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Everything You Need to Know About Sports Betting
The history of gambling goes back thousands of years, and people have always enjoyed wagering cash against various events, games, activities, and sports in the hopes of winning big through their successful predictions. And in recent years, we’ve seen that the popularity of sports betting shows no signs of slowing down. In fact, with the advent of the internet, mobile devices, and similar technological advancements, online sports betting has grown bigger and more exciting than ever before for millions of people all over the globe.
With many different online betting sites and bookmakers to choose from and an increasing variety of sports and bet types to try out, there’s never been a better time to take an active interest in the betting world. You can load up your favourite betting sites or apps in an instant, sign up in a matter of minutes, and start placing bets on upcoming events, tournaments, leagues, and matches across an array of varied sports, from football and rugby to darts, golf, snooker, tennis, boxing, and more. Read on to learn all about sports betting, how it works, and how you can get started.
How to Get Started with Sports Betting
Long term gamblers will remember the days when placing a bet involved visiting a brick and mortar betting shop or bookmaker and having to write the bet out with a pen and paper, but the modern world of technological gadgets and devices makes this process a lot simpler. With plenty of mobile betting apps and online bookies UK out there, you can start betting anytime, anywhere, even from the comfort of your own home, and the whole process can be broken down into the following simple steps:
- Step 1 – Find an Online Betting Site – The first step of getting started with online sports betting is to find a betting site to use. There are many sites out there, and it can feel quite overwhelming at first when you try to choose between them, but the key is to take your time, compare your options, and check out reviews and recommendations, like those here on Ubet, in order to find the sites you can trust. The best bookies should offer smart user interfaces, nice site layouts, competitive odds, strong security to protect your personal details, and other useful and beneficial features too.
- Step 2 – Sign Up for An Account – Once you’ve decided on a site (or sites) to try out for sports betting, you’ll need to make an account. The best betting companies try to make the sign-up process as quick and easy as possible, so you can set up new betting accounts without too many problems or inconveniences. You will usually be asked to enter some personal information like name, address, and contact details, as well as setting up a password for your account and also having to provide ID in order to verify your age and identity.
- Step 3 – Make Your First Deposit – Once your account is set up, the next step is to actually get some money deposited into it in order to start betting online. Usually, the bookmaker will give you a few different payment methods to choose from when making deposits into your account, so you can often choose between using a card like a Visa or MasterCard or a different payment system like PayPal, Skrill, or Neteller. Either way, you’ll need to enter the corresponding information and the size of the deposit you’d like to make before proceeding to the next stage.
- Step 4 – Placing Your Bets – Once you have some cash in your online account, placing bets is as easy as 1, 2, 3. You can browse the various sports and events listed on the online bookmaker in question, navigating around to your favourite sports and selecting specific bet types that appeal to you. For example, you might be a Premier League football fan, in which case you can head over to the Premier League section and bet on the outcomes, scores, or events in upcoming league games. A lot of betting sites will let you display odds in either decimal or fraction format, depending on which system you prefer, and should show you how much you stand to win on each bet before confirming it.
Bookmaker Offers and Sign Up Bonuses
When getting started with online sports betting, one thing you need to be aware of is the presence of online sports betting offers, especially welcome bonuses or sign up deals. Since the online sports betting UK industry is quite competitive, with a lot of different bookmakers all vying for customers’ attention and cash, individual companies have to find new and inventive ways to draw customers in and get new players signing up for accounts.
One of the most common ways in which online bookies try to attract new players is through the creation of sign up bonuses. These are special offers that are exclusively available to new members, promising free bets or free cash for those who sign up for a new account. It’s always important to read through the details of how these offers work and check out the small print before signing up, but they can pay off in a big way and give you plenty of extra cash to use on your bets.
Popular Sports to Bet On
One of the best things about modern sports betting is just how rich and varied it has become in recent times, allowing gamblers to place their bets on a huge variety of different sports. Some of the top options include:
- Football – Whether you’re a fan of the English Premier League, German Bundesliga, Spanish La Liga, Champions League, or some other division or competition from around Europe or the rest of the world, there are countless options when it comes to online football betting.
- Horse Racing – Horse racing is almost synonymous with gambling. Every single race has money riding on it, with big horse racing events like the Grand National and Cheltenham Festival being some of the biggest betting moments in the UK each and every year.
- Greyhound Racing – Just like horse racing, greyhound racing has historically been linked with betting right from the beginning, with punters gathering at the tracks and betting on which dogs will win each race or finish in the top three.
- Rugby – Rugby tournaments like the World Cup and Six Nations are very popular for betting, as well as rugby league games between teams from the UK and Europe too. Punters can bet on match outcomes or individual player feats like tryscorers.
- Golf – Golf is another huge sport in the betting world, especially during the four major events like the PGA Championship and US Open. You can find a lot of value in golf betting, especially by trying to pick the winners of these big events.
- Tennis – Similarly to golf, tennis betting really picks up around the time of the big events like Wimbledon. Punters can bet on the outcome of individual matches, sets, or games, as well as exploring more unique betting markets like number of aces in match or number of double faults.
- Boxing – The reason why so many big boxing bouts get promoted so heavily is in part due to how many people gamble on this sport. Huge amounts of cash can be laid on the line when heavyweight titans meet in the ring, and there are lots of different betting options like number of rounds and manner of victory.
- Others – As well as all of the aforementioned sports, you can find a great range of other sports listed on popular online bookmakers, including everything from big American sports like basketball and American football to the likes of badminton, darts, snooker, cricket, cycling, and water polo.
Popular Sport Bet Types
We’ve seen some of the top sports you can try out in the world of online sports betting, and now let’s take a closer look at some of the most popular sport bet types you might like to try. Naturally, the specifics of these different bets can vary from one sport to another, but many of them are quite similar across multiple sports.
- Match Betting/To Win – The match betting or ‘to win’ market is one of the simplest and most common options for long time gamblers and newbies alike. With this kind of bet, you’re simply asked to predict who you think will win. This might be a team in a team-based game like football or rugby, or an individual in a sport like tennis. You can also opt to bet on the draw, if this is a possibility in your chosen sport.
- Handicap Betting – Handicap betting is an interesting option for sports betting fans and one where you can find a lot of value, if you choose carefully. Handicap bets give a virtual advantage or disadvantage to one player or team. For example, a handicap bet in rugby might see one team start with a virtual score +6.5 points. This means that if you bet on them, your bet will win as long as they don’t lose by 7 points or more in the actual game.
- Over/Under Betting – Very popular in sports like rugby and football, over/under bets also offer a lot of value. An example of an over/under bet would be over 2.5 goals in a Premier League football game. If the game has three goals or more, then you bet would win. Over/under bets can also appear in several other sports and always follow the same basic principle.
- Individual Player Betting – In team games like football and cricket, individual player betting allows punters to go beyond simply betting on the team and start placing their stakes on the performances of individuals. In the cricket markets, for example, you could bet on an individual bowler to take a set number of wickets or an individual batsman to score a certain number of runs.
- Tournament Betting – Just like with match betting, tournament betting lets you pick the overall winner of a tournament like Wimbledon in tennis, the Open in golf, or the Champions League in football. As well as picking the overall winner, many of the best new online bookmakers let you bet on who will make it to the final or who will finish in the top places.
What About In-Play Betting?
In recent years, especially with the help of modern technology like mobile betting apps and online bookies, in-play betting has become increasingly popular. This is when gamblers are able to bet on a match or event while it’s actually taking place. The advantages of in-play betting are clear to see: you can watch the action unfold, see how the sides or players are performing, watch the odds adjust over time, and make bets based on these factors. Then, lots of the best bookmakers also offer cash out betting, allowing you to ‘cash out’ and take reduced winnings from your bets during the game, rather than waiting until it ends.
What Are Multiple Bets?
Multiple bets are often talked about in the sports betting world as they generally tend to lead to the biggest wins and most impressive stories, including examples where punters have turned a stake of just £1 or £10 into hundreds or thousands of pounds through a mixture of luck and their own sporting knowledge. A multiple bet is basically several individual bets stacked together, with all of their odds multiplied to give very high potential winnings for just a small stake.
Is Online Sports Betting Safe?
Many people ask this question and the answer is a resounding yes, as long as you take the time to read reviews and use recommended online sports betting sites. The best sites are safe, secure, and protect their players, allowing you to place bets freely and confidently, without any risks or problems associated with the process. Be sure to check out our recommended online bookies to find safe places to bet online.
How to Find Betting Sites with Free Bets
Sport, games, and competition have always been integral parts of human civilisation and society. Throughout history, countless examples show how much we enjoy devising games to play, engaging in them with other people or spectating as the most skilled and experienced players put their talents to the test. Similarly, for almost as long as sports have been around, sport betting has also been hugely popular.
Whether you’re a fan of football gearing up for the next Premier League season or a hardcore golf fan looking ahead and trying to predict the winner of the next major tournament, the sports betting world is filled with exciting options. There are many different betting sites and online bookies out there to choose from, all offering countless betting markets across an ever-expanding myriad of different sports from around the globe.
While past gamblers had to actually visit brick and mortar betting shops to place their wagers, modern day sports betting is easier than ever, thanks to the incredible number of websites and betting apps. And since there are so many different betting options online right now, many of them have to devise new ways to draw in additional players. One of their most popular methods is by offering free bet offers.
How Does Free Sports Betting Work
Many of the best online bookmakers provide free bet offers for their users, including sign up offers that reward new users for making their accounts and welcome them in with some free bets or free cash, and other promos and bonuses that are available for loyal, long term users too. The premise behind these free bets UK offers is always the same: the betting sites need to find ways to attract players and keep them using their sites, rather than betting elsewhere.
It’s a win-win situation for the betting companies and the gamblers themselves. The companies get you signing up and using their sites, while you get some free cash or free bets to potentially win big money on upcoming sporting events and tournaments in your favourite sports. For this reason, it’s always important for shrewd punters to keep an eye on the latest deals and stay aware of any new bonuses from betting sites with free bets. The more you know about these bonuses, the less likely you are to miss out.
It’s also important to note that each and every free bet offer is different, even if they tend to follow the same basic rules. Different sites will have their own policies, terms, and conditions in place, so it’s always wise to read through the details of each offer and understand exactly how it works before taking advantage of it. Some of the best online betting sites will make their free bets easy to use and understand, but others might have some complicated aspects you need to be aware of.
Are Free Betting Sites Legitimate?
Many people worry when they see tempting promotional offers promising free bets and free cash to use on sports betting platforms. They worry that these offers are simply too good to be true and can’t possibly be legitimate, but the truth is that in the vast majority of cases, these offers are perfectly fair and really do work. As stated earlier, the online bookies need to provide these kinds of offers to attract new users, so it makes sense for them to provide legitimate, functional offers that can help you enjoy positive betting experiences.
However, do remember that in order to find legitimate risk-free betting, you need to sign up on legitimate sites. There are plenty of low-quality sites out there which don’t have licenses or player protection systems in place, so it’s always wise to consult reviews and recommendations. You can check out our list of recommended sports betting sites to find the best places to bet on your favourite games without having to worry about any security issues or other problems.
Is Risk Free Betting A Reality?
Once again, it might sound too good to be true, but with free bets, the concept of risk-free betting can become a genuine reality for you. Of course, the very nature of betting is that there’s always a risk, as you usually have to put up some of your own money and risk potentially losing it if your chosen bet or prediction doesn’t actually come through. However, with free bets and free cash, you’re not actually using your own money, so there’s no real risk of personal loss to you.
The only thing you stand to lose with the best free betting sites is your free bet, which doesn’t really impact you in any way. This is one of the biggest advantages of free bet offers, letting you place wagers in a stress-free way. If they come through, you win some cash. If not, you lose nothing. However, not every single offer can really be considered to be ‘risk free’.
This is because there are some free bet offers that involve a bit of risk on your part. For example, some UK betting sites will ask you to make a deposit or even place one or more bets before actually accessing your free cash or unlocking your free bets. This means you have to make an initial risk in order to get access to the free bonus. Again, this is just one more reason why it always pays off to read the details, terms, and conditions of every offer and know what you’re getting into each time.
How Do I Find the Best Betting Sites That Offer Free Bets
Clearly, free bets and free cash offers from online bookies are well worth making the most of. They can drastically enhance your betting enjoyment, letting you place bets with no strings attached and at no risk to your own personal finances. And with so many different sites out there offering increasingly attractive free bet offers, there’s certainly no shortage of awesome deals to take advantage of.
But how do you go about finding the best betting sites that can give you free bets and free cash? The first step is to take your time and do your research. The last thing you want to do is sign up for an unlicensed or unsafe site. To start off, read reviews and recommendations to learn more about the top betting sites out there and consult our pages of the best betting offers and free bets to quickly and easily find lists of awesome offers you can enjoy today.
We review many different betting sites, gauging their quality based on various factors like security, customer service, ease of use, odds, range of betting markets, payment methods, withdrawal speeds, and more. We only link to trusted, recommended sites and always take the time to ensure that the betting sites we share are of the highest quality and can help you enjoy fun betting in sports like football, horse racing, rugby, and more.
What Kinds of Free Bet Offers Can I Use?
There are various kinds of free bet offers out there to try out. Some of them are just for new users, while others are available for long term users too. Some of them are as simple as a £1 free bet on a high-profile sporting match, while others can give you hundreds of pounds in free cash to bet with. Here are some examples of the different categories:
- Sign Up Offers – One of the most common forms of special offer we see from online betting sites nowadays is the sign-up offer or welcome bonus. The best free bets sign up offers can provide new users of a site with plenty of free cash to spend on their bets, but the specifics of these offers can vary quite a lot, depending on the site you sign up with. Either way, these deals are exclusively available for new users, so if you already have an account with the site in question, you won’t be able to take advantage of them.
- Deposit Match – A deposit match free cash offer is another common form of betting site bonus. As the name implies, a deposit match is when the betting company will match the value of your deposit, giving you the same amount (or sometimes even double or triple the amount) in additional bonus cash to use for betting. It’s basically free betting money, but you often don’t get access to all of it right away and will need to place bets and gradually unlock access to this cash over time.
- Free Bets – Sometimes, betting sites will just give you free bets. Again, the rules of this can vary a lot. In some cases, an online bookie might need you to make a deposit or even place a bet of a set amount in order to be rewarded with a free bet. In other cases, the free bet will just automatically appear in your account (this is usually referred to as a no deposit free bet). Sometimes, the free bet may only be applicable for a certain event. For example, to celebrate a big football match like the Champions League final, a betting site might give its users a free bet on that particular game.
- Free Cash – As detailed in the ‘deposit match’ section, a free cash offer is one in which the betting site gives you free or bonus money to use on your future bets. Often, this money is held separately from the rest of your balance and can slowly be accessed in small chunks over time. You cannot simply withdraw free cash from betting site offers, as it needs to be used in bets first before basically ‘transforming’ into regular cash that can be withdrawn to your bank account.
Make the Most of Your Free Bets with These Top Tips
Free bets in all of their forms can change the game for online gamblers, giving you more opportunities to win big and put your sporting knowledge to the test, so it’s always worth grabbing these bonuses while you can and using as many as possible to give yourself the biggest chance of betting success. The following top tips can help you really get the best value from your free bets:
- Read the Details – As stated several times, one of the most important aspects when it comes to free bets is reading all the information carefully to learn fully about each free bet offer. By knowing how the offer works, you’ll be in the best possible position to decide whether or not you want to pursue it and how to activate it, i.e. by entering a special promo code or making a deposit into your account.
- Sign Up for More Than One Site – There’s no reason to limit your online betting to just one site. Many of the best sites offer welcome bonuses, and you can sign up for all of them and take advantage of those different sign up offers. Even if you just use the free bets and then deactivate your account, it’s still worth signing up and making the most of the offer while you can.
- Compare Odds – Even with free bets, it’s vital to seek value everywhere you can. If you’ve got accounts on multiple sites and free cash to use, don’t just place bets without taking the time to compare things first. You might find that the odds on one match or event are better on a different site, so it’s worth checking out a quick comparison in order to help your free cash go the distance.
- Treat Free Cash with Care – Many online gamblers fall into the common trap of using their free bets carelessly. With risk-free betting, you can often feel like there’s no need to be cautious or careful in the bets you place, so you can happily risk it all on a multiple or something unlikely to happen. However, free bets can still potentially win you a lot of cash if used carefully, so it’s wise to treat them just like you would your own money.