Future bets are considered some of the most risky wagers that you can make, but they’re also some of the most exciting to win. It is a betting strategy focused on placing a bet on something that won’t be finalised for many months.
Are you a bettor seeking how to come away with massive returns? In this article we’ve prepared, you’ll take the time to learn how you can make the most of Future bets. We have uncovered tips from experts, the pros and cons of Future betting, and a practical guide on how to develop a Future Betting Strategy - let’s get started!
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In simple terms, a future bet is a bet that you place in something that won’t finalize for many months. For instance,
betting for the Super Bowl
at the beginning of an NFL season would be considered great future betting. This betting practice is considered risky and not something that is often recommended for gamblers trying to play it safe. Many professional bettors avoid future bets because they take money from their bankroll for many months at a time. Either way, some players really love this type of wagering, while others avoid it as much as they can when placing wagers and picking out betting opportunities.
The Pros and Cons of Future betting
Future bets are often looked at negatively, but they do offer some very real benefits to gamblers that make use of them and should definitely not form part of a guide on "betting for dummies". However, there are some very real downsides to these types of wagers as well, and they’re something that players need to know about before they place one of these wagers. We'll look into that here by examining the pros and cos of future betting.
Pros
Cons
Huge potential for prize payouts
Very low probability of a futures bet being successful
Future bets can return huge prize payouts for the lucky players that manage to choose the right option out of all the potential options available.
The bet relies on the outcome of many different matches, and it’s impossible to predict what’s going to happen with any level of accuracy.
For gamblers that just want to place a single wager that will carry them through the season, this is the perfect type of wager to go with.
These wagers are not profitable for pro gamblers.
Future bets also tie up your money for an extended period, and even if you place a winning wager, you’ll be waiting many months to make use of those winnings.
5 expert tips for betting on future bets
Spread Out Your Bets
Just like smart investors spread their money across different stocks, you should do the same with sports betting. Don't put all your money on one or two bets with long odds. Futures bets often have high odds, making them less likely to win, even if you pick the favorite. By spreading your money across different futures bets, you increase your chances of hitting a big win and seeing a good return.
Subheading for tip #2
To find valuable futures bets, you need to stay updated on the sports, teams, and players you're betting on. Sportsbooks have experts who constantly analyze data to keep the odds in their favor. To uncover good betting opportunities, make sure you do thorough research and stay informed.
Stay Up-to-Date and Informed
CONTENT TIP #3
Find Value Bets
Experts in sports betting always look for value bets to get the best odds for a return. A value bet is when the chances of an event happening are higher than the odds suggest. For instance, if the Los Angeles Lakers have futures odds of +1600 to win the NBA Finals, you might think these odds don't fully account for the team's experience. In this case, betting on the Lakers at +1600 would be considered a value bet.
Place Bets Early
You can place futures bets at any time during a season, but the odds change with each game based on team and player performance. As the season progresses, the gap between favorites and underdogs widens, making it harder to find good odds. By betting early, you can catch teams and players with hidden potential before the odds shift.
For example, if you bet on the Chicago Blackhawks to win the Stanley Cup at +1300 odds before the season starts, and they start strong with a 6-1 record, their odds might drop to +650. Your early bet would have double the value compared to the new odds.
Keep Record of Your Bets
Keeping a record of your sports bets helps you spot patterns and improve your betting strategy. Make sure to note each bet, the odds, the outcome, and the amount you wagered. While it takes some effort, tracking your bets can reveal trends and show you what strategies are successful and which ones aren’t.
Uncovering the Edge
There is always an edge in any sports betting market. Before placing a wager, especially one as difficult as a futures bet, it’s important to make yourself aware of what the edge is so you know whether you should be placing your bet with another sportsbook or avoiding it entirely.
How to Calculate an Edge
To calculate the edge, you simply calculate the probability of each of the different future options in the specific market. Then you add them all up and see how much over 100% you are, and you know just what the edge is.
After you have the edge amount, you can determine the true probability of each of the different
future betting
options to find out which wagers are actually worth marking. To do this, divide the probability by 100 + the edge that you found.
Understanding how Sportsbook Edge works
To understand how the sportsbook edge works, consider a coin flip.
A coin has a 50% chance of landing on heads and a 50% chance of landing on tails. If we convert these probabilities into betting odds, both outcomes would have odds of +100 (Evens, or 2.00 in decimal odds). This means a $100 bet would win $100.
However, sportsbooks need to make a profit and cannot rely on the hope that 51% of people will bet on the losing outcome, as this is not practical.
This is where the "edge" comes in. In reality, sportsbooks set odds slightly in their favor. For example, instead of offering +100 for a coin flip, they might offer -105 for both outcomes. This means you must bet $105 to win $100.
The extra $5 is the sportsbook's edge, a 5% commission (or "vig"). This commission ensures the sportsbook profits even if bets are evenly split.
Example of an Edge Calculation
For example, consider two teams with the following odds:
- Team A: -300
- Team B: +265
To find the edge, we first calculate the implied probabilities using these formulas:
You may be asking yourself, "What is a staking strategy
that could work with Future Betting?"It’s nearly impossible to come up with any sort of reliable betting strategy for future bets because there are so many different variables to consider, many of which aren’t available until the day of each specific game.
One technique that players often use when playing futures is hedging. Hedging a bet means betting on the other side of the wager as well.
Hedging is common with future bettors if they’re original team has made it nearly to the final game. By hedging on a futures bet it’s possible to lock in a guaranteed reward no matter which of the two competitors wins as long as one of them is your original future’s bet.
Hedging Your Bet
Hedging is one of the most effective future betting strategy tools because it makes it possible to guarantee a profit during the final leg of a future bet.
If a player wagers $400 on the Eagles to win the Superbowl and the Eagles make it into the Superbowl, that player is set up perfectly to hedge that bet. Since future bets come with large payouts, it wouldn’t be unheard of for that bet to come with a $2,000 or $3,000 payout, depending on the original odds.
That means that the player can guarantee a payout in either instance if they place a large enough wager on the other team to make at least $400 or more if that team wins. Imagine that they spend an additional $200 for a chance to win $800 on the other team. Now that bettor is into both wagers for $600 total and will either win $800 or $2,000 depending on which team wins. The Eagles would be the preferable option, but for only a few hundred additional dollars the other team becomes a profitable option as well.
Hedging a bet
is an excellent strategy and something that every future bettor should start doing.
How to Hedge a Bet
Hedging a bet is a way to secure a profit or minimise potential losses from an original bet by placing a second, opposite bet. This strategy ensures that the bettor makes some profit regardless of the outcome. You can hedge both future bets and individual games. Here's an example using a futures bet:
Original bet: $100 on the New York Jets to win the Super Bowl at 60-1 odds.
Potential profit: $6,000 plus the original $100 wager.
Hedge: Place a $1,000 bet on the Los Angeles Rams to win the Super Bowl at 2-1 odds when they face the Jets in the final game.
Best outcome: The Jets win, and the bettor wins $6,000. After losing the $1,000 hedge on the Rams, the net profit is $5,000.
Hedge win outcome: The Rams win, and the bettor wins $2,000 from the hedge. After accounting for the original $100 bet, the net profit is $900.
Worst outcome: Without hedging, if the Rams win, the bettor loses the original $100 bet and the potential $6,000 profit.
This example shows that hedging a futures bet can still be profitable. However this may not always be the case.
While hedging reduces the maximum potential profit, it ensures that the bettor wins something rather than risking losing everything. Some bettors are comfortable with the risk of losing their original bet and potential profit, while others prefer to secure a guaranteed profit after waiting the entire season.
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Test Future Betting Strategy and Build Your Skill
Future betting isn’t for everyone, but with proper hedging it can be made a bit more successful. Take the time to find a high-quality sportsbook, or use our in-depth comparison to help you choose a sportsbook that’s right for you, and start practicing placing future bets effectively. With enough practice, you can improve your success with these wagers and maybe even develop some of your own strategies to use with them as well.
If it doesn't work out well for you, do not be dismayed. There are still many other
different types of betting lines
for you to experiment with. As you grow, you will also learn some valuable betting strategies to work for your game style. Be sure to read our
guide to using the Fibonacci strategy
to learn more about variable wagering.
Whatever the sport. Whatever the moment. It's Never Ordinary at bet365. That's why if you sign up now you'll get the choice of two great New Customer Offers, the First Bet Safety Net up to $1000 or Bet $5 and Get $200 in Bonus Bets. Deposit required. Bonus Bets wager excluded from returns. T&Cs, time limits and exclusions apply.Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-Gambler 21+
Conclusion: Future Bets are a Beneficial Tool When Used Properly
Though future betting is risky, it comes with high-paying rewards as well. Understanding helpful techniques and tips like hedging bets will help you find more success with the bet type and can result in more prize payouts overall. Take the time to learn how to be effective with future bets and you might enjoy using them more as a result.
By hedging their bets, finding the house edge and determining the odds accurately, it’s easier for bettors to maintain profitability while placing future bets. These bets are considered to be risky, but they offer the added opportunity of hedging that other wagers don’t allow for. Learning how to make the most of future bets makes them a bit more useful. Take the time to test out future betting options, but be wary of them because they are much more difficult to be successful with than standard moneyline wagers are.
Future Bets FAQs
🤔What are future bets and why are they considered risky?
Future bets are long-term wagers with high payouts, but low success rates due to unpredictable outcomes.
🗝What are the benefits and downsides of future bets?
Future bets offer potential for significant payouts and season-long engagement, but tie up funds and carry higher fees, making them a calculated risk.
💎How can bettors hedge their future bets?
Hedging future bets involves placing opposing wagers to minimize risk and ensure rewards, providing bettors with a strategic approach to managing their investments and maximizing returns.
Whatever the sport. Whatever the moment. It's Never Ordinary at bet365. That's why if you sign up now you'll get the choice of two great New Customer Offers, the First Bet Safety Net up to $1000 or Bet $5 and Get $200 in Bonus Bets. Deposit required. Bonus Bets wager excluded from returns. T&Cs, time limits and exclusions apply.Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-Gambler 21+
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