Punters are required to predict whether a particular team will score at any time in the designated match, within the official 90 minute of play. The bet is valid for any goals scored during stoppage time, but not during extra time or penalty shoot-outs.

Considering that very few matches end without at least one of the teams hitting the scoreboard, the odds offered in this market can be extremely low especially for the favourite team. For instance, the betting options and odds offered in a match between Chelsea and Cardiff are:

1/33 for Chelsea to Score a goal, and

4/5 for Cardiff to Score a Goal

The rules for this market differ depending on the bookie, though most include own goals during settlement of bets, whereby the goal is counted in favour of the team that is accredited with the score. If the match is abandoned after your team has scored, then all bets on that selection will be settled as winning bets. However, it the match is postponed, cancelled or abandoned within the 90 minutes of regular play, before your team has scored, all bets are considered void.

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Statistics suggest that the number of goals scored in current matches is much less compared to football matches played a few decades ago. This has been attributed to the systems established by innovative team managers to stop exceptional players from scoring, as well as the enhanced performance of players with time. Nowadays, players run faster, dribble quicker, shoot harder, and pass more accurately than before. In addition, structures like pressing, offside traps and triangular passing have lowered the scoring average from 4.5 goals in each game in 1900's, to 2.6 goals, more than a century later.

This trend suggests that the modern football game is aimed at providing a more balanced game of defence and offence. Examine the offence and defence performance of both teams in previous matches before backing one of the sides, to ensure that your selection has a high chance of winning.