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The US is still in the midst of a sports betting boom. Back in 2018, the US Supreme Court repealed a federal ban on sports betting that had been in place for almost thirty years. Since then, each state has been able to determine its regulations on sports betting, both physical and virtual. 

Dozens of states have opened their markets, leading to a surge in betting interest. Prior to the repeal of the sports betting ban, the only places open to oddsmakers were certain sportsbooks in Las Vegas and other unique jurisdictions. Though the US is full of sports fans, many are now dipping a toe into the betting waters for the first time. 

There are dozens of quality bonus bets available only from the country’s most trusted oddsmakers. These deals make it easy to get started with a new sportsbook, as most welcome bonuses are designed to minimize losses on the first few bets placed. In other words, there’s a smaller risk when betting on moneylines or point spreads using a bonus offer.

Still, there’s so much more to be uncovered in the world of sports betting than taking advantage of bonuses and using them to pack outright winners. In fact, as more sports fans turn toward betting to boost their engagement, oddsmakers are covering brand-new markets and creating new ways to wager. Let’s dive in and explore some of the coolest trends in the sports betting industry. 

New Trends: In-Play Betting

If you started your betting journey over the last year, then you’ve probably heard plenty about in-play or live betting. Live betting is when fans place wagers on matches as they unfold live. The idea behind these types of bets is to let viewers exploit sudden changes in the game, like an unexpected comeback or a major injury to a prominent player. 

These types of bets can be incredibly high-value—but it’s worth pointing out that in-play betting moves extremely quickly. It’s easy to go from one wager to the next and before you know it, a game is wrapping up, and you’ve spent your entire bankroll. It’s also tough to follow each bet if you have multiple wagers on a game or outcome. For this reason, we advise being careful with live bets if you don’t have experience wagering on sports before. 

Old Trends: Virtual Sports Betting & DFS

You’ve probably also heard of things like virtual betting and DFS. The latter is particularly popular around the US, popularized by sportsbooks like FanDuel and DraftKings. If you haven’t dipped a toe into the DFS waters before, then consider doing so. These shortened fantasy league contests are popular for a good reason—not only do they make the magic of the fantasy season more compact, but they also let fans dive into stats.

Virtual sports betting is an entirely different category that you should be aware of. Virtual sports are simulations that run on real-life statistics, similar to a fantasy league. However, virtual sports run on software, meaning these ‘games’ can be scheduled at any time. The bets offered on them reflect the same standard fare of traditional sports, including moneylines and over/unders. However, virtual sports aren’t actual games, but simulations of games. 

The Rise of eSports

Virtual sports shouldn’t be confused with eSports. Esports cover a huge range of official leagues, from the Rocket League Championship Series to the PUBG Mobile World Invitationals. Every single game has its own set of nuances, just like every sport. Each league is also its own entity, and rules might differ slightly, as with FIBA and the NBA, for example.

Over the last few years, eSports leagues have become more established. As this occurs, more and more sportsbooks are offering eSports lines on major competitions and championship series. There are also sportsbooks that focus solely on eSports, which tend to offer more diverse lines for events. However, eSports tend to be incredibly complex, which means we recommend you start out as a fan and spectator before diving into your eSports betting journey.

The Non-Sports Markets

Anyone who decided to bet on the last Super Bowl may have been surprised to see the number of non-sports prop bets on offer. The Super Bowl has one of the largest prop, or ‘proposition’, betting markets in sports. These bets cover any outcome that’s unrelated to the sport, the game itself or the players. 

Non-sports props on the Super Bowl cover things like the halftime performance and halftime commercials, from what the performer would wear to which ads run first and even the color of the Gatorade. Beyond the realm of the Super Bowl, some sportsbooks also offer markets on awards ceremonies like the Grammies and even on political elections. These non-sports markets are becoming even more popular as casual sports fans start to explore the world of betting. 

Oddly enough, the WWE may soon be added as one of these non-sports markets. Because pro wrestling matches have predetermined outcomes, they’ve often been barred from betting markets. However, the WWE is now in talks with regulators to create stipulations that might allow wagering on matches. This would include preventing wrestlers from knowing the outcomes of the matches prior to the event. 

Matched Betting

Let’s round off this list with one of the most unique and highly niche aspects of the sports betting world: matched betting. Matched betting is an approach to betting in which bonus offers from sportsbooks are used to prevent any losses. Theoretically, by taking advantage of different bonuses and setting bets against each other using exchanges, a bettor would be able to guarantee a win for each bet.

While it might sound like a slam dunk, you might be wondering why everyone isn’t engaged in matched betting. In truth, there’s a good reason it isn’t more commonplace. Matched betting requires incredibly close attention to detail, including mathematical calculations that determine how and when to stake bets. There are time restraints, betting requirements, and the responsibility of registering at many different oddsmakers—plus, winnings are usually very meager. 

In other words, matched betting takes the fun out of the experience. However, if you’re someone who loves to tinker with formulas and create spreadsheets, you might find this type of betting is right up your alley.