Live Bets
What Is Live Betting?
Live betting is becoming increasingly popular both with beginners as well as professional tipsters. That’s why we want to explain to you what in-play bets are all about and why you should absolutely give this opportunity serious consideration. In addition, we will share with you some of the most important tips and information.
What are live bets?
As the name suggests, live bets are placed on sporting events that are currently underway. In that sense, the bet is placed “live”. Naturally, this is a blanket term: many different types of bet can be placed live: handicap bets, over/under bets, goal and goal-scorer bets, half-time bets and many more. Consequently, there is also a broad palette of live betting strategies that might lead you to success. As with traditional sports bets, there are no particular hurdles to placing your wagers. From a technical perspective, there are no significant differences you need to be aware of at all. In this age of global networking, mass media and the increased demand for multimedia interactivity – be that on social media platforms or via other channels – bookmakers have clearly recognized the signs of the times and, by means of live betting, are attempting to address a market that is in steadily increasing demand. Placing bets on live sporting events is far from being a modern invention and actually looks back on a long tradition. The fact that this type of betting is now being adapted to the changing needs of the betting public in our digital age is a logical extension. More and more sports fans want to bet live on football, tennis etc. Developments in recent years have shown: Bookmakers who don’t get on the bandwagon soon enough, and who do not offer appropriate live betting opportunities, have a hard time maintaining a foothold in this fiercely contested market. In fact, bookies enjoy higher revenues through these interactive opportunities than they do through more traditional forms of betting.
What are the reasons behind the popularity of live betting?
There are several plausible reasons why live betting on football – though also other types of sport such as tennis – has become so successful and popular. One major appeal is that it increases the excitement as you watch a match live. Thanks to live betting, it isn’t just broadcasts of your own favorite team that become compelling. Due to the opportunity to place bets throughout the match in progress, every match has the potential to become a personal highlight reel. Similar to what it feels like to bet with a circle of friends or acquaintances, live bets spark added interest in football matches and other forms of sporting competition. In addition, the betting public enjoys a valuable advantage in live betting compared to standard bets that have already been placed before the match: Tipsters are able to react appropriately to the flow of the game and various decisive factors. Though always be aware: The same applies to the bookmakers. Odds may change in a split second. That said, both sides of the equation are engaged in a fascinating battle against time. As a viewer, it is possible for you to precisely gauge the momentum of teams and how well individual players are performing on a given day. “I saw that goal coming!” – a comment we’ve heard out of the mouth of many a football fan. Whether a match is exciting or disjointed, or if a player is sent off – as a sports tipster, thanks to live bets you always have the opportunity to react immediately and appropriately. You can then place your bet at the ideal and most decisive moment. Precisely what you can bet on varies from bookie to bookie. For the most part, however, as with traditional betting, your selection of possible wagers is very broad. Aside from what you might expect, such as handicap, over/under, goal or half-time bets, in football it is also possible to wager on the next corner kick or even a potential red card!
How good are your chances of winning when you bet live?
Live bets can easily vary to the extreme. As with regular bets, some are both risky and potentially very profitable, while others would appear safer, though will only bring in smaller winnings. One factor that makes live betting more attractive for bookies and tipsters alike is the higher willingness to take risks associated with sports betting in general, as well as to wager larger sums of money. On the one hand, this has a lot to do with the increased fun factor and excitement, as we mentioned above. On the other, it is a function of group dynamics: Especially when you are watching an event together with a group of friends, you are more likely to wager at higher odds than might otherwise be the case. Beyond that, the aversion to so-called “fun bets” is likewise reduced. In addition to the attractive odds and potentially lucrative winnings, the opportunity to demonstrate your own football expertise and knowledge in front of your friends also adds to the enjoyment of live betting. However, there is certainly no shortage of those people who prefer to go with what they see as safer bets. That said, many people are drawn to in-play bets towards the end of football matches. For example, if it isn’t long before the final whistle and the score is still tied, with neither of the two teams absolutely needing to win the match, it is very tempting indeed to place a wager on that match ending in a draw. You are willing to accept the current comparatively low odds in exchange for what you see as a “safe” bet. The situation is similar in the closing moments of the match when one or both opponents urgently need to score. Will the team that is pressing hard manage to score the decisive goal, or do you prefer to speculate on a successful counterattack? In both cases, you can assume the odds will be very lucrative – though the likelihood of you winning is very difficult to gauge.
What should you be aware of when betting live?
The golden rule about live betting says, you should only place a wager if you are actually watching the event live. Be that in the stadium, in front of your TV or via live stream. While tickers can prove helpful, they generally are not adequate to offer you a full and complete impression of what is happening. Furthermore, the time delay can prove to be a decisive disadvantage since odds can change very quickly. Of course, this also applies to online streams that not infrequently lag behind the actual game action by a couple of minutes. In order to wager successfully and profitably on football, comparing odds is immensely important. Here, too, speed is of the essence! Mere seconds can be decisive. Also vital: finding the right bookmaker for your live bets. Once again, the time factor is important: Even though your instincts might be correct, the betting markets for live bets can close at any time or a particular betting product might temporarily be blocked. Above all, right after a goal has been scored or a player sent off, though occasionally even if nothing particular noteworthy has happened, a betting provider might temporarily block access to a specific page. During these “timeouts”, during which the page and/or odds are being updated, it may happen that bets are not accepted, basically getting lost in the shuffle, which can prove quite irritating. You should always keep that risk in the back of your mind while you are betting live. It is worthwhile finding a bookie who generally keeps their timeouts relatively short, meaning that the new odds are available faster. The processing time between placing your bet and the bet actually being accepted should be as short as possible. Rapid processing on the part of the bookmaker is the foundation for an enjoyable betting experience. As we said before: If you lose valuable time on a certain webpage, you might well miss out on top odds that are available on a different site. Something else: While those fun bets and high-risk bets we were talking about may be entertaining in a group setting and may have a certain allure, they should be the absolute exception. If you wish to bet live on sports like football, we recommend resorting to portals and/or bookmakers that provide a user-friendly package of services – consisting of attractive, quickly updated odds along with a live stream. In this regard, bookies bwin, bet365 and Interwetten certainly come to mind.
