Live Betting involves placing new or adjusting existing wagers in real time, as an event is unfolding – in other words, as it is live. Also known as In-Play betting for obvious reasons, it can help to minimise your losses and maximise your wins, and is a real bonus for anyone who loves wagering as a game is taking place.
Odds Adjusted Over Time
Pre-game bets have odds that are set in advance. These are calculated according to many factors, including which contenders have been performing better recently, injury reports, and whether there are any new players on a team. Considering the odds and working out how much your payout will be versus how likely it is that you will win is essential when you’re deciding how you want to punt.
However, anything can happen on the actual day of the contest; the star of the Football team might be injured with in the first few moments of play, for example, or a horse could simply not perform. As contestants’ likelihood of winning and losing changes, the odds for live punting are changed. If the odds swing more or less in your favour, you can increase or decrease your stake accordingly.
Live Betting Sports
In theory it’s possible to place in-play wagers on any sport, but in practice most bookmakers offer fewer live than pre-game options. This is partly because live stakes require more work on their part, to calculate and change the odds as the action continues, and partly because people are still more comfortable with pre-game bets.
The sports that are most frequently available for in-play wagering are Horse Racing, Tennis, Football, Rugby and Boxing. However, there are already sites that offer other events. Depending on the bookmaker chosen for online betting NZ punters could get to wager on Mixed Martial Arts, Greyhound Racing, Formula 1 and even Surfing competitions. As more bettors become aware of live options, their popularity and range are expected to keep increasing.
Live Betting Markets
In general, you can place real money live bets on the results of a whole game, or at quarter- or half-time. In Golf, the wagers are sometimes offered after every single play. The nature of In-Play Betting means you can’t put money on the results of an entire tournament, though of course when the Rugby World Cup final is actually being played you’ll be able to place live punts on the winning side.
Moneyline, Handicap and Totals Bets are offered, with the current score, total, moneyline and spread displayed on the sportsbook’s homepage. These will change with the score, and many sites actually livestream the action so you can watch the game and keep an eye on your stakes at the same time.
Depending on the specific sport, various Propositions might be offered too. These include skills-based and fun options, such as how many goals a player will score or, in 2019, how many tweets Donald Trump would fire off during the Super Bowl!
As you gain more understanding of various sports and punting in general, live stakes can be a great way to keep you interested and boost your returns. Just remember to apply caution; you need considerable insight into whatever game you’re watching. Start slowly and, as always, never stake anything that you can’t afford to lose.