Spread Betting

What is Spread Betting?

Very popular after the moneyline bets, spread betting is a surefire way of guaranteeing a profit in the bets you place on a sportsbook. This type of betting strategy can come in handy for players of all levels, including the beginners.

Punters in India, especially those who have been in the betting scene for long enough have been using the spread betting strategy as it is one of the best ways to build up a winning scheme for any sportsbook event.

For this guide in particular, we will be walking you through all the details of spread betting, starting with the basics.

Essentially, a spread bet is where you wager on a higher or lower value based on the spread that has been set by the bookmaker. The bookmaker sets the spread bet based on their assumption of what the score will be like. Now, it is up to the punters to wager whether the score will be higher or lower than the ones set by the bookmaker.

You will find plenty of markets under the spread bet, which will not be limited to total number of goals in a football game, total number of points scored in a basketball game etc.

Spread betting is generally available in the most top-notch iGaming websites. However, due to its immense popularity among Indian punters, you too can now try out this type of betting and make large profits.

Why Punters Should Do Spread Betting?

The first reason for any punter to try spread betting should be the exciting profits that you can make through this type of betting. If you happen to be one of those sports bettors who love the thrill of being on the edge of their seats while the outcomes unfold, then spread betting is the perfect kind of bet for you!

If a punter can learn all the nooks and crannies involved in spread betting, then he or she can definitely use it to their advantage while placing bets in any sportsbook to make the most profits.

Initially, spread betting was only popular in Europe and the United Kingdom due to the kind of events that are suited to this betting being more prevalent in those countries. However, its popularity has spread like wildfire and punters, especially the ones residing in India cannot seem to get enough of it.

What’s more, this kind of betting is available for almost all sorts of events available on a regular sportsbook.

Another reason why punters love the spread bets so much is that you can settle your spread bet before the game has finished. If you are wondering how this is possible, it is because bookmakers constantly update the spreads while an event is going on.

Maximize Your Advantages with Spread Betting

Having a good understanding of spread betting alone is sadly not enough. You have to take into account a couple of other external factors so that you can maximize your advantages with spread betting.

Take a look at some of the factors listed below to make the most of your spread bet at a sporting event.

Weather

No one knows what the weather is going to be like on a given day. The most you can do is check the weather reports for the day before placing your bets. This will certainly give you an upper hand than the rest of the punters wagering on the same event.

If you go through previous clips or recorded matches of the teams, you will notice that there are differences in their performances in case of a sudden change in the weather. Although this may not happen for all players, it does certainly turn out to be true for quite a few.

For this, you need to take into account which player’s performance deteriorates in case it starts to drizzle in a sports arena. Another factor that you may want to look into is whether a certain player performs differently during the night and day time.

Yes, this may take you a while as you have to go through a bunch of clips, but it will be worth it once you start to make your bets. This might even help you observe things that the bookmaker may even miss out while making the spreads. Thereby giving you a better chance at making the best profits out of the bet.

Betting Exchanges

Since spread betting is a special kind of betting type, you may have difficulty looking for sportsbooks which actually have this kind of bet available on their betting markets.

Therefore, to save yourself the trouble of having to go through sportsbook by sportsbook looking for a spread bet, you can simply make use of a betting exchange platform.

Yes, it does come with a downside as you will have to pay them a commission. However, it does take off some of the pressure of having to look for a specific kind of bet which may or may not be available on all betting platforms.

Odds Calculator

If you are wondering why an odds calculator is necessary, then you are probably really good at doing mathematical calculations. However, for those of you who find it difficult to even do the simplest math, an odds calculator comes in pretty handy for them.

Take Notes of the Defense Strategy

Since you will be placing your bets focusing on whether or not your preferred team will score higher or lower than the spread set by the bookmaker, you will have to observe the defense strategy of the other team.

This will give you a better perspective of how the outcome might turn around, even at the last minute. Therefore, in order to avoid such instances where you will be worried about last minute hindrances to your guaranteed winnings, you should definitely consider the defense strategy.

Research

If you have taken the time to read through the other external factors mentioned above, then you have probably taken a guess of the amount of research you will have to do before placing a bet.

Essentially, there are two kinds of research that will enable you to make a sure win.

Firstly, you will have to do thorough research on the type bet that you want to make. In this case, if it is spread betting you are aiming for, then you will have to do your research surrounding this specific type of bet. Not to mention, you will also have to take a look into the odds and other calculations surrounding the spread bet.

If there is a particular type of sporting event that you wish to make your spread bet on, you will also have to study that event properly. This will keep you on top of all the things that may change while the event is ongoing.

Spread Betting Example

Spread betting is not really the easiest type of betting available in the gambling industry. So, if you have been facing difficulty trying to comprehend the entirety of this kind of betting, then we recommend that you take a look at the spread betting example laid out for you below.

Let us take a soccer game for an example. If we had to be more specific, then it would be the total number of goals scored in a particular game of soccer. Do note that we are choosing this sporting event because it has the easiest markets compared to the others.

For example, if the total goals reads the following – 1.9 – 2.1, then you should immediately know that 1.9 is the selling price. On the other hand, 2.1 being the higher value is the buying price. This is the value that has been set by the bookmaker you have joined. Now, what you have to do is determine whether the total goals scored will be higher or lower than the values mentioned.

You can either decide that the goals would be less than 1.9 or more than 2.1. However, do not confuse seeing the decimal values for the number of goals. Note down that the number of goals in the outcome of the event will always be a whole number.

So, let’s assume that you want to wager on a value that the total number of goals will be more than 2.1, in that case, you will have to buy the spread. Conversely, if you think that the total number of goals will be less than 1.9, then you will have to sell the spread.

If you didn’t already know, the correct terminology for either buying or selling a bet is known as ‘opening a position.’ Therefore, do not be confused if this is used anywhere on the sportsbook you are on.

However, spread betting doesn’t end here. After you have decided to either sell or spread, you will have to place the stakes. Whether or not you have won the bet will depend on the actual outcome of the game. For example, if you have wagered that the number of goals in the soccer game will be more than 2.1, then there has to be at least 3 or more goals in order for you to win the bet.

On the contrary, if you have wagered that the goals will be less, then you would need less than 1.9 to win the spread bet. What this means is that a tie or a single goal will be enough for you to win the bet.

If you were thinking this is all that you will need to know about the spread bet, you are sadly mistaken. But, do not worry; this part is only to help you do the calculation before placing the bet.

If you are completely new to this, the following formulae for buying and selling the spread will come in handy for the next time you want to make use of this kind of bet.

• Formula for Selling the Spread

This is the formula that you should always use for selling the spread –

(Selling Price – Result) x Stake = Win/Loss

• Formula for Buying the Spread

As for the spread that you will buy, you will be using this formula –

(Result – Buying Price) x Stake = Win/Loss

Pros

If you are undecided about using spread betting for your upcoming event, here are some of the pros to help you put your mind at ease before placing the bets.

• Numerous Opportunities for Betting – It is only fun to place a certain kind of bet if there are plenty of betting opportunities being offered by a certain bookmaker. Not to mention, placing a certain kind of bet for a single event can become mundane for experienced sports bettors. Also, it deprives a punter of the opportunity to bet on major sporting events which do not have spread betting markets listed under the events. Luckily for you, spread betting is generally offered for some of the most major sporting events listed by bookmakers.Settling
• Before the Final Outcome – We believe that this is one excellent feature for those of you who do not like to make risky bets in the first place. Although there are a lot of risks involved in spread betting, the trading out option can actually save you from incurring a huge loss while an event is going on. As mentioned above, this can only be done because bookmakers are always changing the spreads during the event. This means that you can wager at any given point while the match is going on. So, if you are seeing profitable wins, you can wait till the final outcome for bagging in a big win at one go. However, if you are not in a favourable position, you can of course choose to trade out before the final outcome of the game. This will prevent you from incurring any further loss.
• Huge Profits – It is possible to make some of the biggest profits through spread betting. This essentially applies for punters who are experienced in this sort of betting. In case you have been having hard luck at winning, a spread bet can actually help you retrieve all that you have lost with a single win. However, the risks are always there of losing. So calculate everything precisely before making the bet.

Cons

Now, let us take a look at the cons of spread betting:

• Availability – Sadly enough, not a lot of bookmakers offer spread betting. You can find sportsbooks which are exclusive to this kind of betting. But in general, when compared to the availability of other types of bets, the spread bets are a lot less available in sportsbooks.
• Not Enough Bonuses or Rewards – Another downside is that although the wins are huge, most sportsbooks do not offer bonuses or promotions for spread betting. Yes, you may come across a few but those will generally be offered by the best sportsbooks your town has to offer.
• Slightly Difficult for Beginners – Even though the calculations are pretty easy, it might take you a while to understand the entire concept of spread betting if you are a newbie. However, once you are comfortable, spread bets will seem as easy as 1×2 bets for you!

Odds

Before moving on to the odds, it would be a good idea to glance through the example mentioned above. This will help you to understand the odds a lot better for spread betting.

In spread betting the most common odds used for any event is generally -110.

So, when you see this odd being used by a bookmaker, you should know that this will be like a commission that you will have to give to the sportsbook you are in. Sometimes also referred to as the ‘juice’ sports bettors will have to give away at least 10% to the bookmaker as a payment for the wager being made.

In essence, what this really means is that you will have to risk a value worth $110 equivalent to INR, in order to make a win of $100 equivalent to INR.

However, although -110 is the usual odds placed for spread betting, some bookmakers may also offer you a value less than -110. For example, you could be given an odd of -7.5 (-107). In this case, Indian punters will have to wager a value of $107 in order to make a win of $100.

Spread Betting Offers & Promotions

Some of the best sportsbooks in India offer a good number of bonus offers and promotions for their punters.

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• Accept Indian Rupees as a currency
• Live Stream from mobiles
• Variety of sports betting markets

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However, since the number of sportsbooks offering this kind of betting is relatively less, you won’t find enough bonus offers in regular iGaming websites. Nonetheless, you shouldn’t be disheartened.

If you want to avail the bonuses real bad, we suggest that you sign up for the most exclusive sportsbook that you can find online. If not, the winnings of this kind of bet is way larger than the profits made from any other kind of bet, so you will not really have to worry about availing those bonus offers.

What Are the Alternatives to Spread Betting?

Moneyline betting

In case you do not want to place spread bets, you can also opt for easier bets like the moneyline bets. Moneyline betting is one of the simplest forms of betting type available for punters all over the world. Limited two or maximum three outcomes, you will find the moneyline bets available for most sporting events.

Spread Betting – Frequently Asked Questions

How do I place a spread bet?

In order to make a spread bet, you will have to sign up for a sportsbook which offers this kind of betting. Then, you will have to head to their betting markets section and choose the event you want to place your spread bet on. Put in the stakes and either buy or sell the value to place the bet.

Is it possible to make multi bets?

Yes. It is possible to make multi bets. The spreads are always being updated, so you can bet on multiple selections in order to make the most profits.

Can I cash out a still to be settled bet?

Yes. This can prevent you from making a huge loss on the bet you have placed. So you can definitely opt for cash out on a yet to be settled bet.

Can I use my mobile for spread betting?

If you have signed up for a sportsbook that has an app for its users, you can certainly make your bets through the app on your phone. If not, you can use the browser of your phone to place the bets.

Should I expect to win every bet I make?

No. Betting comprises certain risks. And you will need the odds to be in your favour in order to win. So therefore, you should never expect to win every bet you make.

Responsible Gambling

Since gambling is a fun recreational activity for the majority of the people who use iGaming platforms, it is possible for some to get swayed away while gambling. This is why you should set a timer to only gamble for a certain period of time.

Not to mention, you should also think of the losses you make as a fee for the recreation to prevent yourself from giving in to your gambling impulses.