Online sports betting is expanding every day and it’s not hard to understand why. It combines two all-time favorite hobbies: sports and taking risks. Not all of us can play professional sports. Most people can’t take weekly trips to Las Vegas. But thanks to online sports betting you can have the thrill of watching sports and earning money at the same time. All in the privacy of your own home! There is nothing better than that.
Before you start placing bets, you need to understand a few basics. This article gives you an introduction to the terminology used in online gambling. You don’t want to make any bets that you don’t fully understand. This is where I want to emphasize another piece of good advice, always look for the best betting tips and digest those tips before you put any money on the line.
Straight Bets – With a straight bet, you are simply betting that one team will win. The number of points a team wins by does not matter. If the Cowboys and Jaguars are playing, simply bet on the team you think will win. This is the most basic bet.
Betting on the side: This is similar to the previous bets. You are choosing a “side” or a team that you think will win.
Point spread betting – A sportsbook will list which team is the favorite to win a particular game. They will also show the estimated number of points they are expected to earn, which is called the margin. So they’re not just saying the odds are on the Cowboys winning. They will say that the Cowboys are expected to win by 7 or 11 points, etc. If you bet on the Cowboys to win but they only win by 5 then you have not won your bet. They didn’t earn enough to cover the spread.
Against the Spread or ATS – This is similar to the previous bet. Instead of just betting on who will win, you are betting that you will win by more or less than the expected amount. I think you are beginning to see why I insist that you seek out the best sports betting tips. In your research, look for a system, a proven system where the system developer has a dedicated following of winners. I’ll point you to one at the end of this article, but there are dozens more. Find the right one for you.
Over/Under Bets – As well as listing a favorite team and the point spread they are expected to win by, bet makers will also display a total over/under score. This is the total number of points that the teams will score during the game. If the number is 47, then you are anticipating that both teams will score a combined total of 47. If you bet “over”, then you are betting that the total score will be higher than expected. If you bet “under”, then you are anticipating that the total score will be lower.
Parlays – Parlay bets are when you bundle multiple bets on one ticket. Let’s say you make three bets, but instead of placing them separately, you place them all on one ticket. If you win all three, the payout is higher than if you had played each bet separately. However, if you lose even one bet, the parlay is a loser. You must win all bets on the card.
Futures bets or “Futures” bets: A futures bet can be a profitable bet for small bettors, but the odds are high. It involves betting on a game like the Super Bowl while the season is just starting, etc. You are betting on which team will win a future event even before it is decided who will play in the game.
There are many other betting variations, but this gives you the basic online sports betting terminology to understand the most popular bets.
