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The stage is set. You grabbed your phone, keys and wallet. You walked to your local dive, met up with your friends and snagged a seat with a solid view of the TV. The game starts, and you realize your friends are already in on the action, while you forgot to place a bet.
That’s where live betting comes in.
Though the situation above is only one possible scenario, it’s a great example of how live betting can serve bettors of all experience levels.
Live betting has long been popular in European betting markets, and now it’s gaining traction in legal U.S. sports betting markets as well.
Live betting goes by many names. While some sportsbooks call it in-play or in-game betting, they all mean that you’re able to bet on a contest that’s underway.
Whereas pre-game bets are submitted before a contest starts, live bets are placed while the contest is in action.
There are numerous factors to consider when honing your live betting strategy. Overall, it helps to understand the types of live bets you’ll find at most online sportsbooks and the sports best suited to in-game betting.
Live betting includes a variety of wager types. The typical pre-game bets—point spreads, moneylines and totals—are also available as in-game bets. The odds will change once the game starts, but they may be suspended for short periods as oddsmakers recalculate prices.
Still, you’ll find these bet types available for live betting more often than not.
Live bets can get more granular. For example, you could bet on the result of the next drive in an NFL game or what the next scoring play will be in an NBA game. The number of options depends on the sport you’re watching and your sportsbook.
You can also bet on player or game prop bets while a contest is in progress, though the odds will change based on what’s happening. Eagle-eyed bettors might be able to find the occasional diamond in the rough before sportsbooks can catch up and adjust the line.
There are also certain events that will offer unique prop bets, such as live Super Bowl MVP odds during the Big Game.
Most sportsbooks are fine choices for in-play bets. If you have a favorite sportsbook, chances are it offers live betting. Legal U.S. sports betting markets explicitly approved live betting, and it is a common feature at most sportsbooks.
Speed is of the utmost importance in live betting. Ideally, you’ll want a fast and reliable online sportsbook that loads quickly and has updated lines.
With those criteria in mind, look to the leading sports betting sites for a positive live betting experience. FanDuel, DraftKings, Caesars, BetMGM, Bet365 and others are all great options.
Whether one sport outdoes another in terms of live betting opportunities is a matter of perspective. Your investment level in a basketball game might make it an easy choice, but another bettor might find it too fast-paced to keep up and place intelligent bets.
We recommend low-scoring or slower-paced sports for casual bettors exploring in-game wagering. Hockey, baseball and golf are good options because the score isn’t constantly changing.
It also helps to place in-game bets on sports you know well. Live betting requires a baseline knowledge of the sport to place reasonable wagers.
Stick to what you know, stay measured in your approach and live bet responsibly.
Live betting makes sense whenever you feel you may have an edge. There are a few scenarios that make in-game betting sensible.
For example, it’s more fun to live bet if you’re watching or attending a game. This is not a requirement, but it can spice things up and increase your investment in the game or match.
Live betting can also be a tool. You could make an in-game bet to hedge a pre-game bet that isn’t looking so hot. We’ll cover that in more detail later.
In short, live betting makes sense whenever you feel it makes sense. It can be a way to amp up the fun of watching a live game or a tool in your betting arsenal when you need a boost after a bad beat.
Sportsbooks have full trading and oddsmaking teams dedicated to setting lines for bettors.
Those odds also include the vig, which gives the house an advantage, so keep that in mind.
Oddsmakers take a plethora of factors into account when setting lines for any matchup.
Live betting is no exception, and it requires even more diligence on the part of the trading teams to get things right, lest sharp bettors strike on an advantageous line to make a quick buck.
Current score, player performance, injuries, coaching and weather are among the factors that can influence odds before and during a game.
In the following sections, we’ll cover how this affects bettors, as odds changes can be both a boon and a disadvantage in live betting.
In-play betting has advantages and disadvantages. They’re good to remember when deciding whether to place certain live wagers.
Staying attuned to the progress of a particular matchup is key to forming a live betting strategy.
For example, one game could start like so, using the NFL as an example:
It’s a close-ish matchup, but the Browns are the clear favorite.
Let’s say the Jets squeak in an early touchdown, bringing the score to 7-0. The moneyline odds might move to:
The Browns are still favored and still viewed as the better team by the sportsbook.
However, they have an uphill battle ahead of them, so a moneyline bet mid-game would pay slightly more than it did before the game started.
Perhaps you bet on the Arizona Cardinals moneyline at +198 against the Las Vegas Raiders before the game began.
If the Raiders take an early lead and it’s not looking good for your Cardinals bet, live betting could help offset your losses.
An in-game bet on the Raiders wouldn’t have much value if the team were leading, but you could at least mitigate some of your loss with a smartly placed live bet.
Need something to keep your mind occupied during the commercials? Live betting gives you that opportunity.
If you’re watching a game live, you can peruse the in-game lines during downtime between plays or ad breaks.
Live betting comes with the good and the bad. While it has many advantages, live betting also comes with downsides.
Sportsbooks need time to adjust the odds while games are moving along. You might try to place a bet, only to find the line you want has been temporarily suspended. It may come back with a worse payout than when you first signed on.
In other words, you must act fast and prepare for occasional disappointment.
While hyper-focused on one game’s live betting options, you might miss another good line from a different game. Sometimes, in-game betting requires putting many of your eggs into one basket.
It comes with the territory, but it can be disappointing to realize you missed a golden opportunity while focused on one particular game.
Just as you could find better odds after a game starts, you could discover lines moving disadvantageously during the game. This is the nature of the betting product.
Sometimes, a pre-game bet would’ve been a better move, but that’s the risk of waiting until the game starts.
Placing a live bet is much like a pre-game bet in that the processes are almost identical.
To place an in-game bet, head to your sportsbook of choice and find the game you’d like to bet.
If the game is in progress, the sportsbook will likely list it on the homepage or under an easily accessible “live betting” menu.
From there, it’s just a matter of finding the bet you want to place. Add it to your bet slip, enter your wager amount and submit it.
Because live betting odds can change quickly, you should always wait on the betting screen to confirm the sportsbook has processed the bet.
Sometimes, you might have to confirm an odds change as this is happening. Be sure to read the information presented to you carefully before you confirm.
You can combine live bets into parlays, though it requires a keen eye and quick fingers. Remember, odds can change and lines can be suspended, so it can be challenging to pin down a parlay while numbers are in motion.
Still, a well-researched parlay can provide a lot of win potential if you make intelligent choices. Sharp live bettors can find value in parlays combining player and game props.
Sportsbooks offer live betting on all platforms, including desktop, iOS and Android.
Mobile betting provides some obvious advantages for live bettors, the main one being convenience. It’s easier to place a bet from your phone if you’re at a bar or attending a game in person.
If you’re at home and have access to your computer, you might find it easier to use your desktop or laptop to make in-game bets.
If you’re a fan of brick-and-mortar sportsbooks, you can place live bets at most retail locations.
These locales offer distinct advantages. For example, multiple screens allow you to watch numerous games simultaneously while the odds are openly displayed in real time.
However, retail sportsbooks sometimes involve waiting in line. You may have to wait to place your bet, and the odds could change before you officially submit your wager.
The alternative option is to bet online via phone while at the sportsbook. It’s the best of both worlds, provided you’re in one of the states where online betting is legal.
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