Betting On Cards in Football

Betting on cards is an underrated football betting category. It offers unique opportunities for strategic bettors who understand game intensity and player behavior.

To make an accurate prediction, you must research and know about different match aspects, like the referee and the team’s playstyle, before it starts.

Below, you will find all the information to look for and keep in mind before betting on cards. 

Betting on cards is a type of football betting where bettors predict and place bets on the occurrence of cards during a match. 

Referees give football players cards for unethical behavior. Yellow cards serve as warnings, while red cards mean that the players must be sent off the pitch and can’t start the next match.

With card betting, bettors focus on specific events during the match instead of the final game results. You can place a bet on who will be the first to receive a yellow card or which team will get the most red cards. 

Moreover, based on past statistics, betting on cards is more predictable than other bets.

Different types of football competitions have different rules and intensity, which impacts card bets.

National Football Leagues

Local tournaments have strict card rules. For example, Premier League players who receive five yellow cards in their last 19 games will be given a one-match suspension.

Meanwhile, in La Liga a player who gets a red card or two yellow cards in the game must sit out the next league game and get ten cumulative disciplinary points.

National championships are high-stakes games with many fouls. In many national championships, players get a one-match suspension after receiving two yellow cards from different matches, so you must keep track of past statistics.

The rules increase the importance of tracking player history and tendencies for accurate bets.

International Competitions

Football players in club and national competitions, such as the UEFA Champions League, Europa League, FIFA World Cup, or Copa America, often play with increased emotions and aggression. The playstyle typically leads to more yellow cards, making it an ideal setting for card betting.

There are numerous markets for card betting on online betting sites, but some of the most popular ones are betting on:

• Total Number of Yellow/ Red Cards: The total number of yellow or red cards issued during the game.
• First Yellow/ Red Card: The player or team who will receive the first yellow or red card.
• Most Yellow/ Red Cards: Team who will receive the most yellow cards during a game.
• Over/ Under Yellow/ Red Cards: The number of yellow or red cards during the game will be over or under a specific amount.
• Last Yellow/ Red Card: Team or player who will receive the last yellow or red card.
• Team Yellow/ Red Card Points: Total yellow or red card points for a team. The points are calculated by multiplying the card number by 10.
• Half with Most Yellow/ Red Cards: Half of the match which will have the most yellow or red cards.

There are several tips you can use for better card betting predictions.

Track Who Is the Referee

Knowing who the referee is and how they are more likely to act during a game will give you an advantage in predicting how likely you are to get a yellow or red card. Look at past games and how the referees act, if they are forgiving or strict.

Referee tendencies affect the number of yellow and red cards issued during a game more than many bettors imagine. Some referees tend to be stricter and quicker to issue yellow and red cards for fouls, while others are more forgiving. 

Learn How the Team Plays

Understanding how a team plays will help predict the chances of getting a yellow or red card. Know how aggressive teams get and how many fouls they tend to have.

Use Live Betting

Using live betting lets you adjust your bets based on the game situation. Your predictions will be more accurate if you see how teams play first. Moreover, the odds can increase depending on how the game starts.

Check Recent Player History

Keep track of the player’s recent yellow and red card history, as too many yellow cards reflect in suspension. 

Therefore, players who got too many yellow cards in previous matches will be cautious not to receive a yellow card again or get suspended. 

Meanwhile, the suspended players won’t receive as many yellow cards as they will not play for too long.

Notice Rivalry Matches and Derbies

Rivalry card betting and derby games are more intense than normal ones, leading to a higher likelihood of yellow or red cards. The matches are played with emotions on the fields and usually many fouls.

Many aspects, such as weather, referees, injuries, playstyles, or match importance, influence card betting.

Weather and Conditions

Check out the forecast for the day the game will happen. Players commit more fouls in rainy or slippery conditions than during sunny weather. Wet or muddy pitches lead to more physical play and increase the chances of yellow or red cards. 

Less ideal conditions lead to an increase in tackles and challenges on the field.

Injuries and Absence

Injuries and absences affect gameplay and yellow or red cards. Check if all the players will be present in the game and if anyone on the team has had any recent injuries.

Teams with missing role players can have more aggressive tactics than in previous games to compensate for weaker line-ups, which results in more yellow or red cards. 

Likewise, a team missing its most aggressive player will result in fewer yellow or red cards with a more passive gameplay.

Team Playstyle

Team playstyle is no less important than any other fact regarding card betting.

Teams known for aggressive style and high-pressing tactics will commit more fouls and get more yellow and red cards. 

Meanwhile, teams focusing on possession and controlling style tend to receive fewer cards.

Player Style

Player style is as important as team playstyle for card statistics.

Players called “thugs” are aggressive and prone to physicalities, which makes them receive more yellow and red cards.

You can notice the player styles from previous matches they participated in and how physical they got. 

How Important the Match Is

The match’s importance contributes to the intensity and physical activity during the game.

In high-stakes games like finals or teams wanting to raise their ranks, players are more aggressive and willing to take risks for better results.

The aggressive and risky behaviors increase the likelihood of yellow and red cards from the referee during the game.

Betting on cards is an underrated and exciting betting category. 

You can simply make accurate predictions by doing enough research about teams, referees, statistics, weather conditions, rules, and matches beforehand.

With preparation and analysis, you increase your chance of succeeding when betting on cards in football. Thus, you’ll enjoy card betting if you prefer betting based on data and strategy.