At its core, official betting involves placing a bet on an outcome you think will occur. This can be as simple as putting money on a team to win or lose, or as complicated as predicting which players will score the most points, take the podium position in a race, or medal ceremonies in athletics. You can also place multiple bets within one wager, known as a parlay.
In the United States, sports betting is legal in Nevada and several states have legalized it at the state level. Some states have restrictions involving in-state college teams and player prop bets.
The most common betting options in sports are straight bets (also called moneyline bets), where you bet on a specific team to win or lose. You can also place a bet on a game to have a certain over/under total. A game must be played to its full extent for a wager on this option to have action.
If a bet on a specified event does not meet all the required conditions, it is deemed “No Action” and any money placed will be returned. This includes, but is not limited to, games that are cancelled prior to kickoff or do not end up being played in their entirety due to weather or other unforeseen circumstances.
The FA rules against match-fixing prohibits anyone associated with clubs at the lower levels of the men’s and women’s league systems from engaging in betting activities. This ban applies to individuals in their capacity as club representatives, coaches, or match officials. It does not, however, apply to individual footballers who have a commercial relationship with betting companies.