When it comes to player props, goalscorer betting is among the most popular markets. Not only does this tend to unlock competitive odds, but there are various types of goalscorer bets that you can place online.
In this comprehensive goalscorer betting guide, we’ll explore precisely how the market works. We’ll also reveal the best sites for placing this type of wager and answer some of your most frequently asked questions!
Please Note – Our goalscorer betting guide is designed for educational purposes only. This type of prop betting is inherently risky and cannot guarantee a financial return. Remember to gamble responsibly and only engage in goalscorer betting if you understand the practice and how the market works.
What is Goalscorer Betting?
In this specific football betting market, you’re wagering on an individual player to score a goal at a particular junction during a game.
In addition to picking the first goalscorer in a match (usually at enhanced odds), you can also select the player who you think will score last. Football Sportsbooks allow you to wager on players to score at any time during a specific match too, although the odds here are typically much shorter.
You can also bet on individual players to score two or even three games in a certain match. There are other variations of this market too, but we’ll explore these a little later in the guide,
How Does Goalscorer Betting Work?
To understand goalscorer betting markets in more detail, let’s say that you fancied Leeds striker Joel Piroe to score in an upcoming Championship match against Blackburn. In this instance, the Dutchman can be backed at the following odds in the three main markets:
- First Goalscorer – 5.50
- Anytime Goalscorer – 2.85
- Last Goalscorer – 6.00
Piroe is among the favourites in all of these betting markets, each of which has its own unique price and value proposition. Let’s take a look at your potential winnings in relation to your stake and the implied probability of each outcome:
| Market | Odds | Stake / Total Return | Implied Probability |
| First Goalscorer | 5.50 | £10 / £55.00 | 18.18% |
| Anytime Goalscorer | 2.85 | £10 / £28.50 | 35.08% |
| Last Goalscorer | 6.00 | £10 / £60.00 | 16.66% |
As you can see, the first and last goalscorer markets offer the bigger potential returns, but the implied probability of either outcome occurring is less than 20%. Conversely, you have a 35.08% chance of winning when backing Piroe to score at any time during the 90 minutes, but the prospective payout is significantly lower.
Types of Goalscorer Bets
Now, we ‘re going to drill a little deeper into the various types of goalscorer bets and combinations available. Understanding these variations will help you to make the most informed selections!
Anytime Goalscorer
This market allows you to pick any player who you think will score during a particular match. This goal can be scored at any time during the 90 minutes, regardless of its sequencing or how many goals have been struck previously.
Because of this, anytime goalscorer markets carry relatively short odds, especially when picking established strikers or prolific midfielders.
First Goalscorer
In this market, you’ll try to select the player who will score the first goal during a match. This type of wager is obviously more restricted, so it’s characterised by much longer odds and lower implied probability values.
Your picks in this market can be informed by studying player form and their record against specific opposition, while also factoring in the recent performances of the team that they represent.
Last Goalscorer
On a similar note, you can pick the player who will score last in a particular match. Like the first goalscorer market, this is heavily restricted and carries extended odds, while your chances of winning are often relatively low.
This market also requires additional analysis, as you’ll need to consider the impact of potential substitutes and understand the timeframes in which teams typically score their goals.
Scorecast & Wincast
You can also build combination wagers that are based around goalscorer betting markets. With a ‘Scorecast’ bet, for example, you’ll have to pick the first goalscorer and the correct score in a specific game, usually at prohibitive odds that are around the 36.00 mark.
A similar market variation exists in the form of ‘Wincast’ betting. With this type of wager, you’ll pick both the first goalscorer and the winning team, at lower average odds of 15.00. However, wincast prices are generally far higher than standardised goalscorer betting markets.
Best Goalscorer Betting Sites
Most licensed bookmakers in the UK offer goalscorer betting markets, alongside predetermined scorecast and wincast lines. Many will also apply odds boosts to such markets, enabling you to wager at even greater odds.
But which sportsbooks offer the best goalscorer betting experience on these shores? We’ve listed four of the market leading operators below, while appraising their full range of goalscorer markets and most compelling selling points!
Best Goalscorer Betting Odds: 10BET
If you want to access the best goalscorer betting odds, 10Bet is an excellent option. Here, you can use the site’s ‘Bet Builder’ tool to construct advanced goalscorer bets at enhanced odds. These can include standard goalscorer markets and the exact number of goals that will be scored by a particular player.
As an existing 10Bet customer, you can also earn a £10 free bet when you wager £75 or more on football markets during a predetermined qualifying period. Your qualifying bets should be deployed at odds of 2.00 or greater, which unlocks the vast majority of first, anytime and last goalscorer markets.
Best Goalscorer Free Bet Offer: Betiton
Betition is another superb choice for goalscorer betting, while the site’s welcome offer is one of the best on the market. This comprises a £10 free bet, which is unlocked when you deposit and wager £15 or more at minimum odds of 2.00. The free bet will be valid for 14 days and must be staked at odds of 1.50 or greater.
With Betiton’s renowned ‘Boostiton’ offer, you can also boost the value of your combination bet wins by up to 77%. Qualifying accas can include between four and 15 selections, while you’re free to incorporate goalscorer markets if you wish. If you build a winning 15-fold acca, you’ll unlock the maximum odds boost of 77%.
Best Goalscorer Betting Promotions: Highbet
Highbet also offers some exceptional goalscorer betting promotions, including the site’s tried and tested ‘Bet Builder’ feature. You can incorporate betting markets from football and up to nine other sports, including selected goalscorer lines that meet the necessary odds restrictions.
Highbet’s welcome offer also comprises a £15 free bet when you deposit and wager £10 at odds of 2.00 or greater. The free bet must be staked at the exact same minimum odds, and once again, this unlocks a huge number of first, last and anytime goalscorer markets. So, Highbet comes highly recommended if you’re a fan of goalscorer betting.
Key Factors to Consider When Betting on Goalscorers
Before you engage in goalscorer betting online, it’s important to understand the key factors that will directly impact odds and your selections. Here are some of the most important considerations:
Player Form and Injury Status
As we’ve touched on, all goalscorer betting markets are dominated by strikers and attacking midfielders. So, it’s important to address the recent form of such players both home and away, while also considering the latest injury and suspension news. Also, review a player’s historic performance against a relevant opponent to highlight any relevant trends.
Team and Match Context
The overwhelming majority of goals are team efforts, regardless of who eventually puts the ball in the net. So, be sure to analyse the competing teams and match context before placing goalscorer bets, especially if one side is likely to dominate, has a particularly attacking style of play or a pressing need to win.
Home vs. Away
When you delineate between home and away form, you’ll see that some players perform better either on the road or in front of their home fans. In the 2024/25 season, for example, At the time of writing, WBA striker Josh Maja has scored eight of his 10 Championship games away from The Hawthorns. So, he may offer superior value as a potential goalscorer during matches on the road.
Statistical Analysis
We’d also recommend drilling down deeper into the available datasets and performing detailed statistical analysis. The key statistics include a team or striker’s goals-per-90 ratio, minutes played and the number of shots a player has had on target. Also, consider analysing the number of big chances that teams create and miss on average.
Goalscorer Betting Tips & Strategy
With these factors in mind, it’s also important to construct viable goalscorer betting strategies. Here are some expert tips and insights to help you on your way!
- Identify the Best Goalscorer Markets: First up, it’s important to identify the goalscorer markets that best suit your bankroll size and appetite for risk. The most popular betting lines revolve around anytime goalscorers, the exact number of goals scored by a particular player and wincasts (for more seasoned bettors).
- Study the Time of Goals Scored: If you visit the SoccerStats.com site, you’ll be able to analyse when teams in specific competitions score their goals. By identifying the sides that tend to start well and score consistently early during games, for example, you can make more informed first goalscorer selections.
- Analyse the Recent H2H Data in Detail: We’d recommend that you conduct detailed analysis of a player’s head-to-head record against specific teams. For example, Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah has scored 12 goals (and contributed six assists) in just 14 EPL appearances against Man United. This includes a run of 11 goals in the last eight matches, so he offers genuine value as a goalscorer against the Red Devils.
- Follow the Latest Team News: If you’re to leverage goalscorer betting markets to your advantage, it’s crucial that you follow the latest team, injury and suspension news through official social media feeds. We’d also recommend that you consider the potential for player rotations, especially during busy and congested periods of the season.
Understanding Goalscorer Markets and Odds
Goalscorer markets can be presented in different ways by sportsbooks, from how they’re described to the odds format used. So, let’s take a closer look at this wager type and precisely how it functions.
How Goalscorer Odds Work
We’ve already discussed how you can use goalscorer odds to determine your potential returns and the implied probability of a particular outcome occurring.
Such calculations are easier when using decimal odds, which include single numbers to two decimal places and relay how much you stand to win for every £1 wagered successfully (inclusive of your stake amount). Other popular formats include fractional and American odds, each of which can be seamlessly converted into decimal pricing.
Example of a Goalscorer Bet
Anytime goalscorer bets are the most popular among punters, as they offer an appealing balance between risk and reward.
For example, at the time of writing, Norwich City striker Borja Sainz is the Championship’s top scorer in 2024/25, notching 15 goals (and two assists) in just 24 appearances. He averages a goal every 142 minutes in the competition, and can be backed at the competitive price of 3.50 to score at any time against struggling Luton at Kenilworth Road.
These odds imply a 28.57% probability of success, while a successful £10 stake will yield a total return of £35. This proposition is well-balanced and should appeal to the casual bettors among you.
Common Mistakes to Avoid in Goalscorer Betting
Despite the various goalscorer betting markets available, there are still a number of common mistakes and pitfalls to avoid when engaging in this type of wagering. These include:
Betting Without Research
Goalscorer betting succeeds or fails based largely on the depth and quality of your statistical analysis. If you fail to understand the dynamics of a particular match and analyse individual player form, you run the risk of placing ill-judged and losing wagers. You’ll need to factor in team form and contrasting playing styles too.
Chasing Big Payouts
When browsing first and last goalscorer markets, it may be tempting to back defensive minded players who are priced at 21.00 or above. For example, Norwich defender Grant Hanley is priced at 67.00 to score first against Luton, so a winning £10 wager here would yield a £670 return. However, the defender hasn’t scored for two years and this wager only has a 1.49% chance of winning.
Ignoring Injury News and Team News
Just as failing to analyse form data and statistics can undermine your goalscorer betting strategies, the same rule applies to ignoring injury and team news. Injuries and suspensions will directly impact player availability and goalscorer market odds, for example, while the manager’s decision to rotate his squad could also cost you your stake money.
Responsible Gaming
Responsible gambling is key, especially given the availability and range of goalscorer betting markets. Ultimately, you should only ever gamble an amount that you can comfortably afford to lose, while managing your bankroll using customisable deposit limits online.
To access additional responsible gambling tools like reality checks and self-exclusion, you’ll also need to wager at a site that’s licensed by the UKGC. To check a sportsbook’s credentials, visit the UKGC website and enter the brand’s name or parent company details.
Frequently Asked Questions on Goalscorer Betting
What is Goalscorer Betting?
When engaging in goalscorer betting, you can wager on players to score at various junctures of a particular match. The most popular markets include first, last and anytime goalscorers, which offer variable odds, returns and implied probability values.
What are the rules for top goalscorer betting?
You can also wager on the top goalscorer in a particular match. This market simply requires you to predict which player will score the most goals during 90 minutes, with in-form strikers the most popular picks here. Sportsbooks also offer outright odds on the top scorers in a specific league or tournament.
How do anytime goalscorer markets work?
In the anytime goalscorer market, you can select a player to score at any time during a chosen match. This market applies during 90 minutes, while it tends to offer relatively short, albeit competitive, odds (depending on your pick, of course). However, anytime goalscorer markets unlock your best chance of winning.
How to predict an anytime goalscorer?
There’s no surefire way of predicting an anytime goalscorer during a game. However, you can inform your picks using targeted datasets and detailed form analysis, while also paying attention to the latest team news and speculation. We’d also recommend prioritising betting market favourites when engaging in this type of wagering.
What does no goalscorer mean?
As its name suggests, betting on the ‘no goalscorer’ market means that you think no player will find the net during a particular match. This is a relatively niche market given the low prevalence of goalless draws in the EFL and Europe’s ‘Big Five’ leagues, although you can still collect your winnings here if one or more own goals are scored during the 90 minutes.