How Close to a Game Starting Can You Place a Bet?

It's becoming more and more popular to wait right up until the last moment to place a wager, but just how close to a game starting can you still place a bet? Depending on the bookmaker, you can place a bet right up until the second the game starts.

And fortunately, if you happen to wait just a minute too long, you won't miss the action altogether thanks to in-play betting odds going live as soon as the pre-game odds are taken down.

But the timing of a bet can be everything.

Odds change based on the most up-to-date information, so waiting until the last second to place a bet could provide value but there are certainly times placing a bet well in advance secures the most advantageous odds.

The following breaks down the importance of timing your bet because understanding WHEN to make a bet can be just as important as WHAT your wagering on.

When do in-running betting odds start?

In-play betting odds, also known as in-running or live odds, start the moment the event begins. While not available at all bookmakers, online gambling hubs have the in-play option for multiple sports, including football, basketball, tennis and golf.

Live betting appeals to a wide variety of bettors because of the sheer amount of sports covered and the bets available within those markets, and is only gaining in popularity as live streaming becomes a staple at most bookmakers.

During an NFL game, you’ll be able to bet on who’ll score next, if a team will get a first down or punt, who might get the next penalty or who will catch the next pass.

The amount of choice is both exhilarating and intimidating – the global market means there is nearly always something to bet on live.

Advice for new bettors trying live odds:

Novice gamblers may find themselves lost in a constant stream of bets, so it’s a good strategy to set limits on what you will bet on, selecting specific categories or types of live bets.

In certain sports where there are many stoppages and changes, such as golf or the NFL and college football, the live odds will be frozen until that specific part of the game is finished.

The live odds will then re-appear, having already been recalculated to take the previous play into account. This is unique to these sports, though, as other more-paced games' odds never halt.

Are pre-game odds always different from in-running odds?

Not always, but for the most part live odds typically differ from the pre-match odds.

The difference between the two styles of betting comes down to the odds. By the time play has started on a specific games, bookmakers have a much stronger sense of what is going to happen and will adjust the odds accordingly during the game.

Likewise, bettors are able to assess the state of a match and make a decision about whether a live bet is worthwhile.

So while the odds may be similar up until the start of the game, once it has kicked off, in-running odds will be constantly updated to manage expectations and keep bettors interested.

Another advantage of in-play betting is that punters can often choose to cash in early if the bet meets the criteria. For example, if you’re betting that one team will beat another and your team goes a touchdown up, you can sell or trade that bet for a smaller amount.

Most major online bookmakers offer in-running odds so missing the start of a game isn't the end of the world, but ensuring you place a pre-game punt before the in-play odds are released can equate to hefty returns and more generous odds.

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How far out from an event can you place a bet?

You can begin betting as soon as the top bookies release the line, or even before that if you seek a special bet. The better question may be: When can you start betting on an event? It all depends on the type of bet you’re looking to place.

For a typical bet, where the wager is on the outcome of a single game or match, you may wish to wait until all useful information about the teams has been made public.

Of course, you can place a bet well in advance of this and hope that with a bit of blind luck, your foresight is fortuitous.

Bets that relate to the end position of a league or championship – for example, if an NBA team will win its division, conference of title – can be placed long before the end result is known.

Fans often bet on the outcome of the next NBA champion in the fall, even though the result will not be known until the following June.

This usually takes place at the start of the season; the bet is based on the previous season’s statistics and summer signings, before any games have even been played.

What’s the point of betting so far in advance?

Of course, bettors may just wish to back their favorite team or player regardless of the detail that later comes to light.

But, as the bookmaker has little information to judge the state of play earlier on, bettors find themselves with the prospect of much higher odds and a larger return if a bet proves fruitful.

Information that comes out a week in advance of the game may be proven wrong or out of date by the time the event begins, so strategic bettors may wish to hold off until the very last minute, or wait for the in-game betting to begin.

Ensuring you're betting with all the most up-to-date info can be crucial to pre-match betting.