BTTS (both teams to score)
BTTS (Both Teams To Score) is a yes/no market: do both teams each score at least one goal in the match? « Yes » wins as soon as both teams find the net (e.g. 2-1, 1-1); « No » otherwise (e.g. 2-0, 0-0).
BTTS is popular because it doesn't depend on the winner: only each team's ability to score matters. It's estimated from each side's attacking strength and defensive solidity (goals for/against, recent xG and xGA).
Two in-form attacks facing leaky defences push « BTTS yes » up; a team that keeps frequent clean sheets pulls it down. A big mismatch matters too: if the favourite is much stronger, the underdog may end the game without scoring even when the total number of goals is high.
With a Poisson model, the maths is simple: the probability that a team scores at least once is 1 − e^(−expected goals). Assuming the two teams are independent, you multiply the two. With 1.5 and 1.1 expected goals, you get 78% × 67% ≈ 52% for « BTTS yes ».
Note that BTTS is usually settled on normal time, and an own goal counts for the team that benefits from it. A market sitting around 50/50 is still a coin flip: no analysis makes the outcome certain.
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A match ending 2-1 settles « BTTS yes »; a 2-0 settles « BTTS no ».
How Elofoot uses it
Elofoot computes the « both teams to score » probability from its Poisson grid: it is the sum of every scoreline in which each team has at least one goal. It is therefore consistent with the displayed 1X2 and most likely score.
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Frequently asked questions
- What does BTTS mean?
- BTTS stands for « Both Teams To Score ». « BTTS yes » wins if each team scores at least one goal; « BTTS no » wins if at least one team fails to score.
- Does a 0-0 settle BTTS no?
- Yes. Neither team scores, so « BTTS no » wins. Any scoreline where one team stays on zero (1-0, 3-0, 0-2…) also settles « no ».
- Does an own goal count for BTTS?
- Yes, as a rule: the goal is credited to the team that benefits. If a team’s only goal is an opponent’s own goal, it has « scored » for this market.
See also
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