If you make a wager of under 2 in soccer, you are betting there will be less than two goals scored in the entire game. In the world of gambling, this type of bet is also known as an over/under wager.
Unless you are making a wager on what a specific team may do in a game, with an under 2 bet in soccer it doesn't matter which teams score the goals. All that matters is if the number of goals is more or less than 2. Since you are betting the under, you are hoping for a scoreless draw or a game that ends with a score of 1-0.
Because soccer is generally a low-scoring sport- particularly when it involves games on the higher levels - seeing the number 2 on an over/under line is not at all unusual. Most times, however, is it also accompanied by a .5, which makes for the much more common line of 2.5. In addition to the fact that the average soccer game has more than two goals, the reason the .5 is added is to ensure there will be winners and losers of the bet. If the line is 2 and the game ends up with two goals, the bet is neither a winner nor a loser and the bookmaker must return your money.
As is the case with most soccer bets, the thing to remember is where the game is at the end of regulation play is the only thing that counts. As such, it is of no consequence what happens if extra time is played or the game goes to penalty kicks in terms of the over/under. Extra time and penalty kicks occur when a winner must be determined and often are found in cup (or tournament) play. You can also make a bet on which team you think will advance even if extra play or penalty kicks are required, but this kind of wager is in a separate category from the over/under.
Determining the over/under on a soccer line hinges on many factors. Perhaps the most important is which teams are playing. Some teams are more inclined to attack and tend to score more goals than others.
When making an under 2 bet, also take into account how these teams have fared against each other in the past or whether one of them is on a hot streak for scoring goals. Similarly, look to see if one of the teams has been stout defensively and has been recording clean sheets, which is another way of saying a shutout.
Injuries can also come to play. Is a team missing a key defender or its No. 1 goalie? Is a team missing its star forward who is unable to play? In short, if you spend time doing your homework and studying the teams it will result in you making a more informed wager.
