Online Betting – Your Complete Guide to Sports Betting Sites
Online betting on sports is loved by so many players worldwide because it brings an extra layer of excitement to watching games, following your favourite team, or keeping up with the biggest leagues and competitions. It can also provide consistent streams of profit with the correct betting strategy and detailed research.
Football is undoubtedly one of the most popular sports for online betting, with fast-paced action and regular high-quality games in major competitions like the Premier League, La Liga, Champions League and others. These events bring many different betting opportunities and chances to make combinations to boost the betting odds for various different markets.
Check out our online bookmakers in your location today and sign up to enjoy competitive odds and excellent sports betting offers.
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bet365
Get up to $60 in Bet CreditsWhat Is Online Betting Today?
Sports betting has grown exponentially over the years, with bookmakers now offering larger welcome offers, more markets, sports, and promotions for its players than ever before.
The core of online betting begins with players registering for an account, and simply placing a bet on the odds available for a select market by picking their stake. Then, they simply wait to see whether or not that bet wins and if they will make a profit on their wager.
For instance, if you place a bet on Real Madrid to win in the 1X2 market at odds of 1.8 (4/5) with a 100 stake, you will receive 180 total back including your stake, or 0 if they lose or draw.
Odds don’t need to be calculated by yourself and are provided by betting sites. They won’t differentiate largely as they aim to keep the most competitive odds with each other. However, there are always some cases where you could see big differences and extra value, and especially when you make combinations between different events.
For football betting, there is now a huge selection of markets available for each match, but the most popular markets will always be:
- 1X2 – Bet on which team will win the game between the home and away team, or if the game will end in a draw.
- Both Teams to Score (BTTS) – Pick either “yes” or “no” if you think both teams will score at least one goal in the game or not.
- Over/Under – You can choose a select line, typically at 2.5 goals and decide whether you think there will be more or less goals. For example, over 2.5 goals will need a 3-0, 2-1, 4-0, or another scoreline which has three or more goals from both teams combined.
The key factors that helped to accelerate the position of online betting to its current status are the live data feeds which enable betting sites to run on their own and automate their prices while games are in-play. This has helped them expand their market selection and sports, allowing players to bet on things that were never expected many years ago.
The speed at which you can now bet at home or on the go is phenomenal, allowing you to find an in-play game that you are watching and place a bet within seconds for any market. The introduction of betting apps has enabled players to wager faster than ever, with the process of logging in and placing a bet taking just a few clicks on your mobile or tablet device.
Popular Sports for Online Betting
There are several different sports which are hugely popular for betting, but none more so than football. Although our site is mostly focused on players that place bets on football, we recognise that it all comes down to personal preference, with some people preferring to bet on basketball, tennis, or other sports.
Football Betting
With so many different markets to choose from, bet builders that generate attractive odds, and more games being played than ever in hectic schedules, football betting opportunities are always available.
Whether you are following major competitions and looking for the latest Premier League and Champions League odds, or simply wanting to bet on your favourite team in a smaller league, you will always be able to find it when betting online.
Basketball Betting
There are many events to follow along with in basketball each year, with the NBA in America being the most popular and highest-quality league to bet on. Similarly, College Basketball and especially March Madness, generates huge betting interest around the world too.
For Europeans who love basketball, there are many leagues to bet on, but the EuroLeague is where the main betting interest is for players on the continent.
Tennis Betting
With four Grand Slam tournaments each year, plus many huge events in the ATP and WTA calendar, the betting opportunities in tennis are endless. With so many games to choose from at all different times every day across the many tours, tennis betting is extremely popular amongst bettors.
Betting Odds Explained
Betting odds are always set by online bookmakers, and take into account many different factors. For less important leagues and competitions, they will often rely on the odds to be created by feeds rather than humans, whilst major leagues and competitions will largely be priced by traders to ensure things like injuries, lineup changes, and betting volume is factored in.
These odds will fluctuate from the time of release up until the start of the event, sometimes more so than others if there has been large betting volume for a particular market which may lead to betting sites adapting their original odds.
With many bookies you can switch the way in which you would like to see the betting odds presented, with a few different options available. There are three main types of betting odds, which are:
- Decimals – For example, 3.0 would mean a stake of 10 in your local currency would return 30 with a winning bet.
- Fractional – An example of fractional odds would be 5/1, meaning if you wagered 10 you would receive a total of 60 back with a winning bet.
- Moneyline – These odds are mainly used in the US, and an example would be +100, which would mean a 100 stake returns a total of 200.
Compare the odds and shop around with many betting sites to ensure that you lock in the most value at all times, and maximise your returns on winning bets.
This is incredibly important, and it is why we strive to show you the best odds for the available betting markets we present on SoccerVista, enabling you to lock in extra funds when your bet wins.
How Online Sports Betting Works
Getting started with online sports betting is a simple process. The fundamental steps are the same wherever you are located, and this guide aims to break down the journey from signing up to placing your first wager.
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Step 1: Account Registration
Your first step is to choose a reputable online sportsbook and create an account. The registration process is typically quick, requiring you to provide basic personal details like your name, date of birth, email address, and physical address, a standard procedure to verify your identity and ensure you are of legal betting age in your region.. You will also need to create a unique username and a secure password.
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Step 2: Making a Deposit
Once your account is set up, you need to fund it. Sportsbooks offer a variety of deposit methods to suit different preferences, from traditional debit cards and bank transfers to modern e-wallets and mobile money options that are becoming increasingly more popular. Simply navigate to the 'Deposit' or 'Cashier' section, select your preferred payment method, enter the amount you wish to deposit, and confirm the transaction. Your funds should appear in your betting account almost instantly.
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Step 3: Selecting Your Bets
This is where the excitement begins. Online sportsbooks offer thousands of betting markets across a huge range of sports. Football is king, with extensive options for top leagues like the Premier League, LaLiga, Bundesliga, Serie A, and Ligue 1. But beyond football, you’ll find deep markets for other global sports like basketball, tennis, and cricket. You can bet on simple outcomes, like which team will win a match, or explore more specific bets such as the total number of goals, the first player to score, or a player's performance stats.
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Step 4: Comparing Odds
Before you place your wager, it's wise to understand the odds. The odds represent the probability of an outcome and determine how much you can win. For example, in a match between Manchester United and Liverpool, you will see odds for a United win, a Liverpool win, or a draw. Higher odds mean a higher potential payout but also indicate a lower probability of that outcome occurring. Smart bettors take a moment to compare odds between bookmakers that they are registered with to find the best possible value for their chosen bet.
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Step 5: Placing Your Wager
After you’ve selected a bet and are happy with the odds, it’s time to place it. Click on the odds for your desired outcome, and it will be added to your "bet slip," which usually appears on the side of your screen. On the bet slip, you will enter your stake, which is the amount of money you want to risk. The slip will automatically calculate your potential winnings. Once you've double-checked everything, click the 'Place Bet' or 'Confirm' button to finalise your wager. Now all that's left is to watch the action unfold!
Responsible Online Betting
Above all, it is incredibly important that you gamble safely and responsibly. This means ensuring you have constraints on your account to limit your spending and time on online betting sites.
The reason for this is to avoid gambling with money you cannot afford, and taking online betting past the point of fun
When you sign up with any of our recommended betting sites, all of which are licensed and regulated to maintain standards and player safety, you will find responsible gambling tools like:
- Deposit Limits
- Loss Limits
- Time-Out
- Session Reminders
- Self-Exclusion
There are many advantages and disadvantages to online sports betting, as shown below:
Pros
Adds excitement to watching sports
Chance to win real money
Puts your expertise and predictions to the test
Increase your interest in other sports
Chance to win real money with bonus funds
Excellent welcome offers
Cons
No guarantee of winning
Can lead to enjoyment of sports only through betting
Can lead to betting on sports you are less knowledgeable about
Emotional betting and chasing losses
FAQs - Online Betting
Is Online Betting Legal in the UK, Nigeria, Kenya, and South Africa?
Sports betting is legal in all of the countries listed, meaning you can place bets in the UK, Nigeria, Kenya, and South Africa.
How Do I Register for an Online Sports Betting Site?
Registering for an online sports betting site in your location is easiest if you navigate from our site directly to them. This enables you to register immediately by entering your personal details, whilst you will also be able to pick up excellent welcome promotions along the way.
What Payment Methods Can I Use for Online Betting?
There are several different payment methods you can use for online betting, including debit cards, Apple Pay, Neteller, Skrill, Bank Transfer, and many more.
What is the Minimum Stake for Online Football Betting?
The minimum stake for online sports betting will vary based on the bookmaker you are using, but will typically be as small as 0.10 of your local currency, or maybe even less. If the stake you input is less than the minimum, bookmakers will not allow you to place the bet and make you aware of what the minimum amount required is.
How Do I Know if a Betting Site is Safe and Trustworthy?
All of the betting sites that we recommend on SoccerVista are safe and trustworthy. The reason why we can confidently say that is they are all legal and licensed to operate in the locations that we offer them.
Furthermore, they all have stringent policies in place to protect their players, which includes responsible gambling tools, SSL encryption technology on payments and financial information, plus much more.