Fixed Odds Betting
Fixed Odds betting With fixed-odds gambling you know the odds when you place your bet. The bookmaker prices up a book so the net outcome will always be in his favour. When you back a selection you are doing so at the odds determined by the bookie ie you back a selection at 2-1 with £10. If this selection wins you are paid £30 (your stake - £10 – and 2x£10). If the selection loses you lose your stake money (£10). If you make a bet where you must put more at stake than you stand to win, you are laying the odds or laying the bet. A lay bet is a bet that something won't happen, so if you lay £20 on a horse, you are betting the horse won't win. Betting on football There are a multitude of betting options available to punters who like to have a flutter on football. One of the most appealing factors is that even when a game appears to be a mismatch - i.e. a Premiership club taking on a non-league side - there is still always value to be had in some shape or form. Popular bets include predicting the correct score, the first goalscorer or the total number of goals in any given match. In most cases, such bets - and match result betting markets - exclude extra-time and penalties where applicable, eg knockout stages of a cup competition. Bookmakers will often form ad hoc markets to broaden punters' options in this case - enabling clients to back a team to win in extra-time or on penalties. Another popular bet amongst football punters is the double result market, where you predict the outcome at half-time and at full-time in one bet. Eg in a match between Arsenal and Chelsea, if a punter was of the opinion that the sides would be level at half-time, but Chelsea would gain the upper hand after the interval, he/she could opt for draw/Chelsea. Betting on greyhounds What to look for Tote Betting Types of bets available Win only - Choosing a greyhound to be first past the post. Place only - either first or second Forecast - Picking two greyhounds to finish first and second. A popular bet is a reversed forecast which means your choice can be first and second in either order Combination Bets - Combinations cover two, three or even four greyhounds. For instance, punters can choose three dogs and place a forecast combination, which is six bets in one. If any of the three greyhounds fill first and second, the bet has been successful. Speciality bets - Most tracks run Jackpots and other unusual bets which involve the outcome of more than one race. With Tote betting the price of individual greyhounds is only determined when the race has started and the computer has worked out and divided the entire pool, less the track's commission, amongst the winning tickets. Betting on NFL You will be hard pushed to find a more mathematical sport than NFL. As the NFL season is short compared to many sports, it is essential to remain alert. Monitoring the NFL's power rankings is a good place to start. This is a table of all the teams ranking them by a combination of results and points scored/allowed. NFL teams are grouped in to two conferences – the AFC (American Football Conference) and the NFC (National Football Conference) – these are of equal stature and league status. Below this, teams are grouped in regional divisions, which are as follows: AFC East: New England, Buffalo, N.Y. Jets, Miami Divisional winners and wildcard teams (those with the best win/loss records) enter the play-offs. A conference winner is then decided and the winners of these conference games face each other in the Superbowl to decide the NFL's best team – or as the Americans put it – the World Champions. In NFL matches, there are key numbers to look out for. The most important is 3, followed by 7 and, in decreasing order of frequency, 4, 6, 10, and 1. More games are won by exactly 3 points than any other number, the last-second field goal being the primary reason. With the 2-point conversion, 1 has become a more important key number, since teams will attempt it when success will give them a 1-point win and failure, a 1-point loss. Confused? Visit the NFL's official site to find out more about rules and regulations – there are hundreds! NFL football odds factor in such considerations as weather, field condition, injuries and scheduling - and can be used to identify under/over betting opportunities, which is, in Europe, the most common form of NFL betting. Also, remember the number 37. More totals have landed on this number over the years than on any other. Finding 2 lines that straddle 37 is something to keep an eye out for. Also, if the line keeps moving in one direction, you are generally advised to bet the other side.
There are five main points to base any selection on. Class, current form, early speed, trap draw and, above all, value for money.
The most popular way to bet is on the track's own tote. Small stakes are accepted at most venues and there are several fun bets which can pay big dividends for a relatively small outlay.
Trio or trifecta - Very much the same as a forecast but punters have to pick the first three home.
AFC North: Baltimore, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Pittsburgh
AFC South: Jacksonville, Tennessee, Indianapolis, Houston
AFC West: Denver, Kansas City, Oakland, San Diego
NFC East: Philadelphia, Dallas, N.Y. Giants, Washington
NFC North: Green Bay, Chicago, Detroit, Minnesota
NFC South: Carolina, Tampa Bay, New Orleans, Atlanta
NFC West: Arizona, San Francisco, Seattle, St Louis
