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So, you want to make your first online sports bet? We’re going to assume it’s your first bet since you’re here reading this guide. If it’s not your first bet, but it’s just been a while, we totally get that, too. Technology changes quickly.

The NFL is the only major professional sports league with no direct investment into daily fantasy sports, although 28 of its 32 teams are involved in sponsorships. NFL games are by far the most popular sports betting events in the US, with the Super Bowl generating close to $150 million in bets in Nevada by itself. Sports betting is illegal in Florida aside from two exceptions: parimutuel jai alai betting and sportsbooks on cruise ships that sail into international waters. The legalization of full-fledged sports betting has been a topic of discussion among lawmakers and industry. HOW TO BET ON SPORTS. A guide for first-time players who are totally new to the world of online sports betting. Learn everything you need to know to have the best chance to cash out from your. Bovada has changed the face of Sports betting online. They have a great sportsbook, racebook and one of the largest online poker rooms for players in the US. Their racebook is only open to North American thoroughbred and harness races. Bovada offers a 50% signup bonus up to $250 and a bitcoin sports bonus of 50% up to $500 with a promo code.

Sports betting is one of the more popular forms of gambling, because it offers a few advantages over many of the alternatives. In this article we look at its benefits when compared to playing casino games or playing poker, and also some of the other reasons why you might want to try betting on sports.

In this guide, we’re going to walk you through every single step of the online sports betting process. We’ll start by talking about what you need to get set up to facilitate your bet. Then, we’ll discuss selecting the actual bet that you want to make. Once all of that information is out of the way, we’ll dive into making your actual bet and close with how to collect your winnings. We’re also going to assume you’re super sharp and going to crush this first bet.

By the time you finish with this guide, you will have 100% of the information you need to get out there and make your first real-money online sports bet. Exciting, isn’t it? We think so! Our team of experts were all beginners once and can all attest that they wish they had someone to walk them through the process.

Getting Things Set Up

The first step in making an online sports bet is getting your account set up. It’s not as easy as just shoving dollar bills into your USB drive and yelling the bets you want at the computer screen. It would be awesome if it were, but sadly, we don’t live in that world yet.

Below, you’ll find the steps you need to complete to place your first bet. Each step has its own dedicated guide in case you need some more explanations of what to do. Everything should be pretty easy and straightforward, but we wanted you to be prepared in case you had any issues.

Select an Online Sportsbook

Since we’ve already determined that we can’t just yell at our computers, you’ll have to find a sportsbook willing to take your yelling and action. Thankfully, there are tons of great options for you to choose from that offer extensive action on all of your favorite sports and some you’ve probably never even heard of.

While “tons of options” is surely a great thing, it can also make actually making a decision a challenge. Welp, good luck! Kidding, kidding. We would never just throw you out to the wolves on what is actually an important decision. You see, unfortunately, there are a lot of bad apples out there in the online betting industry. These sites don’t deliver on their promises, are sometimes untrustworthy, and offer a betting experience that is “sub-par” (that’s the nice way of putting it).

Allow us to help. Below, you’ll find a few things. First, you’ll see our list of recommended online sportsbooks. These are the highest rated, most trusted online sportsbooks offering the best action on the most sports. Basically, these are the sites you want to play at.

But if you want some more information before you make a decision, we also have a link below to a dedicated guide walking you through every step to select the best sportsbook for you. We know you’ll be blown away by the quality of the sites we’ve recommended, but we know some people just like to take important decisions a little slower, and we respect that.

Fund Your Sportsbook Account

Once you’ve picked out the best sportsbook for you, it’s time to put some money into that account. This can be a scary process for a lot of people because it’s something they’ve never done before. Good news, we’re going to walk you through it step by step. We’re even willing to hold your hand if that will make things a little bit better for you.

In all seriousness, this process should be one that is simple and headache-free. Typically, the online sportsbook will walk you through the process by giving you your options and letting you know everything that you need to get your account quickly funded.

One side note that we want to mention. Don’t feel like you need to load your entire bankroll online right off the bat. If you are brand new to this, start with a small deposit to get your feet wet. If you end up loving it and want to move your whole bankroll online, then go for it. But we want you to realize that baby steps are just fine here.

Below, we’ve got a fully dedicated guide directing you through the funding process. We’ll give you step by step instructions, how to deal with issues that might arise, the different methods you have for funding, and some tips to help make the process smoother and ensure you get the most bang for your buck.

Selecting a Bet

The administrative work is out of the way! Your account is set up, and there is money sitting in your account and burning a hole in your virtual pocket. Now, what to bet? Well, if you already have a hot tip or prediction, then, by all means, go ahead and make that bet. But if you’re brand new to this and have no idea where to start, we’re here to help.

What we’re going to do is give you a bunch of resources to help you make the pick that gives you the best chance of winning. Take some time and choose the link below that best fits what it is that you’re looking for.

Our Picks

One of the coolest free resources that we offer at TheSportsGeek.com is our sports betting picks from our team of expert bettors. Not only will we give you our picks in real time, but we’ll walk you through the reasoning behind these picks. You can make your wagers right along with our pros and hopefully walk away from the book a winner.

These picks are updated daily and span a ton of different sports. If you don’t feel like doing the work or research yourself, this is a great place to start for selecting a bet or bets to make.

The Training Grounds

Some of you may be on this page from The Training Grounds already, so we don’t need to explain the value there to you. But if you found your way to this guide from somewhere else, let us introduce you to one of our coolest free resources available on the site. The Training Grounds is our online “school” for beginner sports bettors.

Not only do we walk you through things like “How to make an online sports bet,” but we also offer some great foundational strategy. If you’re really interested in making your own expert picks, then this is where you should start. The Training Grounds is packed full of information, strategy guides, and how-to’s to help you start learning how to make the best picks possible.

For example, we have a dedicated guide on How to Research Your Sports Betting Picks that walks you through all of the different ways you can research a game or match that you’re interested in. This is just one example of the resources we have for you there. If you’re ready to take your betting to the next level, click on over there and check out this amazing free resource. There is nothing else like it on the web.

The Strategy Section

If you already consider yourself advanced when it comes to sports betting online, you may want a little more advanced betting strategy to help you select your pick. As TheSportsGeek.com’s original purpose was to cater to advanced bettors, we have a ton of great resources to help you out. The link below will take you to our dedicated strategy section.

In this section, you’ll be able to find strategy guides separated by sport and by bet type. Additionally, we have some very advanced guides that get into online betting math and higher-level strategies that you can use to crush the books. These are not ideal for complete beginners, but we wanted you to know they were there and will be waiting for you when you’re ready. Oh, did we mention they’re free as well?

Making Your Bet

It seems like we’ve covered so much, and we’re just now getting to the meat and potatoes of the article. Let’s talk about how to actually make your bet! You have your account set up, your account is funded, and you’ve selected the bet that you want to make.

If you’re betting at a great sportsbook, the next part of this equation is going to be pretty easy. If you’re not at a great sportsbook, this is the point in the timeline where that is going to become very evident.

The first thing you need to do is log into your sports betting account. If you just created your account, you’re probably already logged in. Using the menus, navigate to the sport and the game that you are interested in betting. Most sportsbooks have a menu on the left-hand side of the screen that allows you to select the sport, and then there may be a dropdown for the particular league you’re looking for.

If you want to bet an NBA game, you may have to select “basketball” first and then select “NBA” from a drop-down menu. Once you do this, all the games should populate to the center of the screen.

Find the game or match you want to bet and click the type of bet you want. If you don’t immediately see the type of bet you want, you can usually click a “more” button that can take you to the full listings of wagers available for that particular game, match, or race.

The next thing you need to do is check the odds on the bet and make sure they are to your liking. The odds will typically be presented in American odds format (example: +110). If this is not your desired format, most good sportsbooks will have an option you can select to change all of the odds to the format that you prefer (decimal or fraction). This is usually located at the top right of the screen.

When you click on the bet that you want, it should populate into a virtual betting slip, most likely on the right-hand side of the screen. Here is where you’ll be able to put in the bet amount that you would like to make. When you type in the bet amount, it should also tell you exactly how much you stand to win if you make a correct prediction. Some sportsbooks will show you your profit number, and some will show you the full amount that will be returned to you.

What’s the difference? Well, profit is the amount you are getting back not including your original bet. The amount returned is your profit plus the original bet you are getting back. For example, let’s say you are making a $20 bet at even money (meaning you get paid $20 if you win). Your profit on a correct bet would be $20. Your returned amount would be $40. This is because the sportsbook gives you your original bet back and then gives you the money you won on top of that. If they only gave you $20 back, you wouldn’t have made any money! Instead, they put the original $20 you bet into your account and then the $20 in profit as well. Just make sure when you are betting that you know which one the sportsbook is using.

If you like the amount you would receive for a correct pick, then it’s time to finalize the bet. Before you click the “confirm” or “bet” button, make sure you read the entire bet slip to make sure you are betting on what you want to bet on. It’s easy to click on the wrong bet or select something by accident, especially if you’re in a hurry.

Take your time and confirm that everything is correct and to your liking. Once you have confirmed this, click the “bet” button! Some sites might require you to click a “confirm” button, but some will only require one click. Once the bet has been made, double check it one more time for accuracy. Make sure that nothing got lost in translation and that the amount, game, bet type, and odds are still correct.

If for some reason the odds are not correct, contact support immediately to let them know you have an issue with a bet you just made. Do not wait one second. A reputable sports betting online website with a great staff will get this handled for you quickly and without issue. If you wait even a few minutes, though, you may start to run into problems.

One thing that could happen during the betting process is that the odds might change. Depending on the sports betting online site you are at, this will be handled a little differently. Some sites update the odds in real time and will pop up a notice on your betting ticket before you even click the “submit” button. When this happens, you will have the option of accepting the new odds or canceling the bet. Sometimes the odds will move in your favor, and sometimes they will move against you. Most of the time, they won’t move at all in that short of a time frame, but it does happen.

If it does, take a look at the new odds and decide if you are okay with them. If they moved in your favor, awesome! Of course you are going to like those. If they moved against you, you have to reassess if you still like the bet and still feel like it has the value you are looking for. If you decide it does, then proceed with the process. If you decided it doesn’t, though, just close out the bet and start looking for something else you like. There is no reason to force a bet just to get some action.

Once you’ve made your bet or bets, it’s time to sit back and wait! You’ve done your job, and now it’s time for the team or player you selected to do theirs. The process of making a bet can be scary at first, which is why we recommend starting with a few small bets to get the hang of things. That way, if you happen to make some sort of mistake, you can learn for cheap. We don’t anticipate that you’re going to make a mistake, but it does happen from time to time. As long as you are double and triple checking the bets you are making, you should have no problems.

Collecting Your Winnings

You won your bet! Congrats. The next step is collecting your winnings. If you’re in the process of building a bankroll, you might not want to collect your winnings right away, which is totally fine. In fact, most people don’t draw their first cash-out for quite some time, as they like to ride the winning wave and build up their bankroll.

If you’re ready to withdraw, though, the process is very straightforward. Online sportsbooks offer a bunch of different options for you to choose from. To help you out with the process, we’ve created a dedicated guide with all of the details you might need to get your money offline and into your pocket quickly.

The guide includes a step-by-step breakdown of how to withdraw your money, a look at the most popular options for withdrawing, and a bunch of awesome tips to help make the process a lot smoother. There are some tips of things you should do now (before you even want to withdraw), so we highly recommend taking a quick peek at that guide now so that you’re fully prepared.

In Conclusion

Well, that’s all there is to it! It really is as simple as opening an account, putting some money on, picking out a bet, and clicking the “confirm bet” button. We did our best to be as over-the-top thorough as possible, though, just to make sure that we covered every instance that you might run into. Sports betting online is supposed to be fun even if it’s something you’re taking very seriously. We wish you the best of luck and hope you have a great online betting career.

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An Overview of Online Betting in 2021 – How to Bet Online

In this article you’ll find an introduction to online sports betting covering all the key factors that will get you safely (and hopefully profitably!) off to the right start.

You’ll find links to more advanced topics – and coverage for both US and non-US bettors.

There is nothing more enjoyable and exciting than watching a sporting event than when you’ve placed a bet on the outcome. This can giving the feeling of being completely involved when a touchdown or goal is scored, a player nets a 3 pointer or the ball flies into the crowd for a home run. Sports-betting is a huge industry, but with so many sites and so many betting options available, the whole thing can seem a little tricky - or even daunting for the beginner.

Here is what you will find below:

• How to make sure you are choosing the best betting site in terms of your needs (favorite sports), value (lines / odds and benefits) and reputation / safety.

• How to safely deposit and take best advantage of any current promotions.

• What bet types to expect, and how to physically place a bet.

• How odds / lines work, and why it is impossible to beat the sportsbooks without shopping for the best odds

• The different sports you can bet on online

Once you have the basics nailed, you can move on to the important task of finding value in the markets – and hopefully coming away with a tidy profit for your troubles.

How to Bet Online - Choosing the Right Sportsbook / Bookmaker

With so many different sites vying for your custom, choosing the right one isn’t always an easy task. If you are from the US, this is made more complicated by having to use offshore sportsbooks (though there are some very good ones). If you are not from the US, you can skip the next paragraph!

US Online Sportsbooks are Based Offshore: There is a thriving sports betting industry in the US, only the sportsbooks are not based on US soil. Instead these books operate from the Caribbean, Central America or Native American reservations in Canada (in the case of the Kahnawake tribe). There are some long-running and well trusted brands out there including Bovada, BetOnline and InterTops. You can safely bet on any of these sites, as I have explained in this article. What you need to be careful with are unknown brands, the opaque nature of regulation offshore means it is more important than ever to stick to sportsbooks with a solid reputation for fast payouts.

Outside of the US, the problem is different – too much choice. With big brands fighting for your custom, the trick is to find a reputable bookie that has just the right mix of betting options and promotions to suit you.

Here is how to get started in that search:

First you need to be sure that your site has solid reputation. For me this is 5+ years of service (with no major scandals) and operating license from a known jurisdiction plus a history of prompt payments. I would never bet at a sportsbook which failed any of these criteria.

Second, you need to narrow down the types of sports which you want to bet on (can still be a fairly big list) and make sure there are plenty of options available. For example some books have a big racebook section for horse racing fans, while others specialize more in football (including props / specials). It does take a little time to get to know the different sportsbooks, if you are brand new to this then I can recommend the books below as both reputable and having a wide range of bets for fans of different sports.

How to Bet Online In 2021 – Let’s Talk Money!

There are two key areas in this section, how to see through the ‘hype’ and get the best from bonuses and promotions – and then how to get your money safely deposited (and withdrawn) from the sportsbooks.

Bonuses and Promotions

With the industry being so competitive, you’ll almost certainly be welcomed with a large deposit bonus when you sign up.

To be able to compare them and find the best value, you should get familiar with how they work.

Each bonus will have a rollover requirement (often called wagering or play-through). This is the number of times you’ll need to wager both the deposit amount and the bonus before the bonus funds are freed up for withdrawal.

For example, if you make a $100 deposit with a (50%) $50 bonus at a sportsbook with a 5x rollover requirement, this means that you’ll have to wager $750 ($150 x 5) before the bonus is ‘cleared’. It also pays for you to read the terms and conditions of any bonus, just so you are completely sure how it works. Of course, bonuses matched to your initial deposit are only one of the attractions offered by online sportsbooks. You will find free bets (or no-lose bets), loyalty point collection schemes and extras for mobile or in-play betting commonly offered.

Here is my ‘golden rule’ when it comes to comparing bonuses:

Welcome bonus offers will be completed very quickly, what really counts is the promotions and rewards for loyal players – and the quality of the odds (lines) on offer. Choose a sportsbook which looks after players well, rather than the one with the biggest upfront bonus. This way you’ll be rewarded over the longer term.

For more on comparing sports betting bonuses, check out the following articles:

The Deposit and Withdrawal Process

Having chosen a site, you’ll have to register before making your first deposit. This will simply be a case of filling out an online form with details such as your name, address, phone number and e-mail address and you may well have to verify the e-mail address too (you’ll usually need to send Id when you withdraw for the first time, so make sure this information is accurate). You’ll now be ready to fund your account.

Again we have a split between US and non-US betting sites, here is a quick overview:

Sports Betting Terminology

US Sportsbooks: The main method is Visa or MasterCard credit cards, which need to be able to spend abroad. You will also find sportsbooks accepting pre-paid Visa Cards, Amex and wires made from money transfer outlets like Western Union or MoneyGram. Some sportsbooks accept BitCoin and other more novel voucher / pre-paid options. Withdrawals from US sportsbooks are usually via a paper check, which US banks will accept.

You can find more on US Sportsbook Deposit Options in the linked article.

Non-US Sportsbooks: Here the range really opens up, with many of the biggest brands accepting PayPal, Skrill, Neteller, Visa, MasterCard and many local options like Ukcash, EcoPays and Webmoney. You can also use bank wires for larger amounts. Withdrawals are equally flexible, with wires a good default for any option not offered.

Once you have chosen a sportsbook and got your money on board, it is time to looks at the types of bet available…

How to Bet Online in 2021 - Types of Bets

There are a number of different bet types you can place and here I’ll divide them into 4 distinct broad categories. US and non-US betting uses different terms (and types of bets) which are explained in detail I the linked articles.

Futures Bets – These are bets that are placed on the long term eventual winner of a sporting contest. A good example would be placing a wager on the Super Bowl winner before the start of the NFL season.

Prop Bets – These are bets that you can place within a game, that are not actually dependent on the actual outcome. For example, you could wager that a named basketball player scores a certain amount of points in the game, or whether a named soccer player scores a goal.

Game Bets – This is by far by far the most popular category of the three, where you’ll find a wide range of betting options on a daily basis. These will include such bets as the point spread, where you’ll predict whether the favored team will win by more than the spread, the money line, where you are simply predicting the winner of a game and the totals, where you are predicting whether the total amount of points/goals/points is over or under the stated line.

Live/In-Play Betting – These are bets that you’ll place while the game is being played. The odds and lines can move rapidly in these markets, never more so than in the closing stages of a game.

How to Bet Online - Types of Odds

If you head to any online sportsbook you’ll find one of the following three odds types, although some sites will actually allow you to choose between the three.

Decimal Odds – This is perhaps the most straightforward system of all, where you’ll simply multiply your stake by the odds to see your total return. For example, a $10 wager at odds of 1.70 will see a total return of $17.

Fractional Odds – Using fractional odds you’ll see odds such as 7/1 or 13/8 and you’ll wager the second amount to win the first. For example, a $1 bet at 7/1 sees you win $7 (a total return of $8), while an $8 wager at odds of 13/8 sees you win $13 (and a total return of $21).

American odds – Using American odds you’ll find a number with a plus or minus prefix. A plus number is the amount you’ll win if wagering $100. For example, odds of +130 means you’ll win $130 for a stake of $100 (a total return of $230). A minus number is the amount you’ll have to wager to win $100. For example, odds of -250 means you’ll need to wager $250 to win $100 (and a total return of $350).

The size of the stake is your choice when using any of these odds and you’ll simply be paid out on a pro rata basis.

Having an understanding of how the odds work is very important, as you’ll want to shop around and get the best deal you can when placing a bet.

Once you have a grasp of the basics, I recommend you look into the math of why finding the best lines is so important. Though the odd half a percent here are there can seem trivial, these differences compound over time and are literally the difference between winning and losing sports bettors.

How to Bet Online - Betting Markets (Sports)

When you head to any sportsbook or bookmaker it’s a sure bet that they’ll have the most popular betting markets on their homepage. These will usually be based around the big televised action, which will usually be based around leagues such as the NFL, the NBA, the NHL and Major League Baseball in the US/Canada, while the focus will be more on the biggest soccer games at the European based sites.

Alongside these you’ll also find a wide range of other sports, with betting favorites such as golf and tennis prominent, while UFC/Boxing, Motor Sports and Horse Racing are particularly popular too. You’ll usually find that if a sport is on, you’ll be able to place a wager, certainly if it is televised.

However, it’s not just sports betting that you can get involved in. Many sites will also offer entertainment or politics betting, where you might want to predict the winner of an Oscar, Grammy or even the winner of the next Presidential election in the US.

How to Bet Online – How to Make a Bet

This section brings together the odds, bet types and different markets using 2 real examples. One based on the NFL for US bettors and the other Soccer for non-US bettors. This takes things from the moment you have a funded account, to the moment that your bet is completed:

#1 Bovada.lv – Placing a Bet on Bovada.lv

Step #1 – Find the Market

Step #2 – Select Your Wager and add to the Betting Slip

Step #3 – Add Bet Amount (Risk) to Betting Slip and Confirm

#2 – Unibet Bet – Placing a Bet on Unibet.com

Step #1 – Find the Market

How To Make A Sports Bet Online

Step #2 – Select Your Wager

Step #3 – Add to Bet Slip (with bet amount)

How to Bet Online – Summary

Hopefully, the step by step guide on this page has given you an overview of how to bet online.

With so many reputable sportsbooks (both offshore from the US and licensed in Europe), there have never been more opportunities to enjoy a bet. As long as you are betting within your means, you’ll find that televised (or even live) sports take on a whole new level of excitement.

How To Bet On Games

Remember, stick with the reputable sites with a solid track record of speedy payouts – and do not get ‘seduced’ by the almost too good to be true offers of unknown brands.

How To Sports Bet Online In Virginia

Once again, if you are a beginning sports bettor, here are my strongest personal recs based on your location:

How To Sports Bet Online Paypal

How To Sports Bet Online In California

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