Unless you’ve lived under a rock in recent years, surely you know or have at least heard that the betting industry, especially the sports one, is in the midst of a boom. Looser laws and better digital technology have lifted the entire sector and it’s ascent is barely getting started.
Still, there’s many players on the sidelines for one reason or another — lack of stomach for the ups and downs gambling, perceived “dumb luck” one has, or just lack of knowledge about the practice.
We can’t help you with the first two reasons, but we sure can assist on the last one. This article covers five less intuitive topics you must fully grasp before plunging into sports wagering. From what teaser bets are to online gambling options to everything in between, we have you covered!
Various Ways To Bet Outside The Ordinary
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When most think of sports betting, they think of it in the traditional sense — which team/player will win, the point spread, and over/under on points scored. While those bet types are the most popular, it’s by no means the ONLY way to wager on the game.
Other under-the-radar methods include the aforementioned teaser and props. The former is a spin-off of a parlay bet (where you pick multiple outcomes and all must hit to win). However, the unique twist is teasers give you more favorable odds. So instead of a team winning by, say, 3 points in the regular spread, a teaser could up it to a more manageable nine points, for example.
Props are even more wacky because they can literally be a bet on any outcome within a game, usually not related to the final score. Examples of props include how long the national anthem will be sung or what color Gatorade the players will be drinking. Like we said, wacky!
Gambling Online Is The Way To Go
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The days of walking into a physical sportsbook to drop a bet were already numbered before COVID-19 struck, but in the midst of it (and in the post-pandemic world), land-based casinos will continue to lose market share to online bookmakers.
More than anything, it’s just more convenient to bet on the Internet. It can be done at any time, anyplace from either a computer or desktop on the go. And there’s no drop-off in betting features, heck, there might be more online. That includes larger betting menus, more lucrative promotions, and loyalty programs.
Sportsbooks Aren’t Just For Regular Sports Anymore
Since we’re on the topic of larger betting menus, sportsbooks have evolved their offerings to include non-traditional sports, too. Bettable events these days include eSports, politics (which set records in 2020), eating contests, award show winners, and a whole lot more!
Of course, “normal” sports like basketball, football, and soccer still make up the bulk of the betting selection. However, these non-sport bets are great add-ons to “change the pace” per se. They can also be highly profitable since oddsmakers are less versed in setting odds for them.
Rise Of Daily Fantasy Sports
A traditional sportsbook isn’t the only way to gamble on sports these days. Neither is a fantasy sport that takes a full playing season to crown a winner.
Enter daily fantasy sports. As the name implies, these are fantasy games, but contested every day rather over the course of a year. Just build a game-day roster — while keeping it within the allotted salary cap — and compete against friends or randos on the Internet.
It’ll Be Mostly Legal Soon Enough
We alluded to this in the beginning of the article, but sports betting is no longer stigmatized in society like it once was. It’s been legalized in more than 20 states within the US and more are on the way. Moreover, sports teams and leagues are openly embracing betting, inking deals with bookmakers.
This, along with the previously-mentioned trends, is why the future is bright for sports betting. The sooner you realize this, the sooner you can capitalize off it by winning your own wagers. Just leverage the five tidbits we covered here to maximize your betting experience!
