Sports betting is getting more and more popular nowadays, especially in SA. Read our detailed guide and learn how to choose a reliable sportsbook
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All About Sports Betting
Gambling can be done in so many ways, but one of the most popular ones is sports betting. You can enjoy placing bets on your favorite sports with the best betting sites in South Africa, but if you’re still new to this scene, you might find it overwhelming. To prepare you for the world of sports betting, we have compiled a complete guide that you can get started with.
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What is Sports Betting?
Sports betting involves predicting the results of sports matches and placing bets on the outcome you expect. If the outcome you bet on happens, you win the bet. But if not, you lose. It involves predicting the result of the game and betting on your guess. You can make educated guesses too through strategies and odds.
The outcome that you can bet on depends on the sport you’re playing. With sports betting, you also have to learn about odds and the different types of betting.
Sports betting can be carried out physically in gambling centers and sportsbooks, or at online casinos. It is one of the most popular types of gambling.
Types of Sports Betting
There isn’t just one type of bet that you can make when it’s time to bet on sports. There are different types of sports betting, which include:
Straight Bets
This is the most popular type of sports betting and can be mostly found when wagering on basketball and football. In this type of sports betting, there is a point spread, and you can either get the points and bet on the underdog or bet on the favorite and risk.
Money Line Bets
This is another type of sports betting in which you pick a team to win without any point spread. You simply predict that a team will win and wager on it. This can be found in all kinds of major sports, especially hockey and baseball.
Teaser Bets
Teaser bets are another kind of bet where you combine two or more picks in one bet, but you can adjust the point spreads to your advantage. Although this means lower payouts, you still have an edge.
Total Line Bets
Another popular type of sports betting can be found in many kinds of sports. Here, you are given a number of the final score of both sports teams, then you can bet if they would go under or over the total predicted score. Since all sports games are won through scores and points, you can wager total line bets anywhere.
Parlay Bets
Similar to teaser bets, parlay bets also include grouping multiple picks in one bet. You can have up to 12 picks in one bet, and you must with them all or the entire bet would be lost.
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Live Betting
Live betting is another main type of sports betting. It involves betting on games while it is still in full swing. You don’t have to predict the outcomes before the game starts. Instead, you can place bets even after the game has started. It is also called in-running and in-play betting. It was first introduced in 2002 and has been popular since then.
Exchange Betting
Exchange betting is a novel and exciting type of betting that allows South African bettors to place wagers with other bettors. The enthusiasts agree on the stakes and odds and bet through an online betting exchange site.
There is backing and laying in exchange betting. When you place a bet as a backer, and you lose, the layer which is the bookmaker gets the pay instead.
With exchange betting, you can choose to be the backer or the layer. But regardless of what you choose, there has to be someone on the other side of the bet.
Types of Odds
Asides from the different types of sports betting, there are also various odds. Odds show the probability of an event in a sports game to happen, so you can figure out how much is up for winning if you bet on the right outcome.
The three different types of bets include Fractional odds, Decimal odds, and Moneyline odds. These different types of odds are showing the same thing but in different ways. They are the British, European, and American formats respectively.
It’s essential to know the types of odds that the online sportsbook you’re betting at uses.
- Fractional Odds – These are usually written with slashes or hyphens and show how much you win for every $1 you wager. It is the most preferred type of betting odds around the world.
- Decimal Odds – As the name implies, these are written in decimal. They are easier to understand and make the underdogs and favorites clear. They also show how much you win for every $1 you wager, although the stake and payout are added together.
- Moneyline Odds – Moneyline odds use the minus and plus to indicate favorites and underdogs, respectively. For the former, it shows how much you need to stake to win $100, while the latter shows how much you win for every $100 wagered.
Odds Format and How to Calculate It
As we mentioned before, when you understand each odds format and know how to calculate your payout, you’re better prepared to compare the odds on offer across different bookmakers and exchanges. This allows you to find the best value quickly.
Fractional Odds Format
If the odds are 6/1 (six-to-one), this means you get $6 for every $1 you stake. This makes your total payout $7, which is the stake plus the profit.
Let’s say you have Team A with 10/11 and Team B with 9/4.
You win $10 for every $11 staked on Team A, while you get $9 for every $4 bet on Team B
Decimal Odds Format
The total payout for decimal odds is calculated by multiplying the stake by the decimal odd number. So, if you have an odd of 2.3, this shows that you will gain $2.3 if you stake $1.
Let’s say Team A has odds of 3.0 and Team B has 1.7 odds, and your bet is $10.
If you bet successfully on Team A, you win $30, which is $10 by 3.0. But if you stake on Team B, your payout is $17.
Moneyline Odds Format
If Team A has odds of +476 and Team B has -690, the former are underdogs and the latter are favorites.
The odds for team A mean that you have a potential reward of $476, but you risk $100. If you win, your payout is $576.
But for Team B, you need to bet $690 to gain $100. If you win, your total payout is $790.
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Getting Started with Online Betting
Whether you are a professional or a newbie before you dive into online sports betting, here are a few things you need to understand.
How to Place a Bet
- Choose the best online bookmaker in South Africa.
- Create an account and accept the welcome bonus.
- Browse the sports available.
- Place the bets that you want.
Value Bet
A value bet is a calculation that helps you identify an advantage over the bookmaker or another bettor in a betting exchange. A bet offers value if it has a price lower than what it is worth.
Hedging a Bet
This is a sports betting strategy. In hedging, a bettor places a wager on the opposite side of their first bet, once the initial bet’s chances of winning have increased. It’s a good way to reduce risk.
Arbitrage Betting
Arbitrage betting on sports involves placing a bet on all the outcomes of an event. The odds usually guarantee that there will be a profit regardless of the outcome after the game.
Why It’s Important to Get the Best Odds
Sports betting might be an exciting practice, but there is also the need to make a profit. You can only make a profit when you use the best odds. So before placing any bet, it’s vital to check the odds and compare before betting on the best one.
What is Staking
Staking is a process of actively placing a wager on gambling activity. In sports betting, it involves placing a wager on an outcome.
Which Sports to Bet On
If you want to get the best from sports betting, it’s important to bet on the most popular games in South Africa. Some of the most popular ones include football or soccer, basketball, boxing, tennis, table tennis, rugby, hockey, golf, cricket, badminton, and athletics.
Sports Betting Bonuses
The best part about joining a fantastic online betting site is the bonuses. Sports betting promotions increase your odds of winning and allow you to enjoy gambling even more.
At online bookmakers, free bets and match bonuses are the most popular types of bonuses. With match bonuses, you deposit a particular amount and get a percentage of what you deposited. But free bets are given freely with no deposit required.
Choosing the Right Betting Site
When it comes to online sports betting in South Africa, you shouldn’t just go for any site that comes your way. It’s important to consider important factors to enhance your experience. These factors include:
Bonuses on Offer – First, check the bonuses and promotions available to new and existing bettors.
Sports and Bets Available – Next, ensure the site has a wide range of sports and betting options available. It should also display odds in different ways.
Security and licenses – You should only bet at bookmakers that are licensed and regulated by government organizations and third parties.
Payment Methods – The online sportsbook should include a variety of payment methods that you can use to deposit bets and withdraw winnings.
Customer Service – Customer service is also important in case you have questions and complaints.
Mobile Bookmaker – Finally, check if the online bookmaker is available on mobile.
Mobile Betting
In this day and age, most players and bettors prefer to do their online gambling on their mobile and tablet devices. Apart from betting on your desktop, you can enjoy betting on your favorite sports from your mobile device.
While some bookmakers and online casinos in South Africa come with a dedicated app, others require you to access the site through the browser on your phone. Ensure the bookmaker is well-optimized for mobile betting before signing up.
Tips for Profitable Sports Betting Experience
Asides from having fun with online sports betting, you can also increase your chances of winning with some helpful tips. Here is some advice you can keep in mind to make more profit.
- Start with small wagers before moving on to larger bets.
- Focus on a small betting area like a particular league or sport before expanding to more.
- Start with Moneyline bets before other more complicated ones.
- Don’t only focus on betting on your favorite team but pay attention to the odds.
- Learn about the particular sport before you bet on the games.
- Understand the bias or advantage that the home teams have.
- Set sports betting budget and stick to it.
Pros and Cons of Sports Betting
Technology has made sports betting more accessible, and has done a lot to bring new players onto the scene. However, it is not perfect, and unless you have the right strategy, skills, and tools, it will be as risky as any other way to gamble. Let’s take a look at some major advantages and disadvantages of sports betting to help you know if that’s something you should consider trying.
Pros
It doesn’t completely depend on luck.
It’s easy for beginners to get started.
There are different kinds of sports, bets, and odds.
Makes watching sporting events more fun
Cons
It gives bettors a false feeling of confidence.
Can be addictive
Conclusion
Now that you know what is needed to bet on any sport, you can choose your starting point, set your gambling budget, and start sports betting today. Apart from just staking bets and reading odds, sports betting is an exciting form of gambling that would fill you with anticipation as you enjoy top sports.
FAQ
In order to start betting online, you need a reliable online casino, money and this guide. After that, you can begin placing wagers on sports games
There’s no single answer in this case. It’s best to start with single player sports like tennis and boxing before moving on to those with a lot of moving parts like soccer, basketball, hockey and more
The best bets for beginners are Moneyline bets. You simply have to place your bet on a team and hope they win, without worrying about point spreads
Yes, it is. As long as you play at a reliable bookmaker, online betting is safe.
It’s important to start small and keep your betting field tight. Also, manage your bankroll wisely and don’t try to make up for your losses by betting more
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