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Online sports betting continues to rise in popularity and millions of people worldwide place wagers on sporting events via the Internet. Betting is a billion-pound-a-year industry and it is enjoyed by a wide variety of people. It can provide plenty of excitement to sports fans as they test their knowledge and predictions.

What is sports betting?

Sports betting is one of the most popular forms of gambling. Fans from all over the world love to predict what will happen during their favourite sports games. Sports betting allows them to back their prediction with a financial wager in an attempt to win more money back.

Sports betting occurs when a person places a bet, also known as a wager, on the outcome of a sporting event. Betting on sports is hundreds of years old. Since the dawn of sports, fans have been betting on their outcomes.

Today, betting on sports earns millions of pounds for bookmakers. While bookmakers make out well, a host of professional bettors have carved out a great lifestyle thanks to their winning bets.

Professional bettors, also known as sharps, gamble on sports for a living. These individuals have copied or developed betting strategies thanks to hundreds, may be thousands of hours, betting on sports. It isn't just sports betting that these individuals excel at. Sharps are able to read the betting markets to find value in different sports bets.

Where can I bet on Sports?

The Internet changed sports betting forever. In 1996, Intertops became the first-ever sports betting website. You may not realise it, but the Internet's actual birthday was in 1983. Yet, it wasn't until 13 years later that households around the globe were suddenly using dial-up connections to wager on sports.

Before Intertops debuted, sports fans had to go to a brick-and-mortar bet shop to place their wagers. The advent of the Internet completely changed betting, allowing fans to place bets from the comfort of their homes.

In 2000, the first mobile betting site was launched. Around the turn of the century, more sports fans were gaining access to mobile phones, enabling them to surf the Internet. Of course, phones were far different more than two decades ago.

Today, sports fans can place bets on sports from the comfort of home thanks to smartphone apps. A lot of modern-day betting takes place online, but fans still get out to their local bet shops on occasion.

Someday soon, the local bet shop may be a thing of the past or a product only hipster sports fans use. Most fans use online betting to place their wagers. Thanks to a plethora of betting sites, betting markets, and bonus and promo codes, online sports betting continues to grow in popularity.

Betting Tips for Beginners

If you are new to betting, then there is a lot to learn about wagering on sports. Many of the tools, skills, and lessons can be learned on the job. However, the more you learn before placing your first wager, the more chances you have of earning profits from your bets right off the bat.

Here are a few quick tips for beginners you will want to make note of:

  1. Do your research - The more you learn about a specific match, team, or league, the better you are likely to do.

  2. Avoid Scamdicappers - There are a lot of people online claiming to be betting experts. Social media is rife with these scamdicappers that claim they are high rollers. Don't be lured into paying these people for bogus tips.

  3. Betting lines don't indicate who will win - Remember that betting lines are just indications of which team is the favourite and where the money is going, they don't predict the winner.

  4. Slow dump when slumping - A lot of bettors will make more wagers and spend more money when they are slumping. If you are on a losing streak, hit the brakes, and re-evaluate your strategies rather than burn through more money.

  5. Don't play favourite - You may have a favourite football, basketball, or tennis player. Yet, continually betting on "your team" doesn't equate to winning bets. Don't get caught up wagering on your favourites.

What are Sports betting odds?

Sports betting odds are listed by bookmakers on a specific outcome of an event. For example, a bookmaker may offer odds on Manchester United to win the Premier League at 5/1.

The odds are the ratio between the amount of money staked by the bookmaker and the bettor. Odds of 5/1 mean the bookmaker stakes five times the amount the sports bettor wagers. If the bettor wins the wage and Manchester United win the Premier League, they will win five times their stake from the bookmaker.

A stake of £10 at odds of 5/1 would win the bettor £60. The payout would include £50 in profits and the initial £10 stake back for a total of £60.

What are fractional odds

Fractional odds are often called UK odds, British odds, or Traditional odds. Fractional odds have been around for a very long time and are often used in horse racing. Many bettors in the UK will use fractional odds, as they are very common.

The odds show the net total a bettor will win if their bet is successful while factoring in their stake. For example, Liverpool may have odds of 2/1 to defeat Manchester City in the Premier League. Odds of 2/1 mean a bettor will receive a £2 payout for every £1 wagered. If the bet wins, a punter would receive a total of £3.

What are decimal odds

Decimal odds are referred to as European odds. Decimal odds are popular in Europe, Canada, Australia, and other regions of the world. Some bettors believe decimal odds on sporting events are the easiest to understand. Of course, it often depends on the odds a person grew up with. Regardless, bookmakers will offer fractional or decimal odds on all popular sports events.

Decimal odds show the exact amount a bettor will be paid if their bet wins. For example, odds of 3.00 would mean a £1 bet wins £3 back if the bet is successful. The payout is a combination of £2 in profit and the initial £1 stake.

Types of odds

There are three types of odds formats. As explained above, you can get fractional or decimal odds. There are also American odds, which are favoured by bettors in the United States. Compared to fractional and decimal odds, American odds are a little tricky to understand.

Online sports betting sites offer bettors the chance to change the betting odds. A person can bet online with their preferred odds by changing the settings.

1x2 bet

The 1x2 bet is the most popular sports bet online. It is also the simplest way to bet on sports events. You simply need to select the outcome of the event.

For example, Man City v Tottenham in the Premier League is a big fixture and it sees a lot of fans betting on the outcome. If a bettor makes a 1x2 bet on the fixture, they are simply choosing which team will win the match or if it will end in a draw.

Win and each way

The win and each way bet is popular in horse racing. The idea of horse racing is to pick the winning horse. However, some races are larger than others, making it difficult to narrow down a winner.

The win and each way bet gives you the chance to receive a return on your money. If the horse ou selected wins the race, then you will receive a payout for it. However, if the horse places (depending on the race could be up to five places), then you would receive a return on your stake.

The bet is made up of two parts (the win and the each way). If you bet £5 on the each way, then you will also wager £5 on the win portion of the bet. The total stake will be £10.

Both teams to score

Both teams to score (or BTTS) is another popular form of betting. For this betting market, you are wagering on both teams to score a goal in the game. The both teams to score market is great for teams that score a lot of goals when they go head-to-head.

For example, in Man City v Tottenham in the Premier League, if a punter bets on both teams to score, and the game finishes 2-2, then the bet wins.

Bettors can also select the NO both teams to score market. In this betting market, the punter is hoping only one or no team scores in the game.

Over/under

Over/under traditional works with the total score. However, in football betting, punters can wager on football matches to have over/under a specific number of corners or cards.

The over/under goals betting markets in a football match concern how many goals teams will score combined. Although there are other over/under markets, the total goals market sees bettors predict whether there will be more or less than a specific number of goals offered by bookmakers.

For example, a bookmaker may offer an over/under of 2.5 goals for the Man City v Tottenham league fixture. If a punter wagers on more than 2.5 goals to be scored and the teams combine for over 2.5 goals, then the bet will be successful. If the teams score fewer than 2.5 goals combined, then the bet will lose.

Handicap

Handicap betting gives one of the selections a deficit or handicap they must overcome at the beginning of a sports event. Bettors can also select the opposite by picking a selection with a head start

If a punter's selection's final score is larger than their opponent's final score after the handicap has been applied, the bettor's selection will win.

Asian handicap

The Asian handicap began in Asia and is oftentimes used in football betting. One team has a virtual lead, or handicap, over the other team. The Asian handicaps eliminate a match from ending in a draw. There are only two possible outcomes.

What is In-Play Betting

In-play betting is a popular market for bettors. It is used by some bettors as a strategy to outthink the bookmakers.

In-play betting offers punters the chance to make wagers on a football match and other sporting events while the games take place. Rather than make a wager before the games begin, in-play sports betting markets allow you to place a bet after the game has started.

Punters can see how the action unfolds before making their wager. betting in-play allows the punter to see how teams and players are performing before wagering. Bettors can also see various markets change before finding the perfect selection for their bet slip. Sports such as Rugby League, Rugby Union, football, basketball, golf betting, and many more offer in-play bets.

What are Multiple bets

A multiple bet consists of more than one selection. Multiple bets can be made in horse race betting, football betting, and other sports.

When making a multiple bet, punters combine multiple selections into one bet. The odds are combined giving punters the chance to win a large payout from a small stake. Some bookmakers will offer enhanced odds on multiple bet selections.

What is an Acca

An acca, or accumulator bet, is one of the most popular sports bets in the world. Accas are a type of multiple bet and it combines several selections into one bet. Accas are hugely popular in football betting in the UK and Europe. Some bookmakers will provide specific enhanced odds on football accas.

What is a Parlay

A parlay bet is the same as an accumulator bet. The only difference between the two bet types is the countries in which they are used. Accumulator is the term used in the UK and Europe, while parlay is an American term.

What is Trixie

A Trixie bet is a type of multiple bet. It is made up of four bets on three different selections and they are combined into one. 

Trixie bets are typically used in horse racing, but punters can make Trixie bets on other sports. When making a Trixie, a bettor is making a three-selection bet that consists of four placed wagers. The Trixie has a high potential for profits from a relatively low stake.

Even if one selection fails, a Trixie bet can still be successful. The winnings of a Trixie are calculated on winning one treble bet and three doubles. There are no single selections but it is important to note that the stake is four times the amount placed on it.

What is a Goliath

A Goliath bet is massive and it is made up of 247 equal bets on eight selections. The selections include 28 doubles, 56 trebles, 70 four-folds, 56 five-folds, 28 six-folds, eight seven-folds, and one eight-fold.

A punter needs two of the eight selections to be successful for a return on their initial stake. A Goliath is an accumulator alternative bet. A punter with eight selections from different sports events may want to combine their selections into one massive bet. All 247 bets will have the same stake. This is a drawback of the bet.

How to Beat the Bookie

There are ways to beat the bookmakers and to when profits on sports bets. Not all the bets you place will be winners. However, you can improve your chance of winning by taking a few steps before placing bets online.

  1. Shop around - Comparing odds to find enhanced odds or the most competitive odds can help you find value. Some bookmakers will offer the same odds on events, but you can find gaps in the market by shopping around.

  2. Follow tips - While we advise not following social media scamdicappers, we do advise following betting tips provided by proven bettors and websites such as our own.

  3. Do your homework - One of the easiest ways to win bets is to learn as much as possible about the sport, teams, players, leagues, etc you are wagering on. Even then, you won't win all of your bets. However, you will give yourself the chance to win more than you lose.

  4. Be specific - Pick a sport a stick with it. By finding a specific sport and betting on games within that discipline you stand a better chance of winning than if you spread yourself around to other sports.

  5. Bet online - Betting online gives you the chance to receive bonuses you wouldn't at a bet shop. Online betting provides punters with free bets, enhanced odds, competitive odds, and much more.

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