NEWSLETTER
Live sports betting has been growing in popularity in recent years as bettors can place wagers during their favorite games and contests. Let’s break down what live sports betting is, how it works, and more for those of you who are continuing to learn more about betting.
What is Live Sports Betting?
Live sports betting is when you place in-game wagers on events or contests. You are making a bet while the game is still going on. The odds and lines adjust with each play and can move extremely quickly. The live betting odds begin with pre-game odds and adjust from the beginning to the end of the game.
Placing Live Sports Bets
When you visit a sportsbook, you can use the “Live” section to see what events are currently going on. Also, if you go to a specific sport, the live games will be at the top of the listed odds. You will see the odds changing and shifting based on the score, time left in the game, and more.
Keep in mind, that these odds can change extremely quickly. You might add a bet to your bet slip and it will change or be taken off the board by the time you select place bet. Also, the top sportsbooks will alert you in your bet slip if the odds change and you can either agree to bet with those odds to remove the pick.
Sportsbooks With Live Betting
All of the top sportsbooks in the US have live betting and have increased the number of live options in the last few years due to the popularity of the bet. You can live bet on sportsbooks such as:
There are more options but these are some of the top sportsbooks in the United States.
Line Shopping with Live Betting
With so many different online sports betting options, you can line shop while live sports betting. You can check the odds and compare on multiple sites to find the best bet. Since these odds change quickly and move throughout the game, you can sometimes get great value at a certain sportsbook.
For example, one sportsbook might leave a line up longer than another which gives you the chance to get the bet in. Or you might see +155 odds on a team to win on one sportsbook and +165 on another at halftime.
Hedging in Live Sports Betting
One of the reasons bettors might place live sports bets is to hedge a pre-game wager. This is an insurance policy to guarantee you will win some money by wagering on the other side. This might be done for a parlay with multiple legs where you are unsure if the final team will win.
It can done for a total bet. For example, you might bet the alternate total on an NBA game with odds of +130. Let’s say the bet is for over 208.5. During the game the odds and line shift and now you can get under 208.5 for +135. If you make that bet, you are guaranteed a small profit regardless of what side.
There are plenty more examples of hedging but it is something to consider looking into when placing your live sports bets.
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