Everything You Need to Know About Sports Betting
There are millions of sports fans around the world who watch games and think to themselves, “making money gambling on sports must be really easy.” But while betting on sporting events has never been more accessible than it is now, there’s a big learning curve when it comes to understanding all the different ways to wager on them. From the types of bets to popular lingo, here’s everything you need to know about betting on sports.
Straight bets
A straight bet is a simple wager on a team or event winning by a specified number of points. In other words, if the bet wins, the bettors are paid out a profit. The most common type of bet, it’s important to understand how straight bets work in order to place the best bets.
Point spreads
A point spread, or lay bet, is a way for oddsmakers to make uneven games more profitable. They do this by essentially setting a handicap between two teams, forcing the favorite to win by a certain number of points (also known as covering the spread) and allowing the underdog to win outright or lose by less than that number and still make a profit for bettors who wager on them. The only thing that a bettor has to do in order to win a bet on a point spread is pick the side or team that will cover the number of points set by the oddsmakers.
Futures bets
A futures bet is a wager on an outcome that will take place in the future, like a team to win a championship or a player to earn the MVP award. These bets tend to offer much higher odds than regular wagers, as they are based on things that have yet to happen. The odds on these bets are constantly updated throughout the season and playoffs based on injuries, performance, and other factors.