The Most Popular Betting Markets Across Different Sports

Sports betting is becoming more and more popular in countries all over the globe. The appeal grows with the accessibility of the Internet, hence the birth of bountiful online sports betting platforms. An average sports bettor now truly has a lot to choose from, depending on his/her preferences.

Some betting operators offer better odds for football, others do it for basketball, etc. Similarly, some betting sites provide more generous welcome bonuses, while others tend to keep the existing customers by offering various ongoing promotions. It is easy to get lost in between all these options which is why you should stick to the basics if you are new in this ever-growing industry.

In this article, we are going to discuss the most popular betting markets across distinct sports. By reading it, you will get a chance to learn more about the sports you follow less and the betting variants they offer.

Football (Soccer)

Football is the most popular sport in the world and as such offers the widest array of betting options. You can bet pretty much on anything you can imagine, including the number of shots on target or tackles for a certain player. The most popular options are, though, match winner, Over/Under 2.5 goals FT, Both Teams To Score, and Asian Handicap markets. Of course, football admirers like to throw punts at the correct score of the game to get higher odds or the half-time/full time betting which is particularly interesting for those who are chasing second-half comebacks at higher odds. The list goes on and on, but you should really stick to the main three to four football markets if you are new to betting.

Basketball

Money line, totals, and spreads lead the way when it comes to the main betting markets for basketball. As explained by Mark Wighan of Newjerseysafebetting.com, the spreads represent a synonym for Asian Handicap in football. Since basketball is a game in which you have 150 to 250 points scored in one game combined by both teams, the range of lines offered for spread betting is much more versatile than that offered in football betting. The line depends on the gulf in quality between the two teams involved in a certain affair. If you have big favorites (1/10), the spread line can easily go to 15 points in favor of underdogs. The same goes with totals as basketball offers you the option of betting on the number of total points scored in a game, or the number of points scored by a certain team in a match. Money line is the straightforward market where you just get to pick the match-winner.

American Football

The options in American football betting are very similar to the ones mentioned in the paragraph above (basketball). The only difference is that the spread lines are set at lower numbers because the number of points scored in an American football affair is, again, lower than the one in a basketball outing. The same goes for totals, while money line picks work identically as with basketball. American football offers you additional options in terms of the number of touchdowns scored in a game, whether a certain player will score a touchdown, the number of fumbles/sacks in a match, etc.

Ice Hockey

Ice hockey is much more similar to football when it comes to betting markets. This is reasonable because the number of goals scored in an ice hockey game is significantly lower than the number of points scored in a basketball or American football affair. On top of standard betting variants, ice hockey bettors can chase player bets (whether a player will score a goal or have an assist), the number of two-minute penalties, period winners, 10-minute betting markets, etc.

Tennis

Tennis is quite specific and somewhat different from the aforementioned sports. In tennis, you have only two possible outcomes in a match. The totals and spreads are related to the number of games or sets. So, if you have a match between a big favorite like Roger Federer and an underdog such as Denis Istomin, the bookmakers will give the underdog a certain number of games as an advantage to even the betting field. So, in this case, you would be able to back Denis Istomin not to lose by a margin higher than seven games in the match. If Federer wins 6-2 6-2, the bet is then losing because the margin in games between the two players is eight. In the totals market, you predict the total number of games in a match. The lines usually go from 17,5 to 23,5, depending on the surface and the players involved in a game. If you have the clash between two big-serving players on grass or hard, you will be more interested in backing the Over.