What are booking points? And how many booking points is a yellow card worth?

An increasing trend amongst the betting world is backing booking points related bets. Whether you’re sticking these in RequestABets or in singles, these wagers surround yellow and red cards but if you are to beat the bookies you need to first understand how they work. Here is everything you need to know about booking points.

What are booking points?

Booking points are the points attached to yellow and red cards shown in a football match, you can bet on these at most bookies as well as adding them into different bets to enhance your odds.

How do Booking points work and How much are yellow and red cards worth in booking points?

It’s rather simple when you get to grips with it. A yellow card is worth 10 points and a red card is worth 25 points.

Many people get confused around a second bookable offence, if a player is shown two yellows then a red that is worth 35 booking points rather than 45 as the second yellow isn’t counted and a red is awarded instead.

If a red card is later on reversed after an appeal the points will still remain from that game and your bet will be settled despite the result of an appeal.

As of this season managers can be shown yellow and red cards as can substitutes but more often than not the bookmakers don’t count these cautions towards the booking points total.

How to bet on booking points?

There are multiple markets available surrounding booking points the most prominent of which being; Total booking points, team most booking points and team most booking points (handicap).

In the instance above for the under 15 market to land you would need a maximum of one yellow card, for 15 to 35 you would need a maximum of one red and one yellow or three yellows, finally, for 40+ market four yellows or more would see you have a winning bet.

Handicap booking points betting is very similar to Asian handicap betting. If a team has +10 or -10 booking points handicap then it is as if they begin the game with a handicap of 10 points added on or 10 points deducted and will need to beat that handicap in order to land your bet.

There are three main things to consider when betting on booking points. Players, history and the referee.

Referees of course have a big impact so when you’re betting on booking points check out how frequently the official for that game gives out cards.

The players taking part is another huge factor, if a player is tough tackling they are likely to be cautioned, or if an attacker is known to dive a lot he is likely to get booked or even get someone carded with his theatrics so bare this in mind when making your selections.

The history of a game can also play a part. If it’s a derby or two teams challenging for the same positions, then the game is likely to get heated. Whereas if it is a game at the end of the season with nothing to play for then the teams are likely to take it easy.

Don’t feel too bad you had to read this article to find out what booking points mean. It could be worse… you could be watching US channel Fox and have to sit though a segment on ‘what those cards mean’.