Online betting is the quickest and easiest way to place bets on all types of sport. Each betting website will list the sports that you are able to bet on and will also provide information on how to place an online bet. Instructions on how to do this can normally be found under “betting” or “types of betting” on the website’s homepage. Most online services offer the choice of placing a bet either online or over the phone.
In order to place an online bet, you must first set up an account with the website and arrange banking. Money can be deposited into an account via credit cards, BPay, Direct Deposit,
Cheque/Money order and several other methods. However the quickest way to deposit funds is via a credit card. Majority of websites will not charge a fee for depositing or withdrawing funds from your account however there is often a 1-5 day wait for funds to be processed when using cheque and money orders. Once your account has been setup and you have available funds, you are able to choose what type of bet you would like to place. Online betting is divided into two main categories, Sport betting and Racing betting. Most online betting websites will have a page describing what types of bets are on offer, and some will also have a minimum bet policy ranging from $1 to $30.
There are three forms of online betting:
Fixed odds betting: The return is fixed at the odds set by the bookmaker and accepted by the punter.
Totalisator: All the bets in that race are combined and shared out among the winning punters, minus a deduction.
Spread betting: The most risky form of betting which can either deliver huge payouts or lead to huge losses. The punter bets’ are placed on a spread of numbers associated to a particular event. The punter’s returns are determined on how accurate their wager was. To place a spread a bet, the punter must either buy the spread, which means they are betting higher than the highest odds provided by the bookmaker or they are selling the spread, which means they are betting lower than the lowest odds on offer. The punter will win money based on the amount between their spread and the odds set by the bookmaker.
There are two main betting systems in each of the three forms of online betting: Win betting and place betting. Win betting involves placing a bet on a team/person/horse to finish first or win in an event. Place betting on the other hand involves betting on the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and sometimes 4th and 5th placings.
When looking to set up an account with an online bookmaker, it is important to identify reputable and unsafe bookmakers. Here are some tips when trying to avoid scams:
Online Bookmakers should always have contact details and customer service/support listed on their website.
The odds on offer should be continuously updated on sport betting sites.
Do they offer a wide range of payment methods? Companies will want to attract as many people as they can so it is important for them to offer as many different payment options as possible.
No reputable online bookmaker will make their customers pay for additional charges for using credit cards.
Be realistic – a website offering punters a 250% bonus on certain bets in unrealistic and most likely a scam.
The biggest problems a lot of punters have is not being strategic and not sticking to their betting budget. It is important to remember that when placing a wager on a game, the punter must remain objective. Betting on one’s favourite team may be supportive however will not ensure your winnings. Prior to placing online bets, punters must analyse team and player performances and tactically decided whether or not their odds of success in the particular game are worth the stakes. When deciding how much to place in your betting account and how much you are going to wage on each game depends on how much you can afford. A good starting point is to use 3% from your betting account per game during the first stages of your betting experience. It is important to monitor this amount as your earnings increase from your successful bets. It is ok to bet 3% when your account is only at $100 however you do not want to be wagering 3% per horse race is your account is up in the $100,000 mark. The wagers will need to then be reduced, otherwise you could see your earnings decrease rapidly.
SPORTS BETTING
Sports betting gives punters the opportunity to place wagers on various sporting events and provides punters with better odds than when betting in the casino. Although sports betting is illegal in majority of states in America, it is legal in Australia and there are hundreds of international websites allowing novices and professional punters to place bets. Some of the sports punters can bet on include:
American Football
AFL
Basketball
Boxing
Cricket
Golf
Hockey
Motor Racing
Rugby League
Rugby Union
Tennis
And heaps more.
To start betting online, punters must select a sportsbook (bookmaker), the website will list the sports they cover and will also list their odds for all of the sports. In Australia, odds are shown in a decimal format (European style) where the amount shown indicates the payout and includes the stake amount as well. There are simple wagers – a win or lose wager where one simply bets on whether one team will win or lose. Majority of all other bets are done through a bookmaker.
The two main forms of sports betting are straight up bets or a point spread wager. Straight up bets can be used in sports such as baseball, hockey and boxing which use a specific scoring nature. When looking at the odds for this type of bet, the payout will depend on whether one chooses the favourite or the underdog. For example, the odds on team A winning a game is 1.5, which means for every $10 one stakes, they will receive $15. However if they choose for team B, the underdog team to win, the returning amount will be twice as much as the favourite so the odds will be 3.00 and for if the punter puts down $10, they will receive a $30 payout.
The other main form of sports betting is a point spread wager or a Handicap, which is used for sports such as basketball and American football. In these circumstances, a punter will stake $110 to win $100. This means that at the end of the game, they will receive back their $110 plus another $100, totally their return to $210. When placing the wager, the punter must set a margin against the game so that team A must either win by a minimum of x amount of points or team B must lose by a minimum of the same amount of points. This type of bet is called covering the spread. However if the underdog bettor’s team loses, they can still make a profit if the win of the other team is fewer points than what was quoted by the bookmaker.
From these two main types of bets, there are several other alternatives that punters can bet on:
Totals: The punter must predict the combined total score of both teams.
Overs/Unders: The punter bets under or over a score amount given by the bookmaker. The punter must decide whether the total game score will be above or below this set number.
Parlay: A multiple bet where the punter makes simultaneous selections of two or more games. They then press the winnings of the first win on the following game’s bet. However in order to win, all of the games selected by the punter must win.
Teaser: The punter may add or subtract points from one or more spread bets and added to the underdog team or subtracted from the favourite’s odds. This bet is called moving the line and the odds are normally worse than parlays.
Future: Punters may bet on future events before the seasons begin by studying team performances early on. The benefit of this type of wager is that the odds of the favourite are longer to begin with, and the punter will receive a larger payout compared to if they were to bet during the season when the odds are shorter.
Proposition bet: The punter can propose their own odds and conditions to the bookmaker. This type of wager can also be exotic e.g. which team will receive the most penalties, which player will score the most touchdowns etc.
BETTING ODDS
Betting odds are calculated by bookies, who make their money when there are even amounts of bets on both sides of an event. Consequently the odds on a game will change throughout the day depending on which way the bets are leaning towards. When making a fixed odd bet, the punter can either get “the best of it” or “the worst of it”. when making the best of it, the punter is expecting a positive value however the mathematically disadvantageous “making the worst of it” means the odds are long and the chances of winning are higher than 10 to 1. For example, a punter’s chance of pulling out a queen of hearts in a card pack of 52 is quite slim and therefore the odds are against the punter.
When understanding how betting odds work, punters need to be aware that there are three different methods in displaying the odds depending on the origin of the online bookmakers site.
In The UK and Ireland, fractional odds are used which will look something like 2/1. This means that for every dollar one stakes, you will receive two dollars in return. In Australia, Canada and Europe, decimal odds are used which are a reflection of the payout on a successful bet and also factor in the return of the stake. For example, if a punter wagers $100 at 3.54 odds, he will receive $354 ($100 x 3.54), which includes his original $100 that he wagered. In America, moneyline odds are used which indicate the payout of a successful $100 bet however the stake in not included in the figure. For example, a punter bets with the odds at -150, he must bet $150 on the favourite to win back $100 on top of his stakes. Otherwise, if the odds are at +200, the punter would receive $20 for every $10 wagered.
In horse racing, the odds normally express the chances of a horse winning and there are several different types of betting odds:
Odds against: When the horse’s chances of winning are less than 50/50 the odds are against him. Therefore if the punter wins, they will receive their original stake plus stake multiplied by odds against it.
Even money: When the horse has a 50/50 chance of winning, the punter will win stake amount multiplied by 2.
Odds on: When the horse’s chances of winning are over 50/50 the punter will win their stake as well as stake multiplied by the odds.
Odds are often described as either long or short. If the horse has long odds, the payout is normally quite large however it is unlikely that the horse will win the race e.g. 50/1. If a horse has short odds, they would be classed as one of the favourites and have a greater chance of winning, therefore the bookmakers will shorten the odds as it is most likely that more people will bet on this particular horse and therefore there will be less of a payout e.g. 2/1.
Lastly a tip for all novices, it is better to place bets on the favourite earlier on and later for the underdogs. The odds for the favourite will get shorter the closer to the game/race, making the payout smaller. The opposite will happen for the underdog, the odds will get longer, increasing the payout.
SOCCER BETTING
Soccer is one of the most adorned sports games in the world and with celebrities like David Beckham raking in millions of dollars a year, it’s little wonder why the sport is becoming one of the biggest online betting phenomenons across the world. With bettors able to wager on so many different teams and games, a single match can be worth millions of dollars in online bets. Apart the hailed UEFA, the most premier inter-league soccer competition in world, there is also the English Premiership, the Spanish La Liga, the German Bundesliga, the English Championship, the A-league, the Super Cups and the FIFA World Cup. Furthermore there are national and state competitions for bettors to wager on.
However with so many leagues and games on offer, it is easy for many punters to get ahead of themselves and take risky chances instead of doing their homework before staking their money. Soccer odds can be very mathematical and bookmakers spent large amounts of time analysing games and players. Understanding how the game works is essential for bettors, which is why it is recommended that novices start wagering on small games first, until they are confident in their knowledge of soccer betting.
Firstly, it is important to know which games to stay away from, for example, a game with two champion teams and the odds of either of them winning are near to equal (50%), is will be difficult to have a clear understanding on who will take out the trophy. When bookmakers use a money line system, the odds will appear something like: team A -450 and team B -470. The odds for this type of game are so close that even the bookmaker is not sure how the game will unfold. Instead, it is more favourable for a punter to place his wager down on a game involving two underdog teams. Normally, both the teams’ odds will be positive e.g. +260 and +300 and consequently the payouts for each of the teams will be better than if the punter was to bet on the original game with two good teams.
Before betting on a game, bettors need to analyse different aspects of the game:
Team Form Analysis: By analysing the past six matches of each team, the punter can get an idea on what the outcome of the match might be. It is important to look for the league standing and to determine the nature of the previous games, whether they are a Premiership, Cup or UEFA match? The more serious the game, the more effort a team will generally put in.
Strength Analysis: Do the teams normally play better at home or away? What were their scores for both home/away games? If a team draws a lot, this can greatly affect what type of bet a punter places on a team.
Head to Head: Compare previous matches between the two teams. Who won? Which players were on for each game? Although a team may succeed in every other game, they may have a negative past with one or two teams in particular.
Motivation: How have the players been performing? What is the relationship like between all the players as well as the coach? What is this particular game for? Are they fighting for a place in the UEFA?
Team News: Who has been injured lately? Will they still be playing? Are they a key player?
Team Schedule: What games were before and are after this game? Does the team need to save their energy for a bigger game coming up?
Aside from standard win/tie/lose bets, punters can also bet whether a team will win or lose, over or under a set amount determined by the bookmaker, e.g 2.5. Otherwise, bettors can also indulge in Proposition bets. However many bookmakers agree that one can increase the chances of winning by betting on a team to not lose. That way they can either win or draw and the punter has double the chances of receiving a payout.
When reading the odds for soccer betting, the punter will either have to use a money line system or a decimal system. In the following example the decimal system will be used.
Manchester United vs. Real Madrid 1 – 1.6 X – 4.1 2 – 2.8
Manchester (1) is home team, Real Madrid (2) is the visiting team and X signifies the draw.
So if a punter was to bet $10 on Manchester winning he would receive – 1.6 x $10 = $16.
When a punter bets $10 on Arsenal to win he would receive – 2.8 x $10 = $28.
Lastly, the punter can bet $10 on a draw and so he would win – 4.1 x $10 = $41.
TENNIS BETTING
Tennis betting is all about who wins and who loses. Although the game is not the most prominent sport on the online betting market, there is a lot more money to be won if bettors do their homework before a game. The money line system is used for wagering on tennis however in Australia this is converted into the decimal system. When listing the odds for tennis, bookmakers encourage punters to wager more money on the better player on the court rather than the less favoured player because the chances of the favourite winning the match are often less than what the odds suggest. Consequently, bettors will have to wager more to win less for the better player and wager small amounts to win big if the other player wins. The main tournaments in tennis are the four Grand Slam tournaments including the Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon and US Open. However there are also the Masters 1000, which consists of nine tournaments held throughout the world during the year.
There are several bet types that a punter can choose from with the obvious being which player will win or lose. When a punter is “betting to win”, they are picking the winners of matches before the tournament begins. This allows the bettor plenty of opportunities to wager on the many tournaments held over the season. Another option is to place a “field” bet on the competitors who are not listed for the tournament. Normally, the top twenty players will have their own odds and the remaining players will be grouped. Although the payout is not as huge as the payout for one of the top players, the chances of winning one of the tournament’s matches with an unlisted player is increased as there is more than one entrant who can win.
Many sportsbooks will also allow bettors to bet futures on the four major tournaments of the season. Although this type of wager can be risky as player performances can alter before and during tournaments, the odds are better. For a future bet, the odds might be 10/1 for a major competitor in the tournament however once the matches begin, the odds can be reduced to 4/1 or lower and so the odds on a future bet are better. However future bets should only be placed by experienced punters who are confident in their knowledge of a players winning history.
Set betting is when a punter bets on the final scores at the end of each set which has a good payout because the bookmakers have problems deciding which odds will be in their favour. Alternatively, one can also bet on the number of sets a match will last or who the winner will be at the end of a specific set. The other option a punter has is to place a handicap bet on a competitor by wagering that a player will win or lose by either +1.5 or -1.5 in a set or they can bet the number of games in a match or even who the outright winner of the tournament will be. These types of bets bring high odds stakes as the odds aren’t as easy for the bookmaker to figure out.
Before placing any bets down on a tennis game, it is important to understand what will affect the outcome of the game. Bookmakers will examine several factors before listing the odds, including the court surface as many players are unable to play on both clay and grass courts. They will also analyse how the two players have performed competing against each other in previous tournaments. Also whether or not either competitor has any injuries which will affect their playing. It is vital that serious punters examine these same factors prior to choosing their odds. Betting on pure luck and gut feeling is not the way to a successful betting career.
Lastly, a tip for novices. When starting and unaware of how good each player is, take a look at the odds for a match. If the favourite’s odds are 1.90 and the underdog’s odds are 2.3, there is less than 50 cents difference in the odds, indicating that the there is an even chance of either player winning. Unless you are confident that your player is the best, it is advisable to steer clear of these games to begin with.
CRICKET BETTING
As cricket continues to churn out an array of sporting stars, the popularity of the sport continues to grow in Australia and punters are becoming more and more interested in placing bets on the legendary sport. Ranging from one-day to week long matches, cricket betting offers punters various challenges as the betting methods vary depending on what type of match it is. Punters have a huge range of games to choose from however the most noteworthy games would be The Ashes, Test Matches played over 5 days, the Twenty20, the World Cup and Australian and English domestic matches.
Batting is extremely important for one-day matches as it is more important for the batsmen to score as many runs as possible rather than to hitting as many wickets as possible. So when placing a bet, it is important to examine who is batting and their previous batting record. There will always be a few key players on each team which will affect the odds and prices before and during the game. In Australia, the key batsman is Adam Gilchrist and therefore when he is batting, the odds will be shorter for the Australian team winning. For 3 or 5 day matches, punters also have the option of backing both sides with fixed odds in the early stages of their innings to maximise profit. For example, the punter can back side A after a couple of overs and then during the interval they can back side B at a larger price and wait. For international games, majority of games are played on batsmen friendly pitches which means the punter has a better chance is they support the batting side which will go first. Otherwise, punters can make bets on series scores on international teams when the day matches can last up to a week. The punter places a bet on how many wins they are expecting from their chosen team. To do this, one needs to rate each team’s best and worst capabilities and then make a prediction.
Betting on cricket does not require as much research into the players or team history, what is more important is that the punter understands the rules of cricket and the terms used throughout the game. Otherwise one may place a bet in relation to the first 6 overs run and not know what they have wagered against. For one-day matches it is necessary to know about the grounds on which the game will be played as lighting and weather can greatly affect the sport. Figure out the average scores for the teams who batted first or second, which one comes out on top? This will give bettors an idea of how the lighting affects the batsmen’s ability.
If a punter wants to conduct further research before they begin betting, here are some things to look for:
-Assessing the team is important as their recent performances can give an indication as to whether or not the team is struggling this year. If so, for what reasons? Has there been conflict between team mates? Is there a new coach?
-Injuries will always affect the team composition as new talent is often used to replace the injured sportsmen, creating new team dynamics and consequently affecting the way each game will be played.
-Weather conditions such as bad light and rain will impact on the performance of both teams however this may be in the favour of one team over another.
-How are the ground conditions? Is there a green top or is the field quite dry? What are the boundaries?
-How are both teams’ scores in the series? Does one team need the win more so than the other?
The following is a list of bets punters can place on fixed odds cricket, however not all types of bets will be offered by every bookmaker.
Tournament Markets:
Outright winner of the series
To reach the final – which two teams will make the finals
Series Markets:
Series winner
Series score
Top batsman
Top Bowler
Batsman Match Bets – which two batsmen will score the most runs
Bowler Match Bets – which bowlers will take the most wickets
Match Markets:
Match Odds – which team will win the match
Completed Match – only for one day games – whether a completed match will be played (due to weather)
Tied Match
Innings Runs – how many runs are scored in the first innings
Session Runs – how many runs in a specific session of test match
First 6 Overs Runs – Twenty20 matches – how many runs will a side score in their first 6 overs. Punter can use an Under/over bet type.
First 15 Overs Runs – same as above except in their first 15 overs.
Top batsman – Batsman who scores the most runs in the first innings.
Top Bowler – Bowler who scores the most wickets in the first innings.
Batsman match bets
Bowler Match bets
Test Match End – which day/& session will the test match end on
Next batsman out – which of the two current batsmen will be dismissed next
Mode of Next Dismissal – how will the batsmen be dismissed
Next over runs – total amount of runs in the next over – under/over or odd/even bet type.
Highest Opening Partnership – which team will score highest opening partnership
Highest 15 Over total – which of the teams will score the most runs in the first 15 overs of their innings.
1st over total runs – how many runs will be scored in the first over of the game – under/over bet type.
Most Sixes – which team will hit the most sixes.
Most runs out – who will complete the most run-outs.
To win the toss
FOOTY BETTING
Whether you like Australian Rules, Soccer, Rugby League, Rugby Union or American Football, footy betting is one of the most popular types of sport betting due to the large amounts of bet types available for punters. Although each sport has its own rules and terminology, punters are able to apply the same analytical tools when deciding on which team and what bet to wager. Punters should be asking themselves questions about team players, the grounds, conditions and team dynamics.
Team Players: Who are the key players? Are they playing in the chosen game? Have they had any injuries?
The Grounds: Where is the game being played? What is the team’s winning record on this field? Is the game at home or away? Where does the team play better?
Conditions: Will it rain? How does each team handle the ball in wet conditions? Which way will they be scoring? Will light affect their performance?
Team dynamics: Are there any new players? How is the relationship between the team mates and their coach?
All these factors will affect the performance of the team and essentially whether or not a punter will receive their payout. Bookmakers analyse these factors before setting the odds, so it is a good idea for punters to do the same.
Some key betting terms are used in footy betting including parlay, arbitrage, banker and drifter.
Parlay/accumulator means the winnings from one bet are placed on another bet.
Arbitrage is a risk free bet.
A banker is a bet which is very likely to win.
A drifter is a bet which has a rising price.
National Rugby League (NRL) is a game which demands a lot of strength and speed from the players and is regarded as the top-level domestic rugby league competition. Consisting of fifteen Australian teams and one New Zealand team, the matches are played between Autumn and Spring of each year, which ends in Grand Final where the two best qualifiers compete to be named the season’s premiers. There are also many international matches held including the Super League, which involves English and French teams only. Punters interested in wagering on NRL are able to bet on some of the most admired games in the world including the State of Origin, World Cup, Tri Nations and the World Club Challenge. For more information on NRL betting, visit the NRL betting page.
Rugby Union is played throughout the world and recognized as one of the most watched sports in Australia. For punters, there is the option of betting on local teams or they can go large with betting allowed on major matches including the Rugby World Cup, Tri Nations, Bledisloe Cup, Mandela Cup, Heineken Cup, Six Nations, Super 14s (from February until May), English Guinness Premiership and the Celtic League.
Australian Rules (AFL) comprises of 16 teams and is limited to being a national competition. Despite the league only existing in Australia, its popularity with Australians is phenomenal as it is the most watched sporting competition on television. It is also ranked as the fourth most attended professional sports league in the world. Betting on AFL is extremely popular with the season kicking off in March and concludes around September with the Grand Final. Bettors are able to wager on the series’ games, the Grand Final, the Brownlow Medal and the Norm Smith Medal. For more information on AFL betting, visit the AFL betting page.
Soccer is undisputedly the most bet on football game in the world. The game attracts punters because of the amount of betting types available and the different leagues and games. Whether it’s just district soccer or the UEFA, the amount of prize money available for bettors who do their homework is ever increasing. The big name games including the World Cup, A-League, FIFA, the Championship League and the English Premiership are just some of the games sportsbooks will offer punters to wager on. For more information on Soccer betting, visit the Soccer betting page.
Lastly, the American Football League (NFL), comprising of thirty two teams from across America, is the largest football league in the United States. With NFL games, play offs, the Super Bowl, NCAA College Football and the Canadian Football League, it’s no surprise that so many punters get involved in NRL betting. During the NFL season, there is a four-game pre season in August and early September. This is then followed by each team playing 16 games in a 17 week period, where each team plays each other twice. At the end of the season the four best teams and two wildcards proceed to the playoffs which will determine who plays at the Super Bowl.
HORSE BETTING
Harness racing, Jumping, Dressage, Steeplechasing, Hurdle racing, Hack, Endurance racing and Thoroughbred racing – the betting options on horses are endless. However the two main forms of horse betting are on harness racing and Thoroughbred racing, with millions of dollars going through bookmakers each year for both types of racing.
Choosing a Winner
But with so many horse races and so many different types of bets, it can be difficult for novice bettors to know which races and horses to wager on. Basically it all comes down to picking the top trainer and then the top jockey. Some horses may be natural stayers, however without the right training, they have no hope of racing hard out for a 3200 metre stretch. Trainers’ tactics are fundamental in producing a great racer. Because of this, many punters will get to races early, see how the trainers and jockeys are warming the horses up and get an idea on how the horse has been trained. Also, it is important to examine trainers’ past successes. Next, it is up to the punter to decide whether the horse is being ridden by a top jockey or a novice. Sometimes jockeys will stick to riding the same horse in different races, if this is the case, how were the jockey’s previous track records? If the horse has been ridden by a different jockey and raced well, how did the jockey handle the horse? Will this new jockey use the same strategy?
However all these questions may be too much for a beginner to ask and fully understand. So instead, novices should begin by looking at the race card and listing the number beside the horse’s name. These numbers indicate the horse’s amount of first, second and third placings for past races. If there are hardly any figures beside the horse’s name then one will know not to wager on the horse. On the right side of the horse’s name, there will be either a “D” or “C” indicating if the horse has won a race at the same distance (D) and if the horse has won on that specific course before (C).
Something else bettors should question is what class the horse is competing in. If this is the first time this horse is competing in a higher class, despite his success in previous races, it is unlikely he will win the race. And an extremely basic way of measuring a horse’s chance of success is to look at the odds. If the horse’s odds are getting shorter, chances are it’s a favourite and has a better chance at winning.
A good way to determine whether or not a horse is worth betting on is to follow a checklist:
Class – What class are they in? Is it higher?
Distance – Compare the horses’ times over the same lengths – does your horse stand a chance?
Post Position – How does the horse perform at different post positions?
Running Style – There are three main running styles: front runner, stalker and closer. A front runner is a horse who runs in the lead or in 2 lengths of the leader. A stalker rarely makes the lead but often gains momentum to overtake tired front runners. A closer runs best when there is a lot of early speed.
Trainer – Who is the trainer? Have they had much success previously?
Jockey – How much experience do they have? How do they handle their horses?
Present Form – How is the horse’s fitness levels? Are there any injuries?
Consistency – Analyse the horse’s past track record? Do they normally place quite high or does the horse’s placings fluctuate?
Weight – Although this isn’t considered very important a horse should generally not be carrying more than 59 kg. Anything over that amount is a bit risky.
Choosing a Race
Maiden – For horses who have not yet won a race, the top races being the Maiden Special Weight races.
Claiming races – A race in which every horse can be bought or “claimed” out of the race. The punter must put in a request prior to the race and afterwards they are the new owner. This is risky as the previous owner will claim the prize money and pass the horse on even if the horse gets injured in the race or even if it dies.
Allowance races – Horses in these races are not for sale however the payouts are normally much higher. There are set conditions and specific weights the horses must carry. This type of race is typically held for horses who are non-winners in majority of their races.
Stakes races – The best of all horse races which is restricted only for the top horses. These races produce the largest pay outs and can be either local or major races. The top stake races are graded from 1 to 3 with 1 being the best races e.g. Melbourne Cup. There are no restrictions on these races apart from age and sex.
Oaks – A race specifically held for 3 year old fillies.
Derby – Only 3 year olds may race in a Derby.
Sprint race – A race under one mile with normally only one turn.
Choosing a Betting Type
Straight bets – Win (which horse will finish first)
Place (horse must place first or second)
Show (must place in top three)
Across the board wager (horse will take either of the first three places).
Quinella – Choosing two horses in no specific order to win first and second placings. Although the punter has good odds, a quinella will pay less than a trifecta.
Exacta or Perfecta – The punter must choose which horses will win first and second place in the correct order.
Trifecta – Picking the first three winning horses in the correct order.
Box trifecta – First three horses in any order.
Standout trifecta – Picking the winner and then the next two horses in any order.
Superfecta – Same as trifecta plus the fourth placed horse.
Daily Double – Predict the winning horses in any two races.
Running double – Selecting the winners of two consecutive races.
Quadrella – To pick the winners of four pre-nominated races on the card.
Straight six – Select the winners of six consecutive pre-nominated races.
SPRING RACING CARNIVAL BETTING
MELBOURNE CUP BETTING
For around 3 minutes and 20 seconds each November, Australia stops to watch the greatest handicap race in the world – the Melbourne Cup. Worth an estimated $5.5 million dollars, the Group 1 handicap is raced over 3200 metres by horses aged 3 years old and up on the first Tuesday of every November. The Melbourne Cup is also the biggest single betting race in the world, attracting millions of dollars in wagers each year from experienced punters to beginners just wanting to take part in the carnival. It is estimated that in the 2000 Melbourne Cup, 80% of the Australian public placed a bet on the race. The Cup is the most famous race held during the Spring Racing Carnival at Flemington and has solidified some of Australia’s best horses as champions. With names such as Phar Lap, Makybe Diva, Carbine and Bart Cummings, it’s no wonder that the Melbourne Cup is so celebrated and bets placed on the race are so large.
Many online bookmakers will offer punters the option of betting on which horse will win the Cup before all the horses who are competing in the Cup have been nominated and selected. This type of bet has high odds which give punters a huge payout if correct however with so many horses listed, it is difficult to know which horse will win. Other bets that punters can place on the Melbourne Cup include the early bird, fixed odds, top fluctuation, win, place, quinella, exacta and trifecta.
Because of the race’s distance, the Melbourne Cup is regarded by many serious punters as an unpredictable race which allows many outsiders to win. This has occurred on several occasions with Ethereal in 2001 and Brew in 2000 who were able to beat their high odds of 9/1 and 14/1 respectively and won. However this unpredictability is one of the exciting aspects of the race, adding to the spectators’ entertainment.
When deciding on which horse to back for the Melbourne Cup consider how many starters there are and the post position of all the horses. Many horses thrive from being placed on the inside, others will prefer the outside. Apparently, the most wins have come from post number 11. Examine each horse’s performances in the previous carnival races? Which horses did it beat and lose against? Will these horses also be racing in the Melbourne Cup?
But most of all, it is important to remember that the Melbourne Cup is supposed to be a day of fun and all bets should be done for entertainment purposes only, so don’t bet more than you can afford.
CAULFIELD CUP BETTING
Betting on the toughest 2400 metre handicap horse race in Australia is one of the most exhilarating experiences for punters as the quality of horses is outstanding and provides a spectacular showcase of stamina and speed. The Caulfield Cup is part of the Spring Racing Carnival and held at Caulfield Racecourse in Melbourne. With the prize money totalling $2 million, the Caulfield Cup is a group 1 race considered to be the key lead up to the Melbourne Cup.
In 1881 and 1943, the number of entrants for the races was so large that two Cups were held for each of the years. However since then, the Caulfield Cup is restricted to 18 starters, making betting a lot easier for the punters. There are now also minimum weight restrictions for 3 and 4 year olds. 3 year old horses must carry at least 49.0 kg and 4 year old horses must carry at least 50.0 kg.
When looking to bet on the Caulfield Cup, there are a few things that will affect the bets, firstly the barrier positions. Although this is purely luck most of the time, barrier number 12 is considered the luckiest position, with 15% of horses having won over 2400 metres from barrier position 12 in over 20 races. On the other end of the scale, barriers 4 to 6 are not as rewarding with only a 6.3% winning rate. The worst barrier position recorded with only a 4.5% strike rate is barrier number 11.
Apart from these non strategic ways of determining which horse to bet on, the more successful way of analysing the odds is to examine the records of trainers. Despite many people believing that the jockey is the fundamental deciding factor it is in fact the trainer. Bart Cummings has won six Caulfield Cups and this is because of his successful training methods. Most importantly, do not ignore the favourite according to the odds, history shows that majority of the time the favourite in fact wins the Caulfield Cup.
COX PLATE BETTING
Named in honour of the Moonee Valley Racecourse founder Sam Cox, the W. S. Cox Plate is Australasia’s most prestigious race and dubbed “the greatest two minutes in sport”. The Group 1 race is run in October between the Caulfield Cup and the Melbourne Cup, attracting high wagers from punters due to the elite status of the horses competing in the 2040 metre race. To add to the race’s superiority within the racing industry, it is also the only race in the southern hemisphere to be part of the World Series Racing Championship, the racing equivalent to the Grand Prix.
The race has featured racing champions such as Makybe Diva and Phar Lap, but that’s not to say that the roughies do not get their fair share of winnings. In 1997 Dane Ripper won the Cox Plate, beating odds of 40/1 which in turn made several punters extremely happy with their large payout. And again in 2008, the favourite Samantha Miss whose odds were 4/1, was beaten by Maldavian with 16/1 odds.
The $3 million race is a weight for age race which means that horses are required to carry a set amount of weight in accordance with the Weight for Age scale. The weight applied to each horse is determined by the horse’s age, sex, race distance and month of the year. This system is used to equal out the physical progress of each horse as stamina can only be acquired by a horse as it reaches maturity. Due to this, the older horses would continuously beat the younger ones as they are at a greater disadvantage the further they need to run.
This system also allows bettors to cross out weight as a factor which will affect their betting decisions. The basics factors punters should be looking for and criticising are the horse’s consistency, the trainer, jockey and weather conditions.
VICTORIA DERBY BETTING
The betting day for racing purists, the Victoria Derby is raced on a 2500 metre track and consists on nine group 1 races with a total prize money of $1.5 million. Held the Saturday before the Melbourne Cup, the Derby is the race which tests each horse’s staying ability and quite often the winner of the Victoria Derby has gone on to win the Melbourne Cup. The Derby is the final race which shows whether or not each horse is capable and worthy of competing in the Melbourne Cup.
For many bettors, the AAMI Vase and Cox Plate, which are both held prior to the Derby are often used a guide by punters in determining who will race in the Derby. Originally a race open to all ages, Fireworks was the only horse to win the Derby twice in 1967 and 1968. However it is now restricted to 3 year olds, eliminating all chances for any horse to claim the race twice.
The track consists of a 1200 metre straight and is also home to many roughie winners including recent Derby winner Rebel Raider in 2008. Rebel Raider started with the odds at 101/1 however managed to be take over Whobegotyou in the last stretch of the race.
AFL BETTING
Australian Rules (AFL) is one of the most popular sports watched on television throughout the country and attracts thousands of spectators for each game so it’s no surprise that it would also be one of the most popular sports to bet on. The League consists of 16 teams, the most from Victoria. Between March and September the regular season kicks off and ends with the top eight teams qualifying for the final series. At the end of the series there are three medals awarded to players. The Brownlow medal is awarded to the fairest and best player throughout the whole season. The Norm Smith Medal is received by the best player of the Grand Final and the Coleman Medal is awarded to the player who kicks the most goals during the home-away season. Winning any of these medals is a great accomplishment and punters spend a great deal of time analysing who they think will win the medals before betting.
Betting Types:
AFL betting is easy to understand with the main three types of betting being Futures, Premiership and game betting. Each bookmaker will vary on the types of bets they allow in these three categories however the main Future bets tend to be on the Brownlow Medal, Coleman Medal, winner of the Premiership, Top 8, Top 4 and winning region. Future bets have the advantage of listing high odds which can be extremely rewarding if the punter wins. However selecting winners of these medals before the season has begun is extremely difficult and is often a game of luck.
During the regular season, AFL betting is enormously popular as there are so many different betting types available. Once again, not all online bookmakers will list the same bets so it is important to find a bookmaker which gives as many options as possible. Some of the main AFL betting types include the game result, half time and full time scores, first score, handicap, odd & even, quarter scores, margins and possessions.
Here is a break down of these betting types:
Game Result: Who will win the game?
Half time score: What will the score be for both teams at half time?
Full time score: Both teams scores at full time.
First score: Which team or player will score first?
Handicap: The favourite team must win by a certain amount of points.
Odd/Even: Will the final score be an odd or even number?
Quarter scores: To bet on what the quarter scores will be for each time.
Margins: A team can only win within a certain amount of points e.g. Team A must win by 1 to 5 points.
Possessions: Which team will have possession of the ball for longer?
Lastly there is Premiership betting, where the punter can bet on the highest placed team within the season, the winning state and they can also bet on a quinella. Apart from this, there are several online bookmakers which offer live betting, allowing punters to make selections whilst watching the game at the end of each quarter. Although the odds of winning are increased, the payouts are much lower.
AFL Teams:
Adelaide Crows
Brisbane Lions
Carlton Blues
Collingwood Magpies
Essendon Bombers
Fremantle Dockers
Geelong Cats
Hawthorn Hawks
Melbourne Demons
North Melbourne Kangaroos
Port Adelaide
Richmond Tigers
St Kilda Saints
Sydney Swans
West Coast Eagles
Western Bulldogs
Betting Tips:
Always check the statistics of AFL teams, the odds should always match up with the current performance of the teams. Also, bookmakers will normally wait to hear what the final line up before finalising the odds. For example, after 18 rounds, St Kilda is unbeaten and at the top of the ladder so it is safe to assume that they have an excellent chance of winning their next game. However when their captain Nick Riewoldt and Brownlow Medal contender Leigh Montagna were withdrawn from a game, the odds completely changed in the other teams favour. So it is important to identify teams’ key players before playing any wager on a team. Also, consider which team needs the win more. If St Kilda were to play against Hawthorn who needed to win this particular match to qualify for the final series, chances are Hawthorn are going to put a lot of effort into their game. So once again the odds could change.
NRL BETTING
With fifteen Australian teams and one New Zealand team, NRL is one of the most respected sports in Australia as it demands a huge amount skill, strength and speed from the players. Played between autumn and spring each year, NRL betting is becoming increasingly popular with the sport’s fans. Apart from the national matches, Grand Final and State of Origin, punters are also able to bet on international games including the World Cup, Tri Nations, and the World Club Challenge.
Many bettors find the larger games such as the World Club Challenge more exciting to watch and therefore believe that betting on the Challenge will be equally as rewarding. However as the four best teams are competing, it is extremely difficult for bookmakers and punters to know who has the better chance of winning. Therefore it is often recommended by industry experts to instead wager on the smaller, national games where it easier to decide which odds to choose.
NRL betting is similar to any other type of football. Punters are able to choose from future, game season and Premiership betting as well as live betting with selected online bookmakers. Future bets include wagering on who will be the minor premiers, the top 4 and top 8. Some bookmakers also allow punters to bet the Wooden Spoon – last place. During the season, bets include:
Head to head: Win or lose.
First score: First team and/or player to score first.
Half time/full time scores
Tri betting: Selecting one or the other team to win by more or under the allocated start.
Handicap: The favourite team must win by a certain amount of points.
Margin: A team can only win within a certain amount of points e.g. Team A must win by 1 to 5 points.
First Try: First team and/or player to score a try.
Winning region: Which region will produce the premiership winner?
NRL Teams:
Melbourne Storm
St George Illawarra Dragons
Brisbane Broncos
North Queensland Cowboys
New Zealand Warriors
Parramatta Eels
Cronulla Sharks
Penrith Panthers
Canterbury Bulldogs
Manly Sea Eagles
Gold Coast Titans
Newcastle Knights
Sydney Roosters
South Sydney Rabbitohs
West Tigers
Canberra Raiders
Betting Tips:
NRL betting odds can be confusing but if punters understand these odds they can drastically improve their chances of receiving a nice payout. It is important to remember that wagering on small teams can be very profitable and the best way of determining who the best teams are, is to analyse their past performances and abilities. Also, each team will play better in different conditions so check whether or not a team from Queensland will be as good as a Victorian team in wet weather and colder climates and vice versa. Know each team’s tactics and work out how these teams will go against each other if they use their favourite tactics. To find out this sort of information, reading the newspaper is the best way as journalists will be blunt, rather than relying on the team’s website.
GRAND FINAL BETTING
AFL Grand Final
Held on Saturday the 26th of September 2009, the AFL Grand Final is expected to attract over 100,000 fans, making it the biggest non-international club championship on Earth.
Before the match, punters have the option of placing a future bet which are determined by which online bookmaker’s site one visits. Just before the match, punter can also indulge in betting on who will be receiving the Norm Smith medal, the winner and a variety of other types specified by the online betting agency.
The Past AFL Grand Final Winners:
2008-Hawthorn
2007-Geelong
2006-West coast
2005-Sydney
2004-Port Adelaide
2003-Brisbane
2002-Brisbane
2001-Brisbane
2000-Essendon
1999-Roos
1998-Adelaide
1997-Adelaide
1996-Roos
1995-Blues
1994-West coast
1993-Essendon
1992-West coast
1991-Hawthorn
1990-Collingwood
NRL Grand Final
On Sunday the 4th of October, the two best NRL teams will compete to be named the 2009 Premiership winners. Most online bookmakers should have a list of odds against who will named this year’s winner however may not include other betting options until closer to the date.
The Past NRL Grand Final Winners:
1998 Brisbane Broncos
1999 Melbourne Storm
2000 Brisbane Broncos
2001 Newcastle Knights
2002 Sydney Roosters
2003 Penrith Panthers
2004 Canterbury Bulldogs
2005 Sydney West Tigers
2006 Brisbane Broncos
2007 Melbourne Storm
2008 Manly Sea Eagles