Characteristics of live betting
In case any unsuspecting punters still don’t know, let’s start by defining live bets as those that are placed in real time, while the event is taking place. This makes them one of the favourites for a good number of bettors, who find in them the possibility of making sense of practically any sporting event.
If you go to one of your favourite bookmakers, you will see that the options for live betting make up a long list. For example, in football it is possible to bet on the next goal, the number of corners or what the first action of the game will be. In tennis, you can bet on the winner of the next point and the next game, and in handball on the next goal.
These examples begin to show how difficult it can be to make certain decisions on the fly, and it is precisely in this respect that bookmakers have an advantage. The short time available to reason whether an odds is profitable or not often leads to wrong decisions.
We must bear in mind that in live betting, the risk is higher. Based on this, we must take the necessary precautions to reduce the margin of error as much as possible. At the same time, sometimes this whirlwind can also play a trick on the bookmakers, something that can only be taken advantage of by the smartest players.
The characteristics of live betting mean that it is not ideal for every personality or emotional state. It is not recommended for novice bettors, as its constant changes require a certain degree of rethinking, which is usually linked to experience.
That is why we must be very careful during the beginners’ stage: impulses are the order of the day and these usually do not lead us to a good outcome in betting. By way of a slight conclusion we could say that two of the main keys in live betting have to do with the incessant variations of the odds and with our reactions from a psychological point of view to each event.
Live betting as a hedge
Many players do not have this type of betting as a priority but use it to hedge potential losses from bets placed before the event. This strategy is recommended for any bettor but especially for those who are just getting started in the game.
Using live betting as a hedge consists of taking advantage of the fluctuation of the odds during the event to correct the initial play, if and when necessary.
For example, let’s say that before the game between Barcelona and Juventus at the Camp Nou we go for the logic and go for a Barcelona victory. The thing is that the game starts and things don’t go as expected: Juventus dominate and after 20 minutes of the first half they already scored two goals (0-2).
Of course, this will alter the odds considerably and this is where the astuteness and skill of the bettor will come into play to find the right live market to take advantage of in order to at least recover what was invested at the beginning in favour of Barça. This can be achieved by betting on the number of goals, on the next goal, on a double chance, etc.
Tips for betting live
If you don’t understand, pass over. When you get started with live betting you will see that the offer is very wide and sometimes you will be tempted to bet on “weird” sports. Nothing could be more counterproductive for your finances. Never bet in ignorance and ignorance: you are almost guaranteed to lose.
Information and attention. As we always say, being informed is fundamental for any bettor. The truth is that this is enhanced in live betting, precisely because of everything we have developed in terms of the lucidity that many decisions require. And by attention we mean having a good eye to make the most of any mistake or oversight by a bookmaker in the middle of a match.
Live pictures. If you don’t have a live feed of the event at hand, don’t bet; if you do, you will both damage yourself and give the bookmaker an advantage. And in this section it is essential to underline one caveat: follow the action on TV or through the bookmaker itself, as any other broadcast could be delayed and thus seriously complicate your betting.
Odds. Try not to get carried away with odds without first analysing the full context of the event you plan to bet on. Neither by the very low ones that give the feeling of safe bets (they do not exist) nor by the very high ones that seem to be great opportunities for users.