What Counts as a Shot on Target in Football Betting?

It seems that these days punters have an almost limitless supply of markets to bet on when it comes to football. And it’s not just the Premier League, elite European competitions and major internationals that offer multiple betting markets.

You can find interesting betting options and opportunities to build your own bet on league and cup games from around the world. And one increasingly popular bet is shots on target.

How Are These Betting Options Available?

The array of betting markets available is made possible by the enhanced stats now available to bettors and bookies. For bets like ‘shots on target’ or ‘total shots’, it’s possible to find data that informs you which players have had the most over the season or in the last few games and place your bet accordingly. And while there can never be any guarantees, this brings another element to football betting.

What Counts as a Shot on Target?

For statistical and betting purposes, a shot on target is a deliberate attempt at goal that would have gone in had it not been saved by the goalkeeper or blocked by a player in lieu of the goalkeeper not being the last man. So, if a forward rounds the goalkeeper but then has their shot cleared off the line by a defender, that counts as a shot on target.

If a player shoots from outside the box and their shot is intercepted by a defender who is not the last man, it is defined as a blocked shot (another betting market). Hitting the bar or post is considered off target unless the ball deflects in off the woodwork and goes in or is saved by a member of the defending team.

In a cup game that has the potential to go to extra time, only events that take place within the 90 minutes are accepted for betting purposes.

What Do Football Punters Look for With This Type of Bet?

There are several angles that football bettors take when it comes to placing bets on shots on target. Some look for players who have a recent good record of scoring goals or just having shots on target, regardless of the outcome. Bookies often highlight players who have been regularly hitting the target in recent games.

Other bettors look at the opposition. A team with a poor defensive record that concedes a lot of goals is likely to have a lot of shots on their goal. If their goalkeeper is scoring highly in fantasy football despite conceding heavily, this can be an indication that they are making lots of saves. And for this bet, that makes no difference to you as a bettor.

Then there are those who simply rely on their knowledge of the game. Maybe they’ve seen a striker who looks to be improving and their team is playing against a weakened defence this week. Or perhaps a team with a free-kick specialist is playing against an opposition that frequently gives away fouls.

Shots on target betting can add another layer of fun to sports betting and give punters something else to think about. But it’s worth noting that even the best strikers in the world rarely hit more than 2 shots on target in any one game. And it’s not unknown for the likes of Erling Haaland or Harry Kane to play well and still not register a single shot on target in 90 minutes.