Betting basics 1 October 2026

Correct Score "Other" Meaning: How Any Other Score Settles

By the Mzansi Betting Sites team · independent reviews of licensed SA bookmakers

In correct score betting, "other" means every final score that is not listed as its own option. If the match ends on a score the bookmaker did not price separately — say 5-1 or 4-4 — the "other" selection wins. Some bookmakers offer one "Other" option; others split it into any other home win, away win or draw.

What "other" means in a correct score market

A correct score market asks you to name the exact final score of a match. Because a football match can in theory end on dozens of scores, bookmakers only list the likely ones individually: 0-0, 1-0, 2-1, 3-1 and so on, usually up to three or four goals per side.

Everything beyond that list is grouped into a catch-all selection. That is the "other" option, also called "any other score" or "AOS". It is a real selection with its own odds, and it wins only if the final score is not one of the scores listed separately.

The important word is listed. "Other" does not mean "a score I did not pick". If you back 2-1 and the match ends 1-1, you lose, and the 1-1 backers win. "Other" only wins when the result falls outside the bookmaker's own list for that match.

One "Other" or three: how bookmakers split it

Bookmakers present the catch-all in two main ways, and the difference matters when you settle a bet in your head.

A single "Other" selection

Every unlisted score, whoever wins, falls into one option. A 6-0 home win, a 0-5 away win and a 4-4 draw all settle the same "Other" selection as a winner.

Split by result: any other home win, away win or draw

Here the catch-all is broken into three selections. An unlisted home win (for example 5-2) only pays "any other home win"; an unlisted away win (1-5) only pays "any other away win"; an unlisted draw (4-4) only pays "any other draw". If you back "any other home win" and the away side wins 0-5, your bet loses even though the score was not listed.

The table assumes the list stops before these scores. If a bookmaker happens to list 4-4 for a particular match, a 4-4 result pays the 4-4 selection instead, and every "other" option loses.

Correct score "other" meaning in Hollywoodbets

Hollywoodbets' soccer rules say the correct score market is settled on the result after the full 90 minutes, and that the "Other" option is the winner when the final score is different to the scores offered. Its own example is a 7-2 result: because 7-2 is not listed, the "Other" option for that match is the winning selection.

Two practical points follow for Hollywoodbets punters:

• Look at the list for your match. The scores offered can differ from match to match and between pre-match and live markets, so the boundary of "Other" moves too.
• Check how the option is labelled. The on-screen wording and whether "Other" is split by home, away and draw is set by the bookmaker and can change. The market rules on the site are the final word, not a screenshot someone shared.

You can read more about the bookmaker itself, including licence and payment options, in our Hollywoodbets review.

Why you must check the market rules

"Other" is one of the few selections where the same word can settle differently at two bookmakers. Before you place the bet, open the market or help section and check these points:

1. Which scores are listed. The catch-all starts where the list stops. A bookmaker that lists up to 4-3 has a narrower "Other" than one that stops at 3-2.
2. One option or three. A single "Other" pays on any unlisted score; a split version only pays on the matching result type.
3. Regular time only. Correct score markets normally settle on 90 minutes plus stoppage time. Goals in extra time and penalty shoot-outs usually do not count — but confirm it for cup matches.
4. Abandoned or postponed matches. Rules on voiding differ between bookmakers; the help page explains what happens to your stake.
5. Half-time markets. A half-time correct score has its own, shorter list and its own "Other" option. Do not assume the full-time boundary applies.

If the market rules and a tipster's explanation disagree, the rules win. Settlement is done by the bookmaker's own definitions, which is why we always tell readers to read them first.

Worked examples

Imagine a bookmaker lists every score up to three goals per side (0-0 to 3-3) and offers a single "Other" option.

• Final 3-2. 3-2 is listed. The 3-2 selection wins; "Other" loses.
• Final 4-1. Four home goals are beyond the list. "Other" wins.
• Final 2-2 after 90 minutes, 3-2 after extra time. The market settles on 2-2 at the end of regular time, so the 2-2 selection wins and "Other" loses.
• Final 0-4. Unlisted, so "Other" wins. With a split version, only "any other away win" would pay.

Payouts work the same way as any decimal-odds bet: stake multiplied by the odds. For example, a R10 stake on "Other" at odds of 21.00 would return R210 including the stake if it wins.

The odds, and the catch

"Other" is usually priced longer than the common scores such as 1-0 or 1-1, because high or lopsided scores are less common. How long depends on the match: when a strong side plays a weak one, lopsided scores are more plausible and the "Other" price shortens.

The catch is the same as for every correct score selection. There are many possible outcomes, so any single one is unlikely, and bookmakers build a bigger margin into correct score markets than into a simple match result. Treat correct score bets as a small-stake bet for interest, not a plan. We do not publish score predictions.

Correct score in multis and bet builders

You can often add a correct score selection, including "Other", to an accumulator with other matches. Because every leg must win, the long odds of a correct score leg make the whole slip much less likely to land. Our guide to accumulator and multi bets explains how the odds and the risk multiply.

Bet builders on the same match generally will not let you combine a correct score with markets it already decides, such as the match result, because the outcomes are linked. Where a builder does allow it, the price is adjusted for that link.

How other SA bookmakers handle it

Most licensed South African bookmakers, including Betway, offer correct score markets on major football leagues, but the list of scores and the label for the catch-all vary. Some show "Any Other Score", some "Other", and some split it three ways. If you compare prices across sites on our comparison page, make sure you are comparing the same definition, not just the same word.

If you are unsure about any betting term on your slip, our betting terms glossary explains the rest in plain English.

FAQ

What does "other" mean in correct score?

It means any final score that the bookmaker has not listed as a separate option. If the match ends on one of those unlisted scores, the "other" selection wins.

Does "other" include a draw?

With a single "Other" option, yes: an unlisted draw such as 4-4 counts. With a split market, only "any other draw" pays on an unlisted draw.

Do extra-time goals count for correct score?

Normally no. Correct score settles on 90 minutes plus stoppage time. Hollywoodbets' rules state the market is paid on the result after 90 minutes. Check the rules for any other bookmaker.

If I pick 2-1 and the result is 3-3, does "other" win?

Only if 3-3 is not listed. If 3-3 has its own selection, that selection wins and both 2-1 and "Other" lose.

Is betting on "other" a good strategy?

No selection is a strategy in itself. Every correct score bet, including "Other", is unlikely to win. Bet only what you can afford to lose, and if betting stops being fun, see our responsible gambling page or call the NRGP free on 0800 006 008.

More on this topic: Betting basics.