What is First Team To Score? First Team To Score Bets Explained in 2 Minutes
Jesse M. Cox Last Verified
28/08/2026
The first team to score bet is a wager on which side will put the ball in the net first during a soccer match. There are three options: the home team scores first, the away team scores first, or neither team scores and the match ends 0-0.
This page walks through exactly how the market works, with a real Premier League example, strategies, common mistakes, and everything else a beginner needs before placing this bet.
What does First Team to Score mean?
When you place a first team to score bet, you are predicting which of the two teams will register the opening goal of the game. It does not matter how many goals are scored after that point - only the first goal counts for settling this particular market.
The market is one of the most popular pre-game soccer bets because it is straightforward and the odds are easy to understand. Many sportsbooks also keep the market open after kick-off, so you can bet on it in-play as the match unfolds.
Real-life example
Say Arsenal are hosting Brentford in a Premier League fixture. A sportsbook prices the three outcomes as follows: Arsenal first team to score at -150 (meaning you stake $150 to win $100), Brentford first team to score at +280, and no goal scored (match ends 0-0) at +550.
You decide to back Arsenal at -150 with a $30 stake. To calculate the payout, divide 100 by 150 and multiply by your stake: (100 / 150) × $30 = $20 profit. Your total return is $50 - your original $30 stake plus the $20 profit. If Brentford scores first, or if the match ends goalless, your $30 stake is lost regardless of what happens later in the game.
Now suppose you fancy the long shot. You put $10 on no goal at +550. If Arsenal and Brentford play out a 0-0 draw, you win $55 in profit for a total return of $65. The bet settles the moment the final whistle blows and no goal has been scored, not at half time.
Up To $1500 in Bonus Bets Paid Back if your First Bet Does Not Win
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- Pre-match and in-play betting
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- Over 20 sports
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- Deep market coverage across major U.S. sports and leagues
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First team to score betting strategies & tips
Approaching this market with a clear plan separates casual punters from those who get lasting value. The tips below focus on factors that genuinely shift the probability of which team draws first blood.
📊 Look at early-goal statistics before you bet
Some teams consistently score within the opening 15 minutes while others tend to start slowly. Club-level statistics for goals scored in the first quarter of a match are widely published and give you a concrete edge when pricing up the market. If a side scores the opener in 65% of their home games, the sportsbook's implied probability from the odds may be lower than that.
🔍 Factor in team motivation and lineup news
A team chasing a Champions League place will press high from the first whistle, which raises the chance of an early goal. Conversely, a side already safe from relegation in the final weeks of the season may set up cautiously. Confirmed lineup news - especially whether a team's first-choice striker is playing - is worth checking no later than an hour before kick-off.
⚽ Study head-to-head goal timing trends
Some rivalries routinely produce early goals; others are cagey and slow to open up. Looking at the last six to ten meetings between the two teams and noting when goals were scored gives you useful context. A pattern of first goals arriving after the 30th minute in a particular fixture type should push you toward the no-goal option or keep your stake modest on either team.
💰 Use free bets to explore the no-goal outcome
The no-goal market is priced long because 0-0 finishes are relatively rare - roughly 8 to 10% of Premier League matches end scoreless. That means the no-goal option rarely hits, but the odds can occasionally represent genuine value when two defensive teams meet. Using free bets to test this outcome is a low-risk way to get familiar with how the settlement works without risking your own bankroll.
🧠 Compare odds across multiple sportsbooks
Because three outcomes exist, price differences between betting sites can be meaningful - especially on the away team and no-goal options where margins vary most. Even a small improvement in odds (for example, +300 versus +280 on the away team) adds up over time. Shopping around takes two minutes and directly improves your expected return.
When does the First Team to Score bet win?
Your bet wins when the outcome you selected matches what happens in the opening goal of the match. If you backed the home team and they score the first goal - at any point in the game, whether in the third minute or the 89th - the bet is settled as a winner. If the away team scores first instead, or if the game ends 0-0, the home team bet loses.
One important edge case: goals scored in extra time or a penalty shootout do not count for this market. The bet is settled on the basis of 90 minutes of regular play plus injury time only. If a match is abandoned before completion, most sportsbooks will void the bet and return your stake, but you should always check the house rules at the sportsbook you are using before placing the wager.
Mistakes to avoid when betting First Team to Score
This market looks simple on the surface, and that simplicity can lead beginners into errors that are easy to sidestep once you know what to watch for. The mistakes below come up repeatedly among first-time bettors on this market.
⚠️ Forgetting that the no-goal option exists
Many newcomers treat first team to score as a straight two-way choice between home and away. Ignoring the no-goal option means you are not seeing the full picture of the market. When two evenly matched defensive sides meet, the 0-0 result carries a higher probability than the headline price suggests.
🚫 Backing the favourite without checking their recent early-goal record
The team expected to win the match is not automatically the most likely team to score first. A strong favourite that tends to sit back and absorb early pressure before taking control may score first less often than their overall odds imply. Always check where a team's goals arrive in the match, not just how many they score.
💸 Staking too much on long-priced away teams or no-goal outcomes
The higher odds on the away team or no goal are tempting, but those outcomes are priced long for a reason. Placing a large portion of your betting budget on a +500 no-goal market in a high-scoring league is a fast way to deplete your bankroll. Keep stakes proportionate and treat long-priced selections as occasional plays rather than a core strategy.
📉 Ignoring late team news on key forwards
If a team's starting striker is a late withdrawal, the probability of them scoring first drops noticeably. A lot of bettors place their wager hours before kick-off without revisiting lineup confirmations. Making a habit of checking the confirmed lineups closer to kick-off protects you from betting on a team whose most dangerous attacker is sitting in the stands.
🎲 Treating this as a short cut to guaranteed profit
No market comes with a guaranteed edge for the bettor. The sportsbook builds a margin into all three prices, which means the combined implied probabilities of home, away, and no goal add up to more than 100%. You are always betting against a house edge, so discipline with stakes and selectivity with which matches you target matters more than the bet type itself.
Is First Team to Score betting available at top US sportsbooks?
First team to score is a mainstream soccer market and is offered by the major US sportsbooks on most top-tier competitions. DraftKings, FanDuel, BetMGM, bet365, Caesars, and Fanatics all typically carry the market as a standard pre-game option on leagues including the Premier League, MLS, UEFA Champions League, La Liga, and Bundesliga.
Coverage on lower-division or international friendlies can be thinner, so availability varies depending on the specific match.
All six major operators usually present the three outcomes clearly - home team, away team, and no goal - with American odds displayed by default. You can browse the full range of soccer betting sites to compare how each prices this market across different competitions before committing to one.
Is First Team to Score available for live betting?
Yes, most major US sportsbooks keep the first team to score market open in-play, at least for the first part of the match. Once the first goal is scored, the market settles immediately and is removed from the in-play board. Before that happens, odds shift quickly as possession patterns, chances created, and game tempo develop.
Watching matches via live streaming gives you a genuine advantage when betting this market in-play, because you can see which side is applying more pressure before placing your wager. Betting apps make it easy to monitor odds changes in real time and get your bet on before the market moves further.
First Team to Score pros and cons
Like any bet market, first team to score has genuine advantages for the right type of bettor and some clear drawbacks worth understanding before you stake real money. Here is an honest summary.
- Simple to understand with three clear outcomes
- Settles early - often within the first goal
- Available pre-game and in-play on most leagues
- No-goal option offers attractive long-shot value
- House edge is spread across three outcomes
- Away team and no-goal bets lose frequently
- Market closes the moment first goal is scored
Related terms and similar bets
Once you are comfortable with first team to score, a handful of closely related markets are worth exploring. Each one looks at goalscoring from a slightly different angle, and understanding them together gives you a much fuller picture of what soccer betting has to offer.
🔗 Last Team to Score
Instead of predicting who opens the scoring, this market asks which team scores the final goal of the match. It follows the same three-outcome structure - home, away, or no goal - but can have very different odds depending on each team's record of scoring late goals. Learn more about the last team to score market.
🎯 First Goal Scorer
Rather than picking the team, this bet asks you to name the individual player who will score the opening goal. The odds are much longer because you are narrowing your selection to one player from a large squad. Explore how the first goal scorer bet works and how it differs from the team-level version.
🔄 Next Goal Scorer
This is the in-play version of the first goal scorer market - once the match has started, you bet on which named player will score the very next goal. It is fast-moving and odds change rapidly as chances develop. Find out more about the next goal scorer bet and how it is used in live betting.
💡 Both Teams to Score
Often called BTTS, this market simply asks whether both teams will get on the scoresheet during the 90 minutes - a yes or no wager. It has no connection to timing and settles at the final whistle rather than the first goal. Read more about both teams to score and how it compares to first team to score.
📚 Total Goals
Total goals markets ask you to predict how many goals will be scored in a match in total, typically offered as over/under lines (for example, over 2.5 goals). It removes the question of which team scores entirely and focuses purely on the volume of scoring. Learn how the total goals market is structured and when it makes sense to use it.
Final thoughts
First team to score is an accessible market with a clear structure - three outcomes, simple settlement, and a result that often arrives within the first 20 minutes of a match. Doing a small amount of research on early-goal statistics and lineup news before you bet gives you a much better starting point than picking on instinct alone.
Before you place your first wager on this market, take a few minutes to compare prices across different soccer betting sites and check whether any promo codes apply - small differences in odds and welcome offers can meaningfully affect how far your first deposit goes.
Up To $1500 in Bonus Bets Paid Back if your First Bet Does Not Win
+9
- 20+ sports available for wagering
- Pre-match and in-play betting
- Unique features like live streaming and boosted odds
Bet $10 Get $365 in Bonus Bets Win or Lose
Find out more on bet365's website
- Over 20 sports
- Extensive betting markets
- Live betting feature
New Users – Get $350 in Bonus Bets when you wager $5 for 7 days
+6
- Deep market coverage across major U.S. sports and leagues
- Same Game Parlay builder is fast and easy to use
- Live betting interface updates quickly with real-time odds
FAQs
Common questions from beginners about First Team to Score.
What happens to my first team to score bet if the match is abandoned?
If a match is called off before 90 minutes of regular play are completed, most sportsbooks will void the bet and return your stake in full. However, if the first goal had already been scored before the abandonment, some sportsbooks may settle the market on the result at the time of abandonment - check the specific rules of the sportsbook you are using before placing the bet.
Does a goal in extra time count for first team to score?
No. This market is settled on the 90 minutes of regular time plus injury time only. Goals scored during extra time or a penalty shootout do not affect the outcome of a first team to score bet. The market is already settled long before any additional period begins.
What does 'no goal' pay out on the first team to score market?
The no-goal outcome pays out if the match ends in a goalless draw, meaning 0-0 after 90 minutes and injury time. Because this result is relatively uncommon, the odds are typically long - often in the range of +400 to +700 depending on the teams involved. A $10 bet at +500 would return $60 in total ($50 profit plus your $10 stake) if the match ends 0-0.
