In-play betting, or live betting as most people refer to it as is available on most of the top sports and gives punters the opportunity to turnaround bets quickly. There are also some great odds on offer, especially if you back the underdog.
On this page, we’re going to run you through the best live betting sites, what’s good about betting live in-play on horse racing and other sports, who might have the best mobile app for in-play betting, and the types of in-play bets you can enjoy. Our first port of call is the best live betting sites.
The Best Live Betting Sites – Top 7
- Unibet
- Bet 365
- William Hill
- LeoVegas
- Betfair
- 10bet
- BetMGM
The list above is in no particular order, but these are the top sports betting sites who offer live betting. These are the guys who have the best options available. If you choose any of these, your in-play experience is going to be a good one.
What is Live Betting?
We’d like to think everyone knows what live betting is, but if you’re a complete novice then let’s explain briefly. In simple terms, is means betting while the match or event is going on. In terms of sports betting in-play at an online betting site, what happens is you are initially able to bet on pre-match events. Before an event starts. Once the event begins, markets get turned in-play and you can then begin to bet live. Depending on which sport you’re betting on, prices can change every single second.
A lot of the top sports betting sites in the offer a live streaming service too. Betting sites with live streaming tend to be more popular. Why? Well, because a lot of punters like to bet in-play as they are watching the action.
Pre-Match Betting vs Live Betting – What’s the Difference?
We touched on it just now. It’s very easy to understand. Back in the day, you could only really bet on a win draw win outcome before an event began. This is pre-match betting; betting on a match before it starts. Now technology has advanced at an incredible rate over the years, you can bet live in-play on a number of sports and markets these days.
As we move towards a mobile-first way of thinking, mobile betting on live events is growing increasingly popular, which means that more bookmakers are improving their live betting offering. You rarely find a bookmaker nowadays without a live betting section on their sportsbook. You maybe be wondering what there is to bet on. It leads us on to the next section…
Live Betting Bonuses – What’s on Offer?
Whenever you initially go to sign up at a new sports betting site, there’s often a welcome bonus available for you to snap up. A lot of the welcome bonus offers include live betting, which is great news. So, for example, you might need to bet £10 on a sporting event to get £30 in free bets. A lot of the bookies offering this promotion will allow any bet, as long as the odds meet a certain criterion, such as higher than 1/2.
Not only can you make use of live betting with a welcome bonus, but bookies also often have bonuses for existing customers. A fair few of these existing customer offers are in-play bonuses. For example, William Hill offers 10% cashback on your in-play Tennis losses each and every week. Bet365 have, in the past, offered a free £50 in-play bet if you place a pre-match bet on the same match.
Have a check of a sportsbook’s existing customer promos before signing up if you’re looking for these types of bonuses. You don’t need to already have an account just to see what they offer.
Live Betting Odds – Know When to Make Your Move
The most important aspect of live betting on sports is knowing when to make your move in the market and place your bet. The odds reflect how the event is going at that time, and they’ll be changing rather quickly depending on how long the match or event is. It’s advisable to not bet live in-play unless you can see what’s happening in the event.
If you’ve not experienced in-play betting before and want to give it a try, you’d probably like some live betting tips…
Live Betting Tips and In-Play Strategy
We’re going to use betting on football as an example.
- Wait before you bet
- Look at the stats
- Seek out value
- Back the favourite when behind
- Late bets
Let’s dig deeper and explain these in more detail.
Wait Before You Bet
Unless someone scores straight away, the odds are not going to change much at all at the beginning of the match. Wait five or 10 minutes so that you can see who’s started the better.
Look at the Stats
Most sports betting sites have great live betting stats to keep track of. See who’s got the upper hand in the opening 15 minutes before placing a bet. Who’s had more possession? Who’s attacking more? Ask yourself those questions.
Seek Out Value
It’s all about riding it out until at least half-time here. Odds will change, that’s a given, but they will change drastically if, say, the 1/4 favourite is being held 0-0 at half-time. Even though you think the favorite will win, it can be worth waiting until half-time sometimes to get better value. If they’re the better side and have done everything but score, you could back them midway through the match.
Back the Fav When Behind
It can be a good idea to back a strong favorite if they concede an early goal. If, say, Manchester City concede early against West Ham, their odds will rise. You could back them to turn it around.
I live in a small Georgia town that you most likely have never heard of and I LOVE it! My house is more than full as I am a single mother of four & caregiver to my aging mother and uncle. Lover of all things Outlander. Goes to the beat of her own drum woman.
Kim Henrichs says
I used to live in a state that wouldn’t allow it but now that I’m close to Vegas – I should check it out!
Suzie B says
I actually enjoy casino games a lot- I just need to be mindful of sticking to a budget as I can see how easy it is to go overboard!