How to Bet Online: How to Place an Online Sports Bet

Sports betting is a form of gambling where you predict the outcome of a game or event and risk money on that prediction. You stake cash against a stated event to win a particular amount if your prediction is correct.

This can range from simply choosing the winner of a football game to predicting specific player performances or combining multiple picks into a single parlay.

Bookmakers and sportsbooks are the companies that set odds, receive bets, and deliver payouts to winners.

Odds indicate the likelihood of an outcome, and they tell how much you stand to win if your bet is correct.

They tend to appear in different formats depending on where you are. In the United States, American odds are the most common format, though decimal (European) and fractional (British) odds also exist, and many betting sites allow conversion between them.

American odds are centered around a $100 wager. They use "+" and "-" signs to indicate payout and favored outcomes, representing implied probability. They are also sometimes called “moneyline” odds.

Minus odds indicate the favorite and show how much you must bet to win $100. Favorites are more likely to win but offer a smaller payout.

Plus odds indicate the underdog and show how much money you would win if you bet $100.  Underdogs are less likely to win but offer bigger payouts in return for the higher risk.

Decimal odds are represented by a number that includes a decimal point. This format represents the total payout for your bet, including your original stake. To calculate your total return, you multiply your stake by the decimal odds.

Fractional odds are typically used in the UK and are displayed as a fraction, such as 3/1. This format shows the profit relative to the wager. The first number (or the numerator) represents the potential profit, and the second (or the denominator) represents the stake to win that profit. To calculate your total return, find your potential profit and add your original stake.

• Moneyline: This bet involves picking which team or player will win a game outright.
• Point Spread: This is designed to "even the playing field" between two teams by setting a margin of victory or defeat that a team must cover. It's essentially a handicap applied by oddsmakers.
• Total (Over/Under): A Total, also known as an Over/Under, is a bet on the total number of points, runs, or goals scored by both teams in a game. The specific winner of the game does not matter for this bet.
• Parlay, Accumulator, or Multi: This bet type combines two or more individual selections (or "legs") into one larger bet. Every selection must win to be successful and for your ticket to cash. The name of this bet type changes depending on your location, but they all mean the same thing.
• Same-Game Parlay or Bet Builder: This special parlay combines two or more selections from a single game or correlated games, matches, or events.
• Prop Bet: A prop bet, short for proposition bet, is a wager on a specific outcome within a game or event that is not directly tied to the game's final result. Essentially, it's a side bet on something that may or may not happen during the contest. Props can generally be categorized into player props and game props.
• Futures or Ante-Post: A future bet, or simply futures, is a long-term wager on an outcome that will not be determined for weeks or months into the future. These bets are placed on events far down the line, often before a season or tournament begins.

Before you place a bet online, the first step you need to take is to choose a bookmaker to bet with.

You can rest assured that the sites recommended by Gambling.com have undergone a stringent review process to bring you only the best on the market.

1. Once you’ve chosen your betting site, you must sign up online. The registration process generally looks like this:
2. Navigate to the site through one of Gambling.com’s links and click sign up/join now/register.
3. To verify your identity, submit personal details, such as name, age, address, and email.
4. Verify your account using your email address or mobile device.
5. Choose a payment method. 
6. Enter the amount you wish to deposit into your account. Sometimes, you must meet a certain threshold to qualify for a welcome bonus.

You're ready to make bets once you’ve set up your account. We'll look at how to place standard and multi-selection bets.

Follow these step-by-step instructions below to learn how to place your bet:

1. Visit your chosen site or app.
2. Use the navigation tools to select which sport you wish to bet on.
3. Select the market you want to bet on, view the relevant odds, and make your pick.
4. Your bet slip will appear.
5. Enter your stake into your bet slip.
6.  Then, click " Confirm " or a similar button to place your bet.

Making a multi-leg bet is similar to placing a single bet:

1. Click the odds for each additional game or race you want to include. You will choose multiple outcomes from the same matchup for same-game parlays or bet builders.
2. These selections will be added to your bet slip to create a multi-leg bet.
3. Enter your stake amount.
4. Confirm the wager. 

In a competitive betting landscape, sportsbooks always fight for users. They do so with betting offers like site credits and bonus bets. These funds can be used as part of your stake when placing bets.

Some are available to new users only, and others are meant for existing bettors.

• Welcome Offers: Many sportsbooks entice new customers with sign-up bonuses, often in the form of bonus bets, deposit matches, or site credits, designed to give you extra value on your first bet.
• Deposit Matches: Deposit matches boost your opening bankroll by matching your initial deposit up to a certain amount.
• No-Sweat or Safety Net: If a bet loses, the customer is typically refunded the amount (up to a specific limit) as site credit or bonus bets.
• Bet & Get: These promotions award a bonus in bonus bets for placing a particular type of wager, regardless of whether that wager wins or loses.
• Bet Matches: These promotions allow a customer to receive a Bonus Bet bonus equal to a percentage of their first cash wager's stake, up to a specified maximum. This bonus is issued upon bet settlement.
• Profit Boosts: Customers can boost their winnings on successful cash bets.
• Odds Boosts: These give an improved payout on a specific wager.
• Insurance: If a bet loses but a specific condition outlined in the promotion is met (e.g., only one leg of a parlay loses), the customer is refunded the amount as a bonus bet.
• Referrals: Invite your friends or family to join a sportsbook by having them sign up using a unique invite link. When your friend signs up, deposits, and settles a bet, both users will get a reward, usually a bonus bet.

The online sports betting industry is highly competitive, leading to continuous improvements and bonuses.

1. Lower your Risk: Sign-up offers allow you to place wagers with less personal financial risk and instantly increase your available funds for betting.
2. Compare Offers: Create accounts with multiple sites to compare sign-up bonuses and ongoing promotions. You can always choose the most advantageous offer—a better payout, lower wagering requirements, or more favorable terms.
3. Understand Terms & Conditions: Learn whether bonus funds can be withdrawn with winning bets, when offers expire, whether you need to opt in to an offer, and other usage requirements. You can use your funds more strategically if you know exactly how to claim offers.
4. Leverage Profit & Odds Boosts: These promotions give you a better return on your winning wagers without increasing your initial stake.
5. Find Offers that Don’t Require You to Win Your Bet: These provide guaranteed bonuses for participating, adding extra value to regular betting activity and further building the bankroll.
6. Refer your Friends: This is a simple way to earn additional bonus funds without placing new wagers yourself.

Strategies like line shopping and understanding value are built upon a solid grasp of how odds work and bet types. These strategies provide a practical framework for turning knowledge into potential rewards.

Responsible gambling is crucial for managing risk and making disciplined bets. At its heart, sports betting should always be viewed as entertainment, not a reliable source of income.

Set a betting budget and never gamble more than you're comfortable losing. Avoid emotional betting and do not chase your losses.

It’s important to know yourself and recognize when to take a break. Sportsbooks offer tools within their platforms to help you stay in control of your betting. These can include: 

• Deposit limits: Set a limit on how much you can deposit daily, weekly, or monthly.
• Wager limits: Cap the amount of money you can wager in a given period or per bet.
• Time limits: Set a limit on the time spent on the site or app.
• Timeout: Take a break. You’ll only be able to log in after the timeout ends.
• Self-exclusion lists: Freeze your account for a set period of time. Sportsbooks and state gambling authorities offer these lists.

Know the signs of problem gambling to keep you and your friends safe and healthy. If you start betting more than you can afford to lose, feel anxious or guilty about gambling, or hide betting from loved ones, help is readily available at Gambling.com/Responsible.