Without knowledge of the basic concepts and terms in betting, it is impossible to succeed, and beginners often get confused in these concepts, which is why they make mistakes. In this material, we will talk about how to choose a sports bet – we will talk about the concepts of line and painting, give an explanation of the main markets in betting and describe the betting mechanism.
Where to look for bets: what is a line and painting
Players make bets on various events in sports, choosing from the betting options offered by the bookmaker. They are located in a special block on the bookmaker’s website, which is divided into two parts: a line and an additional painting.
A line is a line of basic events in a match: this includes bets on the outcome of the match, the main total and the handicap. The formation of the line is carried out with the help of special programs that take into account the current statistics necessary for placing the coefficients. Previously, bookmakers included more human factor in the formation of the line – analysts independently made calculations and issued quotes. Now this function is performed by the software, due to which the coefficients have become more stringent, and the occurrence of surebets is extremely rare.
Painting is the rest of the betting market within each match, in which there are additional events. These include Totals and Handicaps, Both To Score, Multiples and Exclusive Betting Options. Bettors often take the basis of betting just from the additional list – in it you can find risky markets with large odds or safety betting options. Also in the additional list are bets on statistics, which have become increasingly popular lately. The list is created not only for a full match – events can be set for quarters / periods / halves / sets, etc. This gives more choice for players.
Game mode: prematch or live
Prematch is a game mode in which bets are accepted before the game starts. The main features of the prematch are instant bet acceptance, a wider selection of events in the list. In the pre-match, players make bets in situations where they are more confident in its passage and are not afraid of changes in circumstances before the start of the game. Often this mode is used to design accumulators and systems. It is recommended that in all sports, when placing a bet in a pre-match, wait for the announcement of the teams line-up – with the exception of individual sports. In pre-match, bookmakers set tighter maximum limits for betting – an important factor for players who bet on large amounts.
Live mode – these are bets on a match that has already begun, a bet during the game. The reception of the forecast here is longer, especially when making accumulators. Live bets are good because players can catch higher odds – to a greater extent this applies to the game for total more. Live betting has recently become more popular due to the emergence of many betting strategies for different sports specifically for this game mode.
In the line and list of betting companies for matches, you can bet on the following markets, common in all sports:
- Game outcome. Includes a line of bets on the result of the match – the victory of one of the teams or a draw. Bets look like W1, W2 and X. There is a modification of the bet on the outcome of the match, which is called “Double Chance”. These types of bets are combined on a pair of possible outcomes: 1X – victory of the first team or a draw, X2 – victory of the second team or a draw, 12 – a bet that there will be no draw in the match.
- Total. Bet on the result of the match. The options for the bettor in this bet are to bet that the performance will be higher or lower than the specified value – total over or under. There are Asian and European totals – fractional and integer values. You can bet on the total both on a general match and individually on teams – this is a separate line in the bookmaker’s list.
- Handicap. A bet on the gap between teams on the score. It can be taken on different playing segments. As in the case of totals, there is an Asian and European handicap – fractional and integer values of numbers, respectively. The handicap can be negative – the specified value is subtracted from the number of goals scored, or positive – a certain number of points are added to the team’s performance, after which the outcome of the match is determined. There is the concept of a zero handicap – for an e-pass, the selected team needs to win, and a draw for such a bet will be a reason for a return.
- Both will score. A bet that both teams will score. It occurs in football and hockey, can be taken for the entire match and specific segments – periods or halves.
Express Outcomes. The outcome of the match + total, total + both teams will score – these are variants of express outcomes. They are usually found in the pre-match line; in live, bookmakers remove these markets.
Statistics betting. This includes betting on corners, yellow cards, fouls, offsides, shots on target, rebounds, assists, block shots – the main statistics in different sports. For statistics, a separate section is created in the list, which can include ordinary markets – totals, odds, outcomes.
Bets can be accepted not only for the main time of the match. You can bet on specific game segments – time / quarter / period, or limited time – from the 1st to the 15th minute, etc.
Odds
In different betting companies, quotes have different values. Despite the formation of the line with the help of computer software, the players themselves can influence the change in the values of the coefficients. There is the concept of “movement of coefficients”, which means changes in quotes during a specific period. They can change for various reasons – a sports factor (for example, a leader, a key player will not be able to play in a team of favorites), injections of big money from the players, an artificial decrease / increase by the bookmaker itself. The reasons may be different, and therefore the players themselves need to evaluate, due to which the value of the coefficient of a pre-selected event could change.
Bookmakers put a margin into the odds – this is the bookmaker’s commission. It is calculated individually by each bookmaker and does not always have the same values in all companies. Therefore, when comparing quotes, you can find the difference between some bookmakers.
In live, quotes change at a faster rate, and the main reason is changes in the course of the game. Therefore, bettors are advised to watch live matches themselves in order to understand the nature of the movement of the odds. It is better to play with betting companies that block the line and line less often and change odds less intensively – that is, with the most convenient online gaming conditions.
Algorithm for choosing the basis for betting
To place a bet, players need to rely on the choice of their event in the first place. The bettor must understand whether there is a betting option in the bookmaker’s line or painting, whether the odds are suitable for betting. The forecasting mechanism itself looks like this:
- Select a betting company and log in to its system;
- Choose game mode – live or prematch;
- Find the required sport, tournament and match respectively;
- Open the line or painting the game if necessary;
- Click on the coefficient corresponding to the selected event;
- The market will appear in the coupon. In it, write down the amount of the bet and click “Bet” (or another analogue of the button for making a forecast).
Done, the bet is made! To form an accumulator, bettors need to add betting options to the coupon until all the necessary events are collected. Remember that in live mode, the bet is placed a little longer, and in the pre-match, the bet is accepted instantly.
Interesting points when choosing bets
It is important for the player to choose a bet in accordance with the probability of its passing. You don’t always have to leave the probability assessment to the bookmaker’s mercy – it’s not enough to look at a low odds and place a bet. Therefore, successful players always devote a lot of time to a detailed analysis of the game – without analyzing the theoretical part, pre-match statistics and other useful information, betting will not be considered complete.
The success of a bet placed may depend not only on analytics – sometimes you can play using special strategies. Also, success is determined by competent financial management – if a player knows how to allocate funds for bets correctly, then even with a not very high percentage of bets passing, he can secure a profit, even at a distance. The player must always be able to think soberly, exclude the slightest bit of excitement in himself and be guided by either analysis or strategies when playing.
Conclusion
The knowledge presented above in this material helps players to quickly understand the theoretical basis of betting. To bet, it is important to understand the difference between a line and a painting, to know how odds are formed, and many other things. The use of strategies or the choice to analyze each match is a style of play chosen by each bettor individually. It is only important to understand what needs to be done to place a bet, to understand the interpretation of the markets in the betting list, and also to make a bet in a timely manner – it does not matter, in prematch or live.