If you are new to the world of cycling betting, you might be wondering exactly how the whole betting system works. In the beginning, the types of bets may be a little overwhelming, and looking at all the odds could easily confuse you. This is perfectly normal, especially for someone new to betting.
In this article, we’ll go into more detail about how odds work, and what types of bets are available. Pay attention, and go through the article, and you should be more than ready to place a few bets on your own and try your luck.
What Types Of Cycling Bets Are There?
There are several different types of bets you can make, depending on your personal preference, and depending on what event you are betting on. Here we’ll take a look at some of the most common betting types found in the world of cycling. Do keep in mind that there are a lot of different cycling events and varying bet types according to the type of event.
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- Individual Race Winner – This is the most straightforward, and easiest type of cycling bet to place. If you are new, this could be a great starting point for you. In most simple terms, you will be betting on the individual you think has the highest chance to win the race.
- Team Race Winner – Even though most people watch cycling to cheer for a single individual, for many people, the team is also very important. People can also bet on the team they think will perform the best overall, and place bets on their team preference.
- Sprint Winner – In Tour De France there is a special section of the race where people can bet on the racer who will have the best sprint time. A little more thrilling for some people than plain old racing, this type of bet is also very popular.
- Best Young Rider – Another type of bet, the Best Young Rider allows people to bet on a rider they think will perform the best, as long as he is under 25 years old. Hence the name Best Young Rider.
- Race Leader – There are events where the races are held over a course of several days and in some cases even weeks. A very fun and dynamic type of bet is the Race Leader Bet. This means that people can bet on who will lead the race at the current stage of the race.
- Best Climber – The Best Climber type of bet is placed to bet on who people think will perform best in uphill parts of the race course. Overall, this is one of the most demanding types of racing.
How Do Odds Work?
When you place a bet on a cycling event, you’ll see odds listed next to each rider or team. These odds represent the likelihood of that rider or team winning, and they determine the payout if you win your bet.
Odds are usually expressed as a ratio, such as 3/1 or 4/1. The first number (3 or 4 in these examples) represents the amount of money you will win if your prediction about the event turns out to be true, and the second number (1 in these examples) represents the amount of money you need to put on the bet in question.
For example, if the odds for a rider are listed at 2/1, this means that for every $1 you bet, you will win $2 if that rider wins the event. If the odds are listed at 5/1, this means that for every $1 you bet, you will win $5 if that rider wins. It’s a fairly simple system once you get the gist of it. All it takes is a little practice.
It’s important to note that the higher the odds, the less likely the rider or team is to win. This means that making more money on a bet is also harder because the event is more unlikely to happen. Conversely, the lower the odds, the more likely the rider or team is to win, hence the lower payout. Odds of 1/1 (also known as “evens”) represent an equal chance of winning, while odds of 1/2 (also known as “favourites”) represent a strong chance of winning.
Tips for Beginner Bettors
Here we’ll go over a short list of things to watch out for:
- Only bet what you can afford to lose;
- Always do research before betting so you’re more aware of whom to bet on;
- Always take advantage of bonuses and promotions as these will decrease your betting cost;
- Keep track of your bets as this will make it easier to learn from your own mistakes;
