Different types of betting markets

As long as there have been sports in existence, there has been the opportunity to engage in sports-related betting – just think back to bare-knuckle boxing and the exchanging of gold coins in support of the most promising fighter! These days, betting has evolved to feature a variety of betting markets that differ from the traditional 2-way type of sports bet that most of us are familiar with. This has expanded the possibilities available, meaning that you can win in a variety of ways – sometimes before the game you’ve placed a bet on has finished!

Here, we’ve collected all the different types of betting markets out there for you to enjoy – all you’ve got to do is have a read and take your pick.   

Asian Handicap Betting

This type of betting market is set up in an attempt to render the winning chances of either team as close as possible to 50%, with the handicap set based on the information available about the two teams involved (in this type of betting market, a handicap of 0 indicates both teams are equally likely to win). However, if the team you’re betting on has a handicap of -1.0 and the opposing team has one of +1.0, this difference is then translated into the winning criteria – i.e., the team with the -1.0 handicap will have to score two goals more than their opposition for the bet to be won.

Over/Under-Betting

This type of betting market is predominantly based on wagers that are set regarding the number of expected goals. As opposed to betting on the exact number of goals you think will occur, you simply need to say whether you believe it will be over or under a particular number. The most common line for these types of bets is 2.5, which becomes a wager of ‘Under 2.5’ if you think the team will score 2 goals or fewer, and a wager of ‘Over 2.5’ if you think they’ll score 3 or more.

Fixed Odds Betting

Perhaps one of the most common form of sports betting online, this type of bet has fixed odds , which means fixed returns or losses. Another name for this type of bet is a match bet and, if you win with high odds, you’re more likely to earn higher returns. Spread betting is the complete opposite, in that the odds – and therefore the returns and losses – are based on a range of potential returns.

In-Play/Live Betting

This type of sports betting is the most popular and involves placing your bet after the game has already started, meaning that it is based on the way the match is going, as opposed to pre-game stats. With this type of bet, the odds change as the game continues, based on the number of goals scored, each team’s ball possession, and fouls. This is for the more daring, adrenaline-junky gamblers out there!

Sure Betting

When you choose to bet in this type of market, you always make a profit. The idea is that you look at the odds of the players and/or teams and place a bet on either side that is in line with their odds. This way, you have the chance to win regardless of which team is successful.

Accumulator Betting

Popular on Saturdays, when there are multiple football matches are being played or by those new to the betting game, this type of bet consists of selections from various betting markets, using the odds from each to set the wagers. The downside of this type of bet, though, is that all your selections must win for you to win the accumulator. So yes, whilst you can earn more this way, your chances of being successful are lower. 

System Betting

This is when a single bet and an accumulator bet are combined, preventing you from losing all your money when one bet fails (which occurs with a normal accumulator bet). With a minimum of three bets and a maximum of fourteen from various betting markets and events, this type of betting market is usually clearly advertised and the potential jackpot is calculated on the number of potential combinations available.

Half-Time/Full-Time Bets

At half-time, the bettor has to predict the final score – as well as at the end of the game. Your chances of winning here are diminished, but that’s counteracted by much higher odds, so if you win, you win big.

Draw No Bet

Although a common term used in the sports betting world, it’s perhaps one that amateur gamblers find themselves querying the meaning of. The draw no bet meaning is common in Asian betting. It is relatively simple and means teams drawing. Basically, if you place a bet in support of one team winning but don’t want to lose your money if the game ends in a draw, this betting market allows you to retrieve your money; if your team wins, you win and if your team loses, you lose the bet. The benefit of this is that it reduces your chances of losing the bet but, on the other hand, the odds are slashed to reflect the reduced risk.         

Correct Score Betting

For this betting market, you can wager on what the final score of the game will be. The odds are high but tricky to predict, as you’re more often going to predict that a match will end in a 2-2 draw than that one team will triumph over the other. This type of betting market requires the bettor to have sufficient knowledge of the team stats for those involved prior to the match.

Double Chance Betting

To double your chances of winning (as the title suggests), this type of bet requires you to select two potential outcomes – usually choosing two options out of a possible three. As this increases your winning chances, the odds are lower and so, therefore, is the amount you can win.

Which betting market do you fancy your chances with?

Different types of betting markets