While betting on NetBet Sport can be an exciting way to keep your eyes glued to the game, it can also prove to be quite intellectually challenging as you attempt to balance all factors that could affect the outcome.
It can be daunting to start betting on sports if you have never done so before. It’s especially difficult to understand the unfamiliar words and phrases that are being used all the time.
But fear not! These are all really easy to understand and to help you, and we have created this handy guide to sports betting that will give you everything you needed to get started.
Understanding the Terminology
Although it can be difficult to understand the language of seasoned bettors, you will soon learn it. These terms will help you get a better understanding of sports betting.
Favorite or Underdog
Sportsbooks will predict that one team is more likely to win a game than the other in almost every game. They call one team the “favorite” while the other is called the “underdog”.
Based on the odds, it’s easy to determine which team is which. More on this later.
In rare cases where two teams are equal contenders, the bet can be called a “pick” (or a “pick’em”) instead.
Spread Betting
The most popular type of bet in US sports is the bet against the spread. They are also called points spread bets.
Because sportsbooks wanted to even out their bets on each team, they created them. Because most people don’t want bets on teams that are likely to lose, the spread helps even the odds by allowing you to place a bet on an underdog team and win even if they lose.
Each game will be assigned a number by the bookie. This is called the point spread. It is displayed next to both teams. The spread will show the favorite with a -, and the underdog with a +.
To get a bet on the favorite, the team must win the game by more points than the spread. A bet on the underdog wins if they win or lose the game by less than the spread.
Moneylines
Moneylines are the easiest-to-understand bet. Your bet will pay out if you pick the winning team. You lose your bet if they do not win.
Because they are easy to place, moneylines are a popular choice for beginners in sports betting. Point spreads are popular in basketball and football because they offer greater value.
Sportsbooks use moneylines to indicate the favorite by placing a – after the odds while the underdog has an +.
Bets over/Under
A totals or over/under bet is different than spreads and moneylines. This is because you don’t have to predict who will win the game. Instead, you only need to worry about how many points the game will score overall.
Online sports betting sites will provide you with a total score as well as two options: “o” (over) and “u” (under). If you believe that the combined score of both teams will be greater than this number, you can place a wager on “o”. You can bet on “u” if you think the score will be lower than that number. If you predict right, you win.
Futures
Most bets are on the outcome, but a futures wager focuses on the outcome a conference, division, or championship. You can, for example, bet on which team will win the Super Bowl. This is before the NFL season even begins. Futures is the name given to an event that can occur in the future.
These tips will help you keep on track if you are new to sports betting.
- Be disciplined. Don’t let yourself get carried away. Set a budget and stick with it. Do not chase losses, and only make small bets until you are more familiar with the system.
- Keep track of your bets. Take a list of all bets and their outcomes. This can be done with a spreadsheet or a piece of paper, as well as an app. It will help you identify your strengths and weaknesses once you have enough data.
- Get picks While you are learning about sports betting, it is worth taking advantage of the expertise, knowledge, and insight of professional handicappers, who can offer picks or predictions that you can use to place your bets.
- Free bets. These free bets can help increase your winnings by taking out some of the risk. Many sportsbooks offer new customers free bets.
Compare odds. While many sportsbooks offer odds on all sports, not all will be equal. If you place a wager with the highest odds, you will receive more if your bet is successful.
