Sports Betting
Both online and land-based gambling consists of two activities: casinos and sportsbooks. These two are the cornerstones of the art of gambling, and as such, modern gambling as we know it simply wouldn’t exist without casinos and sportsbooks. Regardless of whether you are a fan of online gambling, or you prefer visiting land-based venues, casinos and sportsbooks are, and will always be the quintessential cogs that move the gambling industry. Being that Gamblers Connect is a leading platform built to bring you everything gambling-related, it is only natural for us to cover all facets of our beloved industry.
With that being said, welcome to the Gamblers Connect sports betting experience, a dedicated page where you will find nothing but the best online sportsbooks that the iGaming industry has to offer. Given our extensive background in the world of online gambling, as well as our dedication to enabling our users the ultimate gambling experience, we put special emphasis and meticulous work into our sports betting section. Especially if we take into account that there are literally hundreds of online sportsbooks on the planet, where finding the right operator that will match your preferences can be quite tricky.
This is where our knowledge and attention to detail come into play. Gamblers Connect prefers quality over quantity, which is why each of the online sportsbooks you will find on this page is hand-picked and thoroughly vetted by our team of experts. We use the same strict criteria and unbiased approach as we use when reviewing online casinos, which is why we can guarantee that each one of these operators is nothing short of top-tier.
We purposefully created this section to serve you as the go-to source for everything even remotely related to sports betting. From in-depth sportsbook guides and insights and the latest sports betting and sportsbook news to sports betting tips and picks from our team of experts, the Gamblers Connect sports betting experience is a carefully curated section that can help you elevate your game to the next level.
What Is Sports Betting?
While it may seem obvious at first, it is very important to touch upon some of the basics of the art of sports betting. Simply put, sports betting is wagering money on the outcome of a specific event, usually on sports.
How much money you win will depend on several key factors, such as:
How much money you will wager
The sportsbook that you use
The odds
Your knowledge
We can pull a parallel between sports fans and sports bettors, being that they are both emotionally invested in sports betting events. The only difference is that while sports fans are invested only emotionally, sports bettors are invested financially as well. From here, many experts advise sports fans not to bet on their favourite team, given that it is most likely to be an action that stems from a biased point of view.
Odds: The Favourite vs The Underdog
Both casino and sports betting are impossible without odds. Odds are essential because they give the probability of an outcome, usually in the form of a price. Yet, it is important to know that while odds exist to give the probability of the outcome of an event, they don’t reflect the probability in real life.
This is because when bookies create odds, they take a magnitude of possibilities into account. This includes a plethora of variables such as the current form of the teams/individuals, injuries, home-court advantage, the history between the teams/individuals, star players, etc.
There are three most common and widely used types of odds:
Money Line – American odds
Fractional – British odds
Decimal – European odds
With this in mind, we should tell you that calculating betting odds can be a quite complex and daunting process. Especially if you are new to sports bettings. Luckily, there is a plethora of betting odds calculators on the internet that allow you to input the odds in any format that you want, enter your wager, and get a calculation of your potential payout.
Types of Sports Bets
Being successful in sports betting requires possessing the right knowledge, and there is no more important thing to learn than all of the different bet types. Especially if we take into account that sportsbooks are constantly coming up with new types of bets.
With this in mind, let’s have a look at the ten most popular sports bets.
Spread bets – the most common sports bet, spread bets are “straight” bets where you choose a winning team and the spread (number) of points that this team will win/lose
Moneyline bets – also a straight bet, moneyline is a bet that requires choosing which team will win the game, not involving a spread
Total bets (Over/Under) – the third and final straight bet, total bets (also known as over/under) are bets where you bet on whether the final score of the game will be over, or under a specific number
Parlays – a type of bet where you are required to form a group of multiple bets in a single wager
Prop Bets – also known as proposition bets, prop bets are offered on popular sports and include things such as how many points a player scores, etc.
Teasers – parlay bets with adjusted lines by a certain number of points in favour of the player in exchange for a lower payout
Reverse teasers (Pleasers) – opposite to teasers, reverse teasers are adjusted against the favour of the player in exchange for a higher payout
Round-robin bets – working like round-robin tournaments, the goal here is to pick all of the wagers that you wish to play, usually consisting of 3 two-team parlays
Futures bets – bets that are specifically for future events, including which team will win a championship/division, the number of wins, or who will be MVP
Head-to-head bets – bets that are based on select players in a game, including who will score more goals, pass more yards, etc.
Choosing The Right Sportsbook
Finding the right sportsbook is absolutely crucial before you start betting. However, choosing the best operator that will satisfy your personal preferences can be tricky, given the sheer number of online sportsbooks that come in various shapes in sizes.
While you may be tempted to choose an online sportsbook based on the bonuses that it offers (which is not a bad idea by itself), there are still several key aspects you need to take into consideration prior to making a decision.
License
Needless to say, the first thing you need to check before you join an online sportsbook is the licensing situation. Playing at properly regulated sports betting operators ensures safety and transparency. Moreover, licensed operators are under the control of their respective regulators, which in other words means that if God forbid something goes wrong and you don’t receive a payout, you can always file an official complaint/report to the regulator and wait for them to solve the issue for you.
Bonuses
Promotions and bonuses are another good way to tell whether a certain online sportsbook is good or not, being that it speaks volumes about the general rewarding nature of the casino. Most online sportsbooks tend to offer lucrative welcome bonuses in order to “lure” players. However, it is always best to check the promotions department of a casino prior to joining and see whether the operator you wish to join has other rewarding promotions, or is just limited to a single, welcome offer.
Reputation
Checking the reputation of an operator before joining is imperative if you wish to have a piece of mind. Whether you visit forums, read reviews on websites such as Gamblers Connect, or simply contact the customer support team and ask questions, it is always a good idea to thoroughly inform yourself about the features, reputation, and overall quality of the online sportsbook you want to join.
Customer Support
Simply put, an online sportsbook without 24/7 live customer service is a big red flag. Not that it necessarily means you are joining a “bad” operator, but having 24/7 support (preferably via phone, live chat, and email, all at once) can make a real difference in the long run. Especially if you wish to withdraw funds from your balance, and time is of the essence. Trust us, you don’t wish to wait until morning to talk to a representative to resolve your issue.
Offer/Odds
An online sportsbook without a proper offer and low odds is an operator that you should avoid. It is unimaginable for a modern online sportsbook to provide its players with a plethora of betting options. This includes everything from a long list of sports and multiple types of bets to player-friendly and competitive odds that will always give you an edge.
Payment Methods
Another important feature to take into consideration before choosing your next sportsbook is the banking situation. Make sure to check whether the payment methods offered by the sportsbook are available in your country/region/state and whether they come with fees that you may not be willing to pay. Always look for operators that work with popular and widely-used payment methods, including cryptocurrencies.
Have Fun & Gamble Responsibly
The last piece of advice we would like to share before you jump straight into sports betting is to always gamble responsibly. Much like online casino gambling, online sports betting is s pastime activity that should be approached with great caution, given its volatility. Playing for fun, educating yourself with casino guides, and gambling responsibly are quintessential if you wish to save your money, and most importantly, your health. Remember, gambling is all about staying in control, and there is no better way to do so than by having the right information at the right time. Good luck, and have fun!
