Online betting isn’t as simple as it looks. Sometimes you may lose the bet if you’re not sure which one best suits the game. So, how can you get started with online betting? We’ll go over all you should know before placing your first bet.
Understand betting odds
You may see odds in betting slips after your CaptainsBet Sign Up and wonder what they are. Odds look like three-digit numbers with a plus or minus sign next to them. To read what it means, the signs next to them are very important.
The minus sign means a betting favorite, while the plus sign is an underdog. In simple terms, the minus sign will be used for a popular footballer like Leo Messi. So if a Nigerian sportsbook is offering -125 for a team, it means you need to wager around $125 to win $100. For an underdog, you can wager +105 with a $100 stake to get $105 in profit.
Understanding sports bet types
There are multiple sports betting types, and knowing what they entail will take you a long way as a betting beginner. They include,
Moneyline bet
This type of bet is straightforward, and that is why it is perfect for beginners. It is so simple that to win, you only have to select the winner. However, there are some factors to remember before placing a moneyline bet. One is that it gets complicated when matches end in a draw, and the second is that it could be a two-outcome choice.
Point spread
This is also known as handicap betting. It is not as straightforward as the moneyline bet. The margin of victory is the main focus here, and not just the winner. On this type of bet, you’ll see a positive and negative sign on the sides to show which is the favorite and which is the underdog.
Prop bet
This type of bet allows players to wager on events during a game and not the outcome. Basically, it allows you to win the bet even if your team does not win in the end. For example, a football prop bet can include corner kicks, penalties, and assists, among others. It is quite flexible compared to the other kinds of bets on the list.
There’s also an option to combine more than one prop bet to increase the payout on a single ticket.
Over/under
This type is also beginner-friendly. To wager, simply determine if the score in the game will be over or under a threshold. It doesn’t matter who wins the game, but who gets a specific number of points. The bet looks a lot like the spread bet because of some similarities.
Live sports betting
Many bookmakers offer live betting to allow players to wager on games while they are ongoing. This type of betting gives you a higher chance of winning the wager since you can bet more than once on the same event.