Future Bets

While online sports betting can be entertaining, it can be even more so with a little more betting knowledge. Future bets are an excellent type of wager to explore.

Let's define what such a bet is. It is a wager that something will happen, not immediately but in the long run. An example: a player places a bet at the start of the NBA season for the win of the whole series.

What is a Future Bet?

These bets differ from straight or traditional bets and are also less well-known. In addition, bettors won't find standard point spreads here, so they will have to look elsewhere if they want to bet on a game with a clear winner and loser. A future bet is a wager on an event that will take place in the next few weeks or months.

Because only one outcome determines the winner, bookmakers with future odds have a significant house advantage. With this type of sports betting, bookmakers can open odds well before starting a season, and players can place bets throughout the year. Then, as the season progresses, bookmakers adjust odds in response to the outcome of games, injuries, and trades, including the amount of money the player can bet on specific teams or results.

However, a player's bet locks once they place it so that their chance remains unchanged despite what happens during the schedule or adjustments of odds by bookmakers. They can also bet on the number of games each team will win, division and conference championships, and even which teams will face relegation from the division or conference. Players can bet this way in almost every sport, so finding an online bookmaker who accepts their choice of sport won't be difficult.

Example: Future Bets Explained

Gamblers worldwide place large bets on major sporting events like the NFL Super Bowl and the English Premier League championship. As a result, the most common types of future bets are on which teams will win various sporting leagues' championships.

For example, let's say that a player places a bet on the Cowboys at the beginning of the season. Now, the odds might be at +1000 because there is a low probability of the Cowboys winning.

Consequently, the future betting odds of them winning will decrease if they start strong, win some games, and get people talking about how they are the best team in the league. This will cause the odds to drop because their chances of winning will have increased.

Bettors can still place a wager on them to win the Super Bowl, but the odds won't be as high. It might be as low as +400, so a $100 wager will garner a profit of $400. Although this is still a nice payout, it is far less impressive than the profit of $1,000 the player who bet before or at the start of the season will get.

How to place a future bet

Players can begin by visiting an online bookmaker and deciding which sport to bet on. After choosing the sport, they can find the list of available bets regarding that sport.

Next, they will notice the highlighted portion of the text in either green or blue with the word 'Futures.' The player should select the future bet and then scroll down until they reach a list of events planned for posterity, with specific dates assigned to each. Therefore, this makes it easier to determine when the activities are likely to occur.

After locating an event that piques their interest, they can click on it to confirm their choice and select the amount of money they will wager on the specific event.

Understanding How Future Bets Work

It is typical for bettors to place wagers at the start of a new season of their chosen sport when it comes to this type of betting. Placing bets after the season has begun may give them lower or higher odds, depending on the timing.

The odds fluctuate as the season progresses; for instance, it can have a considerable impact when the team suffers a significant injury, player turnover, or coach change. As a result, bettors will have to weigh their team's strength against the oddsmakers' price to make more accurate predictions.

Suppose a bettor expects a particular team to win its division or championship before the season begins. In that case, they may bet on the team even after losing its first few games, with confidence that the team's chances will improve as the season progresses.

Betting on this team because of the belief that they are still valuable and can turn their season around will give them higher odds. Experts on futures explained it depends on how much knowledge a bettor has about betting and the event that makes a difference.

Throughout the season, teams will have highs and lows, so keeping an eye out for value in the bookmakers' odds is essential. In addition, unexpected teams emerge yearly in leagues worldwide, and the less well-known or upstart ones can be among the most profitable in the long run because of their favorable odds.

Seasoned players are familiar with these terms that describe how the future bet odds work. For instance, 'odds-on favorite' refers to a heavily favored horse to win. 'Decimal odds' or 'Moneyline odds' are also player favorites, and it is a way of expressing how much their potential winnings will be worth if they win their future bet.

Strategies for Future Bets

A player can choose from various betting strategies depending on the situation. Knowing which methods to employ gives the player's futures bet meaning and direction. Sticking with the same team throughout the season is the best strategy for beginners.

This strategy ensures reasonable odds at lower risk; however, it can become tedious after some time, notably if the bettor does not genuinely support the team they are betting on.

Hedging is another strategy that many players employ when playing futures. It entails betting on both sides of the wager, allowing the player to lock in a guaranteed profit regardless of which of the two competitors wins, so long as one of them is their original future bet.

More sophisticated strategies include betting on the same team for several weeks in a row before switching to another team for one week. Then betting on the original selection again before returning to it for another two or three weeks, and so on, until the season is over. If the bettor's first choice comes out on top in every game, then using this strategy will bring them great returns.

Potential downsides of future bets

Making and watching these wagers can be a lot of fun, and the winnings can be substantial; however, as with all bets, there are some potential downsides. The varying and fluctuating nature of the odds is chief among them. Futures bet odds change from one sportsbook to the next, which can be hard to keep track of.

Additionally, a bettor will have to wait a long time, sometimes weeks or even months, for their payout, assuming they chose the right bet. For those who wager regularly, a $10 wager can quickly grow to a $100,000 payout. Bettors of this type can make significant profits on a given stake within a month.

However, placing money into future bets means the bettor might be unable to pay for their immediate needs or bet on daily bets if they have limited funds.

Factors to consider with future bets 

There are many factors to consider when placing a bet. Answering questions like, 'How long is it until the event?', 'What's the level of uncertainty surrounding the outcome of the future bet?' and 'What kind of betting market is it?' help the bettor make better predictions or place wagers more accurately.

As a general rule, the more time available until a match, the more likely the odds will change. If it's just a few days away or less, it's better to wait for better odds before placing a bet.

Additionally, bookmakers will likely offer different prices for each if there are multiple possible outcomes. Some matches have more than two options; for instance, bookmakers allow the bettor to bet on specific teams winning their group playoff. While others only offer one choice, such as the league winner.

Benefits of Future Bets 

The significant benefit of placing this bet is the potentially lucrative payouts because the odds bookmakers offer on these types of bets are much more favorable. Making early wagers on future bets will provide the player with good odds to bet on, which, when multiplied by a few dollars, can transfer to a great payout if the bettor gets the right odds.

Another advantage is that no limits are placed on how much money can be wagered. The case is thus not similar to regular betting, which is subject to the limits established by the bookmakers.

It is fun and challenging, too. The bettor must be intelligent to wade through months of exaggerated talk and hype to find a winning player, team, or coach. Most futures bettors are recreational types who don't mind putting money on a bet and waiting for payouts later, unlike those who do it casually for quick payouts.

Types of future bets 

Some common types of these bets include:

The outright winner: This is where the bettor predicts who will win the championship or tournament at the end of the season. It applies to any sport or competition as long as multiple teams or players compete to win.

Market price: These depend on the price set by bookmakers for an event that has not yet happened and may change as time passes.

Match betting: This is similar to market price betting, with bookmakers setting odds for a range of potential outcomes during a live match.

First goalscorer: This type of future bet can be made before or during a game and has to do with the bettor predicting who will score the first goal.