Betting FAQ - general

Before you can truly understand if the odds you’re getting are good or not you need to understand how bookmakers set their odds. Bookmakers calculate the probability of each outcome occurring and then subtract the betting margin. Bookmakers start off by setting their margin (let's say 3%) and they then set the odds for the various outcomes incorporating this commission. If the real probability is 1/2 (1.5 in decimal, 48.5 in American) then the bookie will subtract their 3% margin and the real odds given will be 29/20 (1.45, 190).

Bookmakers will have different estimations and will set different values. On average, using odds comparison and placing bets at the bookmaker that offers odds with the highest implied probability will help you net more money. By comparing betting odds from various bookmakers, punters increase their winnings by approximately 12-20%. Sports odds comparison service at Betting Kick lets you compare betting odds & betting lines from 30+ major bookmakers.

The margin of a sportsbook, which is also known as its vigorish (or vig), is the fee that is charged by the bookmaker for accepting a player’s wager. This can also go by the name of overround. Bookies will always try to put the odds in their own favour with the margin, and it is through this that they make their profit. Essentially, it works as a commission on the lay bets that you place.

The margin is there to ensure that some sort of profit comes towards the sportsbook. Otherwise, bettors would simply place bets and would receive pay-outs from the losses of other players. The sportsbook doesn’t benefit in this way, so with a margin in place, it at least gets a share of the money.

Gambling should always be a fun pastime to engage in, and you should never bet more money than you can afford to lose. Furthermore, don’t be tempted into gambling by promotions that promise you huge bonuses and rewards. We also stress that you make plans for the matches you want to bet on before visiting your chosen sportsbook(s) and stick to those specific bets.

However, if you do feel that your gambling is becoming a problem, there are various routes that you can take to obtain help and support through this. Organisations like GamStop, GambleAware and GamCare all provide the best support for players who feel like they’re having problems with gambling or who feel at risk.

While it’s true that you may simply believe fractional and decimal odds are simply different because one is favoured across the sea and the other isn’t, there’s more to it than that. Fractional odds provide you with the ratio of the amount of profit won to the stake you place. Meanwhile, decimal odds show you the amount that you win for every €1 that you wager.

So, if you see a decimal odd displayed as 11.00, then every €1 you place on that will provide you with €11 back if it’s a winning bet. Where fractional odds are concerned, if you see something listed with 6/1 odds, this means that you would basically win €6 for every €1 that you wager if it’s a successful bet.

Before you can truly understand if the odds you’re getting are good or not you need to understand how bookmakers set their odds. Bookmakers calculate the probability of each outcome occurring and then subtract the betting margin. Bookmakers start off by setting their margin (let's say 3%) and they then set the odds for the various outcomes incorporating this commission. If the real probability is 1/2 (1.5 in decimal, 48.5 in American) then the bookie will subtract their 3% margin and the real odds given will be 29/20 (1.45, 190).

A Banker Bet is offered as a form of wagering on three or more selections, although this differs from the greater-known accumulator bet (acca). That one includes all of your selections put together in a single bet. A Banker Bet basically requires you to add your selections to your betting slip and from that choice of matches, you select which ones you want as your Banker Bet(s).

To follow up with this, you need to decide which out of the available bets based on the banker selections you would like back. Basically, the ones that you select as your Banker Bets have to be the winning ones in order for your stake to win completely. Should any of those lose, then your whole wager loses.