First Team to Score – Football Sports Betting Explained
Meaning:
This market allows you to bet on which team will score the first goal in a match.
You have three possible options:
- Home Team to score first
- Away Team to score first
- No Goal (if the game ends 0–0)
Detailed Explanation Using a Team Example
Let’s use a match example:
Example Match: Manchester City (Home) vs Brentford (Away)
1. Home Team to Score First – Manchester City
If you place this bet, you are predicting that:
Manchester City will score the opening goal of the match
If brentford scores first, the bet loses
If the match ends 0–0, the bet loses
Scenario Example:
- 11’ minute: Haaland scores for Manchester City → Your bet wins
- 20’ minute: Brentford score first → Your bet loses
2. Away Team to Score First – Brentford
This means:
Brentford will score the first goal of the match
If Manchester City scores first, the bet loses
If the match ends 0–0, the bet loses
Scenario Example:
- 7’ minute: Toney scores for Brentford → Your bet wins
- 12’ minute: Manchester City score first → Your bet loses
3. No Goal
You are predicting:
The match ends 0–0
If any team scores a goal, the bet loses
Scenario Example:
- Full time: 0–0 → Your bet wins
- Any goal scored → Your bet loses
More Detailed Breakdown
What affects “First Team to Score”?
- Attacking Strength – Teams like Manchester City, Bayern Munich, Real Madrid usually score early.
- Home Advantage – Home teams tend to start faster.
- Opponent’s Defensive Weakness
- Team Form & Motivation
- Injuries – Missing attackers or defenders changes the value.
Real Match Example:
Arsenal vs Nottingham Forest
If you bet:
Arsenal First Team to Score
- Arsenal attacks heavily early in most home games.
- If Saka scores in the 10th minute → Bet wins
- If Forest sneaks a counter-attack and scores first → Bet loses
If you bet:
Nottingham Forest First Team to Score
- If Forest scores first, even if they later lose 4–1 → Bet still wins
Betting Tips for First Team to Score
1. Check Early Goal Statistics
- Some teams score early regularly
- Some teams concede early in most matches
Example:
- Liverpool at home → very strong starters
- Newly promoted teams → often concede early
2. Consider Team Form
A team on a winning streak is more likely to start strongly.
3. Use Head-to-Head (H2H) History
If the home team usually scores first against that opponent, it’s a good sign.
4. Watch Out for Missing Key Players
If a team’s top striker is injured, that affects their chance of scoring first.
5. Live Betting Opportunity
If you watch the first 5–10 minutes:
- If one team is dominating possession and shots, they are likely to score first.
6. Avoid “No Goal” Except for Defensive Leagues
Examples:
- French Ligue 1
- Some Italian Serie A teams
- Matches with two defensive-minded coaches
Quick Summary
| Bet Option | What It Means | When the Bet Wins |
|---|---|---|
| Home Team to Score First | Home team scores opening goal | Home team scores first |
| Away Team to Score First | Away team scores opening goal | Away team scores first |
| No Goal | Match ends 0–0 | No goals scored at all |