Sports Betting

Sports betting is the general activity of predicting sports results by making a wager on the outcome of a sporting event.

Aside from simple wagers–betting a friend that one’s favorite baseball team will win its division, for instance, or buying a football “square” for the Super Bowl–sports betting is commonly done through a bookmaker. Bookmakers generally offer two types of wagers on the winner of a sporting event: a straight-up or money line bet, or a point spread wager. Moneylines and straight-up prices are used to set odds on sports such as soccer, baseball and hockey (the scoring nature of which renders point spreads impractical) as well as individual vs. individual matches, like boxing.

CONTENTS:

Sports betting
– Types of bets
– Bookmaking
– Betting scandals
– Sports betting forums
– Betting in fiction
– Notes
Arbitrage betting
– Arbitrage in theory
– – Arbitrage using bookmakers
– – Arbitrage using betting exchanges
Calcutta
Daily double
Point shaving
– Point shaving perpetrators
– References in popular culture
Spread betting
Tote board
Betting exchanges
– History
– „Laying” an outcome
– Controversy
Betting strategy
– Independent Events
Kelly criterion
– Cited References
Kelly gambling
Martingale
– Analysis
Risk premium
– Example
– Finance
Bookmakers
SP bookmaking
Tic-tac
Vigorish
– Example
– – Debate
Fixed-odds gambling
– Calculating fixed odds
– Types of odds offered
– – Fractional odds
– – Decimal odds
– – Moneyline odds
Baseball
– History
– – Origins of baseball
– – History of baseball in the United States
– Gameplay
– – General structure
– – Fielding team
– – – The battery
– – – The infielders
– – – The outfielders
– – – Defensive strategy
– – – – Pitching
– – – – Fielding strategy
– – Team at bat
– – – Batters and runners
– – – Batting
– – – Baserunning
– – – Batting and base running strategy
– – Innings and determining a winner
– – Substitutions
– – Rosters
– Other personnel
– Baseball’s unique style
– – Time element
– – Individual and team
– – The uniqueness of each baseball park
– Statistics
– Popularity
– Organized leagues
– Footnotes
– References
Basketball
– History
– – Early basketball
– – College basketball and early leagues
– – U.S. high school basketball
– – National Basketball Association
– – International basketball
– Rules and regulations
– – Playing regulations
– – Equipment
– – Violations
– – Fouls
– Common techniques and practices
– – Positions and structures
– – Shooting
– – Passing
– – Dribbling
– – Height
– Variations and similar games
Biathlon
– Concise history
– Governing body
– Champions
– Rules and equipment
– – Basic concepts
– – Skiing details
– – Shooting details
– Competition format
– – Individual
– – Sprint
– – Pursuit
– – Mass start
– – Relay
– – Mixed relay
– – Team (obsolete)
– Biathlon venues
– Other Biathlon variants
– Notes
Boxing
– Origins
– – London Prize Ring rules (1743)
– – Marquess of Queensberry rules (1867)
– Olympic boxing
– – Olympic (amateur) boxing history
– Professional boxing
– – Evolution of professional boxing
– – Length of bouts
– Equipment
– Technique
– – Stance and movement
– – Punches
– – Defense
– – In the ring
– – Less common strategies
– Boxing styles
– – In-fighter
– – Out-fighter
– – Brawler
– – Hybrid boxers
– – Swarmer
– – Rock, Paper, Scissors
– Famous boxers
– – London rules and pre-Queensberry era
– – 1900s to 1920s
– – 1920s to 1940s
– – 1940s to 1960s
– – 1960s to 1980s
– – 1980s to present
– International Boxing Hall of Fame
– Medical concerns
– – Fatalities versus brain injury
– Governing bodies
– – Professional boxing
– – – Governing Body Website
– – Amateur boxing
– – – Governing Body Website
– Impact of boxing on the English language
– – Metaphor = Definition
– Boxing in popular culture
– References
– Notes
Football
– History
– – Ancient games
– – Mediæval football
– – Calcio Fiorentino
– – Official disapproval and attempts to ban football
– The establishment of modern codes of football
– – The Cambridge Rules
– – Other developments in the 1850s
– – Australian rules football
– – The Football Association
– – Rugby football
– – North American football
– – Gaelic football
– – The split in rugby football
– – The globalisation of association football
– – The reform of American football
– – The two rugby codes diverge further
– Football today
– – Use of the word „football” in English-speaking countries
– – Games descended from the FA rules of 1863
– – Games descended from Rugby School rules
– – Australian and Irish varieties of football
– – Surviving Mediæval ball games
– – Other surviving public school games
– – More recent inventions and derivations
– – Tabletop games and other recreations
– References
Soccer
– Nature of the game
– History and development
– Laws of the Game
– – Overview of the Laws
– – Players, equipment and officials
– – Playing field
– – Duration and tie-breaking methods
– – Ball in and out of play
– – Fouls and misconduct
– – Offside
– Governing bodies
– Major international competitions
– Domestic competitions
– Names of the game
– References
– Further reading
Asian handicap
– Description
– Example
– Quarter Handicaps
– Whole Handicaps and Ties
– Reference & Payout Charts
Football pools
– British Pools
– – Entries
– – Scoring
– – Results
– – Winning
– – History
– – Other games
– Continental European Pools
American football
– Popularity
– The rules of American football
– – Field and players
– – Game duration
– – Advancing the ball
– – Changes of possession
– – Scoring
– – Kickoffs and free kicks
– – Penalties
– – – Some common penalties
– The players
– – Offense
– – Defense
– – Special teams
– Basic football strategy
– Physicality of the game
– Development of the game
– Problems in football
– Leagues, Organizations, and Associations
– – United States
– – Internationally
– – Alternate Rulesets
– – Non-current Leagues
– Footnotes
Rugby
– Rugby league and rugby union
– Rules
– History
– Culture
– Games descended from Rugby School rules
Cricket
– Objective and results
– Laws of cricket
– – Players and officials
– – – Players
– – – Umpires
– – – Scorers
– – The playing field
– – Match structure
– – Batting and scoring runs
– – Bowling and dismissals
– – Fielding and wicket-keeping
– – Other roles
– History
– Forms of cricket
– – Test cricket
– – One-day cricket
– – Twenty20 Cricket
– – First-class matches
– – Other forms of cricket
– International structure
Cross-country skiing
– A hobby and a sport
– – Sports events
– History
– Equipment: Skis and poles
– Equipment: Bindings/boots
– – NNN
– – SNS Profil
– – SNS Pilot
– Waxes
– – Glide wax
– – Kick wax
– – Klister
– – Waxless skis
– – Waxtape
– Styles/Techniques
– – Classic
– – Free/Skating
– – Telemark
– Summer skiing
– Notes
Darts
– Dart boards
– – Height and distance
– – History
– – Scoring
– Soft tip boards and darts
– Playing darts
– – Professional organizations
– – Professional competitions
– – Amateur competition
– Betting
– Famous players
Golf
– Anatomy of a golf course
– – Par
– Play of the game
– – Scoring
– – Fees
– – Team play
– Handicap systems
– Golf rules and other regulations
– Golf course architecture and design
– Hitting a golf ball
– – Types of shots
– – Poor shots
– – The golf swing
– Equipment
– – Golf clubs
– – Golf balls
– – Golf Shafts
– – Other equipment
– History
– Social aspects of golf
– – Cost to Play
– – Cost of Maintenance
– Golfing countries
– Professional golf
– – Golf tours
– – Men’s major championships
– – Women’s majors
– Environmental impact
– Etymology
– Golf Movies
Nassau
– Nassau Presses
Handicapping
– The practice in action
– – Horse racing
– – Predicting the Outcome of Races
– Notes
– References
Horse racing
– Forms of horse racing
– Horse racing in North America
– Horse racing in Australia
– Horse racing in Europe
– Pedigree
Exacta
Handicapping
– The practice in action
– – Horse racing
– – Predicting the Outcome of Races
– Notes
– References
Pick 6
– Late scratches
– Races moved from turf to dirt
Trifecta
Ice hockey
– History
– – Foundation of the modern game
– – The Professional Era
– Equipment
– Game
– Penalties
– Tactics
– Periods and overtime
– Women’s ice hockey
– Sledge hockey
– – Sport description
– – History of sledge hockey
– International competition
– Hockey in popular culture
– Attendance Records
– Number of registered players by Countries
– Notes
Motor sports
– History
– – The start
– – City to city racing
– – 1910-1950
– Regulations
– Categories
– – Single-seater racing
– – Rallying
– – Touring car racing
– – Stock car racing
– – Drag racing
– – Sports car racing
– – Offroad racing
– – Kart racing
– – Other categories
– Use of flags
Snooker
– History
– Governing body
– The game
– – The Table
– – Objective
– – A Snooker Match
– – Gameplay
– – Fouls
– – The end of a frame
– – Highest break
– Tournaments
– References
Tennis
– Manner of play
– – The court
– – – Types of Courts
– – Play of a single point
– – Scoring
– – Officials
– – Miscellaneous
– – Other Rules of Play Used in American College Tennis
– – Other Rules of Play Used in American High School Tennis
– Shots
– – Serve
– – Forehand
– – Backhand
– – Other shots
– Tournaments
– History
– Great Players
– The Greatest Player of All Time
– The Great Doubles Players
– Notes
– Sources
Parimutuel betting
– Example of parimutuel betting
– History of parimutuel betting
– Parimutuel bet types
– Strategy and comparison with independent bookmakers
Jai alai
– Rules and Play
– Geographic distribution
Superfecta
Totalisator
Sports betting systems
– Betting on systems
– Determining systems
Sportsbook
– Word origin
– Odds
– Nevada sportsbooks
– UK sportsbooks
– Internet sportsbooks
Over-under
– Statistics
Soft lines
Wagering
Bank job
Bar bet
– Famous bar bets
– Further reading
Dutch book
– Gambling
– Economics
Fixed Odds Betting Terminals
Odds
Betting odds slang
Parlay
Prediction market
– Theoretical challenges
– Commercial interest
Proposition bet
Scientific wager
– Famous scientific wagers
– See also
Simon-Ehrlich wager
– The wager
– Analysis of why Ehrlich lost
– The proposed second wager
Sucker bet
License
GNU Free Documentation License
– GNU Free Documentation License
Index
– Sports Betting
About the author
– Nicolae Sfetcu
– – Contact
Publishing House
– MultiMedia Publishing