Sports Betting Explained

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If there’s a sport out there, it’s pretty likely you’ll be able to bet on it. From football and horse racing to hockey and golf, there are a variety of bets to place on the best betting sites around. The only thing you need to get started is a love of your chosen sport, and this will lead naturally to betting on the outcomes you want or believe will happen. With sports betting sites, you can live stream top events, track your bets, get stuck into live betting and use odds comparison tools to discover the best bets to use.

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What is sports betting?

Simply put, sports betting is the practice of placing wagers on specific outcomes you believe will take place in your chosen sport. You can bet on particular matches or rounds, or take a chance with entire leagues. Whether it’s the Premier League, Tennis or Formula One, there’s a way to get stuck in. All you have to do is sign up to one of the best betting sites and deposit some money into your account. Then navigate to your favourite sport and see which leagues or matches are coming up. From there, you can place a wager and see if you’ll land a big win.

Sports and events you can bet on

There are countless sports you can bet on, but here’s a small selection of the choices you have:

Football – It’s safe to say that football is one of the most popular sports to bet on. This is because the general principle is that the strongest team will win. It’s easy to bet on football matches because there are only three ways a game can end – a home win, an away win or a draw. So if you believe Manchester City will come out victorious against Arsenal, you can just place this bet and reel in the winnings if this result materialises. Some of the best bets to place are parlay bets, or accumulators.

Boxing – Few people haven’t heard of heavyweight champions and boxing legends such as Muhammad Ali and Mike Tyson. Although this sport has declined in prominence over the last few decades, many people still enjoy betting on upcoming fights. The three main outcomes are a win for the fighter in the red corner, a win for the fighter in the blue corner or a draw. With 10 rounds in a standard fight, which go up to 12 for championship fights, there are plenty of opportunities for bettors to get involved and win big.

MMA – Mixed martial arts is a sport which is rapidly growing. It is a great spectator sport, with fighters demonstrating the best of various martial arts skills. Boxing, Muay Thai, judo, wrestling, kickboxing and jiu jitsu are just a few of the techniques used in a standard round. Fights are held inside a cage, with the duration typically 5 minutes a round. This means betting is fast-paced and exciting. Furthermore, even matchups are more common, which means the odds on fighters are closer and the payouts more generous.

Tennis – There aren’t many people in the world who haven’t heard of Wimbledon, along with other major tennis tournaments. Although not as fast-paced or lively as sports such as boxing, tennis is still a popular sport to bet on. It’s easy to get involved with tennis sports betting, as the only two potential results are a win for player 1 or a win for player 2. Many enjoy placing money line bets on matches, or following players as they progress through tournaments by setting up wagers at some of the best betting sites for the sport.

Golf – This sport used to be difficult to market to younger players until the advent of Tiger Woods, which helped the game explode in popularity. Now there are millions of sports fans betting on golf, with major events such as the PGA Tour, the US Open and the Masters drawing in a crowd every time they’re on. There are no complex rules or regulations bettors need to be aware of, which makes it the perfect sport to get started with.

Types of sports bet

There are many different types of sports bet that can be made use of when visiting the best betting sites. Here’s an idea of what you can expect:

Straight bets – This is the most basic bet, and also the most common wager placed by sports bettors when it comes to sports like football and basketball. A betting line, or point spread, is set, and then the bettor can either bet on the favourite and give up points, or bet on the underdog, and get the points. The favourite must win the game by more than the set point spread to result in a cash in. Meanwhile, the underdog must either win outright or lose by less than the point spread in order to cover and therefore win the bet. If a tie results, this is known as a push and no money is won or lost.

Total line bets – A number is set which refers to the combined final score of both teams. The bettor then places a wager on the actual score going either under or over the set number.

Money line bets – This involves picking a team to win straight up, without a point spread. The risk here is with the amount which must be wagered to pick the favourite, compared to the amount you’d bet with the underdog.

Parlay bets – When you group together two or more picks into a single bet, this is commonly referred to as a parlay bet. Two separate picks are the minimum, but this goes all the way up to a set limit from a particular sportsbook, such as 10 or 12. The betting odds for a payout from a parlay bet are adjusted based on the total number of picks grouped together.

Teaser bets – To shake up the parlay bet, try a teaser bet. A bettor still groups two or more picks into a single bet, but the point spreads can now be tweaked in your favour. This results in a lower overall payout.

Head to head bets – These are commonly seen with golf and NASCAR. You can bet on the head to head results between two contenders, and whoever finishes the race first – or ends the tournament in a higher position – is deemed the winner. This kind of bet is popular for such sports because it’s difficult to pick an outright winner considering the number of competitors involved.

Sports betting tips

There are many tips and tricks people will tell you about when it comes to winning at the best betting sites. Here are some of our top picks:

Keep an edge – Avoid operating with a disadvantage. Place bets with an individual style, and don’t do something just because everyone else is. The public opinion may be wrong, so if you trust your instinct, go with it.

Control your bankroll – Anyone will tell you that managing your money is the most important consideration when it comes to sports betting. Setting wagering limits will prevent you from being in financial difficulty, and once you’ve reached it, make sure you walk away.

Know your sport – You don’t have to be an expert, but knowing at least the basics around a certain sport, as well as how particular teams have been performing in a league or championship, will help a lot when you place a wager.

Do your research – While luck will help you win from time to time, simply going out there and hoping for the best won’t do you many favours. Do some background research before heading to a sports betting site, so you know what to expect.

Use a betting odds calculator – If you’re not sure which type of bet you should be using, try experimenting with data in a betting odds calculator to see what your potential profit could be and the bet it recommends will bring you the biggest potential windfall.

Stick with your strategy – Once you’ve devised a strategy, stick with it – even if you get bored, feel like giving up or think it may not be working. Losses will occur as well as wins, and if your strategy is designed to work over the long run, it’s best to wait it out instead of switching tactics partway through.

Choose your betting site carefully – Don’t go for a betting site just because it offers attractive promotions so you can grab a load of freebies. Make sure the site is properly licensed, has a good reputation and offers you a range of sports, information and payment methods in order for you to have a good time.

Sports Betting Summary

There are lots of ways to get involved with sports betting. Finding the best betting sites to wager at couldn’t be easier, and once you’ve chosen a provider, get up to speed on the top wagers to try out. So many sports are available to bet on these days that you’ll be spoilt for choice. There’s nothing like the thrill of hearing your wagered results come through and landing a big win – so without further ado, get involved in one of the most thrilling pastimes out there.

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