Rules/Does a red card count as 2 cards in betting?
Rules
Does a red card count as 2 cards in betting?
A red card counts as 1 or 2 cards depending on the bookmaker. In their total cards markets bet365, Ladbrokes, Coral, Unibet and BoyleSports count a straight red as 2, while Sky Bet, Paddy Power and William Hill count it as 1 (each from the bookmaker's own rules, checked 18 Oct 2026). Betfred's card markets use booking points instead.
| Bookmaker | Market | Straight red | Second yellow and red | Max per player |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| bet365 | Number of Cards in Match | Counts as 2 | The second yellow is ignored: 1 for the first yellow plus 2 for the red, so 3 | 3 cards |
| Sky Bet | Over/Under Cards | Counts as 1 | Counts as 2: the yellow and the second yellow | Not stated on the page we checked |
| Paddy Power | Over/Under Total Cards | Counts as 1 | Counts as 2. A yellow then a straight red also counts as 2 | 2 cards |
| William Hill | Total Match Cards | Counts as 1 | Counts as 2: only 1 card counts for the second bookable offence | 2 cards (stated for its half cards markets) |
| Ladbrokes | Number of cards (yellow and red in total) | Counts as 2 | Counts as 3: 1 for the yellow plus 2 for the red | 3 cards |
| Coral | Number of cards (yellow and red in total) | Counts as 2 | Counts as 3: 1 for the yellow plus 2 for the red | 3 cards |
| Unibet | Cards (rule 25 of its UK rules) | Counts as 2 | One yellow and a red, or two yellows and a red, counts as 3 | 3 cards |
| 888sport | Not stated in the terms we checked (2026-10-18). | |||
| BoyleSports | Cards | Counts as 2 | The second yellow is ignored: 1 for the first yellow plus 2 for the red, so 3 | 3 cards |
| Betfred | Card markets (booking points) | 25 points | 35 points at most: 25 for the red plus 10, however many yellows were shown | 35 points |
Source: Does a red card count as 2 cards? Rules by bookmaker on BookieRules, which links each bookie's own terms and the date each was checked. Bookies change their rules, so check the terms before you bet.
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