What is a shot on target?
A shot on target is any goal-bound effort that would go in if nobody stopped it: a goal, a save, or a block on the line by the last defender. A miss, a shot off the woodwork, or a block with a defender still behind it does not count.
Team FootyMetrics
Updated Jul 2026 ยท 6 min read
- A shot on target is any goal-bound effort: a goal, a save, or a block on the line by the last defender.
- It is off target when it misses, hits the post or bar and stays out, or is blocked with a defender still behind it.
- An own goal does not count as a shot on target for anyone.
- A header can be on target; anything off a hand or arm is a handball and does not count.
Most of this is straightforward, the part that trips people up is that the number on the television and the number Opta settles on are not always the same. Shots on target is one of the most popular player prop markets going, and people lose bets they thought they had won because of that gap. Here is the full rule, every awkward case, and the bookmaker promos that quietly change it.
What is a shot on target?
Shot on target is often shortened to SOT on stats pages and bet slips. The test behind it is simple. Was the effort going in before someone stopped it? If it was, it is on target. If it was never going in, it is not. A shot on goal is the American name for the same thing, so if a US sportsbook lists shots on goal, read it as shots on target.
A shot is any attempt at goal, whether struck with the foot, headed, or off any other legal part of the body. A shot on target is the smaller group of those attempts that were actually going in. So a winger can have eight shots and only one on target if the other seven missed the goal, were blocked by a defender, or hit the post.
How bookmakers settle shots on target
Most bookmakers settle shots on target using Opta data, the feed behind the majority of player markets. Some books use other providers and the exact wording can differ, so always check the sport rules at your own bookmaker before you place a bet.
- A goal scored by an attacking player.
- A shot the goalkeeper saves from going in.
- A block on the line by the last defender, with nobody behind to cover.
- Anything wide or over the goal.
- A shot that hits the post or crossbar and stays out.
- A block by an outfield player who still has cover behind them.
The block on the line is the one people get wrong. The last man is the final player between the ball and the goal, and usually that is the goalkeeper. If the keeper is already beaten and a defender clears the shot off the line, that defender is the last man, so the block counts as on target. If the keeper is still behind the defender who makes the block, it is only a blocked shot, and it does not count.
Blocked on the line by the last man.
Blocked by a defender with a defender or goalkeeper still behind it.
Does a goal count as a shot on target?
Yes. A goal scored by an attacking player is always a shot on target, because it proves the effort was going in. The one exception is an own goal. An own goal is credited to the defender who put the ball into their own net, and it does not count as a shot on target for anyone, so it adds nothing to a player's shots on target count.
Penalties and headers
A scored penalty counts. A missed one depends on where it ends up: saved by the keeper, yes; wide, over, or off the post and out, no. Headers work the same way as any shot. A header the keeper saves or a goal scored with the head both count; a header wide or over the bar does not. The one thing that never counts is a touch off a hand or arm, because that is a handball.
Does hitting the woodwork count?
Normally no. A shot off the post or crossbar is off target unless it rebounds straight into the net, and most bookmakers settle by that rule. The main exception is a Paddy Power promotion that counts the woodwork as a shot on target on specific markets.
Free kicks, own goals and offside goals
Where to find shots on target data
Every shot on target settles on Opta data, and that is the same data behind FootyMetrics. Shots on target are tracked for every player and team across 115+ leagues, match by match, so you can research a line the way the bookmaker settles it.
Player shots on target trends
How often a player beats each line over their recent games, filtered by home, away and opponent.
Teams work the same way. The team shots on target trends show how often each side hits a line, and how often they let the opposition do it. You can also weigh two players against each other on player matchups, which turns their records into fair odds for the most shots on target market.
Bookmaker promotions that bend the rules
This is where knowing the rule pays. A few promos change what counts, or keep a losing bet alive, so it is worth reading the market name.
Super Sub, and its many names
If your player is subbed before your shots bet lands, some bookmakers move the bet onto the player who comes on, at the same odds and stake. bet365 runs it as Sub On, Play On. William Hill calls it Impact Sub, Sky Bet and Paddy Power both call it Super Sub, and SBK calls it Fresh Legs. Because it raises your chance of winning, the odds on markets where it applies are usually a little shorter. You pay for the safety net in the price.
Paddy Power woodwork and bet365 extra time
Paddy Power has priced a separate market where a shot off the post or bar counts, worded like "Player to have 2 or more shots on target including woodwork." Standard Opta says the woodwork is off target, so this is the exception. Separately, player markets settle on 90 minutes plus stoppage time, but a bet365 promotion extends unsettled player bets into extra time when a match goes there. Worth knowing in knockout football.
The shots on target betting markets
Once you know what counts, the markets are simple. There is a fuller guide on how to bet on shots on target with the research side.
- Player shots on target. Over 0.5, over 1.5, over 2.5 on an individual. The bread-and-butter market.
- Team shots on target. Over or under a team line, plus a handicap between the two sides.
- First shot on target. Which player or team registers the first one.
- Shots on target outside the box. A tighter version for the long-range shooters.
Shots on target leaderboard
Live shots on target ranks across 115+ leagues. Free to browse, no account needed.
Shots on target FAQs
What does SOT mean in football?
SOT is short for shot on target. It is any goal-bound attempt that would go in if nobody stopped it. That means every goal, every shot the keeper saves, and every shot blocked on the line by the last defender. A miss, a block by an outfield player, or a shot off the woodwork does not count.
Does a goal count as a shot on target?
Yes. A goal scored by an attacking player is always a shot on target, because it proves the effort was going in. The exception is an own goal, which is credited to the defender who scored it and does not count as a shot on target for anyone.
Does a penalty count as a shot on target?
A scored penalty counts. A missed penalty depends on where it goes. If the keeper saves it, yes. If it misses the goal or hits the post or bar, no. The same rule applies to a penalty as any other shot: on target only if it was going in.
Does a header count as a shot on target?
Yes, if the header is on target. A header saved by the keeper or headed into the net counts, judged the same way as a shot with the foot. A header wide or over the bar does not. Anything that comes off a hand or arm is a handball, so it does not count.
Does hitting the woodwork count as a shot on target?
Normally no. A shot that hits the post or crossbar is off target unless it rebounds straight into the net. That is the Opta rule and most bookmakers settle by it. The exception is a Paddy Power promo that counts the woodwork as a shot on target on specific markets, so read the market name.
Does a blocked shot count as a shot on target?
Only if the last defender blocks it. If a shot is going in and the keeper or the final man blocks it on the line, that counts. If an outfield player blocks it with cover behind them, Opta logs a blocked shot instead, and it does not count.
Is a shot on target the same as a shot on goal?
Yes. Shot on goal is the American name for the same thing. Both mean an attempt that was going in and was scored, saved, or blocked on the line. If you see shot on goal on a US sportsbook, read it as shot on target.
Do shots on target bets include extra time?
Usually no. Player markets settle on 90 minutes plus stoppage time only, so extra time and shootouts are excluded. The exception is a bet365 promo that extends unsettled player bets into extra time when a match goes there.