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Are you a sports enthusiast looking to add more thrill to your game-watching experience or a curious beginner eager to understand how it all works? This guide is for you! We’ll explore the different types of bets you can place while gambling. This won’t only help you make smarter picks but also assist you in making the most of the deals, like the Bruce Bet bonus code or other offers. From the straightforward Moneyline bets to the more complex Parlays and Futures, we aim to make betting accessible and enjoyable, breaking each down for fast understanding. By the end of this post, you’ll have a solid foundation to start your adventures with confidence.
Top Bet Types You Can Place
Before we jump into the different kinds of wagers, it’s essential to understand their basic concept. Betting is about predicting the outcome of an event and staking on it. If your prediction is correct, you can get money returns. Otherwise, you lose your stake. The key is to understand the odds, which indicate the possibility of an event happening and how much you can win.
The following are various wagers you can make on most sports:
Moneylines
With a moneyline stake, you’re simply picking which team or player will win. No need to worry about the margin of victory or the total points scored — just who comes out on top. Moneyline odds are presented with a plus (+) or minus (-) sign. The minus sign indicates the favorite, the team expected to win, while the plus sign represents the underdog. For example, if you see odds like -150 for Team A and +130 for Team B, here’s what it means:
- Team A (-150): Stake $150 to get $100;
- Team B (+130): Stake $100 to get $130.
This wager category is the first recommended to beginners because of its simplicity. It’s one of the few instances where only one possibility matters: winning.
Point Spreads
Let’s say you’re watching a football game in which one side is heavily favored to win. Staking on the favorite might not be exciting because the payout is live. This is where the point spread comes into play, as they level the field by giving the underdog a head start.
Here’s how it works: the bookmaker sets a margin of points by which the favorite must win. For example, if the spread is -7.5, they need to win by at least 8 points for your pick to win. If you prefer the underdog, they must win outright or lose by less than the spread.
As you can see, these wagers make games more thrilling because even if the outcome seems certain, the spread keeps things interesting.
Over/Under
If you see Totals, they refer to the same bet types. These picks don’t care who comes to at the end of the match. Instead, you’re betting on the total number of combined points scored by both teams. As the point spreads, the bookmaker sets a total points line, and you bet on whether the score will be over or under that number.
For example, if the Over/Under for a basketball game is set at 200 points, you can bet on whether the combined score of both teams will be more or less than 200. Let’s say you pick ‘Over,’ the final score is 110–95, the total is 205, and you get the reward. Also, if you choose ‘Under’ and the score is 100–95, totaling 195, it’s a success.
Parlays
A parlay bet links two or more individual bets into a single wager. The allure of parlays lies in their potential for high payouts. The more bets you add, the higher the risk and the reward. Here’s an example:
Suppose you stake on the following:
- Team A to win at -110 odds;
- Team B to win at +150 odds;
- Team C to win at -200 odds.
If you placed these wagers individually, you’d need each to win separately. However, in a parlay, you combine them. Suppose all three win; your payout is significantly higher than if you had made separate stakes. Remember, if any team loses, you get nothing.
Props
Props are like the wild cards option of sports betting: they focus on specific in-game possibilities instead of the general outcome. These bets can be placed on almost anything that happens during a game. For example, you might bet on which player will score the first touchdown, how many strikeouts a pitcher will have, or even the color of the Gatorade dumped on the winning coach.
This type has two major subcategories: player props and team props. You can pick a player to score over 25 points in a game. Similarly, you can predict that a team will score up to 100.
Always Place Wagers You’re Informed About
Due to the diverse bet types on offer, some beginners have a hard time deciding where to start. The standard answer is Moneyline. However, before you make any stake, it’s vital to know the possibilities you select. That may be all the edge you need!