Best In-Play Betting Sites

What makes a top in-play betting site?

Perhaps the most important thing that separates a top in-play betting site from its competition is the presence of a large number of betting markets to choose from. The top in-play betting sites will offer action on anything from the most popular events in each sport to obscure leagues and competitions across those same sports. And in terms of the number of sports offered, these top sites are more likely to offer action in not just popular sports like football, but obscure ones such as water polo and everything in between.

The ability to get wagers out quickly is another factor that makes an in-play betting site great. Given how quickly odds can change in an in-play betting setting, as odds are updated constantly, it is imperative that a bettor is able to place their chosen wager within a couple of clicks or taps. Anything more than that, and bettors would risk missing out on the action that they have chosen.

And live streaming capability is another facet of the in-play betting experience that sets some sites apart from the rest. Being able to wager on sports and watch those same events in one place is very convenient, and this is even more true in a setting where bettors can bet on an event as they watch it.

What are the differences between in-play and pre-match bets?

The major difference between in-play and pre-match betting is the fact that the odds for each type of betting are formulated differently. Pre-match betting odds are formulated based on the perception around a match before it happens, while the odds for in-play betting are set up based on what has actually happened during a match. As a result, the odds in in-play betting tend to fluctuate more, which can set bettors up in more advantageous positions in some cases.

For example, an early goal in a football match could wildly shift the in-play betting odds for that match, which could give bettors the chance to take more favourable odds for the match if they think that the match will turn around at some point. If nothing else, in-play betting favours bettors who are vigilant and can spot when the momentum in a match is shifting and can take advantage of those shifts before they translate into scoring.

There are also some betting markets that simply aren’t available in a pre-match betting setting that are available when taking part in in-play betting. In football, these come in the form of markets such as the next corner markets, which ask which team will take the next corner. In some sports, like cricket, markets that ask how the next wicket will be recorded are also unique to in-play betting. These add another dimension to betting on each event, making things much more fun.

Advice for in-play betting

Bettors looking to win on in-play wagers should remember the most important piece of advice regarding in-play betting, which is to avoid using in-play betting as a way to chase a pre-match wager. If a pre-match wager isn’t looking good, there is nothing wrong with placing a live wager if there is value to be found in it. But placing an in-play wager specifically hoping to make up for a lost pre-match bet is not the best way to utilize the in-play interface.

Instead, bettors should look for value when they place their in-play bets, with going against the run of play being one of the most effective strategies for doing so. With odds updating all of the time in the in-play betting interfaces of these top sites, bettors can usually get favourable odds to go against the run of play, which could pay off in a big way if momentum shifts back the other way.

Those who take part in in-play betting should also keep the statistics for the match they are interested in betting on handy. Knowledge of the statistics of a match are vital for in-play wagers, as bettors can use that information to make informed decisions in a real-time setting. This is especially beneficial when the statistics of a match say the opposite of what the odds suggest, which could allow bettors to get favourable odds on an event based on their knowledge alone.