Guides
Beginners...
In the last ten years with the growth of the internet online betting has become very popular due its convenience, value and range of markets. As with many internet businesses who have lower overheads, online bookmakers generally offer slightly better prices than are available on the high street. Most bookmakers will also offer you free bets for opening an account.
To open an account on a bookmaker's site simply follow the link from their home page. This may appear as 'open account' 'join' or 'register'. A quick registration process will follow and you will be required to give credit or debit card details. We provide links to four of the most popular and reputable online bookmakers where you can supply these details in confidence. You will also be asked to provide a username and password to use each time you visit. Some sites require you to make a deposit to open an account.
The minimum deposit is typically £10.00 although it can be a little higher with some sites. This money is taken from your bank account (if you used a switch card) or credit card and then shows as a balance in your account. No more money is taken from your account so its easy to limit your losses, and of course you are free to withdraw your money whenever you want. Generally bookmakers will only pay out winnings to the same card or account used to deposit.
Once you have credited your account you can then place up to that amount on any of their markets. There is usually a minimum bet amount however it can be as little as 10 pence.
You will always be asked to confirm your bet before placing. Take a few seconds to check you are placing the exact bet you want.
All bookmakers will have an account section where you can check balances, add or withdraw funds and check your betting history.
Using your accounts regularly often results in the sites rewarding you with special offers.
Bet Types...
The Win bet.
The most simple type of bet. Betting on a football team to win a match for example. If you win, you recieve your stake back plus your winnings, calculated by multiplying the odds and your stake. If your selection doesn't win you lose your entire stake.
Each Way Bet
An each way bet is two bets. A win bet as above and a 'place' bet.
An each way bet of £10.00 is therefore a bet of £20.00 (two £10.00 bets).
The place bet is a back up bet should your selection come in 2nd, 3rd or 4th place depending on the sport you bet on. This bet will be based on lower odds than the win bet, generally one quarter of the main bet odds.
For example in golf where the E/W terms are as given 1/4 1,2,3,4,5 meaning your bet will win if your selection is placed in the top 5.
Laying
A lay bet is betting that something won't win.
The odds basically reverse for this bet. If you lay a selection that is 3/1 to win your odds will be 1/3. Alternatively if your selection is odds on at 1/2 your lay odds will be 2/1.
This type of bet has become very popular in recent years with the advent of betting exchanges such as Betfair where you are betting against another person rather than a bookmaker.
Handicaps
Handicap bets are win bets which give one selection, usually the underdog, a starting advantage such as a goal a start. These are useful where your intended selection is a strong favourite and consequently has very short odds. Taking your selection to start with a disadvantage will improve your odds.
Place Only
Some sites like Betfair now offer a 'place only' bet which will pay out at reduced odds if your selection earns one of the quoted places.
Multiples
These are where you combine two or more bets which all have to win for you to succeed. These become more difficult as you add further selections but the returns on these can be huge.
Patent
The Patent is a total of 7 bets on 3 selections: 3 singles, 3 doubles and the treble.
Trixie
Basically a Patent without the single bets, therefore 3 doubles and a treble.
Yankee
11 bets on 4 selections: 6 singles, 4 trebles and 1 four-fold.
Lucky 15
Basically a Yankee with the 4 singles included giving 15 bets on 4 selections.
Football Bets
In addition to the traditional win lose and draw bets, the internet has seen a huge growth in the different markets available in football betting. Some of them verge on the ridiculous however the most popular are listed below.
Total Goals (Over/Under)
Generally this will be a two option bet of over 2.5 or under 2.5 goals in the game (normal time). A very popular bet nowadays and one you will regularly see on here.
First Goalscorer
Exactly as it sounds but you should be aware that with most bookmakers own goals do not count. If your selection is a substitute who comes on after the first goal you will generally have your stake returned. It's a great bet if you know who the free kick specialist or penalty taker is in a certain team.
Correct Score
With the many possible outcomes and poor value offered by the bookmakers this is generally one to avoid however over the course of a season a certain team can develop an uncanny trend for the same score in either their home or away games. This is a bet you may see on here from around the mid season point.
Half-time
A bet based on the result at half-time. Can be useful for predicting half-time draws albeit at a lower price than the full-time draw.
Half-time/Full-time (HT/FT)
Sometimes known as 'double result' this bet predicts the score at HT and FT in a particular match. This can be used to great effect where you fancy backing a strong favourite but are put off by the short odds on them. Betting on them to win HT/FT will improve your odds.
Draw No Bet
Similar to a full time bet but for reduced odds you get your stake back if the match ends in a draw.
Asian Handicap
A very popular bet nowadays although avoided by many beacause they don't understand it. It originated in the Far East where street bookies would apply a handicap on markets which basically made each selection Evens or similar to save punters having to work out odds. The advantage of the Asian is your stake is returned if the match score is a draw after your handicap is applied.
Dos and Dont's...
Good Practice
A lot of pleasure can be gained from gambling but please be sensible about it.
- Set yourself a monthly limit and stick to it. This way gambling will never become a problem for you.
- Divide this 'pot' and use a maximum of one quarter of it in one day.
- Set a maximum stake. Even a bet of 10% of your pot is considered a big bet. Above this it will only take a few losing bets to wipe you out.
- Take a break now and again. Even if you're in a good run. A series of wins can give you false confidence and you could soon see your winnngs back in the bookies till. If you're in a bad run take time to clear your head.
- Don't chase losses. This can be an easy trap to fall into. We all have our bad days but the most important thing is to retain your discipline. Under no circumstances go for the big bet to get yourself out of trouble.
- Don't bet on something you don't understand or have little knowledge of. If you only know football then stick to football.
- Don't be greedy. Bookies love punters who reach for the stars with ten team accumulators so try to stick to trebles, four-folds or five-folds at the very most.
Above all - DON'T BET MORE THAN YOU CAN AFFORD TO LOSE.
If you feel you or anyone you know may have a gambling problem please contact Gamcare.
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