Player card stats are a crucial tool for football bettors. ThePuntersPage stats hub provides you with a wealth of information regarding this metrics, so read on to discover more about card stats and how to maximise your chances of landing a win.
What Are Player Card Stats & Why Are They Relevant?
Player card stats are an overview of all yellow and red cards received by players during the season.
With several betting opportunities involving player cards, card stats are a vital research tool. You can find out which players are more likely to pick up bookings or even receive straight red cards. This info can then be used to predict how many cards are likely to be shown in a particular match.
ThePuntersPage stats hub covers a range of leagues and competitions and can be filtered by club, league or competition, player or position, meaning you can find key football card stats related to your bet in a couple of clicks.
How do Player Card Stats Influence Betting Markets?
The main markets involving player card stats are player props, where you can bet on the first player to be booked or specific players to receive cards, and Over/Under betting, where you can wager on the number of cards to be awarded in a match. Cards can also be added to bet builders.
Card stats can be used directly when looking to bet on players to pick up red and yellow cards. If you use the foul stats alongside this, then you can predict whether the teams and players involved concede and/or draw a lot of fouls, which might affect the number of cards.
When betting in-play, the odds on cards will constantly change. If there are bookings early in the game, then the odds on a red card will become shorter. If you get the feeling that a player is getting frustrated during a match, then it might be a good time to look at the odds of them being yellow carded, especially if the player yellow card stats show that they pick up a few bookings over the season.
Understanding Player Card Stats in Football Analytics
Football analytics allow you to delve deeper into data and create your own insights based on different angles of interpretation. Player card stats are part of the metrics used to build up the profiles of players and teams.
A team’s style of play can have an influence on the number of cards received by players. An intense, high pressing style will often result in fouls being conceded and, with a high defensive line, leave space in behind to be exposed. This might lead to defenders and goalkeepers making desperate challenges and giving away fouls that deny a goalscoring opportunity, which could result in a red card.
Some players are likely to pick up more cards through their individual style of play. Players who make a lot of challenges and impose themselves physically often find themselves giving away fouls and collecting bookings.
Do Player Card Stats Relate to Other Football Statistics?
Player card stats relate to and affect several other metrics. For example, card stats link to foul stats – players and teams who give away a lot of fouls are more likely to pick up cards.
Closely linked to this are the statistics for duels and challenges. Teams and players who make a lot of tackles are putting themselves in a situation where there is more chance of conceding fouls and, as a result, cards.
Key Players & Positions for Player Card Stats
Player card stats focus on their individual records. These can differ based on their attributes and style of play, the team’s style of play and the demands of different positions.
Tactical Roles Contributing to Player Card Stats
In terms of positions and tactics, defenders are naturally expected to make challenges. Thus, a mistimed challenge can lead to a yellow or red card, as it might be done in a dangerous area.
Midfield players are required to tackle when pressing and when tracking back. Forwards are expected to contribute to the press and wide forwards often have to track back to support the full-back. Challenging for the ball may not be as natural for attacking players.
Some players are specifically detailed to break up the play and to disrupt the flow of the opposition, and this is often reflected in player booking stats. Examples of this are Fulham’s Sasa Lukic, Crystal Palace’s Will Hughes and Newcastle United’s Joelinton, who have picked up a booking every 0.45, 0.42 and 0.38 of a game, respectively.
Another reason you need to look at player card stats is to see if a player is close to a suspension, and which matches they would be scheduled to miss. A player might be more cautious to avoid suspension or, if a suspension is inevitable and their team is playing an easier opponent, they may look to get carded to get the suspension out of the way.
How to Identify Player Card Stats Trends
By looking closely at player card stats, you can see some trends and patterns emerge. You can look at the total number of cards over a season, cards per 90 minutes, player yellow card stats and red card stats. You can filter the table according to league or cup, team or position. You can include all players or those who have played in 40% of the matches.
It has often been perceived that defenders pick up the most cards. However, at the time of writing, 50% of the top 10 Premier League player card stats are midfielders. This rises to 60% when the ‘per game’ filter is applied.
While defenders make a high number of challenges, they are often more adept at tackling, being more patient and avoiding fouls in dangerous areas. With high pressing being a common tactic, and with many teams trying to keep possession in the midfield, there is more play in that area and tackles and challenges are made higher up the pitch.
By looking at the card stats alongside the foul stats, along with information on impending suspensions and forthcoming fixtures, you will be able to identify trends and apply them to your picks.
Home v Away Trends in Player Card Stats
The Premier League player card stats show, at the time of writing, that away teams are more likely to be shown cards. The average cards per game in the Premier League is currently 4.4 cards. 2.11 cards for the home team and 2.29 for the away team. This is taken from 289 matches, where a total of 1272 cards were shown.
Home teams are likely to win more games, therefore away teams will be under more pressure and give fouls away. The crowd could influence the referee, meaning he could be more likely to book away players.
However, a passionate home crowd could lead to the home team over-committing and making challenges that could lead to bookings.
Also, the trend shows that away players are more likely to be booked or sent off.
Best Player Card Stats Betting Markets
There’s a plethora of football betting markets directly involving player card stats. These are:
The most common bet involving cards stats is for a player to be booked at any time of a match. Card stats should give you an idea of players who are likely to pick up bookings.
The odds are generally good for this wager, ranging between evens and 8/1 pre-match. The odds will fluctuate depending on the flow of the game for in-play card betting.
The red card bet is similar, but much harder to predict. Odds generally range from 25/1 to 100/1, which is less likely, but, if it came in, would bring greater reward.
This is harder than it might look! It only happens once a game, but could be for anytime, for any player. Pre-match odds normally range from 7/1 to 35/1.
This wager asks to predict whether there will be more or less cards shown than the level set by the bookie. You can bet on this for teams or for the entire match. With card stats, you can identify teams and players who are likely to produce a lot of cards.
Key Factors Impacting Player Card Stats Betting
Player card stats need to be studied alongside a range of other factors when betting on markets involving cards.
Foul stats need to be considered. If a game matched up players who draw a lot of fouls, against players who concede a lot of fouls and pick up bookings, then it would be worth wagering on a high number of cards. Or betting on a particular player to be carded.
Style of play needs to be looked at. High pressing teams, who look to squeeze up the pitch and win the ball back early tend to make a lot of challenges.
The type of match must be a consideration. Derby games traditionally produce a lot of cards, as players can get caught up in the emotion of the occasion. Similarly, key matches at the top of the table and in the relegation battle can produce a high number of cards. On the other hand, an end of season game between two midtable sides with little previous history could be a more tepid affair and bring a lower card count.
How to Spot Value Bets Using Player Card Stats
When betting with the aid of card stats, it’s important to find value in the markets available.
After picking out the matches you want to bet on, study the card stats to see if any players are getting a lot of bookings. Make sure you pay attention to the importance of the game, rivalries, style of play and any players who are close to picking up a suspension.
Research other stats that might be relevant. Check if the two teams give away a lot of fouls and if any of the players are amongst the most fouled in the league.
If you already have a wager in mind, such as a simple moneyline bet, then you may want to add in a bet on the number of cards or on a player to get booked. This can produce a boost to your odds.
Our Expert Player Card Stats Betting Tips
Learn how to use card stats and maximise your betting experience with our expert tips.
Compare player card stats with other metrics
By using card stats alongside other relevant metrics, such as fouls, you can make a more educated prediction on the number of cards to be shown in a game or whether an individual player has a good chance of being booked or sent off.
Look at styles of play
Does a particular team play aggressively? Does a team press high? These are factors that can lead to a lot of fouls and, therefore, cards. In addition, sometimes players develop vendettas against each other or against a particular club. This is something to take note of.
Look to see if a player is close to a suspension
Research how close players are to a suspension and check who their next fixture is against. Maybe players close to a suspension will be more cautious. Or they may try to pick up a caution so that they get their ban out of the way against an easier opponent.
Take the nature of the match into account
Derbies, cup ties and league games between title contenders or relegation rivals have a lot at stake. This could lead to an intense tempo and the possibility of more cards. If an underdog is taking on a higher quality opponent, then they may try to disrupt the play with tactical fouls, increasing the chances of players being cautioned.
Don’t Miss Any Match Stats
ThePuntersPage Final Say
Betting on cards has become an appealing market, offering high odds, even for players notorious for picking up yellow and red cards. However, the best way to create well-valued bets is to do thorough research, and our player card stats page is the perfect way to access all the information you need. Don't forget to match it up with our other stats pages when conducting research for your football wagers.
Player Card Stats FAQs
Player card stats are a record of yellow and red cards received by players. ThePuntersPage stats hub provides these metrics from a wide range of leagues and competitions.
The best UK bookmakers give you the chance to bet on individual players getting yellow or red cards and on the number of cards in a game.
Player card stats per 90 means the number of cards that a player receives, on average, per 90 minutes.
Player card stats influence individual player props, where you can bet on a specific player getting a yellow or red card. They also influence Over/Under betting on the number of cards to be shown in a match.