This is a neatly organised and comprehensive guide that will give you everything you need to know about sports betting in the UK. I’ll give you the ins and outs learned through trial and error, so you don’t have to fail yourself. I’ll show you everything by providing the following:
Understanding the playing field is half the battle, so I’m going to go through sports betting in the UK, The Rules, The Risks, The Strategies, and the tactics. I’m not going to stall any further, so let’s get into it.
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Sports betting is incredibly popular, and for a good reason. Numerous people opt for sports betting like on Football instead of other forms of gambling due to their love of sports. Every single one has a favourite sportsperson or sports team, usually in several sports. Well, whatever it is that you like, you can cash in by betting on it.
Sports betting is the practice of predicting accurate results in sports to get the most profit out of your wager.
There are numerous different types of sports bets, and some don’t even have anything to do with the team’s victory. You can bet on a whole wide assortment of different things, including the outcome of the initial coin toss. It’s all fair play, it’s all fair game. The frequency at which people place their wagers on sports is most directly related to what season it is.
When it’s the UEFA Champions League, every betting site is under heavy fire by unmatched amounts of sports fans looking to cash in on their favourites. There are numerous benefits to betting in comparison to gambling. For starters, it’s much harder to get lost in the thrill of sports betting, as the process is not instant. It takes some time and provides a thrilling experience that I personally think everyone should try at least once, for the heck of it. You can try your hand at betting on anything – if you ask the bookie, you’re most likely going to get the odds of anything happening, ever.
Betting on sports is actually pretty simple, but you really should know what you are doing. There is no quicker way to blow your money than on sports betting. It might not be as quick as slots or cards, but if you bet all your money on several failing baskets, you’re in for a bad time. Before you bet on anything, think about it. You need to know the sport or thing you are betting on really well to find yourself the safest bet possible. You can’t be betting your cold-hard cash on something you know next to nothing about, can you? Well, you can, but it would be pretty stupid.
Do your research! When you’ve understood the smallest detail about the sport you are betting on, the next step to sports betting is getting the match itself down. Sadly, this is more research. Research the teams or the players on the lineup, and place your bets according to your findings. When you’ve done all your research, and you’ve prepared the money you want to bet on the match, you’re in the game! But hold up. You know who you are willing to put money on, and you know your odds, so what happens now? Now you’re in need of a bookie, or as he is officially known, a bookmaker. A bookie is a person who operates in a casino and is tasked with taking your bet. You give him the money for your bet upfront, you give him the tiny slip of paper on which you’ve written what you want to do, he gives you the ticket, and if you’re right, you’re the next millionaire in the quart!
You should never go looking for an illegal bookie. If you look for the devil, you’re bound to find him at the end of the road. Illegal bookies operate an illegal practice and might let you place your bet without coughing up the dough up front. The problem is, if you lose, you’re in big trouble. You don’t need this in your life – trust me. Remember to keep your practices legal.
Every sport seems to have its own betting type, but the core idea remains the same in almost all types of sports betting. To paint a picture of what bets look like and what they are, I’ve decided to group them into:
Win Bet
A bet that is placed on the winning or the losing of the game. You can place it on a single game or combine numerous games to make a multiple (accumulation) bet.
Place Bet
Imagine a horse race. You’ve had a dream about the horses and the place each will finish in. You bet on horse X to finish in place X. If your assumption is right, you’re entitled to a nice reimbursement for your wisdom!
Each-Way Bet
Each-way is a combination of the previous two entries – a win and place bet of equal size – that may be placed on one event, or combined together to make multiple bets. This usually offers a massive payout but is a little too complex to work out every time.
Single Bet
A single bet is a bet on a single thing. Mike Tyson is going to bite off Evander’s ear. He does, you get paid. It’s as simple as that.
Double
A bet on two outcomes, both of which need to come true. Mike Tyson is going to bite off Evander’s ear in the third round, or number 9 is going to score a goal for the visiting team.
Triple
A bet on three different selections, all of which need to pass for you to get paid. Mike Tyson bites off Evander’s right ear, in the third round; number 9 scores a goal in the second half.
Multiple Bet
All bets that are stacked one on top of the other, doubles, triples and such, are called multiple bets. As they stack, the odds rise, thus providing more profit if all of them are correct.
Accumulating Bet
An Accumulator bet is like multiple bets, but bigger. You can virtually stack endless amounts of bets on top of each other, to get a bigger stake and possible winning each time. Fourfold, Sevenfold, Tenfold bets are all considered an accumulator bet.
Full cover bet
This is the king of all bet stacking. It’s a wager that consists of all possible doubles, triples, and accumulators that are given by the bookie across a given number of selections.
These include the following:
Trixie
A Trixie is a wager on three selections that consists of four different bets. Three doubles and one triple. A minimum of two must go through for you to make a profit.
Yankee
A Yankee is a bet on four selections that consist of eleven separate bets. Six doubles, Four Triples, and a Fourfold Accumulator. A minimum of two must go through to make a profit.
Super Yankee
A Super Yankee is a bet on five different selections that consist of 26 separate bets. Ten Doubles, Ten Triples, Five Fourfolds, and a Fivefold accumulator. A minimum of two must go through to make a profit.
Heinz
A Heinz is a bet on six selections, consisting of a total of 57 separate bets. Fifteen doubles, twenty triples, fifteen fourfolds, six fivefolds, and a sixfold accumulator. A minimum of two must go through for you to make a profit.
Super Heinz
A Super Heinz is a bet established upon seven selections that consist of 120 separate bets. Twenty-one Doubles, Thirty-Five Fourfolds, Twenty-one Fivefolds, seven sixfolds, and one sevenfold accumulator. A minimum of two selections needs to go through for you to make a profit.
Goliath
The king of kings, the Goliath is a bet that consists of eight selections, based on a staggering 247 separate bets. Twenty-eight doubles, fifty-six triples, seventy fourfolds, fifty-six five-folds, twenty-eight six-folds, eight sevenfold, and an eightfold accumulator.A minimum of two needs to go through for you to make a profit. And if you pull through with the Goliath, you’re going to end up a very wealthy man.
The short answer to this question is: “Yes”. All sorts of gambling are legal if the sport itself is legal, and if the betting and gambling are regulated by the United Kingdom Gambling Commission (UKGC).
Each different country has its own stand when it comes to any sort of gambling. The US has had a pretty ugly betting history, but the people over on the other side of the pond have it a little bit easier.
All types of gambling are legal, as long as the place you’re betting or gambling at is legal and licensed. You can even bet and gamble offshore, without getting in trouble. The Brexit act might impact this, so keep an eye out. The sports betting and gambling ultimately make the country money in the long run, and it took some places like the US quite a long time to understand that fact.
If you’re over 18, nothing can stop you from playing any game you like, as long as it is legal. Land-based gambling and sports betting are regulated by the gambling act of 2005.
But, nothing is just land-based anymore. Online gambling has been an integral part of betting and gambling hobbyists for a long time. This type of gambling is also completely legal and is regulated by the 2014 act. All gambling in the UK is monitored, licensed and regulated by the United Kingdom Gambling Commission, which promises to take crime out of gambling and provide the consumer with a safe and fun hobby to partake in.
All forms of online gambling and sports betting are completely legal within the borders of the United Kingdom.
Every online casino that is registered in the UK is registered, licensed, monitored, and regulated by the UKGC, which was formed back in 2005. This has been standard practice since the establishment of the Gambling Act, which placed in the regulations that all casinos, including online casinos, must abide by.
If you’re running any kind of betting or gambling platform in the UK, you need to get licensed by the UKGC. The UK has a huge number of online casinos that are more than happy to take all your pending bets and provide you with an amazing service. Online gambling is an all-time favourite for every casual gambler. People just like the comfort of their own home much more than the flashy lights that casinos offer. There is nothing better than sitting back in your own chair, getting your own drink, and placing your own bets, from your favourite chair. The UK is pretty loose when it comes to online gambling, while numerous other places such as the US have done everything in their power to criminalise the idea of online gambling.
The US has loosened up in the past couple of years, but still has a long way to go before it takes its online gambling as liberally as the UK does. This is a nice setup for all my readers from the UK because you have a wide variety of safe and licensed gambling sites to choose from. Unlike some other countries, the UK government doesn’t criminalise online gambling. Instead, it fosters a safe environment with protections for players and operators alike. The only thing that you are required to fulfil if you want to gamble within the boundaries of the UK, be it online or in a land-based casino is the age requirement.
You need to be 18+ to even enter a casino, let alone place a bet. The gambling act of 2005 forbids all foreign casinos from advertising their services to the UK consumer base, but this doesn’t mean you can’t access them legally. This just prevents the casinos from approaching you, not you from approaching the casinos. Long story short, online gambling and sports betting is not only legal but is the simpler and easier alternative to placing your bets in a land-based casino.
The UK does have pretty loose online gambling laws, but the problem lies within its self-exclusion scheme called GamStop.
If you have ever had a run-in with the online gambling world, sports betting, pokies, slots, poker, anything – you’ve had a run-in with GamStop.
It’s usually located on the lowest part of the website and has its own badge of regulation.
GamStop is United Kingdoms’ online gambling self-exclusion scheme that you can sign up for if your gambling habits are getting a little bit out of hand, and it’s notoriously hard to get out of. The problem is that GamStop is something you are more often than not forced to sign up for. When you’ve signed up for GamStop, you can kiss some of your online gambling habits goodbye for a selected time, while others might suffer forever. Sometimes, when you register with GamStop, casinos will blacklist you.
That means you won’t be able to access them at all, ever. This poses a big problem if you have any money tied up on the website, or if you have changed your mind. You might have been a little bit on edge, and signed up for a self-exclusion from online gambling for a total period of five years. After a single year, everything has changed, and you’d like to place a few small bets. GamStop takes this away from you.
There are ways around GamStop, though. GamStop is affiliated with the UKGC, so all casinos that are registered and regulated by the UKGC comply with GamStop. Casinos outside of the UK don’t. This is a good thing.
The whitelist goes: EEA (European Economic Area) Countries, Alderney, Antigua and Barbuda, Gibraltar, Isle of Man and Tasmania Online casinos that are registered within the boundaries of these places and that are regulated by local gambling commissions are out of Gamstop’s reach.
If you’ve found yourself in a self-exclusion scenario by GamStop, and you still want to gamble or place your bets online, you need to look for a casino that is licensed and regulated by one of these places.
We have covered everything there is to know about the legality of sports betting in the UK, about the types of bets themselves, and how to place them.
I’ve thoroughly recommended doing your research on this topic, but that’s not the only thing you should keep in mind when you’re betting on the next big game. There are a lot more things to successful sports betting than just researching without measure, and there are some things you learn the hard way.
Well, since I’ve learned them the hard way myself, I might as well share what I did wrong when I first started betting on sports, so you don’t make the same mistakes. When you’re sports betting, ALWAYS remember and consider the following.
What You Should Do
Do Your Research!
Again, I can’t say this and recommend it enough. You need to do your research if you are willing to put any money, anywhere. You don’t want to be losing lots of money, even if you are only a casual and hobby sports better. If you research your topic well, you’re bound to increase your chances of turning a profit tenfold. Always do your research, and do it thoroughly!
Manage Your Money!
Managing your funds is one of the most important parts of any gambler’s life. You don’t want to go all in and end up broke at the end of the day if you get yourself on a losing streak. If you manage your money properly, you’ll always have betting money and not wind up hurt even if you lose. Keeping your bank account happy keeps you happy.
Stick to the Plan!
Before you even put your shoes on to go to the casino, or pull up the chair and log on to your favourite betting website, you should have a plan. A good gambling plan is half the battle. If you go to the casino, you should already know what you want to bet on and how much you are willing to lose. Sticking to the plan provides you with financial security.
What You Should NEVER Do
Don’t Fall For the Tricks!
Tricks will be plentiful, as tricking you is a casino’s top priority. Not one single casino in the world wants you to make money. You need to keep away from “fixed” matches, “if” bonuses, and other tricks. Stick to the plan, and don’t fall for any of the devious tricks you might be exposed to.
Know When to Quit!
This goes without saying – even if you are winning or losing, you should know when to take your profits (or loses) and go on your merry way. If you play without an end in mind, you’re bound to lose. If you’re on a winning streak, that’s amazing! But the only place you can go when you’re on the top is down, so be smart and take your wins on the road, before they take themselves back to the casino, along with the rest of your wallet.
It should be obvious by now that sports betting is a popular hobby and a great source of some cash on the side. There is nothing I personally love more than seeing my favourite football team play. Sadly, although I’m in love with it, I’ve found that betting on it every time can be a pretty bad investment.
You need to understand the sport to know what the best bets are. People seem to be flying into betting without even knowing how to do it. This is why I’ve written this article for you. These are all tried and tested methods to teach you the ins and outs of sports betting within the UK.
What’s your option and opinion on this topic? Did I forget to write something? Please, do leave a comment if you have any questions or remarks. I’d love to hear them, so there is no reason to be shy. Perhaps you know something I don’t – let’s start a conversation!
Is it legal to place a sports bet in the UK?