Bets and Sports: Types of Markets Explained

Written by:
C Costigan
Published on:
Oct/25/2021

The sports betting industry has a broad selection of betting markets. Some of them are suitable for amateurs, while others need a certain level of skill.

It is important to analyze a team's recent performance, schedule and lineup before you back or wager against it. Listed below are six popular types of sports bets. 

Head-to-Head Wagers

They are common in sports like golf and the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR). A bettor reviews the head-to-head results of two competing teams and predicts the one that will lead in a race or tournament.

Most times, bookies attach a moneyline to each side to handicap the game. It is difficult to select an outright winner in such sporting events. 

Moneyline Wagers

This is one of the simplest betting options, and some gamblers call it a "win bet." Even so, moneyline wagers are renowned in the United States. They are easy to understand, as they resemble traditional wagers in various sports.

The bet entails selecting the team that will win a match. A tennis game has two options. You can support one player as illustrated below: 

Dominic Thiem vs Marin Cilic

Match Winner

  • Dominic 1.80 

  • Marin 2.00

The two players have a small odds margin. So, bookies predict that the game will be competitive. You will get $180 if you stake $100 on Dominic and $200 if you wager the same amount on Marin. 

Parlays

Parlay bets, also known as express bets, comprise two or more outcomes that a bettor predicts. Many professional gamblers like these wagers due to their lucrative odds.

The bookie multiplies the parlay odds of each bet when calculating your total odds. It can offer the following selections:

  • Real Madrid vs Barcelona – Madrid +100 win 

  • Tottenham Hotspur vs Arsenal- Tottenham +100 win 

  • AC Milan vs Juventus- Juventus +100 win

This parlay's total odds will be (100/200×200/100×100/200=8)8.0. Thus, if you make an accurate parlay, the operator will multiply your stake by eight. But, you will lose the whole bet if one leg is incorrect.

Many beginners tend to make parlays comprising many sporting events with low odds, as they believe that they will win each leg. Still, low odds don't have a guarantee that you will win a wager. 

Straight Bets

This is the most famous sports bets, especially in basketball and football. The sportsbook creates a betting line and allows you to back the favorite or get a few points after betting on the underdog. 

Round-Robin Wagers

Round robin bets are appropriate for bettors who fear losing one leg in a parlay. They are combinations of several parlays from various predetermined sporting events. Each combination is a different expression.

You will wager on events in an express and determine your round robin's dimension, such as 3 out of 4 or 2 out of 3. You will win the round-robin if all your events win. Yet, round robins have lower odds than parlays. 

If and Reverse Bets

You can find them in many bookies, although they are infamous. It is advisable to understand If and reverse wagers to make a profit from them. Two If bets make a reverse wager. You can wager on two clubs and lose your full bet if each side loses. The bookie will pay you part of the bet when one team wins and the entire wager if both of them win.

Most bookmakers allow bettors to add different types of bets on various sports in an accumulator. You can pick bets from a single sporting event in certain sportsbooks. 

Head-to-head bets, moneyline bets, parlays, straight bets, round-robin wagers, If and reverse bets are the most common sports wagers you can find at any bookmaker. 

Learn more: 

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