With such a vast array of sports available, it can be difficult to know which the best bet is. Whether you’re a brand new beginner or a seasoned bettor, getting to grips with the wide selection of options available can seem a daunting task. Many people find that they are more confident sticking to simple, straightforward forms of sports betting. However, plenty of keen players choose to get stuck into more adventurous and complex betting games.
Win Bet
Win bets are widely considered to be the easiest and least complicated type of sports bet. One of the reasons win bets are so popular is that they are incredibly easy to understand and they are widespread; it is possible to place a win bet in almost every sport you can think of. A win bet simply consists of placing a wager on the team or athlete you believe will win. From your favourite football team to a particularly gifted golfer, just place a win bet and wait for the results of the game. The odds on a win bet will vary greatly depending on the likeliness of your selection winning, the less likely it is, the higher the odds will be.
Straight Bets
Similarly to win bets, the straight bet requires bettors to pick a winning team. However this style of betting is based on sports points systems. A point spread is generated which places both of the teams or competitors as equal favourites. The odds of the favourites are represented by a (-) sign and the underdogs have a (+) before their odds. Players either place a bet on the favourites to win by the size of their points spread or the opposition to lose by the size of theirs. This style of betting is especially popular with American football.
Total Bets
Over the past decade, this straightforward betting style has had a surge in popularity. Most Betting sites offer total bets or over/under betting on a selection of sports. The idea behind total betting is that the website will set an estimated amount of points or goals which are expected to be scored in the game and players place a wager on whether the final score will end up higher or lower than this amount.
Specials
This unique style of betting involves placing a wager on a one-off event, which is not necessarily connected to the overall outcome of the sports game. Some examples of specials (also known as proposition bets) include which player will score the first goal, what time the first point will be scored, how many aces a tennis player will serve or how many three pointers a basketball player will make. Numerous sports betting sites have full sections dedicated to specials bets, with thousands of options available.
Accumulators
These are one of the more complicated styles of sports bets. Accumulators, also known as parlays, involve making more than one selection as part of a single wager. They are popular with sporting tournaments such as the world cup, the ashes and the super bowl as gamblers place bets on the winners of five or more sports games. Accumulators mean big money for anyone who manages to get all the right selections, however make just one wrong choice and you could lose the entire bet.