What are Total Booking Points in Betting?

One of the simplest football betting markets to study and analyze to place more assertive bets is total booking points. It consists of betting on the number of cards received by players during matches. Each type of card, yellow or red, represents a number of points, which are added up at the end of the match to arrive at the total booking points. 

Then, bettors guess whether the total booking points will be above or below the lines set by the bookmakers. As this depends on very objective factors that can be analyzed from the history of the athletes and referees, it is possible to predict with some certainty what will happen in the matches. Here, you will see how this market works and receive some tips on how to profit from it.

What Does Total Booking Points Mean in Betting?

Total booking points in betting means a bet on the number of cards that will be given by the referee to all players on the field in a football match. Each card received by the players adds a score to the total booking points, and the final value is the basis for the bet to be won or lost. The total booking points meaning in betting revolves around predicting this cumulative score based on historical data and match context.

Booking Points Values - Yellow, Red, and combined

To understand what total booking points are in betting, it is essential to know the score assigned by bookmakers for each type of card. The market standard is as follows:

• Yellow card - 10 points
• Red card - 25 points
• Red card after two yellow cards - 35 points

However, this may vary depending on the betting platform selected. In some cases, a yellow card is worth one point and a red card is worth two points. However, the 10, 25, and 35 point scheme is the standard in Africa.

How the Over/Under Booking Points Market Works

Based on the scoring pattern mentioned above, it is possible to understand how the market of total booking points works in betting. Taking as an example a match in which 4 yellow cards and one red card are awarded, the total booking points would be 65 (10 for each yellow card and 25 for the red card).

If one player receives two yellow cards and is sent off, five other players receive yellow cards, and one player receives a straight red card, the total would be 110 (35 + 50 + 25).

A very important factor is that only cards shown to players on the field are valid. As it is increasingly common in football for coaches, technical staff, and substitute players to be booked, it is essential to understand this.

The bookmaker will then set some betting lines, for example, Under/Over 35.5, Under/Over 45.5, Under/Over 30.0, and so on. Players then place their bets, and the total booking points must be above or below the value of the betting line used.

To better illustrate this, check out the example of a real match, the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup final between Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain. The following cards were shown:

• Chelsea - 4 yellow cards
• Paris Saint-Germain - 2 yellow cards and 1 red card

In other words, the cards shown to Chelsea players total 40 points (4x10), and the cards shown to PSG players total 45 points (2x10 for the yellow cards and 25 for the straight red card). Thus, the total booking points were 85.

In this match, a bettor who bet on the Over 75.5 line would win. However, if the bet was Under 75.5, the bet would be lost.

Meaning of Total Booking Points in Betting  Under 5.5

Knowing the meaning of total booking points in betting and how the scores are assigned, it is possible to clearly understand how the Under 5.5 line works, one of the rarest in football. Therefore, betting on Total Booking Points Under 5.5 will always have very high odds.

After all, this means that no player in the entire match will receive any cards. Anyone who follows football knows that this is very difficult to achieve, as the average number of cards in all leagues around the world far exceeds this. In some cases, however, such as in friendly matches, this can happen more easily.

Meaning of Total Booking Points in Football Betting

Knowing what total booking points in betting are, you will now see why this type of bet is so highly valued by professionals in the field. In addition, you will also have access to a number of alternative markets that can also be easily analyzed through statistics platforms.

Before that, it is worth remembering that bets on total booking points at good bookmakers, such as Afropari, can be placed both pre-match and live. This means that when watching matches, bettors will have a big advantage, for example, of betting on a high total booking points when they notice that the atmosphere between the athletes is becoming violent.

Betting on Discipline - Why It Matters

Betting on the discipline of players on the field is a very valuable strategy for bettors, especially those who want to make consistent profits in the long run. As total booking points is a market that depends on the Over/Under basis, it has relatively high odds that are in line with the main betting methods used by those who are experienced in the world of sports betting.

There are several factors that can be analyzed to better understand the trend of cards in a match. This makes bets very well-informed, which is always an advantage. You can take into account several statistics:

• The average number of cards each referee gives during matches, as each referee has their own style of disciplining players.
• Average number of cards for each team, also considering specific factors such as home or away games.
• The average number of cards each team causes their opponents to receive, as this is a factor that can increase when a team has provocative players with good dribbling skills and speed.
• The atmosphere of the match, as in classic matches with big rivalries, the average number of cards tends to be much higher.
• History of fights and altercations between specific players who will face each other in the match.

Betting Markets Alternatives

It is possible to diversify the bets placed on cards in a football match. Although the total booking points is a great market, this statistic presents a number of possibilities for bettors:

• Bet that a specific player will receive a yellow or a red card.
• Bet on the total number of cards of each type, yellow or red.
• Bet on which team will receive the first or last card of the match.
• Bet on the total booking points in the first and second halves of the match.
• Bet on the total number of cards for each team.
• Bet on the exact number of cards in the match.
• Bet on the exact total booking points.

Tips for Betting on Total Booking Points in Africa

Knowing what factors you should take into account when betting on total booking points, such as the history of the referee and the athletes, you can better understand the tips for winning much more in this market. The first tip is to understand the total booking points rule of the bookmaker you use, as the score for each type of card may vary.

Then, it is recommended to choose a league to focus your bets on, as this will allow you to quickly get used to the style of the referees, the history of the players, and the biggest rivalries in that league. To help you, here is an average of cards awarded in some of the major championships on the African continent and around the world:

• Africa Cup of Nations Qualification - Average of 3.35 cards per game, with 1.4 for the home team and 1.94 for the away team. The team with the highest average is Burundi, with 2.33 per game.
• Africa World Cup Qualification - Average of 3.25 cards per game, with 1.61 for the home team and 1.64 for the away team. The highest average is Mozambique, with 1.67 per game.
• Spanish La Liga - 4.79 yellow cards and 0.23 red cards per game.
• English Premier League - 4.37 yellow cards and 0.15 red cards per game.
• Brazilian Championship - 5.59 yellow cards and 0.35 red cards per game.

As you can see, national leagues have a much higher average number of cards than international competitions. This is a pattern that can be seen all over the world. On statistics platforms, you can also follow the leagues with the highest average number of cards worldwide, which can be a good idea when selecting a specific championship. In this case, the leagues in South American countries stand out, largely due to the style of play adopted on the continent. These are the leagues with the most cards per game worldwide:

On football statistics platforms, you can also see which players receive the most cards worldwide, which is a good idea for betting on the alternative market for booked players. In addition, you can find out which teams have the highest average number of cards per game. That's why it is important to know what is total booking points in betting.

Common Questions Around Total Booking Points

What Are Booking Points in Betting? How does total booking points work in betting?

Booking points in betting is a score assigned by bookmakers to each card shown during a football match. Yellow cards have one value and red cards have another, so bettors bet on whether the total booking points will be above or below the value set by the betting platform and online casino. The standard is 10 for yellow cards, 25 for red cards and 35 for a red card due to 2 yellow cards.

What Is the Meaning of Total Booking Points in Betting?

The meaning of total booking points in betting is the sum of the scores assigned to the yellow and red cards shown by the referee in a football match. Each card color has a different score. 

What are Total Booking Points in Betting Under 5.5?

As the standard is that a yellow card is worth 10 points and a red card is worth 25 points, Under 5.5 in total booking points in betting means that no player will receive a card during the match. This is an extremely rare situation, which is why it has very high odds.