India has a huge number of sports fans, particularly of football, cricket and martial arts, but you can do more than just watch the latest IPL match or UFC bout — you can also make a bit of money from it by placing bets, and most of you already know this.
The world of betting is rapidly moving online, and now more and more people want to try their luck by betting on their favourite football team or even on esports competitions, which are particularly popular among younger players.
There’s no need to hunt for a betting shop or queue up to place a standard bet, as it’s now much easier and more convenient to do so online, and more and more major bookmakers are even releasing special online betting app, which allow you to place bets whilst watching the match, ensuring you get the best odds.
What types of betting apps are there?
When browsing online, you’ll come across dozens of betting apps, and for a new user, choosing the one that’s right for you can be a daunting task.
These apps are usually categorised into different types depending on the sport they focus on, namely:
- Football betting apps. Football has been the most popular sport for betting for many years running, and there are good reasons for this. These apps can cover hundreds of matches simultaneously — including games from smaller, lesser-known leagues. Football betting apps usually offer a wide range of betting options: on the start or end of a match, whether a red card will be shown, the number of corners in a match, and so on.
- Apps focused on esports. The younger generation, who love playing CS:2 or Dota 2, often don’t realise that you can bet on regular esports tournaments — yes, you can place bets there too. Esports is another sport worth following, as it’s incredibly exciting to watch professional esports players give their very best in your favourite games.
- Some apps offer access to the full range of sporting events; although the number of events in a particular sport may be somewhat smaller, the ability to place live bets and watch competitions in real time on the same device more than makes up for this shortfall.
- Apps for betting on MMA have found a huge following amongst Indian punters. It’s fascinating to choose a fighter to bet on by analysing their career and match statistics, and it’s thrilling to watch this truly courageous and ruthless sport whilst earning money by predicting who will win the fight.
Which sports betting app is the most reliable?
Naturally, when punters are risking real money, they want to be sure that the app won’t delay the payment of winnings or fail to pay them out at all. To avoid this, you should consider the following key points when choosing a betting app:
- A sports betting app must be properly regulated; otherwise, you risk falling victim to a scam involving a fake app that will never pay out your winnings.
- The app must support Hindi or English and accept Indian rupees to avoid currency conversion losses; also, check whether the app supports Indian payment systems such as UPI, Paytm, RuPay and other local e-wallets.
- Take advantage of the best bonuses and promotions available on these apps. It’s always nice to receive a deposit bonus or a few free bets when registering on the 1xbet website, allowing you to place bets without risking your own funds.
- Choose sites that offer the best odds (with a low margin). The margin is the portion of the stake that the app keeps for itself regardless of whether the player wins or loses, and a margin of between three and seven per cent is generally considered fair. However, it is also worth bearing in mind that there are some dishonest bookmakers that inflate the odds and set the margin at around 7–8 per cent or higher in order to attract new users.
Really good strategies
- Betting isn’t just about luck; it needs to be approached with a sceptical mindset. Players who make a consistent profit are usually guided not by emotions, but by analytical thinking. Before placing a bet, you should take into account the strength of the team, its recent results, recent head-to-head matches, injuries and the players’ motivation. In some sports, weather conditions or the venue of the competition are of great importance.
- The same applies to your bankroll. Experienced punters advise keeping your bankroll separate from other funds and never betting more than 2–5 per cent of your bankroll on a single sporting event. This approach to betting protects your capital from a losing streak and allows you to stay in the game for the long term.
- You won’t win every bet simply because the odds are very high. Sometimes it makes more sense to place bets with lower odds but a higher chance of winning. You should also check the odds across several bookmakers, as even a small difference can have a significant impact on your overall profit in the long run.
- Another common mistake is trying to recoup your losses immediately after losing money. Emotional decisions lead to even greater losses. Analyse your bets, learn from your mistakes and stick to a pre-determined betting system. Discipline, patience and constantly studying sports statistics — that’s what will guarantee your long-term success.