If you’ve considered placing a bet on a goalscorer, such as on who will score first or on a player to score at any time during a game, you might well have wondered how the bet is handled in matches that go to extra-time. It is not uncommon for punters to place a bet on Player A to score the first goal, for example, only to see the match end 0-0 in normal time and go to an extra period of 30 minutes. Player A scores the opening goal of the game, but their bet is not paid out as a winner because of the rules around goalscorer wagers.
Most bookmakers consider bets placed on a match to be over the 90 minutes of normal time, plus any time that is added for injuries and so on. This teams that extra-time doesn’t count towards your bet and if the match goes into it, your wager will be considered to be a losing one if it didn’t come in during the 90 minutes proper of the match that you’ve bet on. Whilst some bookies might have offers that see payouts take place in extra-time, most won’t and you need to remember this when you’re placing your bet on a game that could use extra-time or penalties to settle it.
Don’t Confuse Stoppage Time & Extra-Time
The most important thing to remember when it comes to bets on football matches is that there is a difference between stoppage time and extra-time. Stoppage time is the time that the referee adds on at the end of each half of football. This is added when players have been time-wasting, for example, or when play has stopped in order to allow a player to be given treatment for an injury. It is supposed to be added on if a goal is scored or a substitution takes place too, but the truth is that officials rarely add on as much time as they should at the end of each half.
Extra-time, meanwhile, is the period added onto the end of the game when the result is not decided during the 90 minutes plus stoppage time of the match proper. This is typically only used in knockout matches, such as the FA Cup or the Champions League. If a winner has to be decided on the night, extra-time can be used to do so. It is usually two periods of 15 minutes at the end of the game, with penalties also being used if a winner still can’t be found after 120 minutes of play. The problem is, goalscorer bets won’t count in either period.
What Do The T&Cs Say?
If you’re unsure about whether a bookmaker will payout on your bet, have a look at their terms and conditions. Usually, bets on the likes of First Goalscorer, Anytime Goalscorer or Last Goalscorer will be classed as ‘90 minutes only’. This means that if the player you selected doesn’t score their goal within the 90 minutes proper plus stoppage time of the match then you won’t be able to win your wager. A goal in extra-time or during a penalty shoot-out will not count towards the bet when it is ‘90 minutes only’.
Whilst it is unlikely that the terms and conditions will say that goalscorer bets will be paid out during extra-time or penalties, a company might decide to run a promotion that does exactly that. As a result, you should never assume that your bet is a losing one if a match ends 0-0 and heads into extra-time, or your selected goalscorer failed to score in the 90 minutes of the match. Only think that this will be the case if you’ve definitely read in the Ts & Cs that all wagers on the match in question are 90 minutes only in nature.
It Is True Of All Goalscorer-Themed Wagers
There are numerous different types of goalscorer bets, not just those on the goalscorer that will put the ball into the back of the night first, last or anytime. If you opt for something like a Scorecast bet, for example, this asks you to select who will score the first goal of the game and the match’s final score. Equally, betting on a Wincast means that you’re betting on the correct score of the game as well as a player scoring anytime during the match at hand. In both instances, your wager will typically only be over the normal 90 minutes plus stoppage time.
There isn’t anything that you need to do in order to ensure that you get paid out correctly. Bookmakers will handle all bets automatically if you’ve placed them online. Instead, this information is here to help you realise why you haven’t been paid out when your selected player put the ball into the back of the net during extra-time rather than during the main match itself. It is annoying, but it is the case regardless. The same is true for bets on scoring a hat-trick, say, or on a player scoring first for the team that they play for.
Exceptions That Prove The Rule
There are some exceptions that prove the rule when it comes to goalscorer bets. If you have decided to place a wager on a player being the Top Scorer in a competition like the Champions League or the World Cup, goals that are scored in extra-time will count towards the total number of goals that they’ve netted. To add further complication to the matter, any goals scored in penalty shootouts won’t be counted in this market.
If you’re wondering whether or not your wager will be counted, you need to consider what the language of the bet is. For example, a bet on the To Qualify / Lift The Trophy market will mean that it will be a winner if your chosen team makes it through to the next round of the tournament or lifts the trophy, regardless of whether it is after extra-time or penalties. If it is a match bet, however, it is very much all about the 90 minutes plus stoppage time.