The practice of placing money on the outcome of any sporting event is known as sports betting. Many people find betting on any sport interesting but there are still others who maintain that this practice is objectionable, as it threatens the basic integrity of the sport.

More than other types of gambling, the legitimacy and general approval of sports betting varies from country to country. Placing bets on sporting events is officially acceptable in most countries. However, it is generally prohibited in North America. Conversely, in Europe, accepting sports bets for professional purposes or bookmaking is a legal practice and is socially accepted. Sports- betting is a hobby of many fans.

This not only benefits the league but also aids the teams and players, through higher turnouts and television spectators. The history of sports betting involves the various efforts by sports gamblers to ‘fix matches’. However, people still maintain that legalized bookmakers will ultimately fight corruption just as persistently as law enforcement and government bodies do.

Successful betting on sports requires both, a substantial amount of research as well as skill. Veteran bettors collect and study as much information about the concerned game as they possibly can. They first mull over each teams prospect of winning and then compare it with the bookmaker’s judgment before placing any bets. Good fortune and sound judgment are two factors that contribute towards successful betting. In order to be consistently successful, adequate time and effort needs to be put in, to understand all the facets of the sport.

The types of bets vary widely and with a simple wager you have the opportunity of betting against a friend or a colleague as to which basketball team has more chances of winning. Next comes approaching a bookmaker to place a bet or a wager on the result of an important sporting event like the Super Bowl. The types of bets that are offered by bookmakers are ‘straight up’ bets or ‘money line’ bets and ‘point spread wagers’.

Money line bets or straight-up bets are generally used for odds on sports like hockey, baseball, soccer and boxing. On the other hand, point spread wagers are used for odds in games like American football and basketball. In addition, there are ‘proposition bets’. Proposition bets are wagered on very particular outcomes of a major match, like guessing the number of goals scored by each team in a football match. ‘Parlays’ involve manifold bets and rewards. Thriving bettors having hefty payouts and ‘future wagers’ get involved by forecasting future accomplishments by either a team or a team member. Bookmaking is a thriving business in any part of the world and official bookmakers can be easily located. In places where betting is illegal, betting can be done online.

The Internet not only allows betting but it also provides potential bettors with the opportunity to get acquainted with other like-minded bettors. Sports betting forums offer animated opinions, where bettors talk about their predictions and help each other decide on advantageous bets.
Sports betting tips:

a) Manage your money: This is the first and most important rule in betting on sports. Ensure that you bet only that amount of money that you can afford to lose. In order to bet on sports, you should keep aside a portion of money for the bet and stick with the bankroll- win or lose.

b) Shop for numbers: Your main priority should be to get the best line when you are placing your hard earned money. A mere difference of one or two points can easily decide a win or loss of a bet because the lines released by the bookmakers are very strong.

c) Do not gamble under any influence: You should never bet under any kind of influence, like alcohol, as this would minimize your ability to think rationally and hamper your winning chances.

d) Check your odds: You need to be clear about all the odds regarding parleys and teasers. You should do a bit of research work before you bet on a particular sport and understand the payout odds.

e) Play an underdog at home: It is a good idea to bet, playing on an underdog at home. It has high chances of winning and seldom gives up till the end of the game.

Sports- betting revolves around the concept of winning more than you lose and this keeps the winning spirit high. There are no specific schemes to win or lose and it just calls for a little research and the interest to participate to increase your possibilities to win the game.

Author Bio: This article was written by gambling pro, Skyler Ace. Enter our free contest and win free cash prizes. Hurry because the contest ends this month. Click here to get started Online Casino Gambling

Category: Recreation
Keywords: sports betting, online sports betting,