Beyond match results: how to bet on player goals, assists, and cards

Whether you’re catching up on the latest chelsea news now or following matches across Europe, betting doesn’t always have to be about who wins or loses. A growing number of fans prefer to focus on individual players – will someone find the net, set up a teammate, or get their name in the referee’s book? These performance markets add a different layer of excitement, giving you more ways to read the game and often uncovering value that traditional match bets can’t offer.

Goalscorer Markets

One of the most established performance markets is the goalscorer bet. You can back a player to score first, last, or at any time during the match. The “anytime” option is the most flexible since it only requires one goal, while first and last scorer markets usually come with higher odds due to their lower probability.

Form and role within the team are the two biggest factors here. Strikers who take penalties or free kicks are always strong candidates, but midfielders arriving late in the box can also provide value. A deeper look at expected goals (xG) can help you identify players creating chances consistently, even if they haven’t been finishing them. 

Assist Markets

Betting on assists has grown in popularity, particularly as more sportsbooks expand their prop bet offerings. Here, the focus shifts from who finishes the move to who creates it. You’ll often find odds for “anytime assist,” but some bookmakers now offer more detailed props like the number of chances created or crosses delivered.

When it comes to assist betting, the spotlight usually falls on creative midfielders, tricky wingers, and set-piece specialists. Someone like Kevin De Bruyne is the textbook example – he regularly ranks near the top for expected assists (xA) and is almost always involved in Manchester City’s attacking moves. But value doesn’t only sit with the obvious names. Full-backs who constantly push forward, as we saw with Trent Alexander-Arnold at Liverpool, can quietly rack up assists across a season.

The tricky part with assist markets is that they rely on another player finishing the move. That makes them less predictable than goalscorer bets and places extra importance on understanding a team’s style. A midfielder who thrives on threading passes through the lines will look far more dangerous if paired with a striker who is in red-hot form. Likewise, players tasked with corners or free kicks can create several chances in a single game, giving them more ways to hit the assist column.

Cards and Discipline

The third key performance market revolves around discipline: yellow and red cards. Betting on a player to be booked is common, but you’ll also see markets for who receives the first card, who is sent off, or the total number of cards in a match.

Defensive midfielders and full-backs are often worth a look, as they regularly make challenges in dangerous areas. Historical foul data, disciplinary records, and match context all play big roles. Local derbies or high-stakes encounters typically produce more bookings. The referee’s tendencies are equally crucial; some officials consistently average more cards per game than others. A resource provides a detailed look at how referee statistics and player discipline intersect, helping bettors spot patterns before placing a wager.

Here’s a simplified example of how three players might compare for a “to be carded” market:

Putting It All Together

These markets – goals, assists, and cards – reward those who combine stats with a good feel for match situations. Goalscorer betting benefits from close analysis of finishing data and penalty duties. Assist markets lean on creativity metrics and tactical setups. Card betting is about understanding aggression, rivalry, and officiating.

Take, for example, a Champions League clash: a striker with high xG but no goals in recent games may be undervalued in anytime goalscorer odds. Meanwhile, a winger who leads the team in key passes could be a hidden gem in assist markets. At the same time a defensive midfielder who constantly throws himself into tackles to stop counter-attacks is always at risk of picking up a card, especially when facing opponents who thrive on quick transitions. It’s the kind of role where aggression isn’t optional – it’s part of the job.

For bettors, one way to approach this is by mixing things up rather than leaning on a single market. Combining a goalscorer bet with a “player to be booked” pick, for example, gives you two very different ways to win from the same match. It spreads the risk and makes the game more engaging, since you’re watching both ends of the pitch with equal interest.

Final Thoughts

Betting on player performance adds depth to football wagering and creates more ways to read a match. The challenge is balancing probability with value – goalscorer bets might feel obvious, but identifying the right assist or card market often provides the better edge.

The best strategy is research-driven: track player form, follow tactical changes, monitor referee assignments, and look beyond surface stats. Done right, these markets can offer a rewarding alternative to the traditional “who wins” question, giving you more reasons to watch every touch, pass, and tackle.