Setting a Budget
Before jumping into all the fantastic bets offered at Zetbet, it is important to set a budget. Punters who do not place bets often may top up their accounts occasionally and then spread their funds out over the course of a month or an even longer period of time. Others who watch sports more frequently and may want to place bets every weekend or during weeknights when there are games will have to organise their budgets more carefully.
There are many different approaches when it comes to how much should be risked on individual bets.
Some choose to place small amounts of money and find multiple bets that have long odds and place smaller stakes so they would not lose a lot of money if the bet lost, but if they won then they would pocket some sizable winnings.
Others may choose to pick bets with short odds and place larger sums of money. The tactic here is to pick a bet that seems likely to win and to place a large sum of money on it to compensate for the short odds. The big risk though is that the bet does not win and the punter loses the money.
These are two general approaches, but once a punter knows how to read odds and then determine how valuable the odds are to the level of risk, they may choose to develop their own methods.
How to Read Odds
Odds may be displayed in either the fractional, decimal or American format. Decimal odds are the most commonly used format in continental Europe. These odds are easy to read because all punters need to do is multiply the odds by their stake to see how much they can win. If the odds are 2.3, then a €10 bet will pay out at €23.
Fractional odds are most commonly used in the UK and Ireland. These are represented by a fraction, such as 5/2, which reads “five to two”. The potential winnings can be calculated in the same way as the decimal odds, although they do not include the return of the original stake. A €10 bet on odds five to two would pay out at €35 (which is the €25 won and the return of the original stake which was €10).
The American odds format is used in North America and is very different from the other two methods. At Zetbet, punters can choose which format odds are displayed in, so it is not strictly necessary to understand them all. However, it can still be useful to know how American odds work. Here, the odds are presented with either a positive or negative number. A typical two way bet can read
Player/Team A at +180 Player/Team B at -110
The positive value is how much the punter would win with a €100 bet, not counting the return of the stake. This means a €10 bet on player/team A would pay out at €28 (18+10).
The negative value is how much the punter would need to place to win €100. This is a bit harder to calculate, but basically if a bet has an odds of -110 it would mean that the decimal odds can be calculated by dividing 100 by 110 and adding 1 (the value of the original stake) which comes to odds 1.9. The fractional odds are calculated the same way, but without counting the original stake, so it comes out to 11/10 or eleven to ten.
How To Determine the Value Of the Odds
Once punters set which odds format is most comfortable for them, they can then look through the huge selection of bets available. It is important to read up about the different types of bets to understand how all of them work. They are not necessarily difficult to understand, but rather than ignoring a bet that looks confusing, it is better to take the time to understand it and see how it can be incorporated into your betting strategy.
After looking through the bet types and the odds, punters may try to use one of the two methods mentioned in the section about setting a budget, namely placing small money on long odds or alternatively placing big money on short odds. They may choose to analyse the odds and use their own system.
Researching statistical information about the teams or players competing can give punters a good idea of how they may perform, giving them an advantage when placing a bet. Punters may single out bets with long odds that they instinctively feel have a good chance of winning.
For example if there are two strong teams in a game, the odds for either team to win will be relatively long because both teams are evenly matched. Punters can research the two teams involved and make their own assessment and then place as much money on either team as they feel is worth the risk. They may choose to place a side bet that is more likely to win, and covers the stake placed in the main bet.
How To Gamble Responsibly
When it comes to any type of gambling, including sports betting, it is vital that bettors only play with as much money as they can afford to lose. At the end of the day, even with the most careful research in the world, it is still gambling and a losing streak is possible. If a punter finds themselves in that scenario, it is vitally important not to chase losses. What is meant by this is that it is important not to start placing quick bets to try and make back the money lost in previous bets. This is one of the worst things that a punter can do and it takes all of the enjoyment out from sports betting.
To avoid these losing streaks, punters can try to explore different types of bets or try to place some small stake bets on favourites in games where they are highly likely to win. Even the smallest wins can help boost a punter’s confidence and make sports betting enjoyable. However, it must be remembered that there is no such thing as a guaranteed win.
Don’t Forget Live Betting
For most popular sports, live betting is available. The odds are updated in real time, meaning that when one player or team goes ahead their odds will be shortened. Likewise, when a player or team goes behind their odds will be longer. Therefore, by keeping a close eye on the odds and action, it is possible to spot some fantastic opportunities.
Related to live betting is the ability to cash out bets before the end of an event. The cash out option is a highly useful tool that punters may use to lock in a portion of their winnings or reduce their losses. When a bet is placed on a game, whether it was placed before the game or was placed during the game as a live bet, there will often be the option to cash out at any point during the game. A sum of money will be offered, if the bet is looking like it will win this will be high, almost as high as the potential payout. If the bet is losing, the offered sum will be low, even lower than the original stake in some cases. When punters are winning their bet, they may cash out just to make sure there are no last minute upsets. When the punters are losing their bet, they may choose to cash out to cut their losses and keep a part of their original stake.
Sports betting can be hugely enjoyable and rewarding. To make sure that you are having the best possible experience, take the time to read the guides on this blog. They contain all the information you need and will ensure that you are making the most of all we have to offer.