One of the biggest modern innovations in online sports betting has undoubtedly been live betting. Introduced in the early 2000s, live betting created a seismic shift in the way that punters went about making sports wagers. It moved the bar from only having static pre-match options to getting right into the heart of the minute-by-minute action.

Live betting is extremely dynamic, and it allows players to strategically balance their pre-match bets, or make stand-alone wagers. Betting on outcomes while an event is in its full throes of action allows for a much closer examination of nuanced aspects such as performance levels, weather and unexpected moments like an underdog taking the lead in a match.

Everywhere, all the time

Most online bookmakers that you come across have live betting listings. However, there are differences between the platforms, regarding the types of sports covered, market variety, quality of betting odds and extra features such as live streaming, which is a great complement to live betting.

It’s worth looking at bookmaker review sites such as askgamblers.com, which provide live scores and fixtures, play-by-play updates and integrated betting odds. It is a handy all-in-one platform where you can follow your favourite matches in real time and stay on top of everything without jumping between sites.

When it comes to the sports themselves, there are some that are better suited to live in-play betting than others.

Soccer

Soccer matches ebb and flow, which is great for live betting opportunities. Soccer is a low-scoring sport, which is extremely helpful for finding value opportunities through live betting. A single goal can drastically shift the odds across a range of live soccer betting markets.

The trick is to try and anticipate a goal through significant momentum shifts. A strategy could be waiting to see if a team that’s losing a UEFA Champions League match, for example, looks like they have enough ability and time to mount a recovery.

Cards, injuries, refereeing decisions and substitutions can also have a major impact on a game, and these are the sort of unpredictable things that can’t be taken into consideration with static pre-match odds.

Tennis

Another ideal sport for live betting is tennis due to the momentum shifts that often come about because of the mental pressure in a game. Losing a key point can knock the confidence out of a player, or it could get them fired up to mount a big response.

As there are natural breaks in a tennis match between each point, it allows bettors plenty of opportunity to study the body language of the players to try and predict shifts. One of the best areas for this is anticipating a break in service.

Another good example is when a strong favourite has lost the first set, as they will be at a much better price to still win the match than they were pre-match. As you can find betting markets on the next point, the next game winner and scores, tennis works brilliantly for live betting.

Baseball

There is also a lot of stop-and-start action in baseball. Every ball pitched and every run that gets added to the score is impactful, and again, the key to live betting on the sport is anticipation. Deciding whether a top batter doesn’t quite have their eye in, or a pitcher looks on top of the opposition’s batting lineup, are big areas of focus for live betting.

One ball that is cracked for a home run, or a pitcher keeping the opposition off the scoreboard in another inning, can cause a fluctuation in the live odds. With the ever-changing conditions of the weather, the form of players and field adjustments, there’s a lot to consider, but there are plenty of pauses in a game to allow bettors to take stock.

Basketball

Basketball matches are the polar opposite of soccer matches in terms of scoring. There’s a rapid turnover of points on the scoreboard in basketball, which keeps matches in an exciting state of flux. This makes basketball great for spread betting and outrights, but not necessarily on the full outcome of the match.

Breaking the game down into quarters or halves for live betting areas like totals helps because it eliminates some of the time during which momentum shifts can happen. Teams will go through patches when they are more attack-minded, or switch to a more defensive game when under pressure. Reading the game to see when these are going to take place is a great asset for live basketball betting.

Ice hockey

More in the vein of soccer, ice hockey matches are generally lower-scoring fixtures. It’s difficult for a team playing the second night of a back-to-back away from home to rally up enough energy to last the distance in a game.

So, while they may be pre-match underdogs, with live ice hockey betting, opportunities to back them to get on the scoreboard early in the game when they do still have energy or backing the home team to rustle up a flurry of third-period goals can be considered.

Even when the outcome of a game doesn’t look in doubt, there are still plenty of angles to explore. It just requires the bettor to be more adaptive and to have a good understanding of the sport.

The bookmakers back it

You can easily spot the most popular sports for live betting by seeing which have an abundance of matches covered at a sportsbook alongside good depth of market coverage. While you may find live betting on something like a volleyball match, the options may not go much beyond the outright winner.

Live betting isn’t without risks, and it can be extremely tempting to keep betting on the outcomes of ever-changing in-game scenarios. It can also be a lot more emotional than pre-match betting, which can lead to rash, panicked decisions on the spur of the moment. While live betting is dynamic, strategies are still needed for responsible gambling.

Watch it all

Anticipation over what is going to happen and basing bets on that is common practice for developing a strategy for live betting. It requires understanding factors such as how good a soccer team is at fighting back when conceding first, and their general scoring and conceding patterns or whatever is relevant to the sport being bet on. Picking up on these all-important momentum shifts is the key to it all, which can really only come from watching the action.