How to Bet on Sport in 2024
Sports betting is a form of entertainment which offers sports lovers an avenue to place a wager on the outcomes of events or competitions. Read this guide to learn more about sports betting.
Sports on Which You Can Bet
Sport offers plenty of exciting options from betting on Football, Rugby, Tennis, Cricket, and Horse racing. You could place a wager on football derbies of various leagues to the world's biggest sporting events like the World Cups.
Types of Bets and Different Sports
Just like sports, there are numerous types of bets: you can bet on margins, wins, and probable outcomes.
Moneyline Bets
This is the simplest and most popular type. Moneyline Bets is placing a wager on a team to win, when it wins, you win. For instance, in a match where Borussia Dortmund are favourites, they will have a minus sign while the underdogs have the + sign. The minus sign shows how much has to be risked to win a $100 payout.
- Borussia Dortmund –120
- FC Köln +100
Point Spread
Also known as a handicap, this type of bet evens the chances of both teams or two players winning that specific competition despite both of them not being evenly matched. A bettor could give one side an advantage by adding the side more points or giving the side extra goals. Typically, the bigger the number, the more money you win.
- Luton Town +3
- Tottenham Hotspurs -3
In this no-draw handicap, if you bet on Spurs to beat Luton Town, Spurs have to win by a margin of four or more goals. A full-time result of Spurs 4-Luton 0 will be a bet winner as Spurs would have covered the spread.
Totals or Over/Under
Sometimes you may not pick the outright winner. Totals offer punters the liberty to place a wager on the combined scores of the two teams. The total score could be over or under specific numbers.
Milwaukee Bucks vs Toronto Raptors:
- Over 215.5 (-110)
- Under 215.5 (-110)
If the final scores were Bucks 113-Raptors 105 with a total final score of 218 points, the punter who placed a bet on over 215.5 would win.
Combined Bets
Combining individual bets into one wager, combined bets (also known as ACCAs) offer better odds for a smaller wager than individual bets. While wagering a lot less, you can potentially earn a lot more. For example, during the Champions League, you could bet on Manchester City, Real Madrid, Inter Milan, and Arsenal to each win their matches. Instead of a punter betting on each team to win individually, you could combine the four in one betting slip. All four teams have to win their matches for you to win. In the event Manchester City, Real, Inter win their matches while Arsenal loses, the bet has failed.
Prop Bets
Proposition bets are wagers placed on the performance of individual players; or teams; the focus is more on statistics - rather than the final results. Player props are very common in sports like; basketball, football, tennis, and Formula One.
- Steve Curry to make 4 three-pointers
- Jude Bellingham to score 3 goals
- Djokovic will beat Medvedev 3 sets to 2
- Max Verstappen to win at Silverstone
Futures
These are stakes placed on upcoming sports events in the future. For instance, betting on which team will win the Premier League, Rugby World Cup, NBA, 2024 Australian Open way before the season or competition commences. Example: Coco Gauff to win the 2024 US Open; the Sixers to win the next championship.
These odds will change as the season unfolds.
Live Betting and How It Works
Also known as ‘in-play’ betting, live betting is putting a wager on an event which has already started, like a live football match. The odds change as the live action unfolds. This is suitable for those who love the excitement of live sport and like to test their knowledge. Live betting does not wait for the final results, you bet as the live action happens. Live betting incorporates any of the other types we have mentioned above and more.
