As online sports betting continues to grow, it’s become possible to place side bets on a greater range of stats, activities and occurrences in relation to (the game).
In the case of soccer (or football, if you prefer, though we’ll stick with soccer here for clarity) this includes the humble throw-in.
If you’re interested in placing bets on a throw-in, it’s important that you first understand what a throw-in is, what kinds of bets can be placed, the best throw-in betting strategies, and so on. That’s what we’ll be covering right here.
What is a Throw-In?
A throw-in is awarded during a game of association soccer and is explained in law 15 of the official rules of the sport.
To elaborate; a throw-in is awarded when the whole of the ball crosses the touchline, either on the ground or in the air. The throw-in will be awarded to the opposing team of the last player to touch the ball, and has to be taken from the spot where it crossed the line (although players generally try to steal at least a couple of yards).
The ball has to be thrown with both hands from behind the head, a part of each foot has to be on the touchline or on the ground outside the touchline, and all opponents have to stand at least 2 meters away from the spot where the throw-in is being taken.
It is impossible to score a goal directly from a throw-in. If a player throws the ball into their own goal, a
corner kick
will be given to the opposing team, if they throw it into the opponents goal, a
goal kick
will be awarded to the opposing team.
For more information on soccer and how to bet it,
check out our soccer betting strategy guide.
How is a Throw-In Used in Sports Betting?
Online sports betting isn’t just about the winners and losers, in fact, it’s possible to place bets on many parts of games. In soccer, that includes goal kicks, bookings, off-sides, and throw-ins.
Many of
the bookmakers found through our site
have offers for betting on throw-ins, here’s some of the different throw-in bets it’s possible to make:
Betting on which team will take the most throw-ins during the match.
Total Throw-ins (over/under)
Betting on whether the total throw-ins taken by both teams will be over or under a specific value.
Betting on whether the number of throw-ins taken will be odd or even.
Betting on whether the Home or Away team will take the first and/or last throw-in.
Betting on the total number of throw-ins that occur in the first or second half.
Time of the First Throw-in
Betting on when the first throw-in will be taken.
Live betting on which team will take the next throw-in.
With this many options, it’s important to understand the game and how each throw-ins can occur, in order to place the correct bets and maximize your chances of success.
Strategies for Throw-In Betting:
There’s a number of good strategies that can be employed if you are looking to place a bet that revolves around the number of throw-ins during a match.
- One would be a team’s passing stats. If a team often misses the passes they attempt there’s a good chance more throw-ins will be attempted as more passes are likely to end up leaving the pitch.
- Look for two teams with weak passing stats, and throw-ins should be more abundant, the opposite can be said about teams with better passing ability.
- Also check out teams with technically poor defensive tactics; those that clear the ball from the field under pressure are likely to result in more throw-ins.
- If betting during play, look at how teams shift their tactics. An aggressive attack could force a pressured clearance from the opposing team.
- Consider the weather. If it’s wet then you might see a tougher game and more errors, leading to higher chances of a throw-in taking place.
Familiarity with the game and a sense for the ebb and flow of the match will also help you understand what combinations of factors can lead to greater (or fewer) throw-in opportunities.
Pros and Cons of Throw-In Bets
If making a bet was always a sure thing then everyone would do it, and so it is here.
Here are some of the key points you might like to consider.
Pros:
- High Entertainment Value – Betting on throw-ins ads excitement to a typically slow part of a soccer game.
- Rapid Results – If you bet on throw-ins occurring in the first minutes of a match, or the first half, you can look forward to finding the outcome of your bets quickly.
- Statistic Led – It’s possible to study the stats of the players and teams to identify those with weak passing skills; in turn this may lead to more throw-ins.
Cons:
- Highly Volatile – It’s difficult to accurately predict when (or if) throw-ins will occur, making it a risky thing to bet on.
- Lower Market Limits – Bookmakers often limit the stakes in niche markets like throw-in betting.
- Lower Win Rate – Thanks to higher volatility, throw-in betting can yield a lower win rate than other options.
Throw-in betting is not a sure thing, but there are some clear benefits that make it more attractive, as well as some drawbacks to throw-in betting that make it a more unpredictable venture than some sports betting.
Are Throw-In Bets Available for Live Betting?
Absolutely.
In fact it’s worth looking at live games for throw-in betting as you can make more educated choices as a result. Poor weather may make it difficult to control the ball, or make the ground unpredictable, leading to more throw-ins.
You can also gauge the ebb and flow of the game – is a team tired, struggling, or being outpaced by their opposition? Struggling teams and players may also mean more throw ins.
The extra insight of an in-progress soccer match can be invaluable for live betting on throw-ins.
Throw-In Betting FAQ
Hopefully having read this article you’re feeling clued up and ready to dip a toe in to throw-in betting, but here’s a quick FAQ for some of the questions we see asked most frequently:
What is throw-in betting?
Throw-ins can occur during the course of a game of soccer/football. More and more bookmakers accept betting on throw-ins in a number of ways, including live betting on an ongoing match.
How can I bet on throw-ins?
There are actually a number of types of throw-in bet that you can make, including; total throw-ins during a match, who will make the most throw-ins, what time the first throw-in will occur, and more!
Is throw-in betting safe?
All betting caries risk, and while throw-in betting can yield quick results, it is unpredictable and volatile by nature. It’s difficult to know exactly how many (or when) a throw-in may occur. That said, there are several statistic-led and logic assumptions that can be made to maximize your chances of a win.
As always, make sure you understand the terms of any bets you make as well as what qualifies as a “win”, never wager more than you can afford, and bet safe!
Conclusion
As you can see, there’s a wide number of ways to bet on the throw-in (like so many other parts of soccer besides which team won!).
Consider the teams that are playing and whether they’ve a previous track record for a high (or low) number of throw-ins, how their passing stats look, and whether this tends to be during the first or second halves of the game, or overall.
The more prep work you do, the better the odds of a successful bet.
See Also
Corner
Offside
Goal Kick
