How important is ball possession in football bets?

Published on: 26 May 2022

Ball possession is one of the important components indirectly affecting the final result of matches. Some bookmakers, when they started accepting bets on statistics, made a special section in which you can bet on possession of the ball. In this article, we will tell you how to bet on the percentage of ball possession in football, find out what the main nuances are, and highlight the best tactics for the game on the considered sector of the marquee.

 

It’s not a herculean task to place bets on possession in football. Nowadays a handful of legit bookmakers provide bettors with this option. For instance, pay attemtion to Betwinner. After completing betwinner ghana registration, you will be able to bet on ball possession.

The coverage of possession betting

Betting on the type of events under consideration involves only standard betting options:

 

  • Outcome; bet on the winner by possession of the ball;
  • Individual Total; the total time each team spent with the ball;
  • Handicap; the gap in time of possession between the teams.

 

In rare cases, bookmakers expand the coverage for this type of events, so bettors can limit themselves to selecting a bet from a wide range of totals and handicaps. Among the additional types of predictions stand out only bets on the individual total even / odd —  players need to predict whether the number of minutes of possession will be even or odd. The crux of the matter is that this market is difficult to predict.

 

Ball possession is the amount of time the ball is in the feet of a team's field players or in the hands of the goalkeeper. The total time is 100%, and it is divided between the two teams. To bet on this parameter, each bettor will have to pay attention to the individual characteristics of the teams and many other components. The possession betting list is not large in any betting company, and it is mostly limited to the set of marquees listed above. But you can bet not on the whole match, but also on specific halves or short segments. If you know well the capabilities of teams and their characteristics, you can easily guess how they will behave at certain intervals.

 

How to conduct analysis correctly?

Remember that the calculation of the indicator in question is the prerogative of the official statistical partners for each football championship. Opta, SportRadar, WhoScored — all these companies are engaged in calculating the time, and it is worth referring to their services for analysis. You can also use the programs or sites SofaScore, FlashScore, 24Score, and others.

 

For a correct analysis and calculation of the approximate percentage of ball possession, bettors should consider the following factors:

 

  • Style of play and difference in class. It is worth considering these features in combination because this is the main duo of parameters when it comes to determining the percentage of possession. Teams-dominants always want to seize the initiative and not let it go even with a comfortable score. It is typical for such teams to accumulate 65-80% in a game. Liverpool, Manchester City, Bayern Munich, and Juventus could be attributed to these kinds of clubs now.

These teams do not promote counterattacking football —  in most matches, you can see cosmically high numbers on possession. With the equal teams, these clubs are also trying to seize the initiative, but it does not work as well as when playing with the underdogs. By the way, not every favorite tends to permanent possession.

  • Weather conditions. One of the most important factors affecting ball retention. Teams that like to possess the ball for long periods, experience difficulties with control in heavy rain and snow: the game ceases to be coherent. Teams tend to use long throws and longshots, crosses from the wings, and low possession percentages.
  • Stadium. In the home stadium, almost any team has more ball possession. True, the exceptions include pairs in which teams play the strongest clubs in the world — a reference to Liverpool, Bayern, Manchester City, etc. But if equal teams meet, then statistically the home team owns the ball more often.

 

FAQ

 

How is possession of the ball counted?

Possession of the ball is counted when the ball is in the feet of the team's players. The time of possession is added up and then given by the statisticians in percent format.

 

What types of possession bets are available?

The same as in the normal play listings — winner, handicaps, individual totals.

 

What do I need to consider when analyzing the percentage of ball possession?

 

It is important to understand the style in which teams play. If a club tries to act as the first team, it means that the team has a higher time of possession. If the team plays on the counterattack, it will have less possession. Usually, underdogs have less possession than the favorites.

 

 

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