How penalty shootouts work and betting on penalties
There is a default belief among England fans that penalty shootouts are bad. Of course, England have lost two-thirds of the shootouts they’ve been in, and suffered heartbreak as recently as 2021 during the European championship final against Italy.
But in 2024 they beat Switzerland 5-3 in the shootout, with all five players scoring from the spot. Perhaps they’ve turned a corner?
If you’re new to football – and particularly football betting – then you might not know how shootouts work.
Well, that’s where Paddy Power comes in. In this guide we’ll explain the rules of a penalty shootout so you’re prepared for when it next happens.
See, too, what penalty betting options are available on Paddypower.com!
How penalty shootouts work
Penalty shootouts are the ultimate way to split two teams and find a winner to either advance to the next round of a competition, or win the whole thing.
A shootout consists of five penalty kicks for both teams. Whichever team has scored most after five each wins the game.
Now, if the scores are level after five penalties each then the shootout goes to sudden death. Here, if a team scores their penalty and their opponent doesn’t score, then the scoring team win.
Games only reach the penalty shootout stage if:
- The match ends in a draw in normal time and a draw after 30 minutes of stoppage time
- A two-legged tie (such as in the Champions League) ends in a draw on aggregate (across both legs) after normal time and a draw after 30 minutes of stoppage time
Who decides which goal for a shootout
Before the shootout, the referee will bring the captains of both teams together to perform a coin toss. Whoever wins the toss will be allowed to choose:
- Whether to go first or second, or
- Which goal to shoot towards
Penalty shootout betting explained
There are a number of bets you can place on penalty shootouts. Here are the options for football betting fans who sign up to Paddy Power today!
- Team to go through – If you’re betting on a Champions League or European Championship knockout match, you can bet on Home Win, Draw or Away Win within 90 minutes. Or you can bet on which team will go through to the next round (or win, if it’s the final). This bet factors in penalty shootouts and means your bet isn’t lost if the game ends in a draw.
- Win on penalties – You can bet on the method of victory for teams in the knockout stages of major tournaments like the Champions League and World Cup. For example, you might bet England Penalty Shootout as the ‘method’ of a match between the Three Lions and Germany.
- Live penalty betting – Keep an eye out on the Paddy Power sportsbook for any live penalty shootout betting options. Depending on the game, you might be able to bet on the match winner as penalties are being taken. If this is the case, be prepared for big swings in the odds!
- Player specials – Look out, too, for player special bets on penalties. This can include backing a player to score the winning penalty in a shootout or, conversely, to miss the crucial spot kick.
England penalty shootout record
England’s penalty shootout record isn’t great but it’s also not disastrous. England have competed in 11 shootouts in their history. They’ve won four of them – the most recent being against Switzerland at Euro 2024. So, a 36% hit rate for the Three Lions.
- World Cups – Won 1 of 4 shootouts
- European Championships – Won 2 of 6 shootouts
- Nations League – Won 1 of 1 shootouts
Scotland penalty shootout record
Scotland, meanwhile, are yet to taste penalty shootout glory or heartbreak at a major tournament. In fact, they’ve only faced two shootouts in their history. Both came during Euro 2020 qualifying and both were successful.
Scotland have never missed a penalty in a shootout, let alone lost one.
- European Championships Qualifying – Won 2 of 2 shootouts
Does a penalty shootout count as a win in betting?
Penalty shootouts only count as a win in betting if you have backed a team to either progress to the next round or, if it’s a final, lift the trophy. Otherwise, your standard win bet will be settled on 90 minutes.
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