Unique Things You Can Bet on in Sports

Sports betting is a popular and profitable pastime activity. Sports betting is right for you if you enjoy watching sports, consider yourself knowledgeable, or are good at predicting results. Thanks to online sports betting, you can wager on your favorite teams or competitions on the go.

Casual sports betting players can make decent incomes from the sports betting market. However, they are unlikely to place large bets on a single game or event. On the other hand, professional or full-time sports betting requires significant risk-taking. Your betting decisions are crucial to success if you are playing professionally.

Regardless of your objectives, you need to understand the basics of sports betting. The following are some of the most common types of bets unique to sports betting:

Win Bets and Moneyline Bets

Although said differently, win, and Moneyline bets mean the same thing. In the US market, this type of wager is known as a Moneyline bet, while the rest of the world calls it a win bet. It is available on all top sports betting sites. All you need to do is pick the team that will win the game you are wagering on.

For instance, in a soccer match pitting Arsenal and Chelsea, you only need to determine the side you think will win. If you believe that Arsenal will emerge victorious, you will place a bet on them. If Arsenal goes on to win the match, you will also win your bet. It is as simple as that.

It is the same with sports involving individuals instead of teams. For instance, you want to make a Moneyline wager on Novak Djokovic to win his next tennis match. If he wins, you will win your bet. If he loses, you lose your bet too. This is regardless of how he wins or by how many sets he beats his opponent.

Totals and Over/Under Bets

The terms over/under bet and totals bet can be used interchangeably and represent the same kind of bet. Totals bets allow you to bet on a numerical total offered by a sports betting site for a specific event. In most instances, you will be wagering on the total combined scores of a match.

Over/under bets present you with two options. You only have to decide whether the total score will be higher or lower than the sportsbook’s pick. You don’t have to predict the exact number. In soccer, you can decide if the match finishes in Over or Under O.5, 1.5, 2.5, or 3.5 goals, among other options. In tennis, you can bet on over/under four sets, while in basketball, you can bet on over or under 200 points.

Why are totals bets popular? Most sports bettors love them since you can easily predict the average number of sets, goals, or points in a match through sports data. For instance, Arsenal regularly beats weaker teams by more than three goals. Therefore, you can comfortably back them to win against a lowly placed side by three or more goals. 

Handicap/Spreads

Spread betting, known as handicap wagering in Europe, is among North America’s most popular bet types. On paper, it gives an advantage or disadvantage to a particular team. The sports betting platform determines which team to favor to win a match. Then they assign a total number of points, goals, or sets they think the team will win the match by. 

The player decides whether they think that the pick by the sports betting site is over or understated. For example, consider a game pitting an in-form Golden State Warriors against an out-of-form Los Angeles Lakers. Most people expect the Warriors to clinch a victory. 

With handicap betting, a sportsbook can give the Lakers an advantage of 8.5 points. If you bet on the Warriors to win, it has to beat the Lakers by 8.5+ for you to make profits. In most cases, spreads bets have significantly higher bets. 

Proposition Bets

Prop bets are some of the most exciting ones in the sports betting world. They are usually derived from obscure and random events. Winning is all about luck rather than your ability to make accurate predictions. 

However, prop bets can also be made on team stats or individual players. You would need a proper strategy to win. Prop bets are great as they serve two purposes. First, they bring you all the action. You can bet on just about anything. With prop bets, every facet of the game is up for betting.  

Second, the bets are highly flexible. You can take advantage of your skill and knowledge to make money. Here are a few examples of prop bets. 

• What team will score first in the game?
•  Who will win the coin toss during the opening?
• Will a specific player have fewer or more than 1.5 touchdowns?
• In a baseball game, will a team score during the first inning?

Futures and Outright Bets

Outright and futures bets are the same in sports betting. With these wagers, you can pick the winner of the entire competition, tournament, or league. Usually, you will be making your choice before the sporting event. This is where it derives the name ‘futures.’

For example, you could bet on the NBA Finals winner before the start of the next season. You could also bet on the Super Bowl winner before the first NFL game of the season. In both situations, you would place a bet well before the event. 

Since the bets are usually placed so far ahead of time, making the right pick can be difficult. Betting before the start of the season means you probably don’t have much information about particular teams and how they are likely to perform.

Because of the high risks, these bets also attract handsome payouts. Another benefit of these bets is that they deliver more entertainment value for your money. You will enjoy the betting experience for more than a game. The excitement and action just keep going. 

Unlike single-game bets, you will enjoy the bet for as long as your team has the potential to win.

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