What Is the Team to Kick Off Bet — Explanation with Example

Team to kick off is a betting market where bettors predict which team will start with the ball at the beginning of a match.

Note: Kick off betting is a popular concept in sports like soccer, American football, rugby, and minifootball. In tennis, it’s called a “serve,” but the concept is similar.

Different bookies may offer this market under slightly different names, such as “Team to Kick Off” at bet365 or “Which Team Will Kick Off the Match” at 1xBet.

Note: This market hinges on a coin toss conducted by the referee before the match, making the outcome entirely random and independent of team performance.

How Does the Team to Kick Off Betting Work?

Just like calling heads or tails, each team has a 50% chance of winning the right to kick off. This is because it’s determined by a coin toss between the team captains. 

Before the game’s opening whistle, the referee and team captains huddle up at the center circle. The coin is flipped into the air, and the winning captain makes a strategic choice: either to kick off or to select which goal to attack in the 1st first half. The losing captain is left with the remaining option.

The referee’s tossing the coin

• Placing the Bet: Before all this coin-flipping action, you can place a wager on which team you believe will win the coin toss and kick off.
• Odds and Stakes: Bookmakers set the betting odds for each team to kick off, typically reflecting a 50/50 probability due to the random nature of the coin toss. For example, the odds might be set at 1.90 for each team.
• Outcome Determination: As soon as the coin lands and the referee announces the result, the bookies quickly settle the bets. 

Real-World Example of Team to Kick Off Betting

Let’s say it’s the season opener between Inter Milan and Empoli FC. The coin is tossed, and Inter Milan wins. Opting to start with the ball, they take the kick-off. 

Bettors who chose them for the ‘Team to Kick Off’ bet are immediately declared winners, even before the match tempo sets in.

So, if you place a $50 bet on Inter Milan to kick off and they win the coin toss, your potential return would be:

• Winnings: $50 * 1.90 = $95
• Profit: $95 – $50 (stake) = $45

Note: You might be wondering, “Why are the odds 1.90 and not 2.00 if it’s a 50/50 chance?” Well, this is because of something called the “vig”, which is essentially the bookmaker’s profit margin. So, for odds of 1.90, you’d get $1.90 for a $1 bet, not $2.00. That $0.10 difference is the bookmaker’s profit.

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