In the world of sports betting, it’s common to hear people talk about side betting. What is side betting? Is it something you need to be worried about? Let’s dive in and find out more about side betting, including some helpful pointers on how to avoid getting tripped up by one of the most common pitfalls that can arise when using this betting methodology.
What is Side Betting?
Side betting is the practice of placing a wager on one or more sports games, not just your favorite team – but the game itself. This is in contrast to sports betting, where you wager on one or more teams – but not the game itself. For example, if you’re wagering on the Yankees and Red Sox, you’re probably placing a bet on the Boston Red Sox. But if you’re also wagering on the New York Yankees, you’re probably placing a side bet on the game itself – as in, whether or not both teams will score in this particular matchup. The rules and strategy for side betting are exactly the same as those for traditional sports betting, with one important exception: You can only win on “favorable” games – i.e., games where both teams are expected to score. In the case of a tie, however, you have no chance of winning – regardless of how many points you might have wagered.
Why Should You Avoid It?
While side betting can be an exciting way to bet if you’re a sports enthusiast, you might want to avoid it if you’re a serious sports bettor. The reason is that there’s a lot more than one way for a game to turn out, and if you hedge your bet by choosing which team to back, you might end up owning a losing ticket. Just because a game is played in a certain stadium doesn’t mean that the game itself will produce a certain result. Sometimes, the outcome of a game can be unpredictable – particularly since a lot of the time, the game itself can be so unpredictable. For instance, take a look at the 2017 season. In the NBA, there were 16 games where it was expected that neither team would score – at least at the time you placed your bet. In those games, you would’ve had a winning bet; however, in the other games, you would’ve lost.
Given the chance, anyone can have winning sports betting tickets. However, finding them is a different story. Part of what makes sports betting exciting is the fact that you can choose which game to bet on and which team to back. If you’re searching for a side betting opportunity, you might find that the options are somewhat limited, since most bookmakers are focused on offering regular sports betting – which is what keeps them in business. If you really want to bet on a particular game, you might have to look for a smaller bookmaker, which will have limited options for side bet options. In some cases, you might even have to choose between which team to back, as the bookmaker might only offer bets on a certain team – or might have restrictions on which teams they will offer as side bets. In any case, it’s best to be aware of these restrictions before you make a bet. By choosing your own teams, you’re adding another layer of complexity to your wagering, which can cause you to lose rather than win on a bet.
The Most Common Pitfall With Side Betting
One of the biggest mistakes that people make when side betting is focusing too much on the excitement of the bet rather than the fundamentals of gambling. In reality, odds are always in favor of the house – or bookmaker. In most cases, the house will likely win, no matter what – you’re not going to beat the odds simply by hoping for a different result. For this reason, it’s important to keep the following points in mind when you’re betting on sports:
- Consider all of your options
- Don’t get excited about a side bet
- Study the rules and strategy of the sport
- Beware of betting on teams rather than games
- Watch out for cheaters!
To illustrate what I mean by being excited about a side bet rather than focusing on the fundamentals of betting, let’s take a look at the 2017 NBA Finals, where the Golden State Warriors faced off against the red-hot Cleveland Cavaliers. The Warriors had a lot going for them, not the least of which was their impressive 73-9 record – the best in the history of the NBA. Meanwhile, the Cavaliers were coming off a heartbreaking loss in the previous round of the playoffs against the Toronto Raptors. With so much riding on the game, the excitement was palpable. What happened after the hype? The Warriors blew out the Cavs, 129-107, in Game 1 – a result that many people didn’t see coming. In reality, as I mentioned above, the odds were always in favor of the house in NBA Playoff games, and this was no different. According to the experts, the line for the first game of the series was NBA champions Cleveland Cavaliers –200 odds, Golden State Warriors +175 odds. Obviously, the 200-odds was too good to pass up for the Cleveland Cavaliers, who got a nice chunk of action before the series shifted to a “best of five” format.
While it would’ve been exciting to see the Cavaliers come back from such a deficit to win the series, it would’ve been a mistake to put so much faith in one game. The key to being a successful side bettor is to ride the wave and not get caught up in the excitement of a particular game. In most cases, this is going to be a losing proposition, because no matter what team you back, the house is going to win. It might be fun to gamble on a game, but don’t expect to walk away a winner. It’s all about balance and knowing when to cut your losses.
The Role of Scalpers In Side Betting
One of the questions you might get asked when you’re side betting is whether or not you trust scalpers. The answer is, it depends on what kind of scalper you’re talking about. If you’re referring to the guys working the ticket booths at the games, then the answer is yes, I trust them. There are a number of reasons for this, not least of which is that I usually end up being presented with the best odds available when I’m buying tickets from a scalper. In some cases, especially in the NFL, you’ll find that the ticket price is completely disconnected from the value of the ticket, which means that you’re getting a good deal – or at least, someone thinks you are. There’s also the fact that scalpers are typically working for smaller books, which means that you’ll have access to more betting options; however, this might also mean that you’re going to have to deal with more cheaters. In any case, if you’re looking for a place to bet, then you might want to consider going through a scalper instead of dealing with the official ticket outlets, which can be corrupt or unreliable.
Who Wins In A Tie?
Take a look at the 2017 NFL season. According to Bovada, if a game ends in a tie, then the bettor wins. For example, if you bet on the New England Patriots and the Los Angeles Rams, then they will both have scored in the same game and you’ll have doubled your money. In some cases, if one team is ahead by a significant margin at the time the game ends, then the bettor will still win – but you might want to consider whether or not you should’ve placed the bet in the first place. After all, if you’re getting the points you wagered on, then it might not matter who wins the game. In some instances, especially in the NFL where the difference between first and second place can be a matter of inches, it can be hard to determine who the real winner is. In most cases, it depends on the “over/under” for the game, as well as the matchup – i.e., whether or not there is a score differential between the two teams. If there is a disparity in the numbers, then the over/under will determine the winner. In some cases, like the 2017 World Cup, the match winner takes all. In other words, if England wins the World Cup, then they will be crowned World Champions, irrespective of the result of the other games that took place during the tournament. While this might be exciting to think about, it is important to keep in mind that, in most cases, the bettor will lose. In the event of a tie, it’s best to walk away – or at least, that’s what most professional bettors would advise.