What Does “To Qualify” Mean In Soccer Betting?
Written by
Joe - Poker PlayerLast updated:
January 22, 2024
Sports betting and more specifically, soccer betting has been evolving with a bunch of new markets being introduced by top online sportsbooks across the US and worldwide. Each betting market has unique betting opportunities, hits and misses, and values. Some markets, like “outright winner,” are pretty straightforward and popular due to their simplicity. There are less-known markets, like “To Qualify” or “To lift the trophy” markets that may seem complicated for sports punters and novice soccer bettors.
To Qualify bets are not widely available because they are offered only for matches in cup competitions or knockout stages, for instance, the World Cup, the FA Cup, or the Champions League. To Qualify simply means whether the team will qualify for the next round of the competition or not. But how do “To Qualify” bets work? Is it the same as the “To Lift The Trophy” bet? When should you place such bets? Answers to these and more questions are what we cover in this article.
What Is “Qualify For The Next Round” Bet In Soccer?
It is simply the same as To Qualify and means whether the team A you are betting on moves on to the next round of the tournament that they are playing in. For instance, suppose Chelsea is playing against Liverpool in the EFL Cup. In this case, you may find the match winner market as well as Qualify For The Next Round market to bet on. But what is the difference between an outright match winner and to qualify bet?
“To Win” the match bets are settled after the end of 90 minutes and extra times or penalties are not involved.
The main difference is that the match winner bets will be settled once the 90 minutes, including injury times, ends. It means when the match runs into extra time, the outcome will be irrelevant. But the team to qualify market includes the result after extra time or penalties. Another difference is that the match winner could be not the same as the team that qualifies for the next round. For example, Chelsea could win the game against Liverpool but not qualify for the next round of EFL(in a two-legged tie where the winning team is determined by the sum of the two matches).
“To Qualify” & “Lift The Trophy”: Same Or Different?
No. The two markets are not the same, even if they are pretty similar on a fundamental level. First and foremost, remember that when it comes to betting on cup competitions, you will come across only one of these two markets, not both. They are similar bets but differ depending on what stage the competition is. Sportsbooks offer a “qualifier,” “progressor,” or “to qualify” betting line for any matches earlier than the final during tournaments as long as it is in the knockout stage, not the group stage. But when it comes to the final match, where there are only two teams left, and the outcome determines the champion, you will be offered the lift the trophy betting option as there are no more rounds to be qualified for.
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How To Place A “To Qualify” or “ To Lift A Trophy” Bet?
First, you should find a trusted sportsbook that offers such betting markets with competitive odds. We did the hard work and handpicked the best US online sportsbooks to bet on a qualifier or trophy winner. Check out the Casino detailed reviews, pick the one that best suits you, click “Play Now” to claim your bonus, and start winning.
Next, you should check the match. Whether it is a one-legged tie cup or a two-legged cup tie because the betting options and their meaning differ in each case. Let’s see how. Suppose you want to bet on the one-legged FA Cup semi-final between Manchester City and Manchester United. You are a die-hard Man United fan and believe they will book their place in the final. If you place a “to win” bet on Man United, they must win the match in 90 minutes for your bet to pay out. But if you bet on them “to qualify,” The Red Devils could win in 90 minutes, extra time, or on penalties. Because the ”to qualify” bet has no limitation for the method of victory.
The same principles apply to two-legged cup ties. Suppose you want to bet on the two-legged Champions League quarter-final between Real Madrid and Bayern Munich. Real Madrid wins the first leg 2-0 and you believe they can win the second leg as well in Germany. If you bet on Real Madrid to win the second contest, your wager will pay out if the team wins by any margin. But if you place a “to qualify” bet, they must get the ticket to the semi-finals with any win, any draw, a one or two-goal defeat.
How Does The Odds Work?
The odds for ”to qualify or to lift the trophy” are shorter when it comes to one-legged cup ties compared to the “to win” bets. Because in these scenarios the draw option is eliminated. “To win” markets offer draw options because bets are settled after 90 minutes but it cannot be an option for ”to qualify or to lift the trophy” markets as there is no possibility for a draw to happen.
Things get more complicated with two-legged ties because there is an advantage of playing on home turf with these contests. For instance, Bayern Munich may be +150 to qualify overall but they are -125 to win their home leg.
When Should You Place A To Qualify Or To Lift The Trophy Bet?
Knockout games are the perfect time to bet on the qualifier or trophy market. However, it is not the best soccer betting approach for tightly contested knockout games. Sometimes, being more aggressive and betting on Team X to win in extra time or Team Y to win on penalties could be more rewarding. As a general rule of thumb, in the case of the following scenarios, placing a “to Qualify or to Lift the Trophy” bet is a good idea:
- Strong favorite: betting on a qualifier is a good choice when you are pretty confident in one team prevailing but you are not confident enough that they would prevail in 90 minutes.
- Two-legged ties: When you are confident that a team has what it takes to secure a place in the next round but you are not sure how they would do it, it is a good idea to place a “to qualify for the next round” bet instead of betting on them “to win” the home/away leg.
Wrap-Up: Is “To Qualify” Bet Worth It?
Yes, it does. As explained above, when it comes to knockout games where a draw is no longer an option and the winning team can win by any margin during the extra time or penalties, placing a “to qualify” bet is the best option to lock in profit. Just make sure to keep in mind the difference between the markets and how the match outcome can affect the outcome of your bet.
To Qualify In Soccer Betting FAQs
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What Soccer Matches Feature To Qualify Betting Market?
Knockout games and cup competition matches are when online sportsbooks offer to qualify line. For example, the World Cup, or clubs to reach the knockout phases of the Champions or Europa League each season. Qualification bets apply to any soccer event with multiple advancement rounds.
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How Does Your Bet Get Graded If You Wager On A Team To Qualify In Soccer?
Your wager will be graded as a win if the team ultimately meets the qualifying criteria set out in advance, regardless of any single game results or scores along the way.
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Can You Create A Parlay With A To Qualify Bet?
Yes. You can combine two or more outcomes or even two or more qualifiers into a single parlay ticket.
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Do "To Qualify" Bets Include Extra Time, Penalty Shootouts, Or Playoffs?
Yes. To qualify bets include extra times, penalties, and playoffs unless otherwise stated by the sportsbook.
