Guide

Football betting guide

Everything you need to use ZoraTips well: what our numbers mean, how each market works, and how to stake without getting hurt. 18+ only – betting should stay fun.

How to read a ZoraTips prediction

Chance %

How likely the pick is to win in our model. Built from each team's attack and defence ratings, refitted every night.

Odds @

The best price in our data feed. Fair odds are 100 ÷ chance – a 64% pick is worth about 1.56.

Expected goals

How many goals each side should score on average. 1.8 against 0.9 means the home side should create twice as much.

Value / edge

When the price is longer than our fair odds. +10% edge means the bookmaker pays 10% more than we think it should.

Result markets

Who wins

Match result (1X2)The match result market – also called 1X2 or full-time result – asks one question: who wins after 90 minutes? 1 is the home team, X the draw and 2 the away team.Today's match result (1x2) picks → Double chanceDouble chance covers two of the three results in one bet: 1X (home win or draw), X2 (away win or draw) or 12 (either team wins).Today's double chance picks → Draw no betDraw no bet is a win bet with a safety net: if your team wins you are paid, if the match is drawn your stake is returned, and if your team loses the bet loses.Today's draw no bet picks → Asian handicapAn Asian handicap gives one team a head start or a deficit before the game begins, so the draw disappears. "Arsenal −1.5" means Arsenal must win by two or more; "Hull +1.5" wins if Hull lose by one, draw or win.Today's asian handicap picks → Home winsThis page lists the home teams our numbers expect to win – the "1" in 1X2 – where the chance is at least 50%.Today's home wins picks → Away winsThese are the away teams our ratings back to win on the road – the "2" in 1X2. Only clear cases make the list.Today's away wins picks → DrawsThe draw – X in 1X2 – wins when both teams finish level after 90 minutes, whether 0–0, 1–1 or 3–3.Today's draws picks →

Goals markets

How many goals

Over 1.5 goalsOver 1.5 goals wins when the match has two or more goals in total – 2–0, 1–1, 3–2 and so on. It does not matter which team scores.Today's over 1.5 goals picks → Over 2.5 goalsOver 2.5 goals needs three or more goals in the match. It is one of the most popular markets in football betting.Today's over 2.5 goals picks → Over 3.5 goalsOver 3.5 goals needs four or more goals – 3–1, 2–2, 4–0 or more.Today's over 3.5 goals picks → Over 4.5 goalsOver 4.5 goals needs five or more goals in the match – 3–2, 4–1, 5–0 and anything bigger. Under 4.5 is the opposite: four goals or fewer.Today's over 4.5 goals picks → Under 2.5 goalsUnder 2.5 goals wins when the match has two goals or fewer – 0–0, 1–0, 1–1 or 2–0.Today's under 2.5 goals picks → Under 3.5 goalsUnder 3.5 goals wins when there are three goals or fewer in the match.Today's under 3.5 goals picks → Both teams to scoreBoth teams to score (BTTS, also called GG/NG) asks whether both sides will score at least once. GG or "yes" needs both teams on the scoresheet; NG or "no" needs at least one clean sheet.Today's both teams to score picks → First-half goalsFirst-half goals markets cover the first 45 minutes only: over 0.5 (at least one goal before the break), over 1.5, or under lines for a quiet half.Today's first-half goals picks → First team to scoreFirst team to score asks which side opens the scoring. Bookmakers often list it as "first goal" or "team to score first", with "no goal" as the third option.Today's first team to score picks →

Exact markets

Exact outcomes

Correct scoreA correct score bet asks for the exact final score after 90 minutes – 1–0, 2–1, 1–1 and so on.Today's correct score picks → Half-time resultThe half-time result market is a 1X2 bet on the score at the break: home team ahead, level, or away team ahead.Today's half-time result picks → HT / FTHalf-time/full-time (HT/FT) needs two correct calls: the result at the break and the result at the end. "X/1" means level at half-time and a home win at full time.Today's ht / ft picks →

Staking: protect your money first

Pick a fixed unit. One to two per cent of the money you set aside for betting, on every bet – win or lose.
Singles beat long accumulators. Every extra leg multiplies the risk: five 70% picks together win only about one time in six.
Never chase. A losing day is normal. Doubling the stake to win it back is how small losses become big ones.
Keep a record. Write down every bet. After a month you will know which markets actually work for you.

Mistakes we see most often

Treating a 75% pick as certain – it still loses one time in four.
Backing favourites below 1.20 – a single loss cancels a long run of wins.
Ignoring the draw – in evenly matched games it is often the likeliest single result.
Betting on every game – the best days are the ones where you skip most of the card.

Want to see how we build every pick? Read how ZoraTips works, check our graded results, and if betting stops being fun, our responsible gambling page lists free help.

Frequently asked questions

What does the percentage on a ZoraTips prediction mean?

It is our chance that the pick wins, worked out from team ratings and expected goals. 70% means that, over many games like this one, we expect the pick to win about seven times in ten.

How do I turn a percentage into odds?

Divide 100 by the percentage. 50% is 2.00, 60% is about 1.67, 75% is about 1.33. If your bookmaker pays more than that, the price is in your favour.

What is a value bet?

A pick where the bookmaker pays more than our chance says it should. Value picks lose often – they are about long-run return, not a high hit rate.

Which market is safest for beginners?

Double chance and over 1.5 goals win most often, but they pay little. Whatever you choose, keep stakes small and never chase losses.