Sports Betting goes way back. Even thousands of years ago they were very famous. At that time people betted on their personal favourites at horse races within the ancient Olympic games. Nowadays there are countless possibilities for betting enthusiasts to place their bets on major sport events. The constant development of online sports betting makes it very easy to treat ourselves with a thrill every now and then. Placing a bet online from any place in the world has never been easier.

A growing market

The Internet has not only ensured a rapid increase in betting portals and providers, but also bettors. Before the internet you had to go to a bookmaker to place your bet. Today a bet is only a few clicks away. And it is most likely for that reason that in the past years the number of people placing bets has increased significantly. There are only very few sports you can't bet on. Across Europe the following sports are most betted on:

Football: It is being played in more than 200 countries all over the world by a total of more than 250 million players. Most people place their bets on the matches of the top European leagues as well as on international matches.

Tennis: No matter if it is played by two or four players, tennis is very popular with bettors for a simple reason: it provides different betting strategies.

Basketball: Just like football, basketball is a team sport and offers different betting options. Furthermore, the rules of the game are known as very simple and therefore easy to understand.

Boxing: Although it is rather a fringe sport it is very popular among passionate bettors.

Ice Hockey: Ice Hockey games provide a certain excitement. They offer a variety of betting options, such as live-bets, handicap-bets and so on.

Various Betting Options

Depending on the different sports, it is not always easy to keep track of the various betting possibilities. Furthermore, sports betting is evolving there are always new ways and options of placing bets. This makes it hard for beginners to find their way into the betting game. But what different kinds of bets are there?

Single Bet

It is the simplest form of a sports bet. For example, single bets are preferred in football matches or tennis. You can either bet on win, draw, or defeat.

Combination Bet

This one is very similar to a single bet, except for one major difference: the outcomes of more matches are being combined. This may be tempting because you might increase your profit, but that also means that every bet must be successful. Also, the risk of losing is way higher with a combination bet than with a single bet.

System Bet

This option is widely known from lottery games. You play combination bets in different systems and decrease your risk of losing. It may be safer than combination or single bets but also less profitable.

Live Betting

Placing bets during matches is getting more popular. Live betting is very similar to placing single bets. The only difference is that single bets are being placed before the match starts. During the course of a match the outcome becomes more and more obvious. If you place your bet towards the end of a match, it is safe to say that you may be right. But on the downside: as the match progresses your possible gain decreases.

Goal Bet

This kind of bet is very popular as well because it holds so many possibilities. You can bet on

  • the exact final score (e.g., 3:3 or 2:0).
  • the total amount of goals within a game.
  • which teams scores first.
  • when the first goal is shot.

Half Time Bet

Half time bets offer as much possibilities as the goal bets. You can bet on

  • the half time results.
  • which team wins the first and/or the second half of the match.
  • which half of the match has the most goals.
  • how many goals are shot per half.

Long Term Bet

This kind of bet does not deal with one particular match. It's more about certain outcomes that are way ahead in the future, such as who wins the world championship next year.

Useful Information for Beginners

There is more to a successful bet than a well-founded knowledge on sports and the opinions of experts. Another important base is an understanding of the different betting strategies. It takes a lot of time and practice to understand the various concepts but in the end, the financial outcome can be rewarding.

Don't give up too easy but also know your limits, especially financially. Place your bets strategically and based on all the data that you have gathered. Decide which of the various betting options suits you best and then your gain might not be that far away.