Live sports betting is betting on the site or app after the game has started. The reason why bettors like this type of sports betting is that they can follow the game and make more accurate predictions in real time, which gives them a better chance of beating the bookmaker. In fact, it's not easier than pre-match betting. On the contrary, a bettor has to be very experienced, patient, and able to quickly read and react to the constantly changing live betting odds. A serious approach and a smart strategy are a must.
Throughout this page, we will go over the basics of In Play betting, its pros and cons, as well as analyse some live betting strategies for popular sports: football, basketball, and tennis.
Pros and Cons of Live Betting
Pros:
Cons:
Types of Live Bets
Bookmakers offer different options for live betting. Some offer more sports; others provide a wider range of betting markets. We will cover the main live betting options available on most sports betting sites below.
Sport | Live betting types |
---|---|
Football | 1X2, Double Chance, Over/Under Goals, Odd/Even, Handicap, Next Goal, Over/Under Corners, Over/Under Yellow Cards |
Basketball | Match Winner, Over/Under Points, Handicap by Points, Odd/Even, Race to 15/20 points, Winner of 1st quarter/1st half |
Tennis | 1X2, Set Winner, Over/Under Games, Over/Under Tie-Breaks |
Table Tennis | Match Winner, Handicap by Points, Over/Under Points, Handicap by Games, Correct Score in Games |
Ice Hockey | 1X2, Over/Under Goals, Odd/Even, Handicap by Goals, Correct Score, Next Goal |
Volleyball | Match Winner, Over/Under Points, Over/Under Sets, Handicap by Sets, Correct Score |
Basic In Live Betting Strategies
Betting on a Losing Favourite
Betting on a losing favorite is one of the simplest and most common live sports betting strategies. It involves picking a match where the clear favorite starts poorly against a weaker team. As an example, let’s consider the German Bundesliga game between Bayern Munich and Greuther Furth (20.02.2022). Before the kick-off, the betting sites set the odds at 1.07 for the home team to win, but it was the guests who opened the scoring in the first half. During the break, the new odds on Bayern’s victory increased significantly to $3.
This is a great moment to bet on the favorite. At half-time, the coach analyses the opponent's game, makes substitutions, and can change the momentum of the game. In our case, the Bavarians equalized in the 46th minute and then scored three more goals. The bettor's task is to determine whether the losing team can overturn the course of the game and score a hard-fought victory.
Live wagering on a losing favorite is suitable for many sports. It can be used in both team and individual disciplines.
Betting on Late Goals in Football
In football, one of the most popular live strategies is betting on a late goal after 80 minutes. For example, if the score is 1-0, you bet on "Over 1.5 Goals." It is important to pick the right match for this strategy. The main things to pay attention to are:
This strategy is not recommended during draws in cup competitions. The cost of a mistake at the end of a match is too high, and the opponents may settle for a draw in regular time.
Live Bet Insurance
Live betting gives you the chance to back it up if you are unsure of the accuracy of your prediction. The bet seems to win, but the events on the playing field make you hesitant. An insurance policy can help you minimise potential losses or even make a profit.
For instance, you bet $100 on a first-half draw in a football match. The odds on such an event are about 2.50. If, five minutes before halftime, there’s a draw but the teams create numerous dangerous chances, you can back it up by betting on the "No Draw" option for $50. At that point, the live betting odds on this option will be around 5.00.
Excluding the stake amount, you will get the same winnings in both cases: $100 ($100 x 2.5 = $150 for a draw; $50 x 5 = $150 if one team still manages to get ahead before half-time). Either way, you'll win one or the other.
Live Betting Strategies in Sports: let's get into the details
Football Live Betting Strategy
Betting on Over/Under Corners
Experienced sports bettors have developed many different strategies for live betting in football. One of the most popular is In Play wagering on a late goal in a football game. Another frequently used live betting system is betting on corners. When choosing a game for this strategy, pay attention to the following factors:
Got the right match? Then try to bet on three or more corners for the home team 20 to 25 minutes before the end of regular time. For example, if this team leads 5-1 in corners at the end of the game, you should bet on an individual total Over 7.5 Corners.
Live Betting on Yellow Cards
Another common live football betting strategy is to bet on the number of yellow cards. Here is the idea: a punter places a live bet that there will be at least three more yellow cards to be given in a match. For such a bet, select matches according to the following criteria:
The bet is placed 15–20 minutes before the end of regular time. For example, if the opponents have picked up 4 yellow cards between them, you have to bet on a card total of over 6.5.
Live Football Betting on the Underdog
Bookmakers often overestimate the clear favorite in a match, which encourages punters to bet on the opponent. The status of an underdog in football can be attributed to many reasons — class of the opponent, poor statistics of head-to-head games, players' injuries, etc.
It is not necessary for teams at different levels to be placed tens of places apart in the standings. It is possible to find huge differences in betting odds even when teams that are close in he standings play their head-to-head game. Perhaps one club is on a bad streak while the other has picked up good momentum and is smashing rivals one by one.
When picking the most suitable matches to bet against favorites, it is also worth paying attention to the schedule, particularly in the top leagues where clubs participate in the Champions League play-offs. As the main European Cup is always more important than championships, coaches of Bayern, Manchester City, PSG, and other giants can rotate the line-up significantly for the domestic matches of low importance.
Moreover, you can place In Play bets on more than just outsiders' victories. In the In Play betting, you can find higher odds on a goal scored by the weaker team. Depending on the time of the match and the events on the field, the best odds might be as high as 2.00–3.00.
In order to use this strategy regularly, try to check out as many football tournaments as possible and pick out the clubs that consistently cause problems for the leaders.
You can read more about other popular football betting systems in a separate article on Match.Center.
Basketball Live Betting Strategy
Live wagering by quarters is a popular basketball betting strategy. You bet on the underdog to win in the first quarter of the NBA game, for example. In case of defeat, the amount of each next bet, according to the Martingale financial strategy, must be doubled until the first win.
The odds for the underdog's victory in each quarter will exceed 2.00, so the first win will compensate for losses. If the underdog loses all quarters in the selected NBA game, you must continue to bet according to the strategy in the next game. The first bet amount should not exceed 1-3% of the total bankroll.
So, with a total bankroll of $1000, the first In Play bet amount will be $10. Here is how the betting table for this strategy looks like:
Bet | Odds on the outsider to win in the 1st quarter | Result | Bankroll size |
---|---|---|---|
$10 | 2.35 | Loss | $990 |
$20 | 2.15 | Loss | $970 |
$40 | 2.20 | Loss | $930 |
$80 | 2.25 | Win | $1030 |
You can find more strategy options for basketball games on the separate Match.Center page.
Tennis Live Betting Strategy
For tennis betting fans, there is a live game strategy for break-back. In a match between equal players, the odds on this sporting event will exceed 2.00.
A break in a tennis match is a win in a game on someone else's serve. A break-back is a game won on the opponent's serve right after losing a game on your own serve.
Whenever one player wins a game on another player's serve, you have to bet immediately on the opponent to win the next game. When choosing matches, experts advise paying attention to women's tennis. You should also consider the following criteria:
Read more about other tennis betting strategies in another article on Match.Center.
Live Betting Strategies for Other Sports
There are also plenty of live betting strategies for other sports. Many of them are based on the Martingale principle, but there are also more interesting options.
Live Betting Strategies for Ice Hockey
End-of-match betting is a unique feature of the NHL and other hockey leagues, where losing teams can replace their goalkeeper with a sixth player. There is a high probability that the score will change: either the puck will be headed towards an empty net or the numerical advantage will allow the game to go into overtime. In regular time, you have to wait for the odds to approach 2.00. This could be around 2-2.5 minutes until the end of the match and before the goalkeeper is replaced by a field player.
Another one of the best live betting strategy for ice hockey is to bet on period results. Similar to the basketball live betting strategy, the sports bettor chooses the same market and increases the bet amount in case of failure. In particular, experienced bettors recommend sports betting with the Martingale strategy on Over 1.5 Goals per period. If the first bet loses, bet on Over 1.5 Goals in the following live games until the first win.
The size of each following bet is calculated according to the formula: bet amount = (amount of potential winnings from the first bet + amount of bets lost) / (odds − 1).
If the bet on Over 1.5 Goals loses in all periods of the selected match, it is necessary to choose another match and continue to raise the live bet amount. According to Martingale strategy, the first bet amount should not exceed 1-1,5% of the total size of the bankroll. Otherwise, there is a high probability of wasting all the money, so bankroll management is important.
Live Betting on Volleyball
One option for a live volleyball betting strategy is to bet on Over/Under in a set. When choosing a bet, it is best to avoid weak tournaments where match-fixing and lower odds are possible. Other criteria for this live betting strategy include:
If you bet on Under 47.5 points in a set, the odds range from 1.30 to 1.60, depending on the level of the opponents and the game scenario.
If the winning team continues to score points and pull away from its opponents, don't do anything. If the opposing team goes ahead, you can bet on Over 45.5 points, the odds will be around 1.20-1.40. The bet amount should be 3.5 times of the first live bet size.
Next, there are three possible outcomes:
Handball Live Betting System
The live betting strategy for handball includes betting on the individual total of the losing team. The bettor must correctly indicate whether or not one of the teams will have more points than the given figure. A match where the losing team scores fewer points than the bookmaker expected before the game begins is suitable for such a bet. Important conditions:
In the early stages of a game, both favourites and underdogs might have to catch-up. If the stronger team loses, the desired individual total will most likely be scored with a margin. However, live wagering on the individual total of a losing underdog is not senseless either. Favourites may begin to conserve energy, give up the initiative, and allow their opponents to score as long as it does not threaten the match's outcome.
What Not to Do as a Beginner?
In conclusion, here are some universal tips suitable for In Play betting on different sports: