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Tips & Strategies for Live Betting Success in Nigeria 2024

Live betting, also known as ‘in-game’ betting, is used to refer to wagers placed while the game is already underway, but has not yet been completed. This is a popular option among many punters, and the thrill that comes with watching the results unfold live is unmatched. In this article we will highlight the strategies to use during live betting, some examples, its advantages and disadvantages as well as soccer live betting tricks.

Live Betting Tips & Strategy: Learn How to Take Advantage of Live Betting

Guide to Successful Live Bets Predictions: Increase you chances for successful In-Play predictions

Live Betting Examples: See how to place In-running bets

Tricks & Secrets of Live Betting in Soccer: Become a Live Betting master with these useful tips

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Live Betting Tips and Strategy: How to Take Advantage of Live Betting

The popularity of the live betting option compared to conventional betting is not only the flexibility and the money-making opportunities, but also the thrill and entertainment that comes with watching the live betting score unfold live. However, having the odds unpredictably change before your eyes every second can be tempting and confusing. Here are a few tips and live betting rules to help make informed and reasonable bets.

 

Make sure you are watching the entire game

If you are going to bet on live games, then you must make sure you are watching the entire game. This will help you identify opportunities that can give an edge over the competition. If you are watching up to 10 matches where you keep switching, you will end up missing out on some potential money. Ideally, in-game betting entails getting into the flow of the game and understanding every shift in momentum.

Thus, if you are looking to bet on many matches, you should probably place bets on the most games then choose at most two games to bet live. With live wagers, the target is always to identify ways and angles to get an edge. This cannot be possible if you are fully immersed.

 

Start with a pre-game bet

Doing your pre-game homework is a crucial step to help you get to the right state of mind and is a great starting point. It is not really a requirement, but most experienced in-game bettors usually start off with a pre-game bet. The reason why it is a recommendable step is that it gives you numerous options going into the game. Keeping in mind that live betting is best for maximizing on bets that are going the right way and countering those that are losing; having a pre-game bet to start from gives you this sort of flexibility. As earlier stated, this is not a requirement, but it is a good point to start from.

 

Utilize available research tools

Information is power. Capitalize on the information available online to find the best live betting opportunities. If you are a beginner, you will be surprised by the depth to which seasoned punters go to find opportunities. Although there is enough information on the internet, you must be able to identify that which best suits you and also analyze it to work to your advantage. You need to understand match results and historical outcomes.

 

Avoid propositions you don’t understand

Trying new and promising opportunities is always tempting. However, when your money is on the line, it would be better to stick to what you know. For example, if you are new to horse racing, it would be best to watch a few races and understand the overall betting experience before wagering for real money.

 

Evaluate the credibility of the betting site before registering

This is one of the best live betting tips and to some extent, the bookie you settle for can play a significant role in determining the outcome of in-game bets. There are several unauthorized live betting sites on the internet, and it would suck if you ended up settling for such platforms. Always do your research and check reviews of a site before registering. You can also choose from our list of top live betting sites.

 

Strive to point out cases where a bookmaker has over-valued odds

To make the most of your bets, you have to be keen with the odds provided by bookmakers. In most cases, prices tend to be set over-optimistically. This means that a bookie assumes that the outcome is more likely to happen than what probability alone suggests. Bettors use market knowledge to identify regular overpricing and make profits out of such cases. Ideally, odds are overvalued when you think that a bookie’s assessment of the likelihood of an event as reflected by the odds is significantly inaccurate.

To do this, you have to think past history and statistics. Instead, pay attention to more subjective factors which could have a significant impact on an outcome.

 

Use half time to regroup

Half time is crucial during in-game betting since it gives you time to analyze how your current bet is failing and the first half changes that could have an impact on your wager. You should use this time to analyze if your strategy is working and determine if you need to take another route going into the second half. It is also important to strike a balance between knowing when to be flexible and not being biased.

Read more about Half Time bets here. 

 

Bankroll management

The fast-pace of live betting can easily carry you away into wagering more than you had planned. Since there are cases where you might need to place multiple bets in real-time, it is always advisable to ensure that you keep track of how much action you have on the line. Luckily there are sportsbooks that have a great interface that allows you to keep track of all your bets.

Read our extensive guide to Bankroll Management here. 

 

Consider hedging your bets

This is where the pre-match bet comes into play. Ideally, hedging your bets means counter-balancing potential losses with other bets. For example, if your pre-match bet was for a team to win, you can place another bet during the live game to counter that wager. This is a great way to stay in control of how much you are willing to risk. And although you also end up offsetting some potential winnings in doing so, it is an effective spread betting strategy you might consider incorporating.

 

Come up with an attack plan that relates to changing odds

Conducting substantial research into the game itself and assessing the odds as well as making informed predictions is absolutely vital when it comes to in-game betting. However, one thing that punters overlook is the need to craft a plan directly related to how live odds operate. Hence, regardless of whether you want to wager low or high on certain levels of risk, spread bet, go for high odds or low odds, you should always have a plan and stick to it. This will help you stay your ground without getting overwhelmed by the speed of live bets.

 

As a beginner, start with traditional bets then progress to live bets

If you are just starting out in sports betting, in-playing is probably not the place you want to start. Consider starting with some basic traditional bets and get to know how the system works. There is no rush, whatsoever; live betting is here to stay. Rushing into in-game wagering may lead to a horrible experience. Not so say that its complex, but you’ve got to take one step at a time.

 

Guide to Successful Live Bets Predictions

Live betting predictions vary from one sportsbook to the next. However, these predictions are mostly calculated based on live betting statistics as well as algorithms. Most predictions usually highlight the expected home wins, draws and visitor’s wins. Unlike the traditional bets, with live bets, the odds will change in real-time while watching the live match, thus creating many betting opportunities.

Live bet predictions offer excellent betting experience. However, it is always important to keep in mind that to make a successful bet prediction, the first step should be to estimate the likelihood of your intended bet being correct. To do this, you only need to compare the odds being offered by your selected bookies.

You can also check our list of Live Betting prediction sites here. 

 

Vigilant in identifying opportunities

The bookies change the odds as the game proceeds. If you can predict the further course of the game depending on an immediate occurrence in the game, then you will be able place your bet before the odds are reduced. For instance, if you can easily predict the change in momentum of the game before the bookies change their algorithms, you might get better deals.

 

The choice of Match is a crucial factor

With the numerous matches and opportunities that live betting offers, it is easier to get tempted into wagering on too many events. This is a mistake common among newbie punters. However, it is always recommendable to stick to a maximum of two matches and evaluate opportunities that offer valuable odds.

 

Learn to balance emotions and logic

When your money is on stake, you have to access a situation with calmness and logic at par. You should never mix earning on bets with favoring a favorite team without any reasonable motive to do so. You can support your team during any other time but not when your money is on the line.

 

Correct Predictions do not depend on luck

Well, we can’t ignore the fact that you need luck to succeed in sports betting. However, you cannot rely only on luck for long term success. You need to do thorough research as well as learn to keep your emotions in check.

 

Work your way from probation to real money

To be successful in sports bet predictions, you have to practice and be consistent. Start your predictions without placing the wagers and evaluate your success rate in the predictions. This will also help boost your confidence in placing the wagers for real money.

 

Live Betting Examples

Understanding how soccer live betting strategy works is easier if you already have an idea of how traditional bet works. The main difference is the fact that with live betting, the odds will change several times after the event starts and depending on how the game proceeds.

 

Example 1: Over/Under Live Betting

Over/Under bet does not focus on the final result but on the total number of goals scored in the entire match.

If your available market is Over 2.5 or Under 2.5 goals, this means that you win if there are three goals or more if you settled for Over 2.5 goals. If you settle for Under 2.5 goals, your bet will pay only if two goals or less are scored.

Let’s take a case where live betting on Bet9ja for a match between international clubs offers Over/Under odds as follows:

bet9ja over under - live betting
With the match at half time, the over odds were at 1.14 while under were 4.90, now notice how these change when Dinamo score the third goal during the second half in the image below.

bet9ja over under betting - live betting

The odds now stand at Over (1.48); Under (2.30)

Utilizing this live soccer betting strategy, if you had placed an Over 2.5 bet during kick off, your winning bet will be settled right away without having to wait for the game to end. However, if you had placed an Under 2.5, you could still be on the winning side in the first half but tables turn with the third goal during the second half.

 

Example 2: 1×2 live betting

This is one of the most popular live football betting strategies among punters and is also used in traditional betting. It involved wagering on the result of the match with three possible outcomes. These outcomes include home win, away win, and draw.

Using Bet9ja’s live soccer betting odds on the match between Norwich and Leicester City:

bet9ja 1x2 live betting - live betting

In this case, Leicester are the favorites at 1.76 and Norwich odds are at 4.40 while the draw is priced at 4.00.

This means that for a 100 stakes, a bet in Leicester to win will award you 176 while a bet on Norwich to win will award you 440. A bet on a draw will yield 400.

During live game, if Leicester concedes a goal during the first quarter, they will still remain favorites but the odds will change to something like this:

Norwich –Leicester City
1 (Norwich)-odds of 3.86
X (Draw)-odds of 3.80
2 (Leicester City)-odds of 2.30

Ideally with a 100 stake, a live soccer bet on Norwich to win will yield 386 and that of Leicester City will earn you 230. A draw will pay 380.

Comparing both cases, Leicester is still favored but if you place your live bet for them to win, you will earn more compared to if you had placed a pre-game bet.

 

Example 3: Who Wins the rest of the match?

This is another great live betting option offered at Bet9ja. You only need to bet on who wins the rest of the match from the time you place the bet. Once your bet is placed the score becomes 0-0 even though one of the teams is already winning. This is the best live betting strategy since it is not only easy to understand but it also creates better wagering opportunities.

bet9ja 1x2 live betting options

In this live club friendly game between NK Vardarac and Cepin, you have the option to predict who will win the rest of the match. Since Cepin are already the favorite, you can expect that they have higher odds of winning the rest of the match compared to NK Vardac.

NK Vardarac – Cepin
1 (NK Vardarac)-odds of 4.10
X (Draw)-odds of 2.16
2 (Cepin)-odds of 2.32

 

Tricks and Secrets of Live Betting in Soccer

Since by now you already understand what live betting entails and the strategies to incorporate during in-game betting; how about we take a sneak pick into live soccer betting tips and some of the popular soccer live betting tricks?

 

In-play corner betting strategy

This soccer betting strategy is effectively applicable when the favorites are losing and particularly at the knock-out stages. It is a simple technique, but you have to remember these two facts. First, the attacking team must have high pressure and need to score. For example, they could be targeting to qualify in the next round or even win the league title. The second fact is if the attacking team is strong attacking from the wing.

A good example could be a match where; Liverpool are hosting Manchester City for the third round of the Champions Cup, and by half time, the Citizens are winning 1-0. Keep in mind that the Reds are the favorites. They have been awarded 3 corners, 2-1 in favor of the home side. So how do you proceed in such a case? It is obvious that both teams want to qualify, but the Reds are highly likely to be more attacking since they are the favorites and are at home.

So what if Liverpool increases their pressure? This means that they will be able to win more corners than Citizens. Hence, they are more likely to win the race to corners.

Another traditional betting option is the total corners. Here, you have two options; a handicapped two ways (for example over/ under 8.5) or the three-way market (over-exactly-under). You must be watching the progress of the game to help you determine which option to settle for.

Click here for our main article on Corner Betting strategy. 

 

Over 1.5 live betting strategy

Although this is not the most popular football live betting strategy, it can still go a long way to boost your bankroll. It is among the high-risk strategies, which means it requires treading carefully; ideally, you should not bet more than 10% of your bankroll. In this case, you are to choose a game where there are expected to be many goals, and hopefully, there be an early goal; preferably within the first quarter.

For example:

If a goal is scored during the 17th minute, the odds for over 1.5 will be approximately 1.50 or more in the case where the underdogs score the first goal. This is just the right time to place your wager. You could also use this strategy during the second half over 1.5, but this will be riskier. To lower the risk, you could consider wagering at over 1.5 for the full time, but make sure that the odds are 1.2 or higher.

Read more about Over/Under Goals bets here. 

 

Favorite to win the first half

This is the best live soccer betting strategy mostly because even though the team you wanted to win by half time concedes a goal, you still have an option to back the draw in even odds or even more. However, before placing such a wager, the best soccer betting advice is to wait for at least five matchdays. This will give you an idea of the style of play each team is utilizing. Some of the key live soccer tips you should keep in check include who is their key player? Do they score a lot? Which period of the game are they likely to score? Do they prefer attacking from the wings?

With this information, you will be able to determine the amount of money you are willing to wager as well as the right time to place your wager. Ideally, if the home win pays at pre-game markets around 1.90, you have a chance to find a home win at half-time at better offs of 2.5.

 

Live arbitrage betting strategy

This strategy is no different from other soccer live betting strategies. You just need to choose a sportsbook that does not have live betting rules that limit your account. This is the reason why most seasoned punters prefer wagering on exchanges or reliable bookies such as Betfair which is known globally.

Betway and 1Xbet could also be better choices since they don’t limit your account. To maximize on your bets, you just need to find a two-way bet which could either be an over/under in goals or corners. Then find a mistake between the two sets of odds. For instance, if on Betway you get an over at 2.00 and on Bet9ja the under is at 2.10, it means that one of these bookies has priced its odds wrong.

This bet required much attention. Also remember that arbitrage betting means ‘sure bet’ thus, thorough research is needed. You will only be guaranteed returns on your wager only if you place your bet when the odds are “synchronized”. If one sportsbook changes its odds, you might not get a sure profit.

 

Understand momentum swings

Understanding momentum swings is another great live betting soccer strategy. Ideally, momentum swings are among the major factors that affect the betting odds. For example, Liverpool has so far maintained a winning streak in the premier league, and they have grown in confidence and benefit from a more supportive atmosphere. This could be the reason why they will most likely keep winning. On the contrary, if a team has had a losing streak, there could be reduced confidence and a more hostile environment towards them.

Such momentums play a crucial role in conventional betting. In live betting, however, the momentum takes place faster and within a single game. This means that an early goal or injury of a main player can trigger a change in the momentum of the game. Thus, to benefit from this live betting football strategy, you have to be sharp in spotting such indicators before the sportsbook does. This will help you land better live betting soccer odds.

 

Back the favorite when they are losing

This is another popular live betting strategy that uses momentum swing, and it features betting on the favorites even when they are losing. Although it may sound counter-intuitive to bet on a team when they are losing, this can be a great strategy that can earn you more profits. The ideology behind this soccer bet strategy is that if the favorites lose during the first half, the sportsbook will readjust their odds and if you place a bet on the favorites, you will have better rates compared to those who had placed their bet before kick-off.

 

Advantages of Live Betting

Similar to traditional betting, live betting also has its strongholds and drawbacks. Let’s highlight some of these.

 

Instantaneous results

One of the factors that make in-game wager thrilling and enticing is the instant gratifications. Obviously, you will get to know the live betting score and result of your bet as the game proceeds. This type of bets are also graded and paid out incredibly quickly compared to other bets. There are even sites that fund your winnings into your account within minutes.

 

Extra information

Since the bets are placed when the game is live, you will get to place informed wagers based on how the game proceeds. You will have a sense of which players are ‘on’ or which team has momentum. This information boosts the accuracy of your outcome predictions.

 

Covering pre-match bets

Most reliable sportsbooks have the cash out option which comes in handy during live betting. If you had placed a pre-match risky bet, you could opt to cut your loss and place a counter bet that will help you end in profit regardless of the earlier loss.

 

Value betting

In-game betting creates opportunities for better odds. For instance, if the favorites were at 1.30 odds during pre-match, if they concede a goal during the half time, the odds at half time to go up to 1.80-1.85 but in theory, they still have the same possibilities of winning. This means that you will get better value for your bet if you win compared to those who had wagered before kick-off.

 

Numerous betting opportunities

You can place in-game bets any time of day 24/7 since online sportsbooks offer a wide range of markets to wager. There is no limit to the number of sports you can wager on.

 

 

Disadvantages of Live Betting

Although Live Betting is a real treat for every punter, it's not all bed of roses. What are the possible disadvantages of in-play betting?

 

Changing odds and disappearing lines

Although the fast-paced nature of in-play wagering is an element of excitement to the game, it is hard to determine which lines will be available at a particular time. The odds makers are always changing and refining their odds, and it does not come as a surprise that they will take down some until the bookie is confident that they have the upper hand.

 

Limited time

Unlike traditional betting where you have the time to research and analyze the game, with live betting, it always feels like a marathon. You never have ample time to manage your feelings, focus on a new strategy or evaluate your profit or loss. You have to ensure you are in your right state of mind when it comes to live wagering failure to which you might end up making wrong decisions.

 

Live betting addiction

If you are glued to your screen during the match, the dancing odds can be tempting to jump on which could lead to more harm than good. This is the reason why you should set a goal of the amount of money you are willing to wager and also a limit to the number of wagers you can place on a single game and stick to it.

 

 

Factors to consider when choosing a live betting site

There is plenty of bookmakers out there ready to accept your bets. What should be taken into account while choosing a right betting site?

 

The available markets

Choosing a sportsbook that offers a wide range market ensure you always have a game to wager on 24/7. This allows you to choose between local and international games that you are more conversant with.

 

Live betting promotions

If you are just starting out at live betting, having a sportsbook that offers live-specific bonus is a great choice. Rebate in your first live bet or free bets go a long way to encourage you to test the waters risk-free, which also help build your confidence.

 

Betting options on offer

Similar to betting markets, you also want to choose a sportsbook that offers lots of unique betting options. This gives you a range from which you can use to determine the most promising opportunities.

 

Live streaming feature

Not all sportsbooks offer this option but if you can find one that streams the matches in real-time and that you can watch on their website, this is a great choice. A bookie that offers this option means that you don’t have to watch the game from home since you can use your mobile device to log in to the site and watch the game from there. Some sportsbooks offer free live streaming which means you don’t have to incur extra charges for this feature.

 

Mobile app

This is a crucial feature since it offers the much-needed convenience when it comes to live betting. It is always advisable to settle for a bookie that has a mobile app, or at least a mobile website. This way, you can stream matches, and place wagers while on the go.

 

Cash out on Live Bets

This is an incredible live betting feature that only a few sportsbooks offer. The best thing about cash out out is that it allows you to get out of losing bets or secure some of your wins before the game ends.

 

Summary

You have to be vigilant and sharp to feel the momentum of the game to make the most of live betting. Nonetheless, it has its opportunities and drawbacks, just like any other form of betting. That said, with this live betting guide, you will have a better understanding of how to win live soccer betting and also have a steady footing at this turbo-charged betting. Be sure also to check out the highlighted sportsbooks to have the best live betting experience.

What's in this article

Hey! Peris here, an ardent content writer and sports fanatic. I have over three years of experience in sports writing, iGaming and esports. If not creating content, you will find me playing FIFA, Xbox, or Nintendo Switch games.

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