Player bets (player to score, player to score first, player to have shots on target, player to be carded etc.) carry a risk of a player starting on the bench.

If a player does not feature in the starting XI, a bet still may be live. Rules differ amongst bookmakers..

If we bet on a player to score at 10am and he starts on the bench, there is a risk is that the player comes on during play as a substitute. In this situation, the EV of the bet will have changed. If the player comes on as a sub at at 89 minutes, plays 120 seconds and the game finishes then the bet will be horrifically negative EV. There are two options for managing this risk:

1. Only bet on players before team news at bookmakers who will void the bets if they do not feature in the starting XI
2. Accept the risk of the bet, on the assumption that it is uncommon to bet on a player to score to find him starting on the bench and coming on late. It will happen, but the overall long term EV gained by betting on an opportunity when available may outweigh the EV lost on the occasions the player comes on as a substitute.