The 10 Best Betting Markets for Winning on Live Betting

Last updated Aug 5, 2020

Since the introduction of online betting in 1994, there has not been a more exciting addition, than live betting.

Live betting has transformed the way millions of people bet online and brings gamblers to the heart of the action. Placing a bet before a football match starts can add to the buzz of watching the game but nothing matches the thrill of being able to place a bet while the game is taking place.

Everything is done in real time and it feels as though you are part of the match, as opposed to simply watching on from the side lines. However, before you start betting live, there are some key questions we need to address:

Have you wondered what live betting markets are available to you?
Do you know what live betting markets are the most profitable?
Do you want to know how to increase your live betting chances?

Read on and you will find the answer in this article.

Although live betting is the greatest way to get involved in the match you are betting on, you still want to give yourself the best chance of winning money. Check below for the best betting markets for winning on live betting and tips on how to get the best out of them.

1. Next Team to Score

Regardless of what has happened previously in the match, the next team to score market will always be available. This is because you are betting on which team will score the next goal or if no further goals will be scored. The good thing about this live betting market, is you can read the flow of the match and judge which team is on top. This will give you a better chance of predicting who will score next. When betting on the next team to score market, ask yourself the following questions:

Do both teams need to win the game?
Will one team be happy with a draw?
Who is currently on top in the match?
Has one team been playing well on the break?
Have there been many chances in the game?

Good Things to Know About Next Team to Score

If the home team has just scored a goal to level the match at 1-1 and there is 20 minutes left, they are likely to push for a second. However, if you have been watching the match and the away team have been playing well on the break, you could back them to get the next goal. Therefore, always assess the match situation before placing your bet and you should be on to a winner.

2. Next Goalscorer

We all like to look at the first goalscorer and anytime goalscorer markets before a match but how about placing a bet on the next goalscorer during a match? By following the match on television or by using a live stream on the bookmaker’s website, you can judge which players are looking dangerous. Ask yourself the following questions when betting on the next goalscorer market, to help you make an informed choice:

Which player has had the most shots during the match?
Have there been a lot of free-kicks conceded near the penalty area?
Do any of the players look low on confidence?
Is one team dominating the game?
Have there been many corners?

Good Things to Know About Next Goalscorer

Clearly, if one team is dominating the match, you would select a player from that team to score next. Also, consider set-piece takers. If one team is conceding fouls around their own penalty area, it could be a good chance for a set-piece taker to score a goal. Furthermore, if there have been several corners conceded in the match, defenders come into play. Watch to see which defenders are causing the most problems on corners, as they could be about to score next, at big odds.

3. Next Corner

Before the match, you can place a bet on several markets relating to corners in a football match. These include the total number of corners; which team will win the first corner and the number of corners in the first 10 minutes. However, thanks to live betting, you can bet during the match on which team will win the next corner. This market only becomes available during live betting and you should ask yourself the following questions before placing your bet:

Which team is applying the most pressure?
Does one team rely on set-pieces for many of their goals?
What is the current state of the match?

Good Things to Know About Next Corner

The key to the next corner market, is following the game and seeing which team are on the front foot. As a match nears the end, is one team piling on the pressure to try and get a goal and the other team sitting back, attempting to hold onto a lead? In this instance, you would back the attacking team to get the next corner. Furthermore, one team may rely on corners as a main attacking weapon, in which case they will be happy to win corners as often as possible, so do your research and keep this in mind.

4. To Win the Second Half

Half-time is a crucial period in any football match. Regardless of what the score is at the interval, it is the first and only time the manger and players have to sit down and analyse what has happened since kick-off. We have all heard of the famous phrase ‘football is a game of two halves’ and matches have been known to change dramatically after half-time. When betting on the to win the second half market, ask yourself the following questions before placing your bet:

Is one team in complete control of the match?
Have there been any major incidents in the first half which will impact on the rest of the match?
Statistically, do either team perform better in the second half of games?

Good Things to Know About to Win the Second Half

For those who have watched many football matches and understand the flow of a game, the intensity of the first half can be very important in determining who will win the second half. If one team has been playing with a very high press for 45 minutes, it is unlikely they will sustain it for the whole 90 minutes, so keep this in mind when betting.

If there was a red card near the end of the first half, this could have a huge impact on the second 45 minutes, with one team having a man advantage. In addition, if one team have gone in with a big lead, such as 4-0, it does not mean the same is going to happen in the second half. Depending on the stage of the season, the manager may choose to make three changes and the opposition may end up winning the second half by a narrow margin.

5. Time of Next Goal

Before the match starts, it is possible to predict the time of the first goal. The times given usually fall in brackets of 10 minutes, with the first being 1-10, the second 11-20 and so on. During live betting, you can also bet on the time of the next goal, with the odds changing as the match develops. If a goal has not been scored after 20 minutes, this will leave 30 minutes and the brackets will disappear as the match progresses. There are a few things to take note of, when betting live on the time of the next goal.

Has a goal already been scored in the match?
Is one team putting consist pressure on the other?
Are both teams cancelling each other out?
Have many chances been created in the last 5 minutes?

Good Things to Know About Time of Next Goal

You must keep in mind it will be possible neither team will score a goal and the match will end 0-0, meaning you will not win your bet. However, by betting on the time of next goal live, rather than before kick-off, you can get feel of how the match is going and if a goal may be forthcoming. If the teams are cancelling each other out, you are best advised to look at other live betting markets but this one is great for matches involving free scoring teams or those who struggle defensively.

6. Match Result

Some betting markets, such as the ones above, open new betting opportunities during the live betting. Other markets remain the same but can be utilised during live betting to make good bets and a great example of this is the match result market.

This is an easy market to understand and involves betting on which team you think will win the match. The difference when betting live is you can see how the match is going and base your bet on what has already happened, considering the pattern you believe the match is going to take. There are a few key points to look out for, when betting live on the match result.

What is the current score?
Which team is applying the most pressure?
Who were the favourites going into the match?
Have there been any red cards?
How long is left in the match?

Good Things to Know About Match Result

Keep an eye out for teams who started the game as favourites but go a goal down in the match. Their odds will have increased because of going behind in the match but they still have time to come back and win the game. Think how many times Manchester United were in a losing position under Sir Alex Ferguson before they came back to win the match.

The opposite of this can also be true, whereby an underdog takes an early lead in a match but their odds remain tempting. This is especially good towards the end of the league season, when a team facing relegation is playing a team higher up the table but with less incentive to win the match.

7. Match Goals Over/Under

The over 2.5 goals market is very popular with football gamblers but many choose to place their bet before the match begins. While this is fine for games involving teams who score heavily it is not as easy to predict for teams who are inconsistent and this is where live betting comes into play. When deciding on whether to place a bet on the over/under live goals market, ask yourself the following questions:

How many goals have been scored in the match?
How long is left in the match?
Are either team desperate for a goal?
Have there been many chances created?

Good Things to Know About Match Goals Over/Under

If you pencilled a game to be a high scoring affair but the match has started at a slow pace, with minimal chances being created, you may find good odds have become available for the over 2.5 goals market. Just because a game has started slowly, does not meant it will not pick up, especially if the teams concerned have been involved in many high scoring games during the season.

You will also find good odds on the unders market during live betting, as many gamblers tend to opt for the overs for psychological reasons. If both teams seem happy to take a point, chances are they will not be pushing men forward looking to score, as this will leave them open at the back. Even if the match is tied at 1-1, if a draw is a good result for both teams and neither are pressing, it is a good time to get on the under 2.5 goals market.

8. Corners

This live betting market differs from the next corner market in that you are betting on the total number of corners in the match come the final whistle. It is possible to bet on over/under markets and the exact number of corners. The interesting thing about betting on the total number of corners live is you will already know how many corners have been won at any individual point during the match and can use it as a guide. However, there are several things to consider when live betting on the number of corners, including:

How many corners have already been won?
Do either team rely on corners as a major goal scoring opportunity?
Are both teams attacking or sitting back?

Good Things to Know About Corners

There are three key things which can influence the number of corners won in a match. Firstly, the current score in the match will dictate whether one team needs to press for a goal and this can lead to a flurry of corners. The type of match can also have influence. For example, if the score is at 1-1 in a league match, both teams may be happy to settle for a point but in a cup game, they might decide to go for it and attack, which could see an increase in the number of corners.

Finally, the formation and style of play can impact on the number of corners won. If a team is having a lot of joy down the flanks, they have more chance to win a corner than a team who is passing the ball around, looking to create chances in the central areas. So, watch for patterns of play and make a decision based on where the attacking threat is coming from in the match.

9. Total Bookings

The card markets can vary considerably depending on which online bookmaker you use and not all will offer the total bookings market before the match. However, the good news is many of them do offer it live in-play and it is a very good live betting market on which to win money. The total bookings market can be very exciting for live betting and as opposed to goals, it is possible to see a high number of bookings in a short space of time. As this is the case, it’s important to keep a few things in mind when betting on the live total bookings market.

How many bookings have there been in the game so far?
Who is the referee?
Is this a local derby or grudge match?
How much is resting on the outcome of the match?

Good Things to Know About the Total Bookings Market

Do your research on the referee. Has he given a lot of bookings this season or has he proven to be quite lenient? This will have an impact on the game and the number of bookings handed out. However, it is possible for even the most lenient of referees to lose control of a match, especially if it is an important game. Follow the match and if things appear to be getting tense between the two sets of players or the referee has made some wild decisions, the number of bookings could be about to increase quickly.

If one team is clinging onto a victory, chances are they will start to commit fouls, especially if they are being put under increasing pressure. Teams who are hanging on will often commit cynical fouls and waste time, which leads to a spate of yellow cards towards the end of the match. Spotting this early in a game, can see you make some nice money live betting on the total bookings market.

10. Final Score

Prior to kick-off, you can place a bet on the correct score market and whatever scoreline you select, the odds are usually quite high. The reason being, it is extremely difficult to predict the final score of a match, as so much can happen during 90 minutes to influence the result. Even if there is a clear favourite to win the game, it remains tough to predict the exact score come the final whistle.

Thankfully, you can also bet on the final score live in-play and there are several things to look out for, which can help you when making your prediction.

What is the current score?
How long is left in the match?
Which team are on the front-foot?
Who has the motivation to win the match?
Do either team have a reputation for scoring/conceding late goals?

Good Things to Know About Final Score

Although the odds for the final score market will be shorter when betting live, than at the start of the match, making predictions can become easier in-play. For example, if the match is locked at 0-0 and both teams seem happy in sitting back and playing out the draw, you can back this with 30 minutes left and make a nice profit. Obviously, it is not as simple as that and anything can happen in the last 30 minutes of even the most boring of games but at least you have had an hour to judge how the match might finish.

As with the match result market, you need to be paying attention to the match and how the flow of the game has developed. Is one team doing all the attacking and in need of a goal to equalise or is one team down to ten men and sitting deep in the hope of hanging on to a point? Look at how both teams usually play in the final 30 minutes of games and how they have reacted to leading or losing at this stage of the game in previous matches. Use this knowledge and the pattern of the match, to make an assessment on the final score.

Summary

Live betting opens so many great betting opportunities, which are not available prior to the start of the event. Not only does this bring new excitement for gamblers but also the possibility of making more winning bets.

By using the 10 best betting markets for winning on live betting and the tips above, you are in a great position to start your adventure into live betting. Have fun with it and only bet what you can afford, to make the most out of your live betting experience.