The chances of making correct forecasts on football matches are largely dependent on a number of variables. The First Goalscorer market falls into the category of the more challenging bet types and as such serves as an excellent example of this game’s unpredictability.

However, as with all football betting markets, some tips and processes may increase punters’ chances of landing a winning First Goalscorer wager.

In this article, we are going to concentrate on the essence of First Goalscorer bet markets, the players’ positions within a team, and their impact on the odds offered by bookmakers, as well as some lucrative cast betting options that punters may further explore.

First Goalscorer Explained

The First Goalscorer betting market is concerned with the players from both opposing teams who may score the first goal in the football match. The odds offered on First Goalscorer markets are the same as those for Last Goalscorer markets, and usually much higher than the ones for Anytime Goalscorer markets.

While we strongly suggest that punters should review and observe the individual terms and conditions concerning the First Goalscorer market of their selected bookmaker, there are some general rules and recommendations, which we should cover.

  1. Own goals do not count towards First Goalscorer bets. In cases of own goals, the First Goalscorer bet markets take into consideration the second goal scored in the football match. If the only goals in a game are own goals, then the No Goalscorer bet is the winning wager.
  2. Apart from instances of own goals, the No Goalscorer bet market offered by some sportsbooks is winning when the outcome of a football match is 0:0.
  3. In case you have decided to place a bet on a player to score the first goal but he does not play at all, then the bet is considered void and will be reimbursed.
  4. The player’s form is a factor of essential importance for the First Goalscorer bet markets. Checking it in advance increases the chances of landing a winning wager.
  5. Since injuries and suspensions can also change the team’s dynamics, punters should follow them closely.
  6. The First Goalscorer betting market usually spans the regular 90 minutes of football matches plus injury time. Extra time is usually excluded but there are some exceptions.
  7. Bettors should be on the lookout for promotional offers related to First Goalscorer bet markets. Some bookies double the offered First Goalscorer odds in case your selected player goes on to score another goal within the regular 90 minutes of the match.

Players’ Positions and First Goalscorer Market Odds

The players’ positions within a team and their scoring records are reflected in the odds offered by interactive bookmakers. We may illustrate this dependency by looking at a Premier League fixture between Everton and Newcastle United.

English Premier League
Everton vs Newcastle United
Striker/OddsMidfielder/OddsDefender/odds
EvertonRondon, Salomon/5.75Townsend, Andros/7.75Holgate, Mason/19.00
Newcastle UnitedWood, Chris/6.25Ritchie, Matt/13.00Dummett, Paul/19.00

As we can see from our table, strikers from both teams are given the lowest odds considering that their chances to score a goal are higher than those of players occupying midfielder and defender positions.

Sportsbooks are knowledgeable in this respect and would rarely offer good prices for high-scoring strikers. Attacking midfielders and goal-scoring center backs, on the other hand, may frequently bring value to the market. That is why we strongly recommend that punters consider the players’ scoring records carefully when tapping into the First Goalscorer bet markets.

Scorecast, Wincast, Timecast

Bookmakers usually do not allow punters to include linked markets from the same football match into a combo bet. These are referred to as vrelated contingencies, and cast betting is the sole way to place such bets.

All three of scorecast, wincast, and timecast betting incorporate the First Goalscorer market and are known for the lucrative odds offered by bookmakers.

Scorecast /First goalscorer and Correct Score/

The Scorecast market allows punters to bet on a player to score the first goal and the precise outcome of the same match.

First Goalscorer/TeamCorrect ScoreOdds
Alli, Dele/Everton1:041.00
Almiron, Miguel/Newcastle United0:141.00
Branthwaite, Jarrad/Everton2:1151.00
Wood, Chris/Newcastle United0:126.00

Sportsbooks also offer many other possible combinations between players and correct scores.

Wincast /First Goalscorer and 1×2/

Wincast betting combines a selection of the first goalscorer and the winning team.

First Goalscorer/Team1x2
Schar, Fabian/Newcastle United151.0081.0034.00
Longstaff, Sean/Newcastle United151.0067.0026.00
Keane, Michael/Everton26.0081.00201.00
Gordon, Anthony/Everton13.0051.00126.00

Just for the sake of comparison, the individual odds for Fabian Schar to score the first goal in the match are 12.00, whereas the combo bet of First Goalscorer and 1×2 for the same player are considerably higher.

Timecast /First Goalscorer and Time of goal/

Timecast betting is yet another double bet category. With this selection of two distinct events in the same football match, punters are betting on the player to score the first goal and the time of that goal (usually within 10 or 15 minutes-interval).

Conclusion

Betting on the player to score the first goal of the match is among the most popular options available to punters at land-based and online sportsbooks. While it is very easy to make sense of, it may pose great difficulties when it comes to landing a winning wager and making a decent profit. With 20 players to choose from (excluding goalkeepers), the task of predicting correctly the First Goalscorer may be quite challenging and does depend on a number of variables.

While considering the players’ positions is important, punters should not underestimate their overall performance in recent games, as well as the available statistics for the league they bet on.

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