10-Step Newbie's Guide To Online Sports Betting

When a state makes sports gambling legal, everybody has a case of the fever and rushes in as a new customer to the book to get in on the action. With all the sportsbook apps out there now in so many states, it's easier and easier to wager a bet from your phone at home, at the sports bar, or even from your seat at the arena.

Most sports fans have some experience with sports betting, maybe in Las Vegas, Atlantic City, or with buddies. Betting at an online sportsbook is an entirely different environment though, and that can cause some fear.

Which sports are you able to bet on? What types of bets do they offer? How do the lines work? How do I know what my payoff will be? All of these are common questions for new sports gamblers. With online betting instructions, we'll do our best to answer some of them for you with our 10-step guide to getting into sports betting.

1. Open a sportsbook account

The beginning point to making sports bets is to open an account with a reputable online sportsbook that's licensed and cleared for sports wagering in Maryland.

Look right above for some of the best sportsbooks and click on any link to go directly to the sportsbook and get started. You can also use any of the new-player bonuses or bonus bets we've outlined.

Be sure to enter any bonus code or promo code when signing up for your account so that you get the welcome bonus from the sportsbook.

The beginning of this procedure will also include specifying which state you are in. You'll be presented with a list of choices for each of the states that a given sportsbook operates, so choose the one you'll be wagering from, like in the screen shot below.

While you must select a state to start with, for the most part you will be permitted to bet in any state where that sportsbook is legally licensed to operate after signing up. And then do this:

• Fill out all required information (name, home address, email address, etc.). If you have a promo code, put it in on this page.
• Accept the terms and conditions upon submitting your registration. This will create your new account, and you will receive an email confirming it.
• With your account created, you will need to click on the deposit button in order to add funds to the account.
• Select a payment method and input any applicable information such as credit card numbers, e-wallet login credentials, etc.
• Then enter the amount you'd like to deposit and hit the button at the bottom of the page. Below is an example of what the page will look like if you use an e-wallet such as PayPal on FanDuel Sportsbook Maryland:
• Once your transaction has been completed, a second confirmation will be sent through email. If the sportsbook is to match your deposit, that will also be credited to your balance.
• With your account set, you’re ready to fill out your betting slips and bet on some games or props.

At first, the sign-up process may seem daunting or time-consuming, but it’s really not. Registering for one of the many online sportsbooks in Maryland is pretty simple and takes just a few minutes.

2. Pick a sport to bet on

Once your account is all set up and you’re logged in, it’s time to start the research process. While most sites have a dashboard that will feature several leagues that are currently in season, bettors can also view all the available sports on the site.

Once you've selected a sport and league to concentrate on, you're able to view each individual game. You can then click on an individual matchup to view all the bets available for that game. With so many to choose from, though, where do you even get started if you're new to the sportsbook arena?

It's a completely understandable and very understandable question. The manner in which one should proceed when beginning to bet is by betting on sports and leagues one knows. If one is a basketball fan, wager on the NBA betting or college basketball betting. If one is not knowledgeable concerning a sport, it will be impossible to pick winners on a regular basis.

3. Master reading betting lines

When you’re new to betting, knowing how to read odds and calculate the potential risk and reward of your bets is vital. Looking at the odds and seeing all the numbers on the board can appear overwhelming, but should be no problem with a little explanation and practice.

4. Try out some futures betting

Most sports gamblers concentrate on daily lines of games of their favorite sports but it is also a good idea to begin with some futures bets, which is wagering on milestones or events that conclude at a point further down the season.

Futures take a week, a month, or multiple months to settle, depending on the bet. Not only can they provide you with a rooting interest for much longer than a single game, but they can pay you well too. Especially if you are wagering on a champion of a given sport or betting prior to the regular season commences. The following are some of the most prominent futures bets:

5. Learn about prop betting

Proposition betting is wagering on some aspect of the contest aside from the moneyline, spread or over. Most props have nothing to do with the game's outcome. Instead, bettors are wagering on more specific in-game events.

Just like futures, there are props for every sport, and there are plenty of variations to the normal ones. Props usually consist of the following categories: team props, player props, and game props.

6. Observe some live betting

With the ease of sportsbook apps, live betting has been extremely popular. Oddsmakers will rapidly adjust lines to reflect the action that is occurring in a game. Since the contest is ongoing, live sports betting odds will constantly change depending on what is occurring and you have to be ready to fill out a bet and press enter before things change.

As the game goes on, you're still able to bet on the regular moneyline, spread, and total bets with the latest odds that shift to reflect what's happening in the game. There are also some pregame props that shift as the game is played, though that will be up to the sportsbook.

Bookmakers also use live betting to hedge early wagers, double on their first choices or take a middle that they can use in hopes of having two winning bets. It is also an excellent tool for viewers who would like to view a game and catch a sense of the action before spending their money.

7. Learn to be aware of line movement

Prior to you putting down your money, there are a couple of things that you should probably understand so as not to walk in blind. One such thing is line movement, which can help you with deciding if you should bet on either side or not.

The odds will change after sportsbooks post them. Game lines are living entities that move based on the action that is coming in from the public and from professional bettors. Odds also change after new information comes out, such as an injury, a starting lineup decision, or the weather if we’re talking about an outdoor sport.

The history of a line is understood, so you can see where the odds have moved from the initial figure to the current figure. Match up the movement to the percentage of the public on a given side, and it can be a sign as to whether to follow or to fade the crowd.

8. Learn how to "shop" for the best lines

Sportsbook lines aren't the same at all sportsbooks. Shopping for lines is flat-out essential to getting the most value and the greatest return on investment, and this is where keeping multiple sportsbook accounts really pays dividends.

A site can have -110 and another site +100 on the same bet, and by comparison shopping in lines, you can ensure that you're receiving the optimal price. Shopping in lines can also reveal that two sportsbooks have entirely different spreads on a game. A team in the NFL can be -2.5 at one site and -3 at another, and the best available line could be the difference between a win, loss, or push.

9. Open multiple sportsbook accounts

Although you're betting on sports for fun, it's a good idea to open more than one betting account. Each website offers its own welcome bonuses and sportsbook deals in Maryland, and the more you open accounts, the better chances you have of getting more promotions.

Some bookmakers also provide choices exclusive to that website, and the only way you're going to receive a wager is by signing up at one specific bookmaker. Another justification of having multiple accounts is in order to shop lines properly. The Maryland bookmakers listed on this site are all legitimate and secure.

10. Avoid these newbie wagering mistakes

Sports betting is not an easy thing to learn to do, at least not at first. It's highly likely that you get a few beatings as you learn what you are doing, and that's perfectly okay. As long as you implement a system and maintain some self-control, you can learn enough to make choices which wind up in the black.

There are also lots of errors committed by new gamblers that you should attempt not to commit so that you do not get too deep into a hole when starting.