Time of first goal betting is one of the most reliable goal bets in the premier league for punters, with bookies making payouts of over 80% in some seasons. For this market, punters are required to place their bets on the period of the match when the first goal will be scored by either teams, within the regular 90 minutes of play. The most common market for this goal market is “Before” or “After” the 27th minute, or No Goal”.

The popularity of this market and the high probability of pay-out imply that the odds offered are very minimal, often evens or 10/11, though the “No Goal” selection has better odds in the range of 8/1 to 10/1. In a match between Sunderland and Manchester United, a punter can be provided with the following betting options:

• Up to and including the 28th minute – evens;

• After the 28th minute – 10/11

• No goal – 10/1

Suggested betting sites for Time of First Goal Betting

Online Bookmakers	Bookmaker's Promotion	Amount	Bet Now
	Open Account Offer Bet £10 & Get £50 in Free Bets for new customers at bet365. Min deposit requirement. Free Bets are paid as Bet Credits and are available for use upon settlement of bets to value of qualifying deposit. Min odds, bet and payment method exclusions apply. Returns exclude Bet Credits stake. Time limits and T&Cs apply. Registration required.	£50	Bet now
	Bet £10 and get £30 in free bets New online customers only, min £10/ €10 stake, win only, min odds 1/2, free bets paid as 3 X £10/€10, 30 day expiry, free bet/payment method/player/country restrictions apply.	£30	Bet now
	Welcome Offer - Bet £10 Get £30 New 18+ UK customers. Deposit & place bet on sports at a minimum of £10 in one bet transaction at evens (2.0)+ within 7 days of registering. £30 paid in Free Bets within 10 hours of bet settlement, expires 7-days after issue. E-Wallet & Prepaid Card restrictions apply. Your first bet must be settled within 7 days of registration. Proof of I.D and address may be required. Full T&C's apply.	£30	Bet now
	£30 Matched Free Bet If Your First Acca Loses + 50 Free Spins New UK customers only. Min Stake: £5. Maximum Free Bet: £30. First bet on a Football or Horse Racing multiple with 3+ selections. Overall odds: 3.00 (2/1) or higher. Free Bets available upon settlement of the qualifying bet. 50 Free Spins on Big Bass Bonanza (£0.10 per spin) credited on settlement of qualifying Acca bet. No wagering requirements on free spin winnings. Debit Card deposit only (exclusions apply). This offer is valid 7 days from the new account being registered. 18+ BeGambleAware.o	£30	Bet now

Before placing your bet on this market, you should have an idea of how bookies settle the bets. To begin with, the 1st minute of the match is counted from 1 second to 59 seconds of the match, and the 2nd minute from 1 minute to 1 minute and 59 seconds. As such, bets placed on “up to and including the 28th minute” option will be considered winners if the first goal is scored between the 1st and 28th minutes. A goal scored at 27 minutes 50 seconds is a winning bet, but a goal scored at 28 minutes 12 seconds is a losing bet, since it falls within the “after 28th minute” betting option.

Secondly, you should know that own goals are usually considered in this market. Basically, any goal that is allowed by the referee will be considered, and any goal disallowed will not be considered.

Thirdly, all bets are considered valid as long as the first goal is scored, regardless of whether the match is abandoned later, before 90 minutes of play. Conversely, all bets placed on a match that is abandoned prior to the first goal being scored are considered void.

To increase your chances of winning, it is important to consider the statistics of first goal scoring time for various teams, while at home and away.