- How Online Sports Betting Works: The Expert Betting Guide
- Online Betting Guide to Types of Bets
- Online Betting Guide on How Much to Bet on Sports
- Expert Betting Guides by Sport
- Betting Guide Tips for Beginners
- A Guide to Common Betting Terms
- Online Betting Guide – Final Verdict
- Online Betting Guide FAQ
How Online Sports Betting Works: The Expert Betting Guide
The basic process for placing a sports bet online is fairly simple. You decide what bet you want to place and how much you want to stake. If you win, the bookmaker in question pays out the appropriate odds, and if you lose, they keep your stake.
Before you can place a bet online, you’ll need an account and to make a deposit. To set up an account, you’ll need to give:
- Personal information
- Email address
- Proof of age
- Preferred payment
You can bet on a wide range of sports online, including baseball, basketball, boxing, cricket, football, golf, horse racing, mixed martial arts, and tennis, as well as esports (electronic sports), which is a form of competitive video gaming.
It is worth knowing that most online betting sites have minimum and maximum wagering requirements that you need to adhere to.
Online Betting Guide to Types of Bets
If you have ever visited an online betting site or read any online betting guides, you will know only too well how many different types of bets are available. While this can be intimidating for a betting novice, you may be surprised at just how quickly you will pick everything up.
In terms of bets, there are many different types for you to try. Some of the most popular types of bets are:
- Spread bets
- Moneyline bets
- Over/Under bets
- Same-Game bets
- Live bets
You can find out more about all the different types of bets in our sport-specific betting guides, which provide all the information you need to navigate and enjoy the world of online gambling.
Online Betting Guide on How Much to Bet on Sports
When betting on sports, the most important thing is to stay in control. To ensure that you enjoy your online betting experience and only gamble responsibly, you need to figure out how much you are willing to spend.
Known as betting bankroll management, this determines how much you spend on betting overall as well as how much you intend to spend per bet. Although managing your bankroll predominantly comes down to personal circumstances, on average, bettors tend to spend between 1-2% of their bankroll on each wager.
When deciding how much money you want to assign to gambling online and how much you want to wager on each bet, it is important to look at how much you can afford to lose, as well as your level of risk tolerance. For example, if you are risk-averse, you may only want to wager 1% of your bankroll per bet. However, if you like taking risks, you may want to wager as much as 5%.
Remember, if you ever start to feel out of control when gambling, take a break and seek help if you feel like you need it.
Expert Betting Guides by Sport
The good news is that placing bets is fairly similar across sports. This means that once you learn how to place bets in one sport, you’ll be ready to dive into sports betting in other categories as well.
That being said, there are still going to be some slight variations. Here’s a quick overview of how your betting strategy will change per sport:
| Sport | Bet Types | Key Factors |
|---|---|---|
| Football | Point spread, prop, futures, parlay and moneyline | Quarterback performance and defensive strength play a significant role in determining outcomes. |
| Basketball | Point spread, totals, parlay, teaser and moneyline | Individual player performance, especially star players, can significantly impact outcomes. Home-court advantage is often also a factor. |
| Baseball | Run line, totals, moneyline, parlay, and prop | Pitching matchups, offensive production and scoring trends can influence betting strategies. |
| Soccer | Prop, goal line, halftime/fulltime, parlay, over/under, accumulator and moneyline | Draws are a frequent outcome in soccer, so betting on specific outcomes can be challenging. Defensive tactics and game strategies also significantly impact scoring opportunities. |
| Golf | Tournament bets (winner, top1/10/20, make the cut), round bets (head-to-head, group winner, round leader) and prop bets (hole-in-one, eagle, birdie) | Player form and course history are crucial factors to consider. Weather conditions can also significantly affect player performance and outcomes. |
| Horse Racing | Win, place, and show bets | Post position can influence a horse’s chances of winning. Jockey experience and recent performance are also important factors to consider. |
The bookmakers worth your time
- Bonus: Bet $10 & Get $150 in Bonus Bets Win or Lose
- VIP Club, Loyalty Program
- Cash Out, Partial Cash Out
- Bonus: New Users – Get $350 in Bonus Bets Guaranteed – When You Bet $5 for 7 Days!
- VIP Club
- Cash Out, Live Streams
- Bonus: Up To $1500 in Bonus Bets Paid Back if your First Bet Does Not Win
- VIP Club, Loyalty Program
- Cash Out, Live Streams
- Bonus: New DraftKings Customers: Bet $5+ Get $100 in Bonus Bets Instantly!
- VIP Club, Loyalty Program
- Cash Out, Live Streams
- Bonus: Bet $1 and get double the winnings up to $25 for your next 10 bets
- Loyalty Program
- Cash Out, Live Streams
Betting Guide Tips for Beginners
Sports betting can be a lot of fun, but only if you understand the risks involved and take the time to develop an online sports betting strategy. As part of our guide to betting, we have collated a list of top tips and techniques for betting beginners so that you can get off to the best start and maximise your enjoyment.
When you first start betting online, you may be tempted to place as many bets as possible, especially if you are enjoying the thrill of the betting experience. However, it is a much better idea to be selective with your bets, as this can help you to determine where your talents lay.
Before placing a bet, you should always try to find the best odds and lines available on that day, as this will help you maximise your returns (though of course nothing is ever guaranteed when betting). Make sure you look at their opening lines, mid-week lines, end-of-the-week lines, and last-minute lines.
Before placing a bet, you must make sure you are aware of any player injuries, as this can have a significant effect on the outcome of a game. Weather is another factor to consider when betting on any sport that is played outside.
When it comes to betting trends, these can be useful when you are starting out, but you should not rely on them too much. As a general rule, the best betting trends are built over the long term, as these are backed by narrative.
There are lots of different betting platforms available, depending on what region you live in. Rather than just pick the first site that you come across, you should take the time to research online betting sites so that you can be sure you get the fairest odds and best deals.
A Guide to Common Betting Terms
When you first start to explore online betting and read betting guides, you can be forgiven for feeling more than a bit confused with all the industry jargon. If this is the case for you, the below common betting terms and their meanings are just what you need.
- Accumulator – An accumulator bet involves placing a combination of four or more single bets that combine together to offer longer odds and higher rewards.
- Against the Spread – Against the spread refers to a bet that, rather than backing the winner, backs a selection to cover the spread. When betting against the spread, it is not enough for your team to win; they need to win by more than a certain number of points.
- Bet Builder – A bet builder is a betting tool that enables you to build your own bets using a variety of different market combinations. These are typically provided to bettors by a bookmaker.
- Closing Line – The closing line refers to the point when odds on a particular market have been set. Before the closing point, bookmakers can change their odds based on the number of wagers received.
- Each-Way Bet – An each-way bet is one that features a winner and a number of other competitors finishing in a sequence of places. In this type of bet, you have a “win bet” and a “place bet,” and you get a payout if either part is successful.
- Fixed-Odds Betting – Fixed-odds betting, as the name suggests, is when you secure a bet at fixed odds. This means that your potential returns will not change, regardless of any market fluctuations.
- Futures Betting – Futures betting refers to a long-term wager, such as a team’s season-long success. Some of the most popular futures include betting a team to win a championship or betting whether a team will win or lose more games over the course of a season.
- Hedging – “Hedging your bets” is a common term used in gambling. This is when you place multiple bets to reduce your potential losses. It can be especially useful in sports like football where odds movements can be very significant, allowing a profit to be locked in under certain circumstances.
- Martingale – Martingale is a type of betting system where the bettor doubles the stake placed on a new bet after each bet that is lost. This enables you to recoup all prior losses if a win is achieved.
- Off the Board – This is when a bookmaker has taken down a bet and is no longer accepting wagers on the game. This often happens when there is a late injury.
- Spread Betting – Spread betting refers to a bet that is placed on the predicted movement of a market rather than the outcome of an actual event.
- Void Bet – A void bet is one where the stakes are returned by the bookmaker. This can happen for a number of different reasons, such as a bet on a first goal scorer who is then not named in the squad.
Online Betting Guide – Final Verdict
Now that you have read our guide to betting online, you should be feeling better informed about the world of online betting and feel ready to dip your toes in the water and place your first bet. The next step is to choose your preferred online gambling platform and place your first bet.
Kickstart your betting journey with these top bonuses
Online Betting Guide FAQ
🤑 How do you win big in online betting?
There is no guaranteed way to win big when betting. The best way to bet, then, needs to start by working out what your budget is in advance. If you can comfortably lose that amount, then you can confidently place bets. From there, you can increase your chances of winning a bet by delving deep into everything there is to know about the sport, the latest news about the teams, and even how odds are determined, as these factors will influence your betting choices.
💲 Can I change the odds format when betting online?
Yes, you can usually select what format you want to see the odds in when betting online. This way, you can swap the formatting to your preferred option. Most of the big brands offer this feature in your account’s preferences settings.
🧠 How to outsmart betting sites?
You can’t outsmart betting sites. However, to get the most value, place your bets as early in the day as possible. The longer you wait to place a bet, the more information the bookmaker will have, giving them an advantage. Also, check out our expert betting guides.
🤩 Can I edit a bet after I place it?
In some cases you can edit a bet but this feature is not widely available across the industry. One way to do this could be to cash out your original bet and re-do it with the update you wish to place.
▶️ Which are the hardest bets to win?
Parlay and accumulator bets are the hardest wagers to win, since they’re a collection of several bets put into one. This means all those bets must win for you to win the parlay.
