A Beginner's Guide to Sports Betting Online
The rise of the internet has undoubtedly changed the game of sports betting, probably forever. Online sports betting has become so convenient for bettors all over the world, and it is only getting simpler. Those wanting to participate in online sports betting can do so from a range of devices, including laptops, tablets and Smartphones. With these devices becoming increasingly more accessible to the wider population, it is hard to see the trend of online sports betting slowing down anywhere soon.
Along with the rise of online sports betting, the amount of online sports bookies has also increased dramatically in recent years. Sports bettors now have access to quite literally hundreds if not thousands of online sports bookies these days, and almost all of them have developed a mobile app to make their offerings even more accessible.
While the world of online sports betting can appear intimidating and complicating at first, it really isn’t. All this concept means is that instead of walking into a betting shop and placing a bet, you can now do the same thing over the internet thanks to the implementation of online sports wagering.
And don’t worry, this guide has all of the essential information for you to understand and get started with the world of online sports wagering.
Where to Place Your Bets
To get started with online sports betting, you will need to find an online bookmaker and create an account. This is often a very simple process, and after creating an account you will then be eligible to place your very first online sports bets. Online sports bookies will always require that you fund your account through some method before placing a bet. This is simply because in order to place a bet, you must have funds in your account. So after signing up and funding your account, you will have the chance to put your online sports wagering skills to the test. By simply navigating to the sportsbook of the online bookmaker, you will see a whole range of sports and markets that you may place a wager on. While the sportsbook may seem confusing, it will become very simple after reading this guide.
Best Bookmakers - November 2024
Most Common Bets to Understand
While the world of online sports betting consists of many different sports, you will find that there are four main bets that are common across the majority of sports. These fundamental four bets are described in detail below.
- Outright Winner
Before a competition begins, you will almost always have the chance to place an outright winner bet. This will be seen in almost all online sports bookies, and it basically means that you are betting on an individual or a team to win the whole event / tournament.
- 1x2 Bets
Online sports bookies will typically present the available odds in this way. For example, in a game of hockey you will have one team playing against another. The first team will be shown as ‘1’, and the second team will be shown as ‘2’. The ‘x’ is simply the symbol for a draw. By betting on any of these selections, you are betting that this will be the outcome of the game.
- Over/Under
Since sports almost always follow a points format, you can actually bet on the amount of points, goals, and a whole host of other bets depending on the sport. For example, you could make a basketball bet that a game will go over 140.5 points or under 140.5 points.
- Spread Bets
Again following the points system, you can bet that a game will end by one individual/team winning be a certain margin. Alternatively, you can bet on the underdog being within a certain amount of points when a game finishes.
These are the four most common types of bets that you will come across in the world of online sports wagering. But there are also some important terms to understand too.
Important Terms for Online Sports Betting
Now that you are aware of the most common types of bets to place, you need to understand some of the most common terms that you will come across.
- Market
A market is simply the term for the range of bets available for a particular event. For example, if a football game has over 100 different bets available, it basically means that there are over 100 markets available.
- Odds
Odds are the prices that are assigned for a specific outcome of an event. They will also determine the amount of money you could win for a bet. For example, the Golden State Warriors may have 2.0 odds to beat the Washington Wizards in Basketball. This means that if you bet $10 on this outcome, you will get a $20 return ($10 x 2.0).
- Return
This is closely tied to odds in the world of online sports betting. Your return is just another way of stating what you stand to win if your chosen bet actually wins. The term return is often synonymous with winnings.
Advice for Getting Started
Now that you have all of the basics covered, you are ready to get started with your very first online sports bets, but before you do, we have three pieces of advice that will ensure you remain in control and enjoy your sports betting as much as possible.
- Start betting small to avoid losses
- Try to bet on sports that you enjoy and that you understand
- Vary your bets to become familiar with them all
As long as you follow these three pieces of advice, you will be just fine!
True North Casinos would like to wish you lots of success with your online sports betting experiences.
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