With so many sports to wager on, it can be hard to figure out where to focus your efforts. In this comprehensive guide to betting on different sports, we provide actionable, sport-specific advice that will allow you to expand your betting portfolio and make smarter wagers on a wider range of sports. Moneylines are the way to bet on sporting events without a point spread, where your goal is to pick the straight up winner of a game. The amount you have to wager varies based on the odds of the game, and whether you choose the favorite or the underdog, but this. When you make a futures bet, your odds are 'locked in.' That means if you bet the Redskins at 12-1, you will get paid off at 12-1 odds, even if the sports book later adjusts the odds (to 6-1, for instance). Futures betting also is offered on the major events in horse racing, such. HOW TO BET ON SPORTS. A guide for first-time players who are totally new to the world of online sports betting. Learn everything you need to know to have the best chance to cash out from your. Bovada covers all the major sports. They offering straight bets, teasers, if bets parlays, futures, and props on just about any sport. This makes Bovada one of the best Online sports betting sites.

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The big game is approaching and you think you’ve got the winner picked. Your friends are placing their bets and you want in on the action, but is it safe to bet online? The short answer is yes.

However, not all online sports betting sites are created equal and you can definitely find yourself losing more than just a few bucks. Safety and security checks should be your number one priority before placing any bets online.

Looking for more information on safely making bets online? You’ve come to the right place to learn everything you need to know about safe online betting and how you can cash in big on the next big match.

Safest Online Betting: How to Choose an Online Sportsbook

Wagering sports online is not only fun, but it can be rewarding if you play your cards right. You’ve already made a great decision by doing your research on the safety of online betting.

Bettors who take the time to get to know the landscape of online betting can enter into bets with the confidence of knowing they won’t get caught up in a scam. The last thing anyone wants is to have their team win in overtime just to find out their money has been sucked up in a scam and the payout never happens.

So, what should you look for when choosing an online sportsbook? Here are a few tips to guide you in the right direction.

Online Sportsbooks: Site Transparency

Before you start entering your information into a betting app or site, take your time to read the fine print — and there should be fine print. Their website should provide you with:

• Current licensing information
• Key highlights of their sportsbook
• Deposit and payout details
• Clearly laid-out bookmaker fees
• Frequently Asked Questions section
• Contact info such as phone, email, or live chat

We also recommend you read the reviews or only use apps and sites that have been referred to you by a trusted contact. The experiences of others can be very telling in the betting world.

Online Sportsbooks: Beware of Scams

It’s happened to many bettors looking to place a quick bet. They sign on to the first app or site offering big returns and never end up seeing a penny. Here are a few scams to be aware of:

Prediction Software: Any site offering to sell you betting software promising to accurately predict the outcome of a sporting event is a huge red flag. Promises of high returns can be tempting, but don’t do it.

Betting Syndicates: These often come with a compulsory fee which can be thousands of dollars to join the syndicate. They place bets on your behalf and you are promised a percentage of the profits.

Sports Investments: Often sold as an opportunity or investment, the promoter will use glossy diagrams and fancy-sounding terms, like “sports arbitrage” and promise you a huge return with little to no effort.

Protecting Yourself: How to Spot Red Flags

As with most scams, there are warning signs to watch out for.

Signs you might be under threat of a scam include:

• Over-the-top sales pitches with glossy pamphlets and massive returns promised
• You are told that you must act now or you will miss out on the opportunity
• Frequent sales calls or pushy/desperate salespeople
• The salesperson is using technical or financial jargon

If you suspect you may be caught up in a betting scam there are a few things you can do, such as:

• Hang up on any sales call that seems pressured
• Do your research into the company before signing anything
• Get independent financial and legal advice
• Look for ongoing costs and know how to cancel before you subscribe
• Do not provide any personal identification or banking information

The truth of the matter is scams exist. But the good news is that when you know what you’re looking for they are easy to spot. Take the time to conduct an independent check on any company you plan to place bets with before signing or buying.

Live Betting vs Online Sports Betting: Which is Safer?

If you’re reading this, chances are you’ve been to a live betting site and are now considering moving your betting online. There are risks associated with both live betting and online betting, but knowing what the possibilities are will help protect you from an unfortunate incident.

Between the two, the risks that come with live betting come at a much higher cost, but it’s important to be aware of any issues you may be faced with when betting online.

The Safety of Live Sports Betting

First things first, let’s all agree that no one should ever be placing bets with an illegal bookie. Place your bets at a legal brick and mortar sportsbook. That being said, just because it’s legal it doesn’t mean it won’t attract some unsavory characters and criminals.

Common crimes that take place at casinos and sportsbooks include:

• Robbery – There are many stories of winners being held up by gunpoint, or beaten in a bathroom stall, or even followed home.
• Pickpockets – On the less violent side, pickpockets are sly and can easily go undetected as they steal everything you’ve got.
• Losing your winnings – And we aren’t talking about betting. It’s happened to even the most careful of people. You’ve won big and that wad of cash is sitting in your pocket or wallet and it falls out.
• Losing track of your bets – It’s pretty easy to lose track in the heat of the moment. You start winning and then wagering even more. Add in a little alcohol and you totally lose track of what you started with.

We’re not trying to scare you away from making live bets, this can be a lot of fun, but you should always be aware of your surroundings, even after you’ve left the establishment.

The Safety of Online Sports Betting

Since we’ve already covered the possible online betting scams, here we’ll focus on the risks of making bets on a safe site or app. Using an established online betting site is by far a safer way to wager on sports, but there are potential threats that you should be aware of, such as:

• Hackers – while this is becoming harder with some online sites, you never want anyone to gain access to your online betting accounts and information.
• One-click betting – sometimes the convenience of online betting can be the downfall of a bettors bank account. If you have a history of discipline problems when it comes to placing bets, then you should just walk away from online betting.

The risks of online betting are minimal and easily avoided with a little leg work on your part. Do your research, understand the safety and security measures of your online betting app, and don’t store or save your passwords on your devices.

ZenSports Uses Cryptocurrency and Blockchain: Keeping Your Information Safe

ZenSports is an online betting marketplace that allows its users to place bets without a centralized bookmaker. Using ZenSports’ unique cryptocurrency called SPORTS tokens you can safely deposit, withdraw, and place bets. With the help of blockchain technology, online bettors can see and verify that transfers have been made, and credited to your ZenSports account.

Maybe you’re unfamiliar with cryptocurrencies and blockchain and you’re wondering how this is better than cash. Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered. We want you to have all the information you need so that you can feel secure in trusting ZenSports for all your online betting needs.

What is Cryptocurrency?

Cryptocurrency is a digital payment system that doesn’t need banks to verify transfers. This allows anyone, anywhere to send and receive payments. Cryptocurrency transfers are recorded in a public ledger and your funds are stored in a “digital wallet.” The word cryptocurrency comes from the term “encryption”, which is used to verify every transaction, thus providing safety and security.

It may all sound a little strange if it’s something new to you, we get it. But cryptocurrency involves super-advanced coding to guarantee that your funds are kept safe, and are recorded publicly. So they can’t just “disappear.”

What is Blockchain?

What’s a blockchain, and how does it fit into all of this? Blockchain is the complex technology that’s used to build cryptocurrencies. It’s called Blockchain to describe the way transactions are time-stamped and recorded in “blocks.”

Blocks store information, such as:

• The date, time, and an amount of your recent transaction
• Who is participating in the transaction, but without using your name you will be assigned a “digital signature” instead (like a username)
• Information that distinguished the block from other blocks called a “hash”, which is a unique code assigned to each transaction

A blockchain is a series of blocks all strung together like a chain.

A block cannot be added to the blockchain unless these four things happen:

• A transaction must take place
• The transaction must be verified
• The transaction is then stored to a block
• That block must be given a hash

It may seem complicated, but that’s the idea. It’s very difficult for hackers to tamper with. Transactions require a more detailed authentication process than your bank would typically offer.

We know that trust is a huge issue in the online betting world. So now you know why we go to such lengths to develop our own cryptocurrency using blockchain technology. With ZenSports, you can rest assured knowing your bets are in safe hands.

Peer to Peer Betting: The Future of Sports Betting

In a traditional wagering setting, a bookmaker sets the odds and stacks them in their favor as part of a profit-making strategy. The ZenSports platform operates on a peer-to-peer betting system, meaning that anyone can become the “bet-maker” and anyone can be the “bet-taker.” Without a bookmaker, your odds go up.

So how does ZenSports make money? Simple, we take a small percentage of every bet made on our platform. Aside from better odds, the great thing about peer-to-peer betting is that you can make or take bets anonymously from anyone around the world, and invite your friends to join in.

Peer-to-peer allows users to create their own bets as a maker, with their own odds and terms, putting you in full control of your betting destiny. If you prefer to be the taker of bets, simply set up your ZenSports account and find the bets you’re interested in betting on.

ZenSports is a decentralized sports betting system where everyone within our ecosystem has a role to play so that everything runs smoothly and fairly. We have created a system that operates on:

• Rules
• Deadlines
• A penalty/reward system

This ensures that everyone within the marketplace is acting in good faith. Peer-to-peer is the future of online betting. Give us a try today.

An Overview of Online Betting in 2021 – How to Bet Online

In this article you’ll find an introduction to online sports betting covering all the key factors that will get you safely (and hopefully profitably!) off to the right start.

You’ll find links to more advanced topics – and coverage for both US and non-US bettors.

There is nothing more enjoyable and exciting than watching a sporting event than when you’ve placed a bet on the outcome. This can giving the feeling of being completely involved when a touchdown or goal is scored, a player nets a 3 pointer or the ball flies into the crowd for a home run. Sports-betting is a huge industry, but with so many sites and so many betting options available, the whole thing can seem a little tricky - or even daunting for the beginner.

Here is what you will find below:

• How to make sure you are choosing the best betting site in terms of your needs (favorite sports), value (lines / odds and benefits) and reputation / safety.

• How to safely deposit and take best advantage of any current promotions.

• What bet types to expect, and how to physically place a bet.

• How odds / lines work, and why it is impossible to beat the sportsbooks without shopping for the best odds

• The different sports you can bet on online

Once you have the basics nailed, you can move on to the important task of finding value in the markets – and hopefully coming away with a tidy profit for your troubles.

How to Bet Online - Choosing the Right Sportsbook / Bookmaker

With so many different sites vying for your custom, choosing the right one isn’t always an easy task. If you are from the US, this is made more complicated by having to use offshore sportsbooks (though there are some very good ones). If you are not from the US, you can skip the next paragraph!

US Online Sportsbooks are Based Offshore: There is a thriving sports betting industry in the US, only the sportsbooks are not based on US soil. Instead these books operate from the Caribbean, Central America or Native American reservations in Canada (in the case of the Kahnawake tribe). There are some long-running and well trusted brands out there including Bovada, BetOnline and InterTops. You can safely bet on any of these sites, as I have explained in this article. What you need to be careful with are unknown brands, the opaque nature of regulation offshore means it is more important than ever to stick to sportsbooks with a solid reputation for fast payouts.

Outside of the US, the problem is different – too much choice. With big brands fighting for your custom, the trick is to find a reputable bookie that has just the right mix of betting options and promotions to suit you.

Here is how to get started in that search:

First you need to be sure that your site has solid reputation. For me this is 5+ years of service (with no major scandals) and operating license from a known jurisdiction plus a history of prompt payments. I would never bet at a sportsbook which failed any of these criteria.

Second, you need to narrow down the types of sports which you want to bet on (can still be a fairly big list) and make sure there are plenty of options available. For example some books have a big racebook section for horse racing fans, while others specialize more in football (including props / specials). It does take a little time to get to know the different sportsbooks, if you are brand new to this then I can recommend the books below as both reputable and having a wide range of bets for fans of different sports.

How to Bet Online In 2021 – Let’s Talk Money!

There are two key areas in this section, how to see through the ‘hype’ and get the best from bonuses and promotions – and then how to get your money safely deposited (and withdrawn) from the sportsbooks.

Bonuses and Promotions

With the industry being so competitive, you’ll almost certainly be welcomed with a large deposit bonus when you sign up.

To be able to compare them and find the best value, you should get familiar with how they work.

Each bonus will have a rollover requirement (often called wagering or play-through). This is the number of times you’ll need to wager both the deposit amount and the bonus before the bonus funds are freed up for withdrawal.

For example, if you make a $100 deposit with a (50%) $50 bonus at a sportsbook with a 5x rollover requirement, this means that you’ll have to wager $750 ($150 x 5) before the bonus is ‘cleared’. It also pays for you to read the terms and conditions of any bonus, just so you are completely sure how it works. Of course, bonuses matched to your initial deposit are only one of the attractions offered by online sportsbooks. You will find free bets (or no-lose bets), loyalty point collection schemes and extras for mobile or in-play betting commonly offered.

Here is my ‘golden rule’ when it comes to comparing bonuses:

Welcome bonus offers will be completed very quickly, what really counts is the promotions and rewards for loyal players – and the quality of the odds (lines) on offer. Choose a sportsbook which looks after players well, rather than the one with the biggest upfront bonus. This way you’ll be rewarded over the longer term.

For more on comparing sports betting bonuses, check out the following articles:

The Deposit and Withdrawal Process

Having chosen a site, you’ll have to register before making your first deposit. This will simply be a case of filling out an online form with details such as your name, address, phone number and e-mail address and you may well have to verify the e-mail address too (you’ll usually need to send Id when you withdraw for the first time, so make sure this information is accurate). You’ll now be ready to fund your account.

Again we have a split between US and non-US betting sites, here is a quick overview:

US Sportsbooks: The main method is Visa or MasterCard credit cards, which need to be able to spend abroad. You will also find sportsbooks accepting pre-paid Visa Cards, Amex and wires made from money transfer outlets like Western Union or MoneyGram. Some sportsbooks accept BitCoin and other more novel voucher / pre-paid options. Withdrawals from US sportsbooks are usually via a paper check, which US banks will accept.

You can find more on US Sportsbook Deposit Options in the linked article.

Non-US Sportsbooks: Here the range really opens up, with many of the biggest brands accepting PayPal, Skrill, Neteller, Visa, MasterCard and many local options like Ukcash, EcoPays and Webmoney. You can also use bank wires for larger amounts. Withdrawals are equally flexible, with wires a good default for any option not offered.

Once you have chosen a sportsbook and got your money on board, it is time to looks at the types of bet available…

How to Bet Online in 2021 - Types of Bets

There are a number of different bet types you can place and here I’ll divide them into 4 distinct broad categories. US and non-US betting uses different terms (and types of bets) which are explained in detail I the linked articles.

Futures Bets – These are bets that are placed on the long term eventual winner of a sporting contest. A good example would be placing a wager on the Super Bowl winner before the start of the NFL season.

Sports Betting Sites

Prop Bets – These are bets that you can place within a game, that are not actually dependent on the actual outcome. For example, you could wager that a named basketball player scores a certain amount of points in the game, or whether a named soccer player scores a goal.

Game Bets – This is by far by far the most popular category of the three, where you’ll find a wide range of betting options on a daily basis. These will include such bets as the point spread, where you’ll predict whether the favored team will win by more than the spread, the money line, where you are simply predicting the winner of a game and the totals, where you are predicting whether the total amount of points/goals/points is over or under the stated line.

Live/In-Play Betting – These are bets that you’ll place while the game is being played. The odds and lines can move rapidly in these markets, never more so than in the closing stages of a game.

How to Bet Online - Types of Odds

If you head to any online sportsbook you’ll find one of the following three odds types, although some sites will actually allow you to choose between the three.

Decimal Odds – This is perhaps the most straightforward system of all, where you’ll simply multiply your stake by the odds to see your total return. For example, a $10 wager at odds of 1.70 will see a total return of $17.

Fractional Odds – Using fractional odds you’ll see odds such as 7/1 or 13/8 and you’ll wager the second amount to win the first. For example, a $1 bet at 7/1 sees you win $7 (a total return of $8), while an $8 wager at odds of 13/8 sees you win $13 (and a total return of $21).

American odds – Using American odds you’ll find a number with a plus or minus prefix. A plus number is the amount you’ll win if wagering $100. For example, odds of +130 means you’ll win $130 for a stake of $100 (a total return of $230). A minus number is the amount you’ll have to wager to win $100. For example, odds of -250 means you’ll need to wager $250 to win $100 (and a total return of $350).

The size of the stake is your choice when using any of these odds and you’ll simply be paid out on a pro rata basis.

Having an understanding of how the odds work is very important, as you’ll want to shop around and get the best deal you can when placing a bet.

Once you have a grasp of the basics, I recommend you look into the math of why finding the best lines is so important. Though the odd half a percent here are there can seem trivial, these differences compound over time and are literally the difference between winning and losing sports bettors.

How to Bet Online - Betting Markets (Sports)

When you head to any sportsbook or bookmaker it’s a sure bet that they’ll have the most popular betting markets on their homepage. These will usually be based around the big televised action, which will usually be based around leagues such as the NFL, the NBA, the NHL and Major League Baseball in the US/Canada, while the focus will be more on the biggest soccer games at the European based sites.

Alongside these you’ll also find a wide range of other sports, with betting favorites such as golf and tennis prominent, while UFC/Boxing, Motor Sports and Horse Racing are particularly popular too. You’ll usually find that if a sport is on, you’ll be able to place a wager, certainly if it is televised.

However, it’s not just sports betting that you can get involved in. Many sites will also offer entertainment or politics betting, where you might want to predict the winner of an Oscar, Grammy or even the winner of the next Presidential election in the US.

How to Bet Online – How to Make a Bet

This section brings together the odds, bet types and different markets using 2 real examples. One based on the NFL for US bettors and the other Soccer for non-US bettors. This takes things from the moment you have a funded account, to the moment that your bet is completed:

#1 Bovada.lv – Placing a Bet on Bovada.lv

Step #1 – Find the Market

Step #2 – Select Your Wager and add to the Betting Slip

Step #3 – Add Bet Amount (Risk) to Betting Slip and Confirm

#2 – Unibet Bet – Placing a Bet on Unibet.com

Step #1 – Find the Market

Step #2 – Select Your Wager

Step #3 – Add to Bet Slip (with bet amount)

How to Bet Online – Summary

Where To Bet On Sports

Hopefully, the step by step guide on this page has given you an overview of how to bet online.

How To Bet On Sports Online In Usa

With so many reputable sportsbooks (both offshore from the US and licensed in Europe), there have never been more opportunities to enjoy a bet. As long as you are betting within your means, you’ll find that televised (or even live) sports take on a whole new level of excitement.

Remember, stick with the reputable sites with a solid track record of speedy payouts – and do not get ‘seduced’ by the almost too good to be true offers of unknown brands.

Once again, if you are a beginning sports bettor, here are my strongest personal recs based on your location:

Online Sports Betting Sites

Best Online Betting Sites

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