What is a good bet?
Table of contents
It could easily be written that a good bet is one that produces a profit. That would make this a rather short article though, so let’s look at the subject in a bit more detail, shall we? Because as you will read, there are a lot of factors that make for a good bet. The main aim of course is to ensure we don’t make mistakes and place a bad bet. We’ll be looking at the following areas.
Research
When you are placing a bet, there’s a lot to consider if you want it to be a good one. You need to do some research before placing the bet or It may become anything but a good bet. Say, you don’t do any research and just place some money on Arsenal to beat Wolverhampton Wanderers at home.
If doing some research, you will find plenty of reasons why going for Arsenal to get the win is a good bet. It may be that Arsenal have a very strong home record and have a full-strength squad. More research may indicate that Wolverhampton Wanderers aren’t so good on their travels, have been in poor form of late and key players are out injured.
Not doing that research could have disastrous results. What if you place money on a team and then discover afterwards that they have been losing a lot of late and have their top striker injured. That’s a bad bet so make sure some research is carried out to ensure a good bet is made. This is particularly important when betting on sporting leagues that are unfamiliar to you. A bit of research will boost your knowledge and make it more likely you will place a good bet.
Reading Terms and Conditions
You may think you’ve just placed a good bet, but it may be one that’s not even valid. There are so many terms and conditions to follow at online bookmakers. Not reading them can be costly. You may have a free bet that is valid for seven days, but you don’t know that. The expiry date and the bet disappear without being used. Make sure you read the terms and conditions to ensure your bet is a good one that will be acceptable under the bookmakers’ rules.
Longevity
Betting is a form of entertainment so placing a bet that will last a while is a good one to make. Placing a bet on a 100m athletics race or a greyhound race is ok but it’s over in a matter of seconds. It won’t be long before you know whether your bet is going to be a winning one or a loser.
Making a wager that has some longevity to it is a lot better. A bet on a golf tournament for example, can keep you entertained for four days. It’s even better when you indulge in some ante-post betting. A bet on the 2022 World Cup can be made with online bookmakers, you can follow your selection over the next two years. More about ante-post betting later in this article.
Many gamblers love to place a bet on the first goalscorer in a football match. What if someone scores in the first minute and it’s not your selection? A bet on the anytime or last goalscorer market is a good bet to make. They can both cover the whole game so you will be on the edge of your seat hoping your selection will score.
The Odds
Every selection you will place a bet on will have been allocated certain odds by the online bookmaker. It is a good idea to look at several betting sites before placing your bet and you can access those odds on our site.
Placing a bet on a selection that has odds of 1.5 (1/2) and then finding out you could have gone to another bookmaker and received 1.57 (4/7) is rather frustrating. Getting the best odds possible is a good bet.
In-play betting is a major part of any online bookmakers. In the past, this kind of betting just wasn’t available. Now it is and there are ample opportunities available on several sports. The odds will fluctuate throughout the game, depending on what is happening. Your selection may see its pre-match odds improve as the game progresses. In football, those odds of 1.5 (1/2) will become longer if the game stays goalless. After 20 minutes, they might now be 1.66 (4/6) but if you still believe they will win the match, then going for those odds may well prove to be a good bet. You can get even better odds if they just happen to go a goal down early in the game.
The same applies in all other sports. A tennis player may be 4-4 in the first set or go a break down early on. Better odds will be available and if your faith is still there, go for those better odds. That can especially apply in women’s tennis where breaks of serve are more common.
You may well believe that a bet you fancy making is available at better odds than they should be. If you are lucky enough to take odds of say 8.0 (7/1) on a selection you think should be a lot shorter. Then if your bet makes a profit, then that’s a really good bet.
That’s likely to happen most with ante-post betting. A country could be 10.0 (9/1) to win the next World Cup. However, you may believe they have a much better chance of being successful, so place that bet now. If your hunch is right, they could well go on to win the cup and at odds a lot lower than you took. Just imagine them getting through to the final and being 1.8 (4/5) to win and there you are with a betting slip with odds of 10.0 on it. Now that’s a good bet.
With horse and greyhound racing, look to bet on an online bookmaker that offers the Best Odds Guaranteed promotion. Here’s how it works: You take a price on a horse before the race, say at 2.5 (6/4), then it drifts out in the market to 3.0 (2/1), but there you are stuck with the smaller price and lo and behold, it wins. A good bet in these circumstances is betting with a site that has Best Odds Guaranteed, as you will be paid out at those higher odds. All of which brings us onto the offers made by online bookmakers.
Promotions
Online bookmakers offer a string of promotions, especially welcome offers. It’s a competitive market, so that’s a way of enticing new customers. Make sure that you stay aware of what promotions are available. Those that offer enhanced odds or some acca insurance are to be taken advantage of. Using them to boost your wager can lead to a good bet if successful.
So, you can see there are many ways in which a wager can become a good bet. Put some thought into any bet you make. Get the best odds, go for a bet that lasts for a while and keep an eye out for promotions that could increase your winnings.
More about Online Betting
- How betting works?
- What does SP mean in Betting?
- How do odds work in sports betting?
- How to start sports betting?
- How to make sports bets online?
- How to win at sports betting?
- How much to bet on your sports bets?
- How to properly manage your betting funds?
- What are the rules for sports betting?
- What are the essentials for sports betting?
- Who should you consult on sports betting?
- How to Gamble Responsibly On Sport?
- How do I cancel a bet?
- Sports Betting Glossary: the must-knows for bettors
- What are the basics of online bookmakers for new users?
- How to Change the Odds Format at Sports Betting Sites?
- Betting Big: What Is The Maximum Bet Amount Possible in Sports Betting?
- How to bet on sports?
- What does 1X2 mean in online sports betting?
- Recurring winnings on HT/FT bets: Beware of scams!
- How do you make long-term bets?
- What is the automatic withdrawal threshold?
- How does a multiple bet work?
- What Is a Wagering Requirement For A Sportsbook Bonus?
- What Are the Most Exciting Sports When Betting In-Play?
- What Are the 12 Key Things to Consider When Joining a Betting Site?
- Withdrawal from tennis: what happens to your sports bet in the event of a forfeit?
- How many events can be combined in the same bet?
- Why do bookmakers block users' accounts?
- What Are The Best Esports Leagues To Bet On
- Sports betting tools
- How does betting on the Super Bowl work?
- What is Wincast Betting?
- How to bet on the Olympic Games ?
- What do betting odds mean and what information do they give us?
- Why do odds change over time on betting markets?
- What are the 5 things you should never do when betting on sports?
- What Is system betting?
- How to bet on Women’s Football?
- How can I stop betting on sports?