Live Betting 2021
Live betting is one of the core parts of sports betting in this day and age. While in the past, there were not too many opportunities to place bets during a game or a race, this is now a reality thanks to the prevalence of the internet.
With scores and odds updated in real-time, bookmakers offer an ideal range of different live betting options. This allows you to react to the action that you are watching in front of you by placing bets on what you anticipate will happen next. This guide looks at the ins and outs of the role of live betting in the sports betting space today.
What exactly is live betting?
Most people will be familiar with traditional sports betting that sees you placing a bet on a game or a race before the event starts. Everyone is on a level playing field and you are basing all of your decisions on past performance. You will have a lot more betting markets available pre-game rather than once it begins.
Live betting allows you to place bets during the game or the race. You may spot an opportunity during the course of the event that you believe can hit toward a certain outcome that you can then take advantage of with your betting. Most sportsbooks today will have a dedicated live betting section to their website or a live betting app. This section will focus on the games that are currently ongoing.
- Place bets mid-game
- Constantly changing odds
- Often live streaming option
Many platforms will offer graphics or even live streaming of these events. The markets will not be as big as the pre-game markets, but you still have some decent choices in most cases. The odds will update in real-time as the match continues. Sometimes, the market will get suspended briefly if something significant happens in the game, such as a big score or a penalty occurs.
Types of Live Betting Wagers
There is a range of different types of betting markets that you will come across with live betting offerings. These will vary from operator to operator, but the mainstays will usually be in place.
- Classic bets
- Prop wagers
- Parlay bets
Here is a look at some of these leading options you will come across:
Classic Bets
First and foremost, you will come across the standard types of bets, such as match or race winner markets. Many of these markets will remain from pre-game to in-game, with the odds changing as the event develops. For example, if one team gets a lot of scores, the match winner odds will then adjust to reflect the changing probability of a given event happening.
Prop wagers
There are many different prop bets usually still available with live betting. This could include next goalscorer markets or how many runs a given cricket batter will get in the course of the game. You may see that a certain player is playing particularly well or is struggling and you act accordingly with your live bets.
Parlay Bets
Despite the event having started, you can often still create parlay bets if you wish to do so. This can elevate your potential payout with a relatively small stake. These parlays are high-risk, high-reward plays.
Upsides of Live Betting
There are a number of benefits associated with live betting. It is always a great idea to have more tools on board as a sports bettor, whether that is through live betting or the likes of a sports betting exchange that a lot of other bettors might not be taking advantage of.
Odds
Bookmakers spend a lot of time trying to make sure that the pre-game odds are as optimized as possible, reflecting all of the currently available information. This will help them minimize risk as much as possible.
When it comes to a live betting scenario, the odds are constantly changing as the game continues and different things happen. As there is such a short time window, this means that you are often going to spot some nice odds for your bets.
Whether the odds are changed manually or by a system, you often have an advantage if you are watching an event in-real time and able to spot some opportunities that might have been overlooked by those setting the odds in the long run, the better odds will boost your bottom line significantly.
An Extra Tool
When it comes to sports betting, you are looking to do as much as possible to increase your odds of having a winning bet. This means using all of the available info and resources that are at your disposal.
A lot of people rely just on the standard pre-game markets. However, they are missing out on other potential opportunities through the likes of live betting. You can use your enhanced knowledge of your favorite sport or team and put it to the test. Some of the popular forms of live betting include:
- Cricket
- Football
- Tennis
- Horse racing
After the game begins, you can often get a good idea about how certain players or participants are doing and how the rest of the event may go. With pre-game betting, you can do nothing once the event starts. However, with in-play betting you have the ability to make subsequent bets depending on the changing circumstances.
Entertainment Factor
As well as potentially boosting the return of your bets, you are always generating some extra levels of enjoyment when you are taking part in live betting.
As you watch the game and you have money on the line, the whole experience can be a lot more interesting, particularly if your favorite team is taking part. If your pre-game bets quickly look like not being successful, you can still have some skin in the game through live betting.
Strategies for Live Betting
If you are looking to get started with live betting, but you need a bit of guidance, you have come to the right place. Here are a few tips and strategies you can use to improve your live betting performance:
Being With Pre-Game Bets
Usually, the top live bettors will already have a pre-event bet in place. This means that you will have completed all of your homework regarding the participants in the event and have a good idea of who is involved and how you expect them to perform.
Judging by how the game and your bets are going, you can use live betting to further capitalize on your initial thoughts or you can hedge your pre-game bets by taking up opposing positions.
Be Aware of your Limits
As live betting is such a fast-paced matter, it is easy to get caught up in the event and start betting too much. You should always be fully aware of your expenditure and reign it in if necessary.
You don’t want to blow too much of your balance in a single game. Thankfully, most bookmakers will have a great interface that means you can always easily track your account balance.
Watch the Game
It might sound like a simple idea, but a lot of people who place live bets do not even watch the given event or they may be watching many different games at one time. By focusing your attention on a single event, you can spot subtle nuances and potential opportunities that you might otherwise have missed.
You can then take advantage of these trends. Watching games over time with the betting mindset will also improve your overall live betting, as you can start to see some patterns that seem to emerge during the course of the event.
Take Advantage of Good Odds
As mentioned, these people or systems setting the odds have to react quickly during the game. This can throw up odds mismatches. You should take advantage of these opportunities whenever possible if it makes sense. It is a great way to boost your bottom line by minimizing your risk and boosting your potential returns.
Find the best live betting sportsbook
If you are looking to find the best platform for live betting, then there are a few things to consider. You want an interface that is easy to use, quickly updates markets, has a decent selection of events for your favorite sport and possibly even allows you to livestream the event. The sign up process takes only a few minutes and there is normally a great welcome bonus on offer.
