What Does To Win To Nil Mean?

Dan Fitch

Betting Expert

Updated: 12 February 2024

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To win to nil is a type of wager where you bet on a team to win a game while not conceding a goal. We’re going to explain exactly how these type of bets work, so that you can confidently place one yourself.

How to Win to Nil Betting Works

This type of bet is very simple. You are betting on a team to win, while not conceding a goal. If you make this bet, you need your team to win 1-0, or 2-0, or 3-0, or 4-0, or by an even bigger margin, while keeping a clean sheet.

Punters place this bet in order to get a better return when backing a team to win in the win draw win market (also known as 1×2). By adding an extra element to a side’s victory, there is a bigger price for albeit a more risky bet.

It can be a useful option when you want to back strongly-fancied teams who are priced at short betting odds in the regular match result. The win to nil market is thus appealing to punters in such scenarios. It can help you hunt out some value betting opportunities that otherwise wouldn’t be there without this option.

Home Team to Win to Nil Explained

Typically, punters will bet on a team to win a game to nil, when they are playing at home. Sides tend to be more dominant in possession at their home ground and therefore less likely to concede.

In the 2022-23 Premier League season, Manchester United kept clean sheets in 58% of their home games, which is more than half the matches at Old Trafford. When playing away games, however, their clean sheet ratio dropped to 32%.

So though these bet types are riskier than betting on a straight win, it can be a calculated risk. If a team are regularly keeping clean sheets in home football matches, then it can be worth the extra level of complexity, in order to secure the bigger price.

Let’s show you an example, which demonstrates how the odds can be much bigger for a victory in which the team does not concede. Imagine Aston Villa are at home to Chelsea. They are 19/20 to win the match. If you back them to enjoy a to nil victory, then those odds jump to 10/3.

Away Team to Win to Nil Explained

It is rarer for an away team to win without conceding, but it is still a reasonably common occurrence. Sides with a strong defensive record may look to grind out a 1-0 away win.

Then there are world class teams like Manchester City. Pep Guardiola’s side kept clean sheets in 32% of their away games in the Premier League in 2022-23, which was roughly a third and almost as good as their home clean sheet record of 37%.

So backing an away team to win in this market can make sense. Again, the odds will take a big leap. It’s just a question of finding the right opportunity.

Sometimes that doesn’t mean backing the best team, but a side travelling to a weak opponent. Let’s say that West Ham are facing a Sheffield United team are struggling to score goals. The Hammers are 8/15 to win away. Add for the Londoners to not concede in that win and the odds rise to 11/5.

What Does Win Not to Nil Mean?

We’ve spoken about how this form of bet can be successful. Now let’s take a look at how it can lose.

There are two elements that must come together for your wager to be a winner. You are essentially placing a double of a match winner bet and for that team to also keep a clean sheet.

So if the team that you have backed either draws or loses, then your bet will be unsuccessful. This can include a 0-0 draw, where your team has kept a clean sheet, but has failed to win.

Then you have the to win not to nil meaning. That is when the team wins, but also concedes. This can include common scorelines such as 2-1 or 3-2.

Pros & Cons of Win to Nil Bets

Having explored the win to nil meaning, let’s take a look at the pros and cons of the bet.

How to Use Win to Nil Betting Statistics

If you’re placing bets on teams to win games while also keeping clean sheets, you want to be armed with a little extra knowledge. It is a riskier bet, so you need to be sure of your reasoning and that means doing plenty of research.

You need to concentrate on key statistics that are pertinent to this market. Current form is vitally important and you want to see evidence of defensive strength. When it comes to team form, you are looking for recent examples of the team winning while not conceding. Make sure you check the home or away records, that are relevant to the team that you are looking to bet on.

Don’t forget to check the opposition’s stats. The team you are backing might be adept in their defensive performance, but that might not be much use if they’re up against a side that normally scores. Look into the opposition’s home/away form and the sort of teams that they tend to score against and which ones they draw blanks against.

Also make sure that you look into the head-to-head statistics, which reveal the past results between the teams. Even the best sides around can have bogey teams that they struggle to beat, or have close games with, containing goals from both teams.

Advice & Tips for Making Successful Win to Nil Predictions

It pays to employ some betting strategy when getting involved in this market. Here are some tips that will help you when making your win to nil predictions.

Best Bookmaker for a Win to Nil Bet

By now you should understand the to win to nil meaning and be ready to place such a bet yourself. Every bookmaker will provide this market, whether you’re betting on the Champions League or non league matches. Any of our recommended betting sites would be a good choice, but bet365 are a good pick, as they feature strong odds, expert betting advice and a cash out facility.

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Dan Fitch

Betting Expert

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