Live Betting explained

What is Live Betting?

Live Betting or In play betting is the fastest growing betting medium in the country. It allows bettors to place bets after events have started - hence the expression 'Live Betting' or 'In play betting'.

It means you can react to what is happening as you watch a live event. Most people will have an opinion of the outcome of a sporting event before it takes place - live betting allows the bettor to either back up that opinion or change their mind on the outcome.

Best of all, you can change your mind as often as you like! As long as you have money in your account, you can bet on whichever market you choose, changing your bets as circumstances dictate.

How live betting works

Once an event has started, punters have the opportunity to place bets on a number of different markets.

In Tennis, for example, punters can bet on the next point, games to deuce, total points in a game, total games in a set, set score, plus a host of other markets.

In football (see the example screenshot to the right), you can bet on the half time result, next team to score, next corner, next goal scorer, plus the winner of the match and many more markets.

Why use live betting?

live betting betting allows the bettor the opportunity to bet with more evidence than they had at the start of an event, hence they are more informed before they place a bet.

For example, you may support a team who you think has a good chance of winning a match but you are not sure. So you hold off betting before the match and wait to see how the first quarter goes. How are your team playing? What are the tactics like? Have the opposition done what you expected? Is the referee as strict as you thought? All questions the bettor can ask whilst watching a match. Then after they have assimilated the information, the bettor can place a more informed bet.

But live betting also allows you to change your mind. You may place a bet before the event but then whilst watching the event you may realise things aren't going your way, and put another bet on to redeem the situation.

Where to bet in-play

As discussed above, most online bookmakers offer Live streaming and live betting. The choice of where to bet comes down to whether you prefer the more traditional route of betting on events to win, or whether you prefer to have the option to bet against yourself by laying bets ie acting as the bookie.

If you're looking for a solid, reliable traditional online bookmaker, we highly recommend bet365. A major player in Live betting, bet365 streams over 20,000 events live to your PC every year - so you can bet as the action unfolds. Highlights include 5 matches from Serie A every week along with Masters Series tennis. And for new players, bet365 offers a free bet up to £200.

Sign up and bet now at bet365.

If, however, you prefer the flexibility and excitement of being able to act as a punter or a bookie, your best bet for a betting exchange is the original and best. Betfair Live Video streams live sporting events to Betfair customers including Horseracing, Greyhound Racing, Football, Tennis, Snooker, Volleyball, Basketball and Darts. Betfair Live Video is currently free of charge for all content with the exception of horseracing. However, to watch and bet on a horse race simply requires you to place a bet of at least £2 via the exchange. Then you can sit back and watch the race, safe in the knowledge that if things don't go your way, you can always change your mind and bet again!