Hey all, diving into the weirder side of football betting today. One thing I’ve been digging into lately is bets on stuff like total throw-ins or how many times a keeper touches the ball in a match. These markets don’t get as much love as corners or goals, but there’s some real value if you know where to look. For example, throw-ins depend a lot on how teams play—possession-heavy sides like Man City rack them up less than scrappy mid-table squads. Stats from last season show an average of 40-50 per game in the Premier League, but it spikes in tighter games or with teams that love long balls.
The catch? Bookies aren’t always consistent with these lines, and some cap how much you can put down since they’re niche. Still, if you’ve got a hunch on a chaotic match—like a relegation scrap—you might catch an edge before the odds tighten up. Anyone else been playing around with these obscure markets? Curious what you’ve seen work or flop.
Alright, mate, you’re digging into the wild side of football betting—love that. I’ll pivot a bit since I’m usually neck-deep in rugby, but the logic tracks across sports. Those obscure markets like throw-ins or keeper touches are gold if you’ve got the patience to crunch the numbers and watch the patterns. You’re spot on about team style driving those stats—possession sides kill the throw-in count, while the long-ball merchants pile them up. It’s the same in rugby betting, honestly. I’ve been hooked on stuff like total tackles or ruck speed lately—things punters overlook but can swing a wager if you know the teams.
Take rugby scrums, for instance. They’re like your throw-in example—depend on how a side plays. A pack that dominates possession, like South Africa’s forwards, might not give you as many reset scrums as a chaotic, scrappy outfit like Fiji. Last season’s Six Nations had games averaging 10-12 scrums, but it’d spike to 15+ in wet, messy matches where the ball’s slipping everywhere. Bookies don’t always clock that—they’ll set a lazy line, and if you’ve watched enough tape, you can pounce. Same vibe with your keeper touches: a team that hoofs it upfield keeps the goalie idle, while a build-from-the-back squad has him sweating.
The trap’s in the variance, though. One dodgy ref or a freak play—like a flukey bounce or a red card—can torch your bet, and those niche markets don’t give you much wiggle room. I’ve had tackles bets go bust because a team decided to kick everything instead of truck it up, and I’d guess your throw-in hunch could flop if a side switches tactics mid-game. Plus, the caps on stakes are a pain—nothing worse than spotting value and only being able to chuck a fiver on it. Still, the edge is there if you’re obsessive. I’ve nailed a few rugby overs on lineout steals when I knew a jumper was off-form—sounds like you’ve had similar wins with those relegation scraps.
Been mulling a football-rugby hybrid approach myself—maybe pairing throw-in overs with tackle counts in a multi-sport acca. Risky as hell, but the payouts tempt you. You ever tried crossing those wires, or do you stick to one sport? Either way, I’m keen to hear how your next weird wager pans out—those bookie blind spots are where the real fun’s at.