Although the Covid-19 pandemic has brought the sports world to a halt, the obsession with sport hasn’t vanished. In fact, people are now more likely to be spending their time gaming than watching TV. And with the resumption of sporting events following the pandemic, the opportunity for people to place wagers on sporting events has returned.
Whether you’re a professional athlete, a sports enthusiast or a gambler, chances are you’re playing online sports betting at this point in time. Be it for fun or for profit, online sports betting has always been around, but its popularity has increased exponentially due to COVID-19. As it is a relatively new form of gambling, there are plenty of pitfalls that new players may fall into. That’s why it’s important to understand how to play online sports betting in order to avoid any nasty surprises down the line.
The Basics Of Online Sports Betting
Depending on where you are in the world, the ruleset for online sports betting may vary. In most cases, however, you will need to have Internet access in order to place wagers. As well, you may need to verify your identity and residency before being able to access online sportsbooks.
Although the practice of online sports betting is relatively new, it has actually been around for quite some time. Back in 1936, the founder of Vegas Insider, Nick Schulman, traced the origins of online sports betting to the early 20th century when people would typically place bets on the outcomes of sporting events while they were actually happening. Before the advent of the Internet, this would typically happen over telephone wires. With the growth of the Internet in the late 20th century, online sports betting has transitioned from pure imagination to actual implementation.
Where Can I Bet?”
One of the first questions new players to online sports betting typically ask is, “Where can I bet?” This is a common question because, for the most part, the answer is “everywhere.” The key phrase here is “for the most part.”
Just like with conventional sports betting, the odds of winning on any given wager will vary. This is because the house advantage (or edge) will depend on many factors such as the size of the pot, the amount of action (i.e. the number of people who are betting on each side of the wager), and the time of day (i.e. if it’s lunchtime and time for a break, the house advantage will decrease).
The great thing about online sports betting is there’s no limit to where you can bet. Want to bet on the super bowl this year? No problem. Want to bet on the next solar eclipse? No problem. Want to bet on the winner of the World Series next year? You got it.
This is because with online sports betting, your edge will be determined by taking into account all the action occurring throughout the day. So, even if you’re not a professional gambler, you’ll have no trouble finding an edge and making a profit.
Different Types Of Gameplay
There are many different types of gameplay that you can apply to online sports betting. You’ll have all the normal options like; Straight up, split, pass, push, etc. But, you’ll also want to look into various parlays and pre-game tournaments.
A parlay is when you combine 2 or more bets to make a single wager. In the above example, the bettor will take on the Tampa Bay Rays and the Seattle Mariners. Should both teams win, the bettor will earn a profit of $100. Should either team lose, they’ll lose their $10 wager. Typically, parlays can only be conducted on soccer matches or NBA games.
You’ll also want to look into various pre-game tournaments. These are contests that you can enter either before or during the game. Many casinos hold pre-game tournaments where the top players at the end of the day win a share of the pot. You can play for fun or for profit in these tournaments and gain access to exclusive bonuses and offers.
Tricky And Tender Tasks
One of the most important things for a new player to understand about online sports betting is that there are a lot of tricky and tender tasks that come with it. For example, when you place a wager on a game, you’ll often need to look for the score of the game in the process of playing it. This is because the outcome of a game will usually depend on various factors such as; the health of the players, the weather conditions, and the amount of fouls that are called. All of these things can impact the score of a game and therefore your wager.
If you’re looking for a quick and easy way to make some extra cash during these times of uncertainty, online sports betting is a great option. But, if you want to make a profit, you’ll have to learn to become a skilled gambler who is aware of all the ins and outs of the business.