Sports betting offers a wide range of bet types, from the simple match result to handicaps, accumulators and specials. Knowing your options helps you choose what suits you. This guide explains the types of sports bets. It is general information and not betting advice, so always gamble responsibly and only stake money you can comfortably afford to lose.
The match or outright bet
The most common sports bet is on the result of a match or event, backing one outcome to occur, such as a team to win. Outright bets cover longer-term results like a competition winner. Understanding that the match result and outright bets, backing an outcome to happen, are the core of sports betting helps you start simply, as betting on who wins a match or a competition is the most straightforward option before exploring the more specific markets.
Over and under bets
Over/under bets let you bet on whether a total, such as goals or points, will be over or under a set line, without picking a winner. Our guide on over/under goals betting covers this. Understanding the over/under bet, where you bet on a total being above or below a line, helps you see a popular market that focuses on how much scoring there will be rather than who wins, which appeals to those who would rather not pick a winner.
Handicap bets
Handicap bets give one side a virtual advantage or disadvantage, useful in mismatches to create more balanced odds. Our guide on handicap betting covers this. Understanding the handicap bet, which applies a virtual head start or deficit to level a contest, helps you see a market that can offer better value when one side is much stronger, as it adjusts the result you are betting on to make a one-sided game more interesting to bet on.
Both teams to score
The both teams to score bet, common in football, lets you bet simply on whether both sides will score, yes or no, without predicting the result. Our guide on both teams to score covers it. Understanding the both teams to score bet, a simple yes-or-no market on whether both sides find the net, helps you see another way to bet without picking a winner, focusing on whether goals come at both ends of the pitch.
Accumulators
An accumulator combines several selections into one bet, with all needing to win, building a big potential return from a small stake. Our guide on accumulators covers them. Understanding that an accumulator links several selections, all of which must win, helps you see how small stakes can chase large returns, while recognising that the chance of every selection winning is low, making long accumulators high-risk despite their appeal.
Doubles and trebles
A double combines two selections and a treble three, both needing all to win, like smaller accumulators. They balance bigger returns with a more achievable chance. Understanding doubles and trebles, which link two or three selections, helps you see the middle ground between singles and large accumulators, offering enhanced returns for combining a few selections while remaining more achievable than stringing together many legs in a big accumulator.
System and full-cover bets
System or full-cover bets, like a Yankee or Lucky 15, combine several selections into many smaller bets, so partial success can still pay. They cost more, being multiple bets. Understanding that full-cover bets break your selections into many combinations, paying out even if not all win, helps you see a more forgiving alternative to a single accumulator, though it costs more, as you are effectively placing many bets at once across your selections.
In-play bets
In-play, or live, bets are placed during an event, with odds changing as the action unfolds. They offer many opportunities but can encourage impulsive betting. Our guide on in-play betting covers this. Understanding that in-play bets let you bet during an event, with fast-moving odds, helps you see a popular type of bet, while being aware that the speed and constant opportunities make it especially important to bet carefully and stick to your budget.
Prop and special bets
Proposition (prop) and special bets cover specific occurrences within an event, such as the number of cards, corners, or a player to achieve something. They add variety. Understanding that prop and special bets focus on particular events within a game, beyond the main result, helps you see the breadth of options, while being aware that these markets, often offering tempting payouts, carry the same built-in edge and should be approached with the same care as any other bet.
Each-way bets
In some sports, like golf, each-way bets are common, combining a win bet and a place bet so you can profit if your selection finishes in the places. Our guide on each-way betting covers it. Understanding that each-way betting applies in sports with a field of competitors, paying on a place as well as a win, helps you see a useful option in events like golf tournaments, where backing a player each-way gives a return if they finish among the leaders.
Ante-post and outright bets
Ante-post and outright bets are placed in advance on longer-term outcomes, such as a tournament winner, often at bigger odds but with more uncertainty. Understanding that ante-post and outright bets cover future outcomes, offering bigger prices the earlier you bet but with greater uncertainty, helps you see a longer-term style of betting, as backing an outcome well in advance can secure a larger price, though much can change before the event is decided.
Choosing a bet type
The right bet depends on what you want: simple match result or over/under bets for straightforward betting, handicaps for mismatches, or accumulators and specials for bigger potential returns at higher risk. Our guide on how to bet on sports covers the basics. Understanding that bet types trade chance against return, with simple bets more likely to pay and multiples and specials offering bigger but rarer wins, helps you choose what suits you, as beginners are usually best starting with simple single bets before trying the more complex options, keeping stakes modest on the long shots.
The edge applies to all
Whatever the bet type, the bookmaker's margin is built in, so no bet type offers a way to beat sports betting over time; they simply trade chance against return. Our guide on how bookmakers set odds explains. Understanding that the edge applies to every bet type keeps your expectations realistic, as choosing complex bets does not improve your overall odds; it changes the risk and reward, not the bookmaker's built-in advantage.
Betting responsibly
The many bet types can tempt you to chase big returns or bet frequently, so treat all betting as entertainment, not income. Set a budget, only stake what you can afford, and never chase losses. Our guide on how to gamble responsibly has practical tools. Understanding the bet types helps you choose, but keeping your betting within your means matters far more than any bet.
In short
Sports bets range from the simple match result and outright bets to over/under, handicap and both-teams-to-score markets, plus accumulators, doubles, trebles and full-cover bets, in-play bets, prop and special bets, each-way bets in some sports, and ante-post outrights. Simpler bets pay more often; multiples and specials offer bigger but rarer returns. The bookmaker's edge applies to all, so start simple and always gamble responsibly.
Explore more in our Sports Betting guides.