Example:
Arsenal plays Fulham in the FA Cup. In a wil to nil betting market, you back Arsenal to win the match without conceding a goal to Fulham. Arsenal goes on to win the match 2-0, so your bet pays out at the quoted odds.
In a win to nil bet, both wagers have to win for the bet to pay out. The bet loses if a match ends in a draw, if the other team wins, or if both teams score.
Win to nil bets are like a variation on correct score betting. Essentially you’re betting that one side of the final score will be 0. However, the number of goals scored by the winning team is irrelevant so long as it pulls off the win.
When to bet on win to nil markets
Betting on a win to nil market can be useful for any match where you expect one team to win and consider the opposition to be unlikely to breach the defence of that team. This is also a useful betting market when you expect one team to totally dominate a match. It’s safer than placing a correct score bet because it doesn’t require that you predict how many goals the winning team will put away.
What to consider when betting on a win to nil market:
- Look for a strong favourite: A win to nil bet is a good proposition only for a solid favourite. There’s still the risk that the other team might manage to score a goal, but accepting this risk means you’ll get better odds than if you just backed the favourite outright.
- Focus on your team’s defence: The defensive record of the team you’re backing is key. Do your research and avoid backing a strong favourite that has been scoring plenty of goals but has also been letting in a couple in each match. Focus your bets on teams that are conceding less than a goal a game on average and that have a high percentage of clean sheets in their recent matches.
- Consider opposition attack: Defence by the team you’re backing is half the story. You also need to look at the opposition attack. Even if the opposing team has been losing consistently, this may be down to problems with its defence rather than a shortage of skills up front. If the opposition is scoring goals against high quality teams and is averaging over a goal a game, it could easily get on the board and you could lose your bet.
- Research your team’s disciplinary record: Penalties can be a heart-breaker in this market. So if you’re considering a win to nil bet, make sure that the team you back has a good disciplinary record. This means few red or yellow cards, and an overall low rate of conceding penalties over the course of the season.
