The betting markets available at your sportsbook mean a lot. It can be the difference between a winning or losing month. Today’s online sports betting industry is growing at a rapid pace. However, it also evolving at an accelerated rate.
While the majority of the betting handle in the US market is still tied to straight bets on point spreads, total lines and money lines, there is a tremendous amount of diversity in available betting markets.
Betting Markets = Betting Options
Betting markets in the online sportsbook industry can be thought of as another term for betting options. Along with the basics, there are exotic markets such as parlays, teasers and if-bets.
Betting futures can be thought of as its own market. The prop bet market has exploded into one of the biggest opportunities to diversify any sports betting strategy. Another fast growing segment of the global industry would be live in-game betting. This is also the most dynamic betting market given the nature of how live bets are placed throughout a game.
Every online sportsbook that operates in the US market has made an effort to expand the range and scope of betting options offered. However, the overall edge in true diversity is the depth of the betting markets offered by the original global sportsbooks operating offshore.
Read More > Offshore vs. US Sportsbooks
US Sportsbook Have Depth Limits
Imitation is the most sincere form of flattery. Yet, the fledgling US online sportsbook industry is still lagging behind. They do offer quite a bit of diversity and variety through their betting board. However, there are limits to the overall depth.
US books are still regulated on a state-by-state basis. For example, betting on esports may be perfectly legal in one US market. Yet, it might not be on the board in a neighboring state. This state-wide regulation system does create inconsistencies across the available marketplace.
Offshore Governing Bodies Don’t Limit Betting Markets
Offshore sportsbooks are governed and regulated by their country of origin.
For example, Costa Rica is the regulatory body for some of the best offshore books. While this jurisdiction has regulations in place to ensure safe and fair gaming practices, it is not all that concerned about the betting markets offered.
This means that offshore books are only limited by the imagination of their line setters and odds makers when it comes to building out their board.
The more diverse your sports betting strategy is, the higher the overall probability of earning a positive return on investment.
Winners Diversify Their Betting Strategy
There is a reason why the online sportsbook industry takes in billions in revenue. It is hard enough to forge a winning strategy as a pro, let alone as a recreational bettor.
The best way to improve your particular winning percentage is by coming up with new and different ways to wager on the games. It’s important to diversify your betting strategy.
As opposed to betting $50 on Sunday’s big showdown, you can place five different $10 bets on that same game. The lone $50 wager becomes a win or lose situation. Depending on the actual betting odds, you can go 2-3 with your five-bet strategy and still make money overall.
Suppose you had +150 odds on two winning bets while booking the other three at even money +100 betting odds. You would have earned $30 on the two winning $10 bets and lost $30 on the other three even money bets. You may not have won any money but you did not lose any money either.