Sports Betting 101

Many sports fans watch their favorite teams play and think to themselves, “Betting on sports must be easy.” While betting on sports is easy enough, actually making money at it is a bit harder. The more one knows about the sport and can apply their research to find edges, the better their chances of winning. Taking advantage of free bets, sports betting software and other tools can also help.

There are a few different types of wagers available in sports betting, including straight bets, point spreads and parlays. Over/under bets are based on the total number of points, runs or goals scored in a game and can be placed as individual bets or as part of a larger multi-team parlay. Prop bets, which offer a vested interest in more specific outcomes like whether a player will score a goal or touchdown, are also available.

The most basic bet is a straight wager, which is placing a bet on a single outcome of a game or event. Bettors can also place bets on a team to win a game or outright, which is called a futures bet. These wagers have a long-term horizon and can be made year-round.

Before betting, a bettors should have a specific bankroll in mind and know their base bet size. This way, they can avoid making large bets and keep their bankroll safe. In addition, bettors should stay current with injury reports and research trends. This will also make them less susceptible to scamdicappers that promise guaranteed wins. This can be done by researching sports betting forums and even checking Better Business Bureau ratings and complaints before committing to any service.