Sports betting has come a long way, especially when it transitioned to the internet. It’s not just about placing bets for convenience anymore because online bookies are now allowing punters to place all sorts of bets online.
These days, you even have more options to bet on – not just the upcoming sports event. Many online sportsbooks offer gambling options like fantasy sports and virtual sports betting.
Yes, these are different ways to add thrill to your favorite sports. If you’re unsure or are still confused about what makes them different, that’s what we’ll take a closer look at in this article.
Sports Betting
Sports betting is perhaps the most traditional and straightforward of the three. It involves wagering on online betting and casino for the outcome of real-life sports. This is what you do if there’s an upcoming basketball, football, or cricket match.
You have to place a bet on which team or individual you believe will win, or on various other aspects of the game such as the final score, the number of goals or points scored, or even specific player performances.
There are two main ways you can enjoy sports betting: pre-game and live betting. Pre-game is the more common way to do this. You need to place your wagers before a match begins.
On the other hand, live betting, also known as in-game or in-play betting, is when you place bets on a match while it’s happening. It’s fast-paced as live betting odds are usually just available for just a few minutes.
Also, know that not all online sportsbooks are already offering live sports betting. Some of them are simply not capable of this yet, as they don’t have the software needed.
Some intentionally don’t offer them because of a complex service. It requires advanced tech for them to update odds in real time and they should be able to handle large volumes of bets qu
Then there are also the various types of bets you can place which include Moneylines (which team will win), point spread (who will lose), Over/Under (total combined score), Parlays, and Prop bets.
10CRIC is one of the popular options when it comes to pre-game and live betting. Other great online gambling sites that offer both are Betway, Bet365, BC. Game, BetMGM, etc.
Fantasy Sports
Fantasy sports sound just like what it is. This is when you create your virtual team based on real-life players. So, if you want Ronaldo to play alongside Messi, then this might be an interesting option for you.
Most Fantasy sports operators would allow you to do this on football, basketball, and cricket. Once you’ve chosen a sport, you’ll then have to join a league. This is a group of other players online who have their teams who will be playing in a tournament.
Just like in real life, there’s also a time when you “draft players.” You get to this with the rest of the fantasy sports managers who are part of the league you joined.
Once done, you’ll then have to figure out your lineup. Each week, you choose which players from your team will “start” and which will be on the “bench.” Only the starters earn points for you.
So, how do you win? Well, you earn points based on the real-life performance of the athletes on your team. For example, if you managed to “sign” Virat Kohli into your team and he scored a wicket during an IPL match, then you also get a point.
The teams with the best records at the end of the season enter the playoffs, and whoever wins will be the champion.
Popular Fantasy sports platforms include DraftKings and FanDuel.
Virtual Sports
Many would easily confuse virtual sports with fantasy sports betting but know that these two are completely different. These are computer-simulated sports events, and the results of the games are completely random.
That said, you can think of this as sports betting being “casino-fied.” The results of virtual sports matches are determined by Random Number Generators (RNGs) which is what casino games like online slots use.
Ignition Casino and MyStake are some of the online gambling sites that offer virtual sports like football, horse racing, greyhound racing, and even F1.
Conclusion: Which One Is Right For You?
The truth is that you’ll never know which one is the best way to gamble if you don’t give them all a shot. However, everyone will probably agree that regular sports betting is simply unmatchable.
You might only enjoy Fantasy Sports if you’re passionate about a certain league and you’d like your dream of being a team manager fulfilled. It’s an interesting way to immerse yourself in whatever sport you’re a big fan of.
Lastly, virtual sports are for those who just want to try something new. If you’re feeling extra lucky, then it could be a fun game to play. Also, a safe and legal alternative for those who live in places where horse racing and greyhound racing are illegal.