Sportsbooks Winner’s Guides

A sanctuary can be a place where you go to do some positive thinking and enjoy games. That is what a sportsbook is for some people. Others feel it’s a tense environment where you just place your bet and leave before a game begins. A book is a company, institution, or person that takes bets on sporting events, horse racing, and politics, among other things.

With the rapid growth of these establishments, it will do you good to know how to play and find the best online sportsbooks. In case you’re looking for where to play, here is our list of recommended sites:

• DraftKings
• FanDuel
• William Hill
• Betway
• Intertops
• 22bet
• 888sport

Whether you’re entering the sports betting market or are looking to polish your knowledge in this area, the chances are that you will encounter confusing terminologies and symbols. Once you get the basics right and the types of bets available at the books, you’re ready to play. We offer some explanations that will put you over the top. First, let’s dive into this.

• Favourites vs underdogs. The favourite is the team that oddsmakers expect to win a certain game. It gets a minus (-) sign next to its odds. Contrarily, an underdog is a team that the oddsmakers expect to lose the game. It gets a plus (+) sign against next to its odds.
• Point spreads. This is one of the ways to place a wager on a favourite or an underdog. It is a wager on the margin of victory. Favourites “give” points while underdogs “get” points. For instance, the oddsmakers can give the Chicago Cubs a (-5), meaning this team is the likely winner.
• Moneylines. This is another way to place a wager on favourites and underdogs. It is exclusively based on the team that will win the match. A favourite gets a minus sign, while an underdog is given a plus sign. For instance, if a favourite is -200, then a punter must risk $200 to bag $100.
• Totals. Also called overs/unders is the point total that both teams scored in one game. You can bet on whether or not a game is likely to go Under or Over the given total.
• The juice. This is the commission that sports sites receive from punters for them to take bets. The juice can be a positive or negative number. For example, if Duke Blue Devils are -7 (-110), then gambling $100 on this team requires you to risk $100 to bag $100.

Once you have familiarized yourself with these terminologies, it’s now time to decide how much you’re ready to part with. It’s important to bet what you’re comfortable losing. A flat-betting approach is a good strategy to use. It means you only risk between 1-5% of your bankroll for each play. Also, ensure you find the right site to bet at. That is what we are covering in the next section.

The legal sports gambling arena is becoming more crowded nowadays. This is great news for punters because more options mean increased competition among online books. While the competitive atmosphere results in innovation and dedicated service delivery, the myriad of choices can become confusing to bettors.

One of the main things punters, especially newcomers, want to know is the best site to play at. Of course, the most important factor in your search for a book is your personal preference. However, several standard features should not miss, including:

• Time of releasing lines. You should choose operators that are on the ball as opposed to those who are lagging behind current trends. For instance, a good daily sports operator should release odds a night before the action.
• The odds. Always shop around to choose operators with the best odds for different sports.
• The juice. Go for operators who offer zero juice or lower rake point spreads regularly.
• Loyalty programs. If you have some extra bucks to spend, then look for sites with the best loyalty programs.
• Bonuses and promotions. Be on the lookout for books that offer bonuses and promotions and choose the best. Some sites have one-time offers, while others have ongoing programs.

Since its inception, the DraftKings app has been a great success. The slick platform is packed with features, including live betting. Fast and intuitive, the app is available for both iOS and Android devices.

If you already have DraftKings installed on your mobile device, updating it frequently may help in several ways. Updates come with improved user interface and experience, fixed security issues, and bug fixes, among other things. There are two ways to upgrade your DraftKings on both iOS and Android.

Automatic Update On iOS

• Open the Settings app
• Select “iTunes & App Store”
• In the “Automatic Downloads” section, swipe the “App Updates” button to the right.

Manual Update On iOS

• Open the App Store
• Tap on the profile icon on the top right
• Scroll down and select DraftKings Sportsbook & Casino
• Tap on “Update” if the option is available. If not, it is updated.

Automatic Update on Android

• Tap on Google Play
• Tap your profile icon in the top right
• Select “Manage apps & device”
• Go to the “Manage” tab and select DraftKings
• Tap on “More”
• Turn on “Enable auto-update”.

Manual Update on Android

• Open the Play Store app
• Tap on the profile icon at the top right
• Select “Manage apps &device”
• Tap on “Update”.

Whether you’re an upcoming sports bettor or an experienced player, it is likely that you may not be aware that sportsbooks have limits. The concept of limited gambling is unknown to the betting masses. However, this shouldn’t worry you if you’re an expert at +EV wagering.

Some bettors are experts in gambling. Often, they move lines and could put casino sites out of business if books never placed limits on them. Sports betting websites usually lower gambling limits for such players or even ban them from accessing their services.

However, a book won’t limit you just because you’ve won large sums of money over a short timeframe. Also, depending on the type of bets you’re playing, you could still hit big wins over a long time without getting limited. Contrarily, if you target the site’s weakest markets or are only wagering markets with a +EV expectation, the chances are that the management will take note of your action.

Another thing to note about the concept of limiting bettors is that it depends on the site you’re playing at. While all sportsbooks have limits, some limit punters faster than others. Books that mainly focus on recreational gambling are often very fast to limit bettors.

Since different books have different customers, lines can vary from one gambling venue to another. To increase the chances of winning and to maximize potential earnings, you need to shop around for the best lines of sportsbooks. This practice can help you make profits over an extended period.

As a rule of thumb, every bettor should sign up for two or more books. This way, you can determine the book to play for every game based on the line differences. Remember, just an additional half-point can contribute to your winning or losing over the long haul.

However, it can be a daunting exercise to hop from one site to another, looking for the most satisfying odds. Fortunately, you can find sites that have consensus odds pages. Here, you can compare and select the best lines of sportsbooks in a more systematic manner.

The age limit for sportsbooks varies from one location and gambling site to another. For instance, you must be 18 years and above to bet on sports in the UK. In the US, all but four states have set the age limit to 21. Washington, Montana, Rhode Island, and New Hampshire’s limit is lower at 18.

The rules governing the age limit for sportsbooks may change from time to time.  For instance, the UK Gambling Commission in 2019 announced new laws that required all gamblers to verify their age before making a deposit or betting. Therefore, you should check these limits or changes in the law of your location often.