More people are betting on sports events all over the world but understand the different betting options can be tricky. If you’re unsure what the odds mean or how to bet on your favorite team, it won’t take long for you understand exactly how to bet on sports.
Whether you’re an NFL fan, a basketball aficionado, a wrestling enthusiast or a boxing devotee, you can master the language of sports betting and learn how to have fun whilst placing a bet.
What are the most popular sports for betting?
Football is the most popular option when it comes to sports betting in the US. As well as betting on individual games, many people enjoy betting on which team will win the league too. However, the NFL isn’t the only sport you can bet on.
In fact, you can place a bet on almost any type of sporting event. Sportsbooks offer thousands of different betting opportunities, so you can enjoy betting on boxing, wrestling, baseball, basketball, football, hockey and much, much more.
Although some sports are suited to particular types of bets, you can use roughly the same betting methods to bet on all types of sports. Whether you’re betting on baseball, the NFL or boxing, for example, you can use either the point spread method or the money line.
Point spread betting
The point spread is the most popular way option when it comes to betting on the NFL, although it’s widely used to bet on other sports too. You might see a point spread expressed as the following:
New England Patriots – 3 (-110)
Green Bay Packers + 3 (-110)
Here, the New England Patriots are the favorites and the -3 spread means they will need to win by at least three points for you to win your bet on them. As the Green Bay Packers have a +3 spread, they would need to win or not lose by three points or more for you to win a bet you placed on them. The number in brackets, in this case, -110 refers to the odds the sportsbook is offering. When the odds are -110, you would need to bet $110 to win $100. If your $110 bet is successful, you’d get your $110 stake back, plus $100 winnings.
Betting on the money line
If point spread betting has you a little confused, you might prefer to bet on the money line. When you bet on the money line, you simply pick which team or athlete you think is going to win. If you’re correct, you’ll win your bet, regardless of how many points, goals or runs they win by.
If you’re betting on boxing, for example, and you see a money line of +200 on Mikey Garcia to beat Devon Alexander, you would need to bet $100 to win $200, plus your stake back. Alternatively, if you say a money line of -200 on Adrien Broner to beat Austin Trout, you would need to bet $200 to win $100, plus your stake back.
What is the easiest sport to bet on?
All sports can be easy to bet on, depending on what type of bet you place. Betting on the money line can be easier but the odds may mean that you don’t stand to win very much if you bet is successful. Conversely, betting on the point spread can be a little more complicated but can offer better returns, providing you predict the outcome accurately.
Many people find that the easiest sport to bet on is the one that they enjoy the most. As well as adding to the fun of watching a live event, you’re more likely to understand the intricacies of the sport and have a better idea of who’s likely to win. This can help you to make an informed decision when placing your bet and it might mean you have a better chance of winning.
If you’re an avid fan of the New York Yankees, for example, betting on baseball might seem like an obvious choice. However, you’ll need to be careful not to let your support for a team cloud your judgment when it comes to betting, otherwise, your devotion could end up costing you money in terms of lost bets! So try to be clear-headed when placing any bets and use the information you can gather online about current form and what tipsters are suggestion is a safer bet at a trustworthy sports betting community to help guide your betting decisions.
How much can you bet?
Some sportsbooks have minimum betting requirements, but these are typically relatively small. In most cases, you can bet just a dollar or two, if you want to. When you’re betting on sports or any event, it’s important to only bet what you can afford to lose. Whilst betting can be a fun way to enjoy your favorite sport, returns are never guaranteed.
Although betting odds are usually expressed in hundreds of dollars, this certainly doesn’t mean you have to bet this amount. If a money line is +200, for example, you would need to bet $100 to win $200. When you scale this down a little, it’s the same as saying you would need to bet $10 to win $20, or $1 to win $2.
When can you bet on sports?
With online sports betting, you can place a bet 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. In general, sportsbooks tend to open particular markets for betting well in advance. If you want to bet on who will win the Super Bowl in 2020, for example, you can do that now. However, the odds will be highly likely to change if you put your bet on early, which could work in your favor or against you.
As well as betting before a match starts, many online sports betting sites also offering in-play or live betting. This means you can bet in real-time, as a match or event is taking place. However, the odds will change as the match progresses, so you’ll need to pay close attention.
Where can I go to bet on sports?
Online sports betting sites make it easier than ever to bet on your favorite sports team, player or event. With simple registration processes, app functionality and secure logins, you can place a bet in seconds and follow the event to see if you’re successful.