Do Own Goals Count In Football Betting

The singular answer will depend on what market you are betting on. There are differences in how own goals are treated based on the outcome of the bet and how it might be affected. For some bets own goals will count in the total, but in some bets they are ignored.

If you are betting on results or the final score, for example, it doesn’t matter who scores the goals or how they’re scored, so own goals are counted. But if you’re betting on a player to score or a method of goal then own goals are not counted and they are usually ignored and your bet is still live.

Some examples where own goals are included:

• Goals over/under 1.5, 2.5…
• Both Teams to score
• Win, Draw, Win
• Double Chance Bets
• Time of First Goal
• First Team To Score

Some bets where OG's don’t count

• Player to score first
• Anytime goalscorer
• Method of goal
• Scorecast

Where do own goals count in betting?

Let's take a look at some of the different types of bets where own goals do count. So as mentioned already results markets and total goals bets include own goals, these are normally bets based on the whole game or a period within the game, not a precise event. 

Own goals count in WDW match result bets

So the outcome you’re looking for is the match result only. So if it is a Win bet and the score is 1-0 to your chosen team through an own goal, it doesn’t matter how that win was achieved, you just needed the win result and that 1-0 scoreline was enough.

This is the same for a draw, imagine if there was an own goal against the home team and they equalised to make it 1-1 and that's how it finished, the result in betting terms is a draw and it doesn’t matter that the first goal was an OG as we say in the business. 

Own goals are included in final scores

Final score markets are dependent on the numbers only, so if you picked 1-0 as a final score and the game ends 1-0, you win. Again it doesn’t matter if the goal was an OG, you just need the number of goals to count. 

Own goals count in Over 1.5 & 2.5

When we’re counting the totals, own goals also contribute to the outcome of the bet. So if you bet on the game to be over 2.5 goals (or maybe 3.5 or more), it doesn’t matter who scores. As long as there are at least 3 goals scored by anyone in the game, the over 2.5 outcome has been achieved. These markets are also similar to goal line bets where own goals are included in the count of goals that settle the bets. 

Goal period bets

Goals to be scored in a timeframe like the first 15 minutes usually accept own goals as well, so the time of the first goal is a good example or the period. If you bet on a goal within the first 0-15 minutes, most bookies allow the own goal to contribute to that bet. 

BTTS bets accept all goals

Own goals are included in BTTS or both teams to score, even though the market is called both teams to score, the method of goal doesn’t matter. If the game is 1-1 and one of those goals was an own goal, it still settles as a BTTS Yes result, as both teams have a goals count that are both over 0.

Handicap bets accept own goals

Handicap betting also includes own goals, because you are counting a total score not the method of goals. If you bet on a team to win by 2 goals, for example, the own goals are included in that score. Or if you chose a team -2.5 to win, the number is what is used to determine the result, not the person who scored or how the goal was scored.

Own goals in first team to score bets

When you name a team to score, like the first team to score bet, it usually means a player from that team needs to get the goal. But a lot of bookies let the own goal count, so you have to take this one on a case-by-case basis and don't assume this market includes own goals. 

Own goals count to the side credited with the goal. Bet365 rules on "Team to Score First/Second/Next Goal"

When they're not counted bookies ignore the first goal when it's an OG and keep the bets live. So the next goal in that game is then used to settle the first team to score bet. In this case if there are 2 own goals first they are both ignored and this continues until a player from their own team scores their goal. If no player scores and the only goals are own goals, the first team to score bet is likely to be settled as a losing bet. Some nice bookies might void the bet and return your stake - but this doesn’t happen often so don’t expect this to be the case. 

Where are own goals excluded in betting?

It can be confusing when it comes to team or player betting scenarios, for example, naming specific teams to score at periods in the game usually requires a player from your chosen team to get the goal - BUT some bookies will count any goal, so it changes dependent on who you are betting with. In contrast, player-specific bets where they are named, must be scoring for their own team, not an OG. So in these cases, an own goal doesn’t count and is often ignored.

Player own goals do not count

If you bet on a player to score by choosing them by name for a market like a score cast or anytime scorer, you are betting them to score for their team, not to score an own goal. So in the scorecast bet, they are expected to be the first goal scorer in that bet. If they score an own goal, that is ignored in the case of this bet. Also with an anytime score cast, again they have to score a goal anytime in the match for their team, an own goal will not be counted as them scoring a goal.

Own Goals do not count toward this market. For example, if Tottenham win 2-0, with the first being an own goal and the second goal being scored by Dele Alli, then the winning scorecast will be Alli-Tottenham 2-0. Coral rules on "Scorecasts"

Goal methods do not accept own goals

Goal method markets are also excluded. For example, you bet on the first goal to be a shot from inside the box. If the outcome is recorded as an own goal it's likely to be ignored. So imagine your player took a shot outside the box (which was your bet) and it takes a significant deflection so that it has been classified as an own goal. Your goal is not counted, that goal is skipped and your bet is still alive.

Headers are also a common method of own goal, if there’s a corner and a subsequent own goal of a player's head, this does not count as a goal method and the own goal is ignored and the bet is still active. 

Own goals in bet builders

Most of the top bet builder providers use the same rules as single markets for the bet builder selections. So they will ignore the own goal for the player and goal method markets we have mentioned above, but own goals will count in the results and total goals markets.