When learning more and more about sports betting, there might be some terms which come around that you are not familiar with or have never heard before, and the term ‘In Play’ might be one of them, yet the term is incredibly simple to understand. The term In Play simply means that the event is currently ongoing and is happening in real-time, so if it said that a football match was in play, this would mean that the football match would be currently happening. Whilst this is quite a simple concept, it can affect sports betting massively as bookmakers are constantly changing odds to match the likelihood of events! Here at OddsMonkey, we will look at how in-play betting affects different sports and how in-play betting can affect matched betting.
What Is In Play Betting?
As this term means live, it is seen across all different types of sports events, from football matches to horse races. As some sports are played out in longer matches than others, the way that in-play betting works can differ between sports. For example, betting on a football match gives bettors plenty of opportunities to place bets and think about their strategy, whereas betting in play for horse racing would require a strategy beforehand, as these races are extremely short in comparison to other sports.
Just like how odds are affected by factors before the event, such as injured bettors or form, in-play betting means the odds are constantly changing, as the events throughout the match or sport are dynamic. For example, if a team scores a point to put them in control of the match, the odds for that team to win will become less valuable, as they have a better chance of winning. Some factors that can affect the odds of matches in play can be the pattern of the match, injuries or substitutions and the time of the match or event. For more tips on football and sports betting, we have guides like our football betting guide and our boxing betting guide, which are both available at OddsMonkey.
In Play Betting Odds
In-play betting can sometimes offer more value than pre-match betting. This is because odds are influenced by things that happen during the sporting event, meaning odds swings and matched betting opportunities are created that would not be available before the event.
The in-play betting odds tend to be more volatile, so it will be common to see the odds jump around a bit. For those who are looking for matched betting opportunities, this makes it extremely hard to place back and lay bets which can lock in a return. However, for those who are looking for value-betting opportunities, in-play bets can create great opportunities for these types of bets.
A tip for those who are looking to place matched bets on in-play games would be to wait for breaks, such as half-time in football or at the end of a round in boxing. Yet make sure to look out for changing odds, as these will always be changing. Placing an in-play bet on tennis can be difficult as the breaks aren’t as uniform as in football. However, it is still possible to do so when the bettors take their break.
In Play Betting And Matched Betting
Some bookmakers offer in-play betting promotions from which you can profit, thanks to matched betting opportunities. For example, online sports betting sites can offer bettors a free in-play bet if they place a pre-match bet.
In order to make the most of these bonuses, bettors can lock in a profit by placing a back bet at a bookmaker and a lay bet at a betting exchange. By placing these bets on the same event, bettors can lock in a profit, no matter what the result of the event is. However, it is essential for bettors to use the correct mathematics to ensure the right odds and stakes are being used, which can be done by using the matched betting calculator.
In-play betting can be a handy tool to learn and use for those who are looking to add more techniques to their matched betting repertoire. However, this technique can take time to perfect and can be tricky to make the most of; with some practice, it can be extremely handy!
