Sports betting is a wonderful thing. The thrill of victory, the agony of defeat, the suspense – it’s all part of the game. But that doesn’t mean all bets are created equal just like 22Bet partners, or that you’re guaranteed to have fun even if you win. You can really steamroll your opponent by using this list as your starting point for a few easy changes to common bet types.
- All bets start at +/- X with any amount you choose to wager. No, +- does not mean “about”. It means “all bets are defined as being for a set amount, no further back or forward from there.” If your opponent defines a bet as +/-5 and you define it as +/-10, then you win the bet – 10 times 7 and you win 2.
Similarly, if your opponent defines a bet as -10 and you define it as -5, then the final outcome is only 9 units in favor of the winner in either direction. The net result is 2 units of advantage for him even though the first bet was a clear loser by definition.
A bet that is defined as a certain amount, +/- or -X, money, or anything else, will always be counted as a winner; even if all you do to win is define the bet at some other amount than the one he chose. As long as it’s not less and it’s not more than the original amount, you win.
- The final result of a tie depends on how you define it. If your opponent defines the event “Home team wins” as “BOTH teams lose,” then he wins the tie no matter what you define it as. If you define it as “BOTH teams lose” and he defines it as “Home team wins,” then you win. But if he defines it as “A team wins” and you define it as “BOTH teams lose,” then you win!
If your opponent defines a tie as a wash, for example, there’s no winner in that case either. So if your opponent has defined the result to be 1-1, or even 0-0, you have no chance of winning even if the sport is something like push-ups.
- Why do the betting odds have an effect on the outcome? If a bet is won by definition – i.e. both teams lost or a tie, then the bet for each team is defined and you are paid out immediately. The sportsbook does not have to set odds for the result.
- If you do lose, don’t beat yourself up about it! Plenty of the best sports bettors have lost (including the author). What matters is that your bets are based on sound analysis and mathematical modeling, not just your gut or a hunch or anything else.
- These days some online bookmakers go by the standard decimal format of U.S. currency (i.e. $1 = 1/100 or 1%), while others have it set at the more common U.S. cent value (1 cent = 1/100th of a dollar). In either case, if you are betting in American cash currency, always remember to convert the dollar amount to cents before placing bets.
Conclusion
While sports betting can be more fun than work (if you know a few tricks), it’s important to understand the realities of the game. You need to learn how to bet safely and profitably, and these simple tips can help you get started.