Live Odds – Which Bookmakers provide the best Live Odds for Sports Betting
Live or in-play betting was once an option offered by just some of the biggest bookmakers, there are now few providers which don’t supply it in one form or another. That gives punters a wide range of choice when it comes to which bookmaker they wish to use.
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Different Types of Betting Odds Explained
Chance is a bettor’s friend. Outside sports betting, percentage terms are more commonly used when referring to it. Just take a look at a coin toss for an example. If you toss a coin, there is a 50% chance that it will land on heads and a 50% chance of it landing on tails. Any possible outcomes will always sum up to 100%. To complicate things a little further, let’s use a six-sided dice as an example. If you roll the dice, there are one in six chances that a particular number will come up. The chance in this scenario can be expressed as 16.66% [(1/6)100 = 16.66%].
Meanwhile in sports betting, odds represent the same principle. Odds are basically the reflection of the probability or chance of a particular outcome in an event. Bookmakers establish prices or odds that will reflect the chances of an outcome taking place. Most online bookies provide you with the choice of which type of odds you want to utilise.
If you have tried betting on the best bookmakers online, you know that there are three types of odds that you will encounter. Europeans are more familiar with decimal odds (i.e. 2.00). On the other hand, US bettors are more familiar with fractional or US odds. It is also important to note that some bookies feature US odds without the option of conversion to decimal odds. Consequently, it can be quite difficult to calculate the odds, especially if you’re eager to use your betting bonus codes. So take your time to read the explanation of different odds below so you can gain a better edge on betting.
The Different Types of Betting Odds
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European Decimal Odds |
Fractional Odds |
American Odds (Moneyline Odds) |
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See how European Odds are calculated
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See how Fractional Odds are calculated
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See how American Odds are calculated
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See our Betting Odds Converter Here >>
In-Play Betting Features Explained:
Bookmakers alter odds on participants in any given event as it unfolds according to how increasingly or decreasingly likely it is that a particular outcome will materialise. For example, you might want to bet on the unlikely scenario that a football team will make up a two goal deficit in the last ten minutes to grab a draw.
Capitalizing on live betting odds can turn a string of terrible pregame bets into a host of lucrative winnings. Punters might back a star footballer to be the first to score only to have him fall to an injury five minutes into a match. Betting in-running on a different footballer to score can help negate the original loss and sometimes even provide extra winnings depending on the live odds provided.
What to Consider When Live Betting
Odds' Volatility
Since time is elapsing and therefore certain outcomes become increasingly probable, odds shorten or lengthen very quickly. This means there is very little point on backing foregone conclusions unless you are willing to bet big AND that a small wager on a very unlikely outcome could reap considerable rewards.
Steady Gains
Most punters who pursue in-play betting with bookmakers will approach it from one of two angles. The more cautious will spread their funds across a range of almost sure-fire outcomes whose odds are very short in order to record incremental gains that could, in theory, start to add up nicely.
Over-Valued Odds
Others will attempt to get a line on a set of long odds that they think the bookmakers have over-valued; the outcomes may be less likely, but the one-off rewards much larger.
Terms Used with Live Odds
Cash Out
Cash Out Betting sites with cash out essentially allow punters to opt out of a bet before it has been settled. If the punter’s chosen selection is looking less likely than at the outset of the event, for instance, the bookmaker would offer them a cash out value of less than their stake. If the selection is looking more likely, meanwhile, an amount above their stake but below their ultimate maximum winnings may be offered.
Quick Bet
One of the more recently introduced features of live betting, a quick bet feature is when a bookmaker provides a more speedy way of placing a bet than their usual process. This can be very beneficial for in-play betting as it can allow punters to quickly take advantage of available odds which might soon change as the match or race in question progresses.
Streaming
Live streaming is less commonly available than live statistics or live scoring, but where available it allows punters to actually watch matches, races or events. Rules about which events they can view vary from bookmaker to bookmaker with some providing access to all of their live events to any customer with a funded account and others requiring the customer to have bet on a particular event in order to watch it (see live streaming FAQ for more details).
Live Scores
A near ubiquitous feature of bookmakers’ in-play interfaces, live scoring is crucial for any punter looking to bet along with an event that they can’t actually watch. Bookies generally provide a scoreboard which offers the continually updating score of the game or event in question and on some occasions other details like scorers’ names and the time elapsed.
Live Stats
Alongside the score, some live betting providers also offer further up-to-the minute statistics regarding the game or event in question. This can include things like possession stats for football, bowling figures for cricket and other sport specific data. These live statistics, therefore, can help punters to decide which in-play betting selections they want to back.
How Does Live Betting Work?
Live betting is simply the process of betting on a sporting event as it is in progress.
What’s different?
- Odds for the in-play markets provided will fluctuate and change along with the circumstances of the game, match or race. This, therefore, opens up a number of different betting opportunities such as betting on a favorite while they are behind to take advantage of more generous odds.
- A larger number of smaller markets can be bet on for each event e.g. if there will be a corner in the next five minutes or the number of runs scored in the next over of a cricket match.
- Markets get suspended e.g. if a penalty is awarded during a match, then the next goalscorer market amongst others will probably be suspended until after the penalty has been taken.
Best Betting Sites by Sport Category
Critical Factors that We Consider When Ranking Bookmakers
Once we’ve determined a gambling site to be safe and trustworthy, here are some of the details we’ve looked at to determine if the site is good for sports betting:
- How many betting markets are covered?
- How many betting options are available?
- How good are the betting lines for each market?
- How are skilled bettors treated?
- What kind of betting limits are in place?
- What kind of promotions does the sports betting website offer?
- Is the bookmaker site easy to use?
- Are there any live video feeds available? Can players follow the outgoing sporting event closely and in detail?
- Is there Live In Play Features
- How quickly are odds changing
- How much down time is here between odds changing
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Overall ranking of the Best Live Odds Bookmakers
- Online since 1997
- Excellent proprietary software
- Multiple Languages
- Fast payouts
- High-quality apps by trusted software providers
- Technology of data verification and protocols
- Completely instant-play
- Available on desktop and mobile
- Features top online slots and casino games from Microgaming and NetEnt
