Sports Betting: Most Popular Bets and Set of Rules
Sports betting consists of beating the oddmaker basically. The oddmaker is the person who established the betting odds. The amounts of money won by the bettor depend very much on the odds posted by the bookmaker. Bets are done through a sportsbooks (bookmaker in the United Kingdom). A great variety of sporting events are available in most sports books: basketball, football, hockey, baseball, etc. Nowadays, you can enjoy of sports betting over the phone, through the Internet, and offline, that is the classic way. When you place a bet, you have to select the kind of bet you are placing as well as the amount you are wagering.
Although there are many types of bets offered by sportsbooks nowadays, the ones listed below are the most common:
Straight bet or Single: you bet on a winner at the odds given.
Parlay or Accumulator: this is a multiple bet. You select two or more games simultaneously and the objective is to press the winnings of the first win on the bet. You win the parlay when all your selections win. If it is a tie, you are left with one selection. This is one of the most lucrative bets in sports betting.
Teaser: similar to a parlay but you can add or subtract points from one or more Spread bets to the underdog or favorite team, which is known as moving the line. You win when all your selections win.
If-wager: you can place a second bet by pending a win on the first selection. The amount re-wagered must be equal to the first one you placed.
Open Wager: you can play parlays or teasers by making selections of different days or times.
Future: you bet on a future event: at the start of a championship, for example. The original odds posted at an initial stage are much bigger than the ones posted when the date of the final approaches.
Point Spread: you bet on a winner from 2 selections which are equal because the underdog team is given appropriate points. Both options are very easily identified. The favorite has a + sign whereas the underdog has a %u2013 sign. You win your bet when the favorite wins by more than the Point Spread. If this does not happen, even if the team wins, you lose your bet. However, when you bet for the underdog, you win your bet when the team loses by less than the Point Spread.
Total: you bet on the number of points scored in a game by both teams. Points scored in overtime are included.
Over/Under: you bet on a number of points scored by two teams in a game, over o under the total number established by the oddmaker.
Push or Tie: when the favorite wins by the Point Spread. You get your money back.
Buy Points: you can buy Key Points and move the Point Spread at a price which is favorable to you.
The Moneyline: it established the odds for teams. It works inversely to the Point Spread. The underdog has a + sign and the favorite has a - sign.
