There’s nothing quite like the excitement of cheering on your favourite sports team or sportsperson. As a sports nut, the vicarious thrill you get when they win can only be matched if you have actual money riding on the outcome of the contest. Having some “skin” in the game seriously raises the stakes for any serious sports fan and makes the experience of watching and supporting that much more thrilling.
This is where sports betting comes into play; it adds an extra dimension of excitement for the fans watching the game, offering the opportunity of potential personal rewards beyond the thrill of their team or player winning. If you’re still unfamiliar with this burgeoning betting platform, read on to find out about the basics of sports betting:
Spread betting
Rather than simply betting on the outcome of a match, spread betting allows you to bet on a specific occurrence or outcome in a match, such as the margin of victory, who will score first, the score at halftime, or which player will score the most frequently. Ultimately, there are endless possibilities when it comes to spread betting, with a wide range of scenarios within a match.
Who is the favourite and who is the underdog?
Any sports lover understands the phrase “favourite and underdog” – this refers to the player/s that is/are favoured to win by pundits versus the opponent/s that is/are not favoured to win. Oddsmakers will always decide which competitor is more favoured to win before a match and release odds according to this expectation. The favourite will have a minus sign next to its odds while the underdog will have a plus sign. If there is no real favourite, then the books will open the odds as a “pick” or “pick’em”.
Moneylines
This refers to another way to bet on either a favourite or an underdog. The bet is based solely on which team may win the match, with American odds used to calculate the payout.
Over/Unders (Totals)
In a similar vein to the favourite/underdog odds, oddsmakers will also set odd for the total number of combined points predicted to be scored in a game by both teams, called over/under. As a punter, you can then wager whether the match will go either over or under the predicted total number of points.
What bet amount should you place?
Ultimately, it is up to you as an individual to determine the amount that you want to place. However, there are some guidelines that can help you make an informed decision. A good rule is to only risk what you can afford to lose. Remember, your bet won’t always bear fruit for you – there will be some good days and some bad days. As such, it is advisable to take a flat-betting approach whereby you bet the same amount on every game (risking only 1% to 5% of your bankroll per play). This ensures that you won’t lose your entire kitty during a bad run, and it also allows you to have a positive return on investment (ROI) during a good/lucky streak.
You got to roll with the punches
When engaged in online sports betting, you should always be aware that things change in real-time – the sports betting market is fluid. You must therefore always be aware that bookmakers can change odds at short notice due to vagaries such as changing weather and injuries.
Play Smartly
Always remember that you’re playing for real money, and that fact should ensure that you are careful and precise in the decisions you make. Ensure that you always track your progress carefully, depending on how frequently you bet. If you’ve been on a losing streak lately, consider taking a “cooling off” period whereby you refrain from placing any bets. This period should probably be a week at a minimum, but longer, possibly up to a month or even a year, if your losses are more extensive.
Bet with a reputable sports betting company
When placing a sports bet, you want to know that everything is above board and you will be rewarded for your bet if it’s a correct one. That’s why it’s so important to bet with a trusted and reputable company like Gbets, that’s powered by The Goldrush Gaming – backed by JSE-listed RECM Calibre! It means we are able to offer super fast withdrawals, great odds and other handy features that help control your bet like:
- Bet Boost,
- Bet Signal,
- Cash Out,
- Edit My Bet
- Stats and Results Centre.
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