You’ve probably searched through numerous pages trying to get a comprehensive guide to sports betting. Yes, you’re not alone! We’ve helped many individuals like yourself scale from beginners to advanced bettors with our sports betting school. In this guide, we’ll be taking you through the world of online betting, and you’ll be learning practical betting strategies that will help you navigate betting with confidence. Let's get into the sports betting school!!
In this guide, we’ll take you through the basics of sports betting, and you’ll learn about the most popular bet types, strategies, and tools that will help improve your chances of success. Our experts also cover legal aspects, responsible gaming, and the commonly asked questions to help you bet responsibly.
What is Sports Betting?
Sports betting, in the simplest terms, is you placing money on the outcome of a sporting event. Then there are the bookmakers, who we also call sportsbooks; they are in charge of setting the odds that reflect the likelihood of different results. Bettors are people like you who place bets on outcomes. These outcomes include who wins a match, how many goals are scored, or a specific player's performance.
We’ve tested many sports and competitions, and the most popular sports bettors like to bet on are football, basketball, tennis, and horse racing. In places like the UK, football competitions like the Premier League, FA Cup, and Champions League have dominated the betting markets, second to that are the horse racing events. Some of the most popular horse racing events that most bettors prefer to bet on are the Grand National and Royal Ascot. Other popular sports include rugby, cricket, darts, and greyhound racing.
Betting Types and Markets
There are different types of bets you can place across different sports. These bet types allow you to choose the style that suits you best. Let's take football, for example. The most popular betting options are the match result (1X2), which allows you to predict the winner of a match or a draw, and other options include over/under bets. The over/under bet type allows you to bet on the total number of goals or points. The Both Teams to score (BTTS) bet type is simply betting on both sides to find the net. Then there are other advanced bets like the accumulators, also known as ACCAs, this type allow you to combine several selections into one bet, while futures betting is placing bets on long-term outcomes like who will win a tournament. Below are articles written by our experts to help you understand each betting type in more detail.
- Guide to Match Result Betting
- Guide to Over/Under Betting
- Guide to Both Teams to Score
- Guide to Accumulators
- Guide to Futures Betting
Asian Handicap
This is probably one of the best betting types to be created. The Asian Handicap is meant to level the playing field between two unevenly matched teams. There are times when 2 teams are paired and it’s obvious one has a greater advantage than the other, this is where Asian handicap comes in. Instead of just choosing who wins or loses the match, to give more odds, the bookmaker assigns a goal handicap to one team. This removes the possibility of a draw and increases betting opportunities. Now let me explain.
If Manchester City is given a 1.5 handicap against a weaker team, Manchester United must win by at least two goals for your bet to succeed. If they end up winning 1–0, you will lose that bet. Asian handicap is very popular in football and is mostly used when the paid teams have big differences in strength.
Asian Handicap Guide
European Handicap
The European Handicap works similarly to the Asian Handicap, but the European handicap has a slight difference from the Asian handicap. European handicap retains the possibility of three outcomes as opposed to just 2 offered by Asian handicap. The possible outcomes are home win, draw, or away win. Let me explain further.
If there’s a match between Arsenal and Everton and Everton is given a +1 handicap, the bets are settled as if Everton started the game with a 1–0 lead. If Arsenal wins 2–0, they still cover the handicap, and the bet is successful. However, if Arsenal only wins 1–0, the game is considered a draw in handicap terms.
European Handicap Guide
The Most Popular Betting Strategies
There’s a popular saying, “If you don’t plan, you plan to fail.” We believe the quote applies to every aspect of life, including betting. The fastest way to lose your hard-earned money is to venture into betting without a laid-out strategy. Strategies help you manage risk, guide your betting decisions, and prevent you from placing bets impulsively. There’s no successful bettor who doesn’t have a strategy, and that’s why we always advise beginners to get and stick to a clear approach. Here are some of the most popular betting strategies used by experienced bettors:
- Value betting: There are times when the odds offered on a match are higher than its true probability. This strategy emphasizes identifying the odds and taking advantage of those types of bets.
- Arbitrage betting: This has to do with covering all the outcomes possible across different bookmakers to secure small guaranteed profits.
- Matched betting: This type of strategy involves using free bets and promotions to place bets so you’re risking less of your money.
- Martingale system: This is used by more advanced punters. It has to do with doubling your stake after each loss to recover the previous losses. It’s very risky, but it can help you recover and make money fast.
Click here for a complete guide on how to create a betting strategy.
Betting Terminology
Every industry has its unique terms, and professionals there are familiar with the terminology. The same thing applies to betting; we also have our own unique language, and if you’re interested in this industry, you need to understand our terminology. You’ll often find terms like “accumulator,” “moneyline,” “stake,” or “odds-on,” and they may sound confusing at first, but they are what you’ll need to interpret markets and place informed bets. To help you get familiar with betting terms, we’ve prepared a detailed glossary that explains all the essential betting terms in simple words. Check our betting glossary
Betting Calculator
A betting calculator is a tool that is used by players to quickly determine their potential winnings based on stake, odds, and bet type. Instead of having to calculate manually how much you stand to win, you can simply enter your bet details, and the tool will provide you with the outcome instantly. Betting calculators are of different types. There’s one for calculating singles bets, another for calculating accumulators, and handicaps. A betting calculator saves time and helps you plan your bets more effectively. Try our betting calculator here
Is it Legal to Bet in UK?
Sports betting is considered legal in the UK. The industry is regulated by the Gambling Act 2005, which led to the establishment of the UK Gambling Commission. The UK Gambling Commission is the body responsible for regulating the activities of bookmakers to ensure that they play fairly and that consumers like yourself are protected. They are also responsible for enforcing responsible gaming practices across bookmakers operating in the country.
Every operator licensed by the UK Gambling Commission must follow strict rules, and bettors like yourself can safely enjoy online betting knowing they are protected under UK law.
Responsible Gaming
Many new players often skip setting limits and other responsible gaming tools during their registration phase. Mainly because they’re excited and cannot wait to jump into the action, but as experts in this field, we’re saying that gambling irresponsibly can be financially and emotionally costly. We always advise setting time and wagering limits on your betting account to help keep you in check. If you must stay in control of your betting, always put limits on time and budget, avoid chasing losses, and remember that betting is a matter of probability and nothing is guaranteed.
In the UK, there are organizations such as GamCare, BeGambleAware, and Gamblers Anonymous UK that provide free support, advice, and treatment for those struggling with problem gambling. We highly recommend them if you ever find yourself struggling with gambling.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are betting systems?
They are structured methods of placing bets. They are designed to help you manage risk and increase your chances of success.
Do betting strategies guarantee profit?
No, they don’t, but they can help you stay disciplined and make better decisions.
What are betting markets?
They are the options available to bet on. Examples include match winner, totals, and handicaps.
Is live betting different from pre-match betting?
Yes, they are; live betting takes place during the game, while pre-match betting is done before the game starts.
Can I use a betting calculator for accumulators?
Yes, most calculators support singles, multiples, and complex bets.