Live Sports Betting
Live betting, also called in-play betting, is an exciting way of wagering on sports.
With live sports betting, you can bet on a game as it is playing out.
The ability to bet on sports as they happen, with live odds updated every few minutes or seconds, is a rush that some can’t get enough of – and we don’t blame them!
All the best online betting sites now offer the option of live in-play betting on professional sports.
All About Live Betting
Best Live Betting Sites 2024
Live Sports Betting Online Explained
Live betting offers players the ultimate wagering experience, betting flexibility, and money-making opportunities.
Available online or on mobile devices, in-play betting on sports allows players to become more immersed in the action with thousands of new betting markets.
In a nutshell, live in-game betting is the ability to bet on sports from the start of the game until the final whistle.
What Makes Live Sports Betting So Exciting
There are a few factors that make live sports betting so fun for bettors.
Today, just about every sport is available for in-play betting, and depending on the sportsbook, the number of markets and options can be quite large.
So you easily bet on your favorite live sports.
Live betting is synonymous with fast-changing markets, meaning bettors will have to adapt to rapidly-moving odds.
That means they may have just a few seconds to wager before the odds go off the board and are updated after the play.
Other times, the odds will stay the same for much of the game until a critical event, such as a touchdown or turnover, changes the complexion of the market.
Top Sportbooks For Online Live Betting
| Rank | Top Betting Sites | Deposit Bonus | Get Started |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Bovada |
Deposit Bonus 50% Up To $250 | Bet Now |
| 2 |
BetUS |
Deposit Bonus 100% Up To $2,500 | Bet Now |
| 3 |
Betonline |
Deposit Bonus 50% Up To $250 | Bet Now |
When you are looking for a sportsbook for live betting, it’s important not to forget the basics.
There are many predatory or scam sportsbooks online, and those should 100 percent be avoided.
Some factors to consider when choosing an in-play betting site are:
- How fast are payouts? How much do they cost?
- Do they have a lot of live betting options?
- What are the betting limits?
- How good is their in-play betting software?
- Do they offer a live betting bonus?
- Are bets accepted quickly when wagering on their in-play betting platform?
We offer reviews on the top online sportsbooks for US and international players, along with our recommendations for the best live sports betting sites.
In order to make sure that any sportsbook you trust with your money is safe and legit, our group of sports betting writers actually places bets at the sites.
We review a number of aspects to ensure that a sports betting site is safe. Check out our special pages:
Pros & Cons of Live Sports Betting
Ability to Place a Bet After the Game Starts
We all get busy and sometimes forget to put our bet in before a game begins. In-play betting allows you to place a bet minutes or seconds after the game starts. You may pay more vig in some cases, but that’s still better than not getting a bet in at all.
More Betting Options
Live or in-play betting offers more betting markets. Live betting markets simply mean more opportunities to gamble, and if you like betting on sports and looking for profitable wagers, that’s a great thing!
Inventive Markets
There is nowhere else in sports betting where you can bet on the outcome of an NFL team’s drive, the result of an at-bat, or which player might score the next goal. Live wagers are unique to an ever-changing and fast-paced betting market, something you won’t find somewhere else.
Ideal for Hedging and Arbitrage
Live betting allows bettors to hedge their prematch wagers and lock in profits. Arbing is riskier in in-play wagering markets, but still possible at reputable sportsbooks. We discuss this and more in our live betting strategy page.
Excellent For Mobile Betting
Live wagering truly became a significant part of the betting world after mobile phones and tablets became popular. Interfaces for in-play betting were designed with that in mind – making it an ideal option for betting on the go. Go to any sports bar in America, and you’ll almost certainly see someone on their phone placing live bets.
Vigorish Can Be High
Live in-game betting allows you to bet on a game or match at any point during the competition, but in some cases, this can mean laying -115 instead of the standard -110 or worse. This isn’t the case at most betting sites, but increased juice and more commissions charged by the sportsbooks can be a significant downside of betting live.
Too Many Options
Sportsbooks that have advanced live betting platforms have so many markets it can become overwhelming. Each game may have a dozen bets available at once, depending on the sport. It can be hard to narrow down and find profitable wagers.
You Might Bet Too Much
Sports betting is about being selective and not betting on every game or sport but picking your spots and finding edges in the market. It’s certainly not a get-rich-quick scheme or anything even close.
Betting Limits Are Lower
In-play betting limits are far lower than sides and totals. You typically can only bet $1,000 on live sports betting markets. Some markets, such as live props, may only have a max bet of a few hundred. Of course, this varies depending on the sportsbook.
Problem Gambling
This is different from No. 3 because it involves people who can’t stop betting rather than those who think they are finding edges that perhaps don’t exist. If you have issues with problem gambling, not only is live betting not for you, but you should be avoiding all forms of gambling. If you think you have a gambling problem, you can seek help from specialized organizations such as Gamblers Anonymous.
Sports Betting Markets In Live Betting
For Americans, the most popular markets will center on NFL football live betting, basketball, baseball, and hockey.
However, many US-facing sportsbooks will still offer in-play wagering options on sports like soccer, golf, cricket, tennis, and more.
Each one of these sports may have unique betting options aside from the traditional side, moneyline, and total wagering.
For instance, in NFL contests, bettors may be able to bet on the outcome of each drive or the result of each play.
Basketball and hockey are faster-moving games that are usually limited to live spread and moneyline updates, but there may be some “who will score next?” type of propositions wagers.
Surprisingly, MLB baseball live betting may be the market that benefits the most from in-play betting.
Since baseball is played at a slower pace than other sports, there is no shortage of stoppages.
This gives the oddsmakers time to offer markets on each at-bat and half-inning. Again, markets and options vary widely between sportsbooks.
Different Types of Live Bets
At the very minimum, the best online sportsbooks will offer updated point spreads, money lines, and totals bets.
However, depending on the sport, there may be a lot more unique and exciting wagers available. These include:
- Which player might score the next goal or touchdown?
- The outcome of an NFL possession or play (complete pass/incomplete pass/interception)
- The result of an at-bat in a baseball game
- Which player will get a yellow card or red card next?
That’s only a fraction of the available list. There are many other betting markets when you bet live.
The coolest part about live betting is that it’s entirely up to the oddsmakers’ imagination when it comes to betting options.
There are always new markets being added for each sport.
Are All Games Available For Live Sports Betting?
Yes, for most major American and European sports. All NFL football games and most Division 1A college football games will have live betting markets.
Even lesser-known sports will have in-play betting options. For example, Bovada and SportsBetting.ag have live in-game betting markets for Greek soccer, Euroleague basketball, and even Asian soccer.
Just about every sport and game will have some sort of in-play wagering markets. American-centered sports will have more options at betting sites that predominantly have American customers.
European bookmakers will have more in-play markets for soccer and other Euro-centric events.
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