1

#1 BetOnline Sportsbook

Review

BONUS 100%
BET NOW

2

Betwhale Logo

Review

BONUS 125%
BET NOW

3

BetUs Logo

Review

BONUS 125%
BET NOW

4

#3 BetAnySports Sportsbook

Review

BONUS 30%
BET NOW

5

#4 Mybookie Sportsbook

Review

BONUS 100%
BET NOW

The internet has dramatically changed the gambling business model in the last couple of decades. It is safe to say that there is a before the internet and an after the internet. Betting-wise and otherwise-wise. We would even dare compare it to Guttenberg introducing mechanical movable type printing to Europe. Or to the industrial revolution.

Well, maybe it was not entirely like those events. But it was a game changer nonetheless. For starters, “virtual” books have replaced “real ones.” However, we are still using much too real money to place bets. Of course, for younger gamblers, online is they only way to bet they have ever known. That is because internet betting has made great strides in the past 20 years or so.

In the beginning, of course, it was all very rudimentary. Then, as the technology improved, so did the betting experience. Today’s betting sites are to their ancestors what American football is to rugby. Sleeker, more sophisticated, and much more convenient. One of those conveniences that we enjoy nowadays is in play betting. Also known as live betting. You have probably noticed how sometimes TV networks “join (name of program) already in progress.”

This is similar. It means you “join”, by which we mean “bet” on a game already in progress. That is to say, you can place a wager after the game has started. As opposed to regular betting, in which you must place your bet before the game begins. This ability has encouraged many people to approach betting in an entirely different manner than they used to. It could change the way that you bet as well, if it has not already.

On the surface, it does not seem like anything to write home about. It is not much different than watching Saturday Night Live after the monologue. Or attending mass after whatever it is that they do at the beginning of mass. The truth is, though, that it can make a world of difference. For example, live betting could give you an upper hand over oddsmakers. Additionally, it can make betting even more fun and entertaining than it already is.

It can even be safe to say that the only thing better than betting is live betting. In a way it is like you become a coach of sorts. You have to closely watch the games and make fast decisions based on what you see. We bet that you can’t wait to take a crack at it. Before you do, however, we invite you to continue reading.

An explanation of Live/In-Play Betting

At this point it seems that explaining live betting would be over-explaining it. As we have stated above, it comes down to placing a bet on a sporting event that is already in play. Other than that it is pretty much the same you have become accustomed to. You choose from a variety of bets and betting markets. You make your pick based on what you believe the outcome will be.

There are fixed odds when you place your bet. If you pick correctly you win money. If you pick incorrectly you lose the money that you wager. That is it in a nutshell. Having said that, there are a couple of slight differences. One is that there are additional types of bets available. And another is that the odds are constantly fluctuating.

Additional Bet Types

Live betting unlocks a vast array of bet types that would not be possible with regular betting. For example, with the latter you can bet on which player will score the first touchdown in a football game. Once that first touchdown is scored, that is it. That is all that she wrote, as we say in the parlance of our times. However, with live betting, you can bet on which player will score the next touchdown. And it does not end with touchdowns or with football.

You can pretty much bet on anything that can happen in any given sport; soccer, tennis, basketball, baseball, etc., etc. the possibilities are almost endless. And the best part is that pre-event betting markets remain available during the event. For instance, you can live bet on the winner of the match or the final score. The only caveat is that the odds shift during the event based on the action.

Fluctuating Odds

In regular betting, odds can and will most likely change between the time they are posted and when the game begins. That is because a lot of things can happen in the interval. Players may be injured or suspended. Coaches may be fired. And so on and so forth. The New England Patriots are perennial favorites. But let’s say Tom Brady sprains an ankle two days before a game. Chances are the Pats would still be favored to win, though not by as many points as before. In short, regular odds take into account what happens before the game.

Conversely, live betting odds take into account what happens during the game. And they change accordingly. So if Brady started the game at a 100% but got injured in the second quarter, that would change the live betting odds. Many betting sites pay experts to watch the games and adjust the odds based on their assessment. Changing odds is not a negative aspect of live betting. On the contrary, you can use it to your advantage. But first let us take a look at the types of sports and events that lend themselves to live betting.

Live Betting Sports and Events

  • Football
  • Soccer
  • Basketball
  • Ice Hockey
  • Tennis
  • Cricket
  • Golf
  • Horse Racing

 

When it was first developed, live betting was reserved for popular sports and big events only. Things have changed, though, and nowadays the best betting websites have made in play betting available for many sports and events.

Every sport features a vast array of events to wager on. There is football for example. Most betting sites offer live markets on every single NFL game. As well as many college football games. Some sites may even cover Canadian Football. Talk about coverage. Then there is the other football; that is, soccer. Being the most popular sport in the planet, there are a gazillion games every week. The top sites cover pretty much all of them. Including those from obscure leagues and competitions. As far as basketball is concerned, every NBA game is covered. As is every NHL game.

Every tennis match in every ranking tennis tournament is covered, and most professional golf tournaments are as well. Cricket matches all over the world are covered, and any important horse race. You get the idea; you name it and it is covered. Many sites also cover less popular sports, such as motor racing, MMA, boxing, snooker, rugby, darts and more. Are you still not sold on live betting? Let’s have a look at some of the additional advantages then.

Live Betting Advantages

Live betting covers many sports and many betting markets. Those two right there are two great advantages. However, they are not the only two advantages. There are other advantages than those two. As a matter of fact, we may have hinted at a third advantage. Remember when we said that changing odds was an advantageous aspect of in play betting?

We will finally get around to that. Regular odds are invariably more or less accurate. That is because oddsmakers have plenty of time before a game to weigh-in all factors. Live betting on the other hand does not give them too much room to maneuver. They are forced to make their adjustments on the fly. As a result, they are liable to zig when they should zag. And that gives savvy bettors an edge in their quest for value bets.

If you think about it, live betting is a sort of equalizer. It levels the playing field. Oddsmakers and gamblers find themselves well-matched. Sure, bookies know a lot about sports and betting, but that is nothing that bettors can’t learn too. We are not saying that live betting is a silver bullet. But gamblers are always looking for ways to stay ahead of the house. And this is one of the better ways. Furthermore, in play betting provides you with strategies to hedge your bets and lower your risk.

Hedging Strategy #1

Let’s imagine you have bet on a tennis player to win a tennis match. After 30 minutes you do not think he is playing as well as you thought he would. You can lay another bet on his opponent to offset some of the original bet or even its entirety. In this case, you will probably wind up being obligated to take a loss regardless of what transpires. Sometimes you are better off taking a small loss when the wind changes as opposed to risking an even bigger loss.

Hedging Strategy #2

Let’s imagine that the match went a different way. The player you bet on made short work of the first set of the match. You could now lay a small bet on his opponent to rally, thus creating a situation in which you are guaranteed to turn a profit regardless of what happens. If your initial bet wins, you would be forfeiting some of your winnings. In general, however, covering both potential results for a guaranteed profit can be seen as good risk management.

Mixing in play betting with betting exchanges can enable you to better use the methods we have discussed above. As well as other useful strategies. If you want to take make the most of the opportunities these two forms of betting provide, you can change your position several times during a single event to increase potential profits and/or manage risk.

Recommended Websites for Live Betting

 

Years ago the best site for live betting was one that offered it. Because not all of them did; only a handful. As time went by, though, more and more sites started featuring in play betting. It was a matter of evolution and survival. Live betting was here to stay and websites that did not adopt would not be here to stay. They would and did fall by the wayside. But that does not really make it hard to choose. The best betting sites offer the best live betting. And these are the best betting sites.

Final Advice on Live Betting

There is a lot of common ground between regular betting and live betting. In consequence, a successful and winning strategy for the former is bound to be winning and for the latter. Inasmuch as live betting differs, here are a few tips you may want to keep in mind.

    • Hedge existing wagers
    • Back losing favorites
    • Bet against the momentum
    • Find arbitrage opportunities.


Live Betting

TOP SPORTSBOOKS
1
Bonus 100% up to $1,000
BET NOW READ REVIEW
2
Bonus 125% up to $1,250
BET NOW READ REVIEW
3
Bonus 125% up to $2,500
BET NOW READ REVIEW
4
Bonus 30% up to $2,000
BET NOW READ REVIEW
5
Bonus 100% up to $1,000
BET NOW READ REVIEW