Betting on cards has been increasing in popularity in recent years due to the excellent value that they offer. To bet on cards in any football game, you must select one or more players to be shown a yellow or red during the 90 minutes.
On this page we will show you how to place a bet on players picking up a yellow or their marching orders, including examples of a betting card tip, go through what is card betting and list some of the best card betting sites available.
What is Card Betting?
Any wager that you place on yellow or red cards is card betting. You might decide to bet on the accumulation of cards given out in a match or a specific player receiving a card.
Here are some typical examples of betting on cards:
Player Card Betting: Let’s say we are 10 minutes into the second half and Declan Rice has already been warned by the ref that is walking a thin line as he has committed several fouls during the match already. At this stage, placing a bet on Rice to get a booking will offer good value, as he is more than likely going to receive one for the next foul he makes.
Total Cards Betting: This is where you bet on the total number of cards given to both teams during a game. Targeting games notorious for being ‘feisty’ is the key here. Both the Merseyside Derby and the North London Derby, for example, would be good options here to bet on over 4.5 bookings which have a good chance to come through.
A lot of operators like setting the line at 4.5 cards, so let’s take a look at some matches that saw over/under 4.5 yellow and red cards from four matches in the Premier League last season.
| PL Round | Over 4.5 Yellows | Over 4.5 Yellows | Games with Red cards |
|---|---|---|---|
| Week 10 | 7 | 3 | 0 |
| Week 9 | 6 | 4 | 4 |
| Week 8 | 6 | 4 | 2 |
| Week 7 | 6 | 4 | 2 |
Best Betting Apps & Sites for Card Betting
When looking for the best bookmakers who provide card betting markets, there are a few things to keep in mind. You want a bookie that offers a good choice for points betting, a wide range of markets, some nice bet builder features and accumulator options and some boosts that can make the price even better.
Here are some bookies that cover all of those options.
888 Sport Card Betting
888 Sport has an excellent depth of coverage when it comes to card betting. You can bet on first bookings, a team to get a player sent off, a specific player to get sent off, total booking points and they also have handicaps card betting markets. The bookie goes into detail about how important it is for players to keep a note of stats and analysis on each team and players during the season so you can make a more informed decision. The sheer detail and information they have on card betting is very impressive.
Betfred Card Betting
Most bookies will just offer a ‘yes or no’ bet on whether a red card will be given. Since the introduction of VAR, referees can now go and check their decision on a monitor so can review any red cards they have handed out if instructed to do so. Betting on red cards is appealing as it offers good value to booking points bets. So I recommend betting on booking points on Betfred when you are trying to guess who will get sent off.
BetVictor Card Betting
Click on the match you are interested in on BetVictor and then click the cards and corners tab and you will be presented with a wide range of card betting options. You can bet on the time of the first card and which player or team will receive that card and any time carded player or team. They have a great range of handicap card betting options that cover pretty much everything. I will also say I love the way BetVictor presents these options, making it easy to find what you are looking for.
Betway Card Betting
Betway have a standalone cards tab where you will be able to choose total cards ranging from 1.5 up to 8.5. They also cover the team to get the first card and the team to get the most cards is at the bottom of the page. Everything is in one place which I really like, there is no need to scroll across or away from the page. I would like a bit more range but nevertheless, the card betting options on Betway are excellent.
How to make Card Betting predictions
Card betting might not be the first option that comes to mind when betting on football, but it should do, as it provides some of the best value you can get. Betting on a player to get a card has grown in recent years as punters realise that there is outstanding value there that you can take advantage of as bookies often misprice some selections.
Card betting tips can be submitted before a game starts. There are some things you should be before placing your tips, with research being at the top of the list. It is really important to follow trends and patterns so you can find a great price and then take advantage of it. Have a look through the history of some fixtures, what players in the league seem to be picking up regular cards, even form can play a part as some teams at the bottom may be up against it playing one of the top sides, which could lead to more cards as they become frustrated.
In addition, you can also make some card bets during the game. If it looks like the referee is losing a bit of control and the players are becoming more and more heated, there could be some good value there in a player receiving a card. If you are a football fan, you will sense when a game might just be about to boil over, it is then you need to strike, so using your instincts is also crucial.
What do Booking Points mean?
You might have noticed booking points mentioned on some betting sites. There are different to card betting tips, as you are choosing the total amount of cards that will be shown, and not betting on the player you think will receive them. Booking points are typically calculated as following:
- A yellow card is 10 booking points
- Two yellow cards leading to a red is 25 points
- A red card is 25 points
You are able to bet on how many points you think there will be by the end of the match. You should also be aware that a player earning two yellows, followed by a red, accumulates a maximum of 35 points for the game.
Example of Card Betting
I would look at games where I know there is a high chance it will get volatile, such as the Merseyside Derby or Spurs against Chelsea, which had one of the games with the most cards ever shown at the ‘Battle of the Bridge’ not long ago. When fixtures like these come up, I will look at the player stats prior to kick-off and pick out some players I think have a good chance of getting a card.
Let’s say we are betting on Spurs vs Chelsea and our team identified Cristian Romero as a player who plays on the edge and has a history of receiving yellow and red cards against pretty much anyone. I would click on the Spurs-Chelsea game on my chosen bookmaker and then find the tab for ‘player cards’.
I would then go through the lineups for both teams and click on Romero to receive a card if the price is suitable, and the selection then gets added to the bet slip. I could also place a double bet, choosing another player from the same game or another fixture using this same method.
