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Beyond the Basics: 5 Advanced Betting Markets
July 14, 2026
Yesterday we covered the three main betting markets: the moneyline, the handicap, and the totals. Read our last post for context: Moneyline, Handicaps & Totals Blog
Once those are understood, a new second layer of betting markets open up.
These are the advanced markets that allow you lower your risk by betting on a single player, or doing it on things that have absolutely nothing to do with who wins the game.
In this blog we will explain five of the most popular advanced markets, using the same match we looked at yesterday: France vs Spain World Cup semi-final. Same game, only the odds have moved, and they’ve drawn the two teams even closer.
Yesterday odds:
Today’s odds:
1. Draw No Bet
Draw No Bet is essentially a moneyline with the draw option completely removed.
You bet on a team to win. If they win, you make money. If they lose, you lose money. But if the match ends in a draw, your bet is refunded in full. In simple terms, the draw can’t beat you.
Example: Today France’s win is priced at 2.50 on the three-way moneyline. On a Draw No Bet market, France might be priced shorter, around 1.90. You give up a portion of your potential payout in exchange for a safety net.
It is a great middle-ground option. If you think that France is a stronger team but aren’t confident enough to risk your stake on a tight game that could end level, Draw No Bet is your best chance. It allows you to bet on France in this case without the fear of losing your money if the match ends in a draw in the 90-minute.
2. Double Chance: Two Outcomes, One Bet
Double Chance lets you cover two of the three possible outcomes of a match in a single bet.
In a standard soccer match, there are three possible outcomes: Home Win (1), Draw (X) , Away Win (2). Double Chance groups these into three distinct options:
- 1X: France wins or draws.
- 12: France wins or Spain wins (any result except a draw).
- X2: Draw or Spain win.
Because you are covering two out of the three possible results, the odds are much lower. A “France or Draw” bet might sit around 1.40. You will win this bet a lot more often, but each win pays you less.
Double Chance is the cautious version of the moneyline. It is very useful when you are confident a team won’t lose, but not entirely sure that they will win. Backing Spain and the draw (X2) is a good way to take a safer position on an underdog win.
3. Player Props: Betting on One Player
A player prop is a market on what one specific player does during the game, regardless of the score or match outcome.
The most popular player prop is the “Anytime goal scorer”. You back a player to score at any point during normal time. For example, Kylian Mbappé to score anytime might be priced around 2.00. If he scores you get paid, whether France wins, loses, or draws.
Player props go well beyond goals. Depending on the bookmaker, you can bet on:
- Shots on target by a player (Over/Under a set number).
- Assists recorded by a player.
- Whether a player receives a yellow or red card.
Why this matters: player props are often the market soft bookmakers are slowest to price correctly. There are hundreds of players to set odds for, and fewer people betting on them, meaning those lines get less attention. That is exactly where misspriced odds exist. So when you watch the sharp price move on a player prop, you are likely seeing a beneficial edge.
A good example comes from the NBA. When a star player rules out with an injury, the moneyline moves first because the team’s chance of winning changes right away. The player props take longer to follow. It can take a few minutes for the odds on his teammates and opponents to adjust. With the star off the court, his teammates might get more shots, ultimately increasing their scoring lines. Or they lose the star they usually pass to for baskets, so their assist lines should drop. That gap, between the moneyline reacting and the props catching up, is where value hides.
4. Corners
A “corners” bet ignores the score and focuses only on how many corner kicks happened during the match.
The most common version is a total, just like a goals total. The bookmaker sets a line (e.g 9.5 corners, and you pick Over or Under:
- Over 9.5 wins if there are 10 corners or more.
- Under 9.5 wins if there are 9 corners or fewer.
- You can also bet on how many corners a single team makes individually.
The logic here is different from a goals bet. A team that dominates possession and attacks but struggles to finish will still produce corners. A strong favorite pushing for a goal usually forces lots of corners, even in a game with very few goals. With corners, you are betting on how much a team attacks, not on the score.
5. Bookings: Betting on the Cards
A bookings bet is a bet on how many cards the referee shows. Just like corners, the final score doesn’t matter.
There are two common ways this market is priced:
- Total Cards: You bet on the number of cards shown, over or under a line like 4.5.
- Booking Points: A system where a red card counts for more than a yellow. For example, a yellow card is worth 10 points, and a red is worth 25. You then bet over or under a points total.
What drives this market is how physical the game is, not how good the teams are. A heated game with a strict referee, is likely to produce a lot of cards. If you think a match will get physical, or you know the referee hands out cards easier than others, this is the market you want to bet on.
Why These Markets Are Worth Knowing
The main markets (moneyline, handicap, totals) are where the majority of bets go. Because the volume is so high, bookmakers keep these lines sharp and harder to beat.
These advanced markets are quieter. Fewer people bet them, meaning bookmakers adjust their prices far more slowly.
Remember our quote: “Odds are a price, not a prediction”
In these smaller markets, a soft bookmaker’s price is more likely to be misspriced and stay that way for longer. Comparing these prices and watching how they move is where true betting value lives.
FAQ
What is Draw No Bet?
A bet on a team to win where a draw result refunds your stake. You can only win your bet or get your money back; you can never lose your stake to a draw.
What is the difference between Draw No Bet and Double Chance?
Draw No Bet refunds your stake if the match is drawn. Double Chance actually wins on two of the three outcomes (for example, a team winning or drawing), but offers shorter odds in exchange.
What is an anytime goalscorer bet?
A player prop bet that wins if your chosen player scores a goal at any point during normal time, regardless of the final score.
Does a corners bet depend on who wins?
No. A corners bet is settled strictly on the total number of corners taken during the match, completely ignoring the final score or which team wins.
How do booking points work?
It is a weighted system where a yellow card is worth 10 points and a red card is worth 25 points. You bet over or under a total point line set by the bookmaker.
Why are advanced markets easier to find value in?
Because fewer bettors target them. Bookmakers price them less carefully and adjust their lines slowly, which means an incorrect price takes much longer to correct.
Try It Yourself
Start your free 5-day BetUnfair trial at https://betunfair.io and see how the odds shift before the rest of the market catches up.
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