You’ve probably heard of the term “side-betting” or “spread betting”, but didn’t know how to look at it or why you might need to. The purpose of this article is to give you a clear idea of what spread betting is and how it works. We’ll also cover some of the advantages and disadvantages of this type of betting, as well as how to make the most of it.
What Is Spread Betting?
Put simply, spread betting is betting on multiple outcomes of an event. This is different from mainstream betting, where you’re usually betting on just one side of the wager. Using spread betting, you’re able to take a position on a number of events at once, which is why it’s often referred to as “multiple event” betting or “multi-event” betting.
Here’s an example. Say you’re watching the horse racing and you see a 1-2 combo in the fourth race. You might bet on both the winner and the subsequent place getter. This would be a spread bet, as you’re taking a position on two different events (the winner and the subsequent place getter) at once. You could also bet on more than two events, such as the first three races followed by the place getter – in this case, you’d be placing four bets in all (one on each of the three races, and one on the place getter).
Why Would I Use Spread Betting?
The main advantage of spread betting is that it offers you multiple betting opportunities. Even in the example above, if you’d only placed a bet on the winner of the fourth race, you’d still be given the opportunity to win on the subsequent place getter. This is because the bet on the winner of the fourth race would be rolled over to the bet on the subsequent place getter, resulting in a total payout of nearly $16. Due to the fact that you can’t always be sure which events will result in wins and which will result in losses, multiple event betting provides you with the opportunity to win big – or at least, to break even or make a small profit.
On the other hand, placing multiple bets using mainstream betting limits your opportunities, as you’re usually only given the choice of backing the winning horse or the safer option of backing a group of horses – if you want to place a bet on the winner of a given race, you have to pick which horse to back from the group, which, in turn, limits your potential winnings. In most cases, this is a risky strategy, as you could end up losing more than you win – especially if you’re betting against the bookmaker’s odds (he’s likely to take a short term win from your profit, as opposed to giving you a better odds for your bet).
When Should I Use Spread Betting?
As the name would suggest, you typically use spread betting when there are several events you’re interested in betting on, which is typically the case when you visit a horse racing track or are watching horse racing on television. In the example above, the event would be the racing of four horses, which takes place over a period of two races. In this instance, it would be best to use spread betting, as you’ll have the opportunity to bet on the outcome of two races at once. You would not want to use mainstream betting in this case, as you can only place one winning bet per horse race – in this case, you’d have to choose between winning $16 on the first race and then $8 on the second race, or win $16 on the second race and lose $8 on the first race. In other words, you’re risking double your winnings in this case – which is generally not desirable. When betting on multiple events, it’s usually best to use a spread betting calculator, as this will help you make sure you risk appropriate stakes for each event.
How Do I Place A Spread Betting Bet?
The process for placing a spread betting bet is relatively simple. Essentially, you would go to the betting window and make your wager. You would then enter the name of the horse or team you’re backing, as well as the amount of money you’d like to spend. Some bookmakers might only accept bank deposits or wire transfers, so check with the bookmaker first. In almost all cases, you would then be given the option to select either “Win” or “Place”, as well as the “Type” of the event (straight race, steeplechase race, triple event, etc.). In selecting your “Type”, you would want to base your choice on whether or not there are more than two events you’re interested in betting on, as well as how much time you have to spend before the next race begins.
After you make your selection, you’ll be given a list of the available events and the starting and ending times of each race. You can usually find the formats of the races near the entrance to the track, as well as the entrance to the grandstand (if this is where you’ll be watching the racing). You can then click on the race you’re interested in watching, and a pop-up window will appear, containing all the information you need for that particular race.
After you complete your selection and click Submit, a window will appear, displaying all your selected events. You can then review your selection or make changes if necessary – including adding additional events or removing events you’ve already selected. If all OK, then click on the “Bet” button. Your wager will then be processed, and you’ll see a confirmation screen, with the status of your bet (winning or lossing).
What Kind Of Performance Should I Look For In A Spread Betting Book?
The type of performance you should expect from a spread betting book is comparable to that of a traditional bookmaker. In other words, you should look for consistency, as well as a low float (percentage of bets that are not winning bets – that is, bets that are placed but not credited). The key is to choose a bookmaker you feel confident will pay out on your wagers and will generate a return of capital through winners and reductions (in other words, offsets). Inspecting the float of a bookmaker is usually the best way to determine the quality of their service – an inspector will look for accuracy, response time, and completeness (in other words, how much content is on their website, how quickly they respond to e-mails, and how complete their information is, including past winners).