2-3". Coupons can differ slightly between bookmakers. Always read the rules of the bookmaker you use, and check whether the code means total goals, first half goals or something else.
Both teams to score: GG and NG
#- GG means both teams score at least one goal. The result does not matter.
- NG means "no goal" for at least one team, so one or both teams fail to score.
Example: 3-1 is GG. 1-1 is also GG. 2-0 is NG. 0-0 is NG.
Some bookmakers offer combinations such as "GG and 3+". Then both conditions must be true. 1-1 is GG but has only two goals, so "GG and 3+" loses. 2-1 wins.
First half and second half goals
#You can bet on goals in one half only. The same codes are used, for example 2+ in the first half means two or more goals before half-time. Stoppage time of that half counts for that half.
Example: Team A vs Team B leads 1-0 at half-time and ends 2-1. First half has 1 goal. Second half has 2 goals. First half 2+ loses. Second half 2+ wins.
Half-time/full-time (HT/FT)
#You predict the result at half-time and at full-time. Both must be right. There are nine combinations. The first number is half-time, the second is full-time.
- 1/1: home leads at half-time and wins.
- X/2: level at half-time, away wins.
- 2/1: away leads at half-time, home wins.
Example: Team A vs Team B is 0-0 at half-time and ends 0-1. The result is X/2. A bet on 1/1 or X/X loses. Full-time means the whole match, not only the second half.
Correct score
#You predict the exact final score. It is hard to hit, so the odds are high.
Example: you pick 2-1. The match ends 2-1, so it wins. At 1-2 or 2-2 it loses.
Handicap
#A handicap gives one team a head start or a goal deficit before the match, so the result is adjusted.
European handicap (three outcomes). The coupon shows something like Team A (-1). Team A starts the match one goal behind in the calculation. You pick 1, X or 2 on the adjusted score.
Example: Team A (-1) vs Team B. The match ends 2-1. Adjusted score: 1-1. The handicap result is X. A handicap bet on 1 loses, on X wins, on 2 loses. If the match ended 3-1, the adjusted score is 2-1 and the handicap 1 wins.
Asian handicap (two outcomes). There is no draw option. Half lines such as -1.5 or +0.5 cannot tie. With Team A -1.5, Team A must win by two goals or more. On a whole line such as -1, a win by exactly one goal returns your stake. Quarter lines such as -0.75 split the stake across two lines, so you can win or lose half of it. Read the rules before you use these.
Corners, cards and other specials
#Bookmakers also offer special markets, for example the number of corners, the number of cards, who scores first, or whether a player scores. Each has its own rules, for example which cards count, or what happens if a player does not start. Read the rules for each one.
Accumulator (ticket)
#An accumulator, called a "ticket" or "tiket" locally, joins two or more selections into one bet. The odds are multiplied, but every selection must win. One loss loses the whole ticket.
Postponed or abandoned matches
#If a match is postponed or abandoned, most bookmakers void the bet and return the stake, but the rules differ. Some wait for a set time, and some settle if the result is already decided. In an accumulator, a voided selection is usually removed and the ticket goes on with the rest. Always check the bookmaker rules.
In short
#- 1 is home win, X is draw, 2 is away win. Only 90 minutes plus stoppage time count.
- Double chance (1X, X2, 12) covers two results and pays less.
- Draw no bet returns your stake on a draw.
- Over 2.5 means 3 or more goals. A .5 line cannot end in a draw.
- On Balkan coupons 2+ is over 1.5, 3+ is over 2.5, and 0-2 is under 2.5. Check the rules of your bookmaker.
- GG means both teams score. NG means at least one team does not.
- HT/FT and correct score need exact results, so they are hard to hit.
- In an accumulator every selection must win.
Play with care
#Gambling is for adults aged 18 and over. It is entertainment, not a way to earn money, and it can be addictive. Understanding the terms does not change the odds: bookmakers build a margin into every price. Play only with money you can afford to lose. Set a deposit limit and a time limit before you start, and stop when you reach them. If gambling stops being fun, talk to someone you trust. Gambling rules and what is allowed differ by country. Check the law where you live before you play. This guide is general information, not legal advice.
