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Andrew O'Malley

Live betting or in play betting is hugely popular among bettors. It allows you the chance to place bets on games and events after they have started. With modern technology, the odds are updated in real-time, reflecting exactly what has happened in a game. Many bookies with in play betting offer a huge range of markets, stats, and even live streams available to you. This guide will take you through the best aspects of live betting, as well as the best operators.

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What makes a good in play betting site?

Most leading betting sites these days will invest a lot of resources into making sure that their live betting offering is top-tier. With more bettors demanding great coverage for live events, you are now spoilt for choice in this regard. Here are some of the most important areas that our team of experts looks at when considering the quality of a given site:

  • Coverage of Events – The first thing we look at is to see what range of live betting events you have to choose from. This means looking at the different sports that are supported, as well as the depth of these offerings for each sport. You want to be sure that your favourite sport and events are being looked after.
  • Range of Markets – Another consideration is making sure that the range of live betting markets is sufficient for your needs. Rather than just having access to the most basic markets, you want there to be a good selection of different options that will be updating regularly in real-time.
  • Live Betting Odds – You want there to be competitive odds offered by the given bookie that you go for. This means that the odds are going to be updating quickly in real-time and that there will not be a big lag between the game and the odds updating.
  • Features – A core part of many different live betting sites is the range of features that they offer to bettors. These include running commentary on the event, real-time stats, as well as often having the ability to live stream the event.
  • Promotions – Most bettors enjoy being able to get their hands on free bets and other types of offers. As well as a welcome offer that you can get when creating an account, you can also usually get access to some live betting promotions.
  • Ease of Use – Another core aspect of using an in-play betting website is making sure that it is going to be easy to use. As time is often of the essence when placing live bets, you want to be sure that there are no hiccoughs or delays which could delay you from being able to place a wager. If you want to place bets on your mobile device, then this is a particular area that you will need to focus on.

Live Betting Bookies Features Comparison

Sportsbook Live Streaming Cash Out Betting App
888sport
Paddy Power
NetBet
BetVictor
SportingBet
bwin
Betfred
Kwiff
BetUK

What is live betting?

Live betting is often called in-play betting and it is simply having the ability to place bets on an event that has already started. This means that if you did not get the chance to place the bet before the game started that you can still wager on the event. You may also spot opportunities during the course of the game that might mean that you see a potentially profitable opportunity.

Another popular reason why people place live bets is to hedge their pre-event wagers. There is often a wide range of betting markets available to live bettors. This includes betting on the outcome of the game, as well as on individual aspects of the event.

How does live betting work?

Step 1: Create an Account

You first of all need to create a new sports betting accounts. The process is usually very straightforward, only taking a few minutes to complete. You just need to enter standard personal information, contact details, and create your new account logins.

Step 2: Deposit Funds

You can now add money to your new account. Each operator will have its own range of payment options, usually including debit cards, e-wallets, and bank transfers. These funds should reach your account instantly.

Step 3: Find the Market

You can now go to the livebetting section and find a given fixture and betting market that fits your eye. You will quickly see a whole host of options for you to bet on.

Step 4: Place the Wager

In order to place a wager, you simply click on the selection that you want to back. This will see the bet added to your betslip. Then just fill out your stake and confirm the bet.

The best sports to bet on in-play in Ireland

There are not too many sports that will not be conducive to live betting. The majority of sports are going to allow you to place a variety of different types of wagers. This gives you a great level of flexibility no matter what type of sport you enjoy watching.

However, there are certain sports that tend to be better supported by bookies than others when it comes to live betting. This is because bettors tend to focus on certain sports more than others with their live bets. Here is a look at some of the most popular sports to place live bets on:

Live football betting

Football betting is hugely popular all across the world, receiving more wagers than any other sport. There are games taking place on a daily basis all across the world, meaning that live bettors always have opportunities to place live bets. You will often get the best range of markets for these games, with the likes of match-winner, goalscorer, and next team to score markets all being popular among bettors.

Live cricket betting

As cricket is a sport that is very stop-start, it allows you plenty of time in between overs to place your wagers. There are also many different types of cricket betting markets open to you live. Therefore, a lot of bettors like to focus on cricket in-play betting.

Tennis live betting

Tennis live betting is also hugely popular as it is a well-structured sport that also has defined gaps between points and games. People will often bet on who will win the next point or game in a given match. You will usually find tremendous support for tennis live betting at all leading live betting websites.

Snooker betting live

Snooker live betting is ideal as it is such a calm sport. There is not much panic or chaos seen during your normal snooker game. You can place bets on how many points you think will be scored by a player in a given frame or bet on which is going to be the first colour ball potted during a frame for example.

Darts live betting

Darts is another sport that has plenty of live betting opportunities. This is because there are defined and structured rounds. With darts turning into such a popular spectacle across the UK and Ireland, more and more bookies are putting their attention into this side of their offerings.

Live betting with cash out

One of the big features that have been added to online betting sites in recent years is cash out. This is something that allows you to cash out of your bet before it has been completed. It can be sued to cash out some of your profits or cut your losses before the game ends. The amount that you can cash out depends on the progress of your bet.

While not every market is going to have the cash-out option, it will be extensively provided across most markets. Many operators also allow you to partially cash out your bet if you still want to keep a portion of the original wager.

If you are keeping an eye on a given event that you have bet on, you can cash out your bets in-play if you think that is the best option. This can often be a great way to take your profits before the event turns the wrong way before the end of the game.

In-play betting odds

It can be a tricky proposition for bookmakers to constantly update odds during an event in real-time. For the most part, they use advanced algorithms in order to look after this task for them. This helps to eliminate the chance of human error taking place and it ensures that the odds are done in such a way that the house has a margin.

As these odds are updating in real-time, the bookies will often be a bit more conservative with their odds as opposed to those that you would be getting pre-game. However, this does not mean that you are not going to get access to a lot of potentially profitable opportunities through live betting.

You can often spot things during the course of a game that the algorithms do not pick up on. This could be a player showing signs of fatigue or injury for example, or a player getting agitated as the game goes on. Therefore, by keeping an eye on the action, you can often get an edge over the bookies. Some bookies tend to generally have more competitive live betting odds than others. Here is a quick look at some of those sites:

  • BetVictor – 100% Matched Free Bet Up to €100

Live betting apps

The process of placing sports bets on mobile devices is hugely popular these days. It allows you to have a tremendous amount of flexibility with your betting strategy. You can be out and about and still have the chance to check in on the status of a game and place a wager on it.

The mobile offerings of leading sports betting sites have improved massively in recent years. You often do not have to download an app as a lot is done straight through your web browser. You now also will usually have access to all of the same live betting features on mobile as you would if you were using a desktop computer. This includes the likes of live streaming and cash-out features.

Sometimes it is better for live betting that you download an app rather than use a web browser as these can often be more responsive, which is important for live betting. You want to quickly get your wagers placed before something happens and the odds change on you. Here are three of the best live betting mobile apps on the market today:

  • QuinnBet – Bet €10 Get €50 Plus 10 Free Spins
  • Paddy Power – Bet €20 And Get It Back If It Loses
  • 888sport – Bet €10 Get €30

Best live betting strategies

There is no one size that fits all when it comes to in-play betting systems. Many people have been successful in the long run with their betting by using vastly differing strategies. Here are a few popular approaches that people take with their live betting:

Hedging 

The process of hedging your bets means covering all of the possible outcomes of a given event. This is usually the case when you have placed a pre-match bet on the event that is going well and you want to minimize the risk of losing. While this strategy is going to cut off some of the profits you are going to make, people like the fact that they can get insurance for their bets by making an appropriate in-play hedge bet.

Final 15 Minutes

Many in-play bettors stay very patient with their betting and wait until the final moments of a given event in order to place their bets. For the likes of football, a lot of the action doesn’t tend to take place until the final 15 minutes. The odds and possible results are the most volatile at this point in the game. Players will be getting tired and the losing team will be going all out in an attempt to claw back a result. Therefore, goals galore are often seen during this portion of the game, making it profitable pickings for the likes of over/under goals and match result markets. 

Losing Favourites

Another popular live betting strategy is taking an live bet if the pre-match favourite goes behind during the fixture. The favourite’s odds will become a lot more attractive if they have conceded, especially the longer that the game goes on. There is a similar strategy that is often used when the home team in a fixture goes behind, as home team advantage tends to be a powerful trend of success in the long run.

5 ultimate live betting tips

In order to boost your chances of being successful with your live betting, it can be a good idea to take on board some tips that will help accelerate the learning curve. Here are some tips for betting in-play to keep in mind when you are getting started:

1. Preparation is Important

As the action is happening thick and fast during the course of a game, it is important that you take the time to put in some work before the game begins. The more extensive the research you do before the fixture is, the better that your chances will be after the action starts. You can identify potential opportunities where you can place wagers if they occur, such as if a certain team concedes or if a particular player departs the field.

2. Watch the Action

It is always going to be exciting watching a game when you have money on the line. However, it is even more important if you are going to be place live wagers. You will be able to get a proper feel for how the fixture is going, something that cannot really be gotten by just looking at commentary or stats. You might identify something that could be very beneficial. Many of the best in-play betting sites offer live streams, while you can also simply watch online or through your television.

3. Patience is Key

With most forms of betting, patience is something that is usually going to pay off. This means that will not be diving into live bets without putting much thought into them. This is a quick way to see your account balance start eroding away. If you have doubts about a certain selection or you do not think the odds are good enough, then it is better to avoid placing the bet and wait for the next opportunity to arise.

4. Take Your Losses

Not every bet that you place is going to be a winner. Even the best sports bettors will have losses along the way, but it is how you react to these losses that matter. If you can still get a return from a bet that is going downhill through cash-out, this can be a useful option. It can allow you to fight another day and can help you get out of a losing position without inflicting as much damage on your balance.

5. Stay Disciplined

With all forms of betting, long-term success is often decided by how disciplined you are. You need to make sure that you are staying in line with your specific strategy and not really deviating from it. Letting emotion into your decision-making process is to be avoided at all costs also as this clouds your judgment and leads to impulsive bets.

Bottom line

Live betting can open up a whole new dimension to your wagering experience. It can enhance the viewing of your favourite sport and also present many great opportunities that can generate you returns. With so many great live betting sites out there today, you are spoilt for choice.

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FAQs

Are there any sports that you cannot place live bets on?

The majority of major sports are going to be well covered by bookies when it comes to live betting. Even some of the more obscure sports will have a limited form of in-play betting coverage for you to enjoy.

Are there in-play betting bonus offers?

From time to time you will come across promotions from bookies that relate to live betting. This might be a free bet offer or moneyback deal if something happens during the course of a game.

Does every sports betting site offer live streams of events?

Most of the major live betting sites these days will usually have some level of live streaming capabilities. However, this can vary significantly depending on the operator. The way in which you can view these stream sis also often different. Sometimes you just need to register for an account, while other times you need to place a bet on the event.

Can you use free bets on live bets?

Unless the free bet offer states that you cannot use them for in-play bets, you should have no issues. This means that you can put these vouchers to good use and hopefully get a good return.

Does every bookie offer live betting?

It is rare these days to find an online bookie that does not offer some form of live betting.

Andrew O'Malley

Andrew has been writing guides for SafeBettingSites since 2021, having already spent many years in the industry working for other major publications like Blockonomi and Gambling.com. He is an expert in all things gambling, especially online casinos and sports betting.