Pros and Cons of Live Betting

The hottest trend in sports betting right now is live betting, the ability to wager on a game or match that is already in progress. Like anything, live betting has its advantages and disadvantages. There are things that will make a bettor love live betting. There are others that will leave a bettor wondering why he ever thought live betting could be a good thing. 

It’s all a matter of perspective or so they say. If you have yet to partake of in-game betting, you might want to get in on the action. There are several pros. Then again, there are some cons.

Fun & Excitement

There is simply nothing like watching a game live and then being able to bet on it. It’s exciting to place a bet and then watch in real time how it all plays out. It’s even better when you win! Betting on sports before a game starts is fun, but live betting takes it to a whole new level.

More Information

One of the biggest advantages of live betting is that the bettor is presented with real-time information. The bettor can see a home underdog feeding off of the crowd. He can see the opponent’s star player looking sluggish. Bettors don’t have this type of information available prior to a game starting. Live feedback can be used by bettors to make better betting decisions.

Softer Market

Sportsbooks spend more time on major markets. Lines and odds on moneyline, point spread, and totals bets are the focus. They are more popular bets and, as a result, the lines and odds are much sharper. 

Ever wonder why live bets have lower – and in many cases significantly lower – betting limits? It’s so they don’t get exploited on a live bet. Betting software is beginning to catch up, but sportsbooks are more interested in making sure they offer live betting. Whether or not the lines are tight is the not the concern just yet. That may change, but for now bettors can take advantage of a softer market.

Hedging Bets

Sometimes, bettors make a bad pre-game choice. They think they had it right, but it quickly appears that a bet is going to be a loser. Live betting offers the bettor a way to fix that. In-game wagers allow bettors to hedge against a loss.

Take a great example from the 2019 AFC championship game. The Kansas City Chiefs were 3-point home favorites over the New England Patriots. The Patriots jumped ahead early and led 14-0 at the half. The pre-game line of Kansas City -3 flipped all the way to the Chiefs +6.5.

The smart bettor jumped in and hedged that pre-game bet with a wager on the Chiefs at +6.5. Kansas City did come back and eventually tied the game but lost in overtime 37-31. The pre-game bet, of course, was a loser but the live bet was a winner. At the very least, the bettor didn’t lose as much as he could have.

Too Fast

For some bettors, live betting is simply too fast. Odds typically change when there is a stoppage of play. They can update at any time, but bettors that want to think and a certain number don’t have the luxury of doing so with a live bet. Bettors have to pull the trigger pretty quickly and that can put a lot of pressure on a bettor. 

Lack of Planning

Bettors can’t really plan for live bets. When betting conventionally, it’s easy to develop and stick to a betting plan. With in-game bets, bettors don’t know what is going to happen on the next play, the next at-bat, or next trip up the court. Live betting is more of a wide open free-for-all in some cases. For some bettors, that just doesn’t work. They would rather have a plan and stick to it.

It’s Addicting

Face it. Live betting is fun and exciting. It’s so fun and exciting that it can become addicting. That could be a good thing as long as your bankroll is moving in the right direction. For most, that’s not such a good thing. Bettors should understand where live betting fits into their overall betting strategy. They should establish some limits and stick to them. Ultimately, live betting provides great entertainment and even better entertainment when you win.