Sports betting is a centuries-old activity, but the internet has made it significantly easier for bookmakers to organize the whole process, and for people to bet and withdraw money without leaving their homes. There are other pages that can provide you with all the necessary information about betting, the best deals, and the legitimacy of bookmakers to help you enjoy it without taking any risks too.
If you’ve been thinking about trying sports betting, you probably have multiple questions. How do you bet on sports? How is it different from casino gambling? We’ve got some answers for you.
How to bet on sports?
Since sports have been around, people have also been willing to bet on them. It’s always fun, whether you’re a sports expert or not; you can use your knowledge to predict the outcomes, which the majority of betters do, but you can also try guessing. For most people, it’s a way of testing their sports knowledge and having fun with a chance of winning some money, not the other way around. So how can you apply that knowledge? What should you know before you start betting?
- The betting odds
Betting odds will tell you how likely one outcome is when you compare it to another.
In numerical form, it will be displayed with amounts of money (based on $100 bets). For example, you may see the betting odds being +150 or -150, positive meaning that you’re betting for an underdog (the one more likely to lose), negative – the favorite (the one more likely to win). +150 means that you risk $100 to win $150 while betting on -150, you will risk $150 to win $100.
You can also see betting odds displayed in fractional form. It has been commonly used in horse racing for generations and is the preferred system for many bookmakers, especially on the British Isles, e.g., 5/1 means that you will win $5 to every 1$ you wager.
- Types of wagers
If you’re only just beginning your adventure with sports betting, you probably have no idea that there are different types of bets. But many bookmakers offer you a variety of wagering options, from simple to complicated ones. It’s best to learn them one by one, and not to use multiple types when you’re a beginner. Some of the most popular wagers are:
- Spreads – when you bet on a favorite or an underdog, you can choose the point spread wager, a bet on the margin of victory. It can be used in all kinds of sports, but it’s especially popular when it comes to betting on football or basketball. Basically, if Team A is a 5-points favorite against Team B, and you bet on Team A, Team A needs to win by 6 points or more for you to win; it’s a cover. A push is when they win by exactly 5 points, and you get the money you initially bet, nothing more. If Team A wins by 4 points or less, or they lose, you lose. But if you bet on Team B, you win if they win or if they lose by less than 5 points.
- Moneylines – it can also be used for all sports, but it’s the most commonly chosen for baseball, hockey and soccer. You bet on who will win the game. The favorites get a minus designation, and the underdogs – a plus designation. It’s more rewarding to bet on underdogs, but you’re less likely to win. For example, if you bet $150 for a -150 favorite, you risk $150 to win $100, and if you bet $100 for a +150 underdog, you risk $100 to win $150.
- Totals – sometimes, it’s also called Overs/Unders; this wager offers you to bet on a total number of points scored during the game, not on the winner.
- How much to bet?
Don’t go too big is the golden rule of all types of gambling, and you should always stick to it to stay out of trouble. Risk only the amounts that you can afford to lose; it means that losing won’t force you to deny yourself or your family the means to fulfill your fundamental needs or promises that you might have made. There will always be worse and better days when it comes to betting, even if you’re a sports expert. It’s best to set yourself a limit.
Sports betting vs. casino gambling
Both are forms of gambling, and both can be found in casinos, but they have more differences than similarities. You should carefully consider all of them in order to choose the form most suitable for your needs, skills, and budget.
Even though many casinos are working on developing more skill-based games, sports betting still gives you more control over your money. Casino games are more about luck, even those that involve strategies, like poker or blackjack. Also, casinos have an in-built house edge, so there’s a limit to how much you can really win. The edge exists in sports betting as well, but it’s included in the betting odds. But if you can choose the right wager for your game and you have some extensive sports knowledge, you can significantly increase your chances of winning in the long-term, not only occasionally.
Stay reasonable and attentive
Whatever you choose, you need to remember never to play big money and use only the amounts that you have planned to use. Many online casinos and sports betting websites offer free spins, bonuses, or advantageous deals for beginners to try themselves and see what suits them best. Keep track of your finances, and remember to have fun!
