The world of sports betting is a lot more complex than many might assume, especially if you’re a newcomer. While the experienced pros might know that they can look around for different markets and different odds, a lot of newbies think it’s just about betting on who will win.
That couldn’t be further from the truth, but if you are looking for some additional insights, the least we can say is that you’ve come to the right place. Every year, more than $190 billion is spent on sports betting around the world, and more than $80 billion comes from the US market alone. So if you’d like to know how to get in on the action and join the millions of people out there who are betting on markets other than the event winner – keep reading. We’ll help give you insights into which betting markets are available and more likely to give you a higher payout for different sports, which could really help improve your betting portfolio overall.
Football
Over/Under
Essentially, the aim of an ‘Over/Under’ bet is to try and deduce the total number of goals that will be scored during a match. It’s a nice market because it gives you the option to not have to worry about who the winner will be and still gives you a good fighting chance regardless of what the outcome is. Also, you don’t have to guess the exact final combined score of both teams, just if it will be over or under a certain amount.
For example, you might bet on over 2.5 goals in the game. That means the total number of goals will have to be at least 3 for your bet to pay out. This could be a score of 3-0, 2-1, 2-2, or 3-2, for example.
Draw No Bet
‘Draw no bet’ basically acts as a safety net where you can hedge your bets in case the match ends in an unexpected draw – hence the eponymous name, ‘Draw no bet’. Basically, if you bet that team A will win and the game ends in a draw, you will be refunded your full stake amount. You have essentially declared your position ‘void’ with the sportsbook in this case, and don’t risk any of your cash. Many different sportsbooks on the 2023 list will offer different odds or rates for the ‘draw no bet’ market, so it’s important to shop around for the best one available.
Asian Handicap
In football betting, the Asian Handicap is a unique market that levels the playing field between two unevenly matched teams. By assigning a goal handicap to each team—expressed in fractions like 0.5, 1, or 1.5 goals—it eliminates the possibility of a draw, offering only two outcomes to bet on.
The favorite gets a negative handicap, needing to overcome the deficit to win the bet, while the underdog receives a positive handicap, providing a head start. For example, if Team A (-1.0) plays against Team B (+1.0), Team A must win by at least 2 goals for a bet on them to pay out. If they win by exactly one goal, the bet is refunded, and if the match is drawn or Team B wins, bets on Team B win. This market appeals to bettors for its ability to balance odds and provide more nuanced betting opportunities.
Double Bet
This market essentially lets you place two selections as one bet. Basically, you will bet on whether two teams will win, draw, or lose, in different games. The nice part is that you will be offered a multiplier for the different sections of the bet, which can really increase your payout should both selections come in.
For example, you might bet on Liverpool (at odds of 2.0) to beat Tottenham and Chelsea to draw with Manchester City (at odds of 2.7). If Liverpool win and Chelsea win, your bet won’t pay out. However, if both Liverpool win and Chelsea draw, only then will your bet pay out at combined odds of 5.4.
Golf
To Make The Cut
This is a pretty fair market that gives you lots of chances for success. Essentially, during any golf tournament, halfway through the tournament a ‘cut’ will be made. This separates the scoreboard into two sections. Those above the line will continue through the tournament, and those below it will be disqualified. You basically just have to bet on whether a certain player will make the cut or not, which, for most players, is quite easy to determine even early on in the game.
Place Bets
This is a lot safer than betting on an ‘outright winner’ market, as it offers you greater odds and a little more leeway. You will bet on where a certain player will place on the final scoreboard i.e. top 5, top 10, etc. This means you have 5 times the security, or even 10 times the security than you do with an outright winner bet, and can stand better chances of winning.
However, remember that ties are extremely common in golf. So, there might be four players tied for 2nd-5th places, and your chosen player in 6th place might be just one point behind them, but will not pay out on a place bet if the market covers the top 5 places only.
Round Leaders
This is a good bet for making later on in the tournament as it’s often a lot easier to determine who the round leaders are or will be at that stage in the game. As the name suggests, you bet on who the leaders of the round will be, with most tournaments consisting of four rounds over four days.
Round Totals
This market usually has two betting options, the two-way or three-way bet. In a two-way, you will bet whether the final score of any player will be over a certain amount, but under another amount. With the three-way, you bet on whether it’s over a certain amount, or under another amount, but not inclusive of amounts x-y.
Baseball
5-Inning Line
In baseball betting, the “5-Inning Line” is a unique market focusing on the outcome of the first five innings, akin to a game within a game. Bettors can wager on which team will be leading after the fifth inning, offering a fresh angle that emphasizes starting pitcher performance and early game dynamics. In this market, it doesn’t matter if the team then goes on to win or lose overall, so long as the team you’ve backed is ahead after the first five innings.
Home runs
So this market offers a few more variables for you to choose from, like who will hit the first home run, how many will be scored over the course of the game, and when the first one will be scored. It’s a great way to increase your winnings and makes the game a lot more exciting to watch. You can find stats on who has hit the most home runs so far this season to increase your chances of success.
Conclusion
Remember to take some time investigating different betting markets and all the complicated betting jargon for your favorite sports. Even experienced pros tend to use the same bets over and over again, so learning how to change things up or experiment a little can really bring some diversity to your betting portfolio and maybe even help increase your margin quite significantly. Never be afraid to try new things!
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