How ODDS.am Works

A single bet is a straight bet on the outcome of an event with returns determined based on the amount staked and the odds offered.

Combo bet refers to placement of multiple bets on a series of selections, the odds of which multiply, resulting in the combo bet total odd. Combo bet can’t be placed on the various outcomes of the same event. In case where some bets are draw no bet, the odds of such bets are assumed to be “1”.

System is a combination of express bets. The special feature of this type is that loss of some bets decreases the overall winning amount instead of complete revocation of the sum. Let’s take a look at an example. Say, we have chosen three events in a “2 out of 3” system, betting $600. The first event is A. Russia-Italy, P1 (4.0), the second event is B. Spain-Portugal, P1 (2.0), the third even is C. Austria-Senegal, P2 (3.0). By choosing “2 out of 3” system we have chosen what appears to be three expresses, each worth $200 (this number is the result of the division of the total bet amount into three expresses), the expresses being: A+B with the total odd of 8 (4.0 x 2.0); A+C with the total odd of 12 (4.0 x 3.0); B+C with the total odd of 6 (2.0 x 3.0). In case each of the events wins, each bet’s amount is multiplied by the presented odd. In case one of the bets loses – for instance, B. Spain-Portugal, – the only winning express is “A+C”. In that case, $200 is multiplied by the odd (which is 4.0 x 3.0, so 12.0). Therefore, the $200 are multiplied by 12 and the player gets $2400 despite betting only $600 and even losing one of the bets.

Some prominent bookmakers provide so-called “long-shot bets”, which allow betting on the outcome of far-fetched events from different areas of sport, culture, politics, and other areas of interest. These bets would range from a typical “The winner of the English Premier League” and “The best bombardier of the championship” to something akin to “Who will win the Oscar for the best male actor” or “Who will become the next U.S. president”.

This is a sequence of ordinary and express bets. This is a convenient option in case there are few funds left and lets to bet even on not real money. For instance, your account has only $10 and we choose to bet on a conditional bet comprised of three events: A. Milan-Inter, P1 (2.0); B. Zenit-Spartak, P2 (3.0); C. Real-Valencia, P1 (1.5). If the first event (A) wins, the player gets $20. In case of a conditional bet, these $20 can be used to further bet on the second even, or only $10 can be bet, in which case $10 are safeguarded. In the latter case, if the second event (B) wins, the player is awarded $45, and so on. So, conditional bets require one to scrupulously choose only only the events and the amount, but also to consider the sequence.

There are some other unusual bet types, such as antiexpress, trixie, patent, lucky, yankee, heinz and many others. The respective explanations may be found on the websites of bookmakers which provide these bet types.

Surebet (also called arbitrage betting) is the name of a case in which you choose all betting outcomes of a specific bet on different bookmakers and you are sure to win more than your stake regardless of the outcome of the game. A simple example: bookmaker X offers you an odd of 2.20 on "over 2.5 goals" in a Premier League match where Chelsea plays against Tottenham. At the same time, bookmaker Y offers an odd of 1.95 on "under 2.5 goals". If you distribute your stake correctly between two bookmakers, you will win regardless of the outcome of the game.

The most common cause of surebets' appearance is the competition between bookmakers which are trying to attract new customers by offering them higher odds. It also happens that suretbets are caused by errors of betting analysts within bookmakers.

The search for surebets by opening different bookmaking websites and comparing odds manually is long gone. ODDS.am provides you for example a selection of surebets that is updated in real time. There, you can calculate the required distribution of your stake on different bookmakers and the possible gain.

The type of surebets depends on the number of betting outcomes. The most common are 2-way and 3-way surebets. A 2-way surebet is considered to be the simplest since you only have to place your bet on 2 different bookmakers. For example, this may be an Under/Over bet or a Yes/No bet, such as the answer to the question “Will there be a red card in this match?”. A 3-way surebet is a bit more complicated since you have to distribute your stake through 3 different bookmakers. An example would be a 3-way 1-X-2 bet (Victory Team 1, Draw, Victory Team 2). As a rule, the possible gain of a two-way surebet remains slightly higher than that of a 3-way surebet.

No, surebets are not risk free. First of all, you may simply not be able to place your bet on both bookmakers at the same moment since odds can change at any time. It also happens that bookmakers limit the maximum stakes for successful bettors. Please check the maximum allowed betting amount on different bet types before placing a surebet. They should always be mentioned in the rules of each bookmaker. Finally, it's important to understand that many bookmakers do not really like surebet players. If a bookmaker classifies your bet as a surebet, it happens sometimes that they call it an unfair play. In this case, your bet could be returned and no winnings will be paid.

This is arguably the most straightforward kind of bet. The player bets on the outcome of the match: on either team’s win (1/2) or draw (X).

This bet type is similar to threeway but without the possibility of a draw. Mostly used in basketball matches, where bookies typically provide odds for the whole match including overtime.

This bet type allows to bet on three possible outcomes: 1X – either the first team’s win or a draw, 12 – either team’s win or X2 – either the second team’s win or a draw.

In this kind of bet the player bets on the overall number of goals/points/games/etc. in the event. There are three types of this bet: Asian total, decimal total and ordinary total. Asian total uses centesimal, for instance, one can bet on the total of more than 2.25. In this case, the player factually makes two bets: on the total of more than 2 and on the total of more than 2.5, and the amount bet is being divided in two. The winnings are split in accordance with odds for either outcome. Decimal total allows betting with a 0.5 gap, for instance on the totals of 1.5, 2.0, 2.5 and so on. In case one bets on 2.5, to win a bet the total has to increase 3 goals. In the case of the ordinary total (1, 2, 3, etc.) the player might get his betting amount back, of the total is equal to the one chosen by the player.

It is sometimes psychologically stressful to bet on the outsider of the match, even when one feels that there is a chance of the win. One can overcome this barrier by purchasing a kind of “handicap” for the outsider. For instance, say, the bookmaker provides a P2 (5.5) odd for “Milan” – “Inter”. Of course, one may easily lose his bet by following this odd. However, one can ease up this choice by betting on the (0) handicap, the odd for is 3.2. What does that mean? That means that in the case of a draw the player gets his money back. This system is similar to other handicaps. For instance, by choosing Inter’s (+1) handicap with 1.65 odd the player gets his money back in case Inter loses by one goal. In case of a draw and, obviously, win, the player gets their winnings. So, in short, the handicap amount is being added to the outcome. If after such addition the chosen team wins, the player wins, and the opposite.

If a match is not really curious, and you don’t care whoever wins, there is sometimes an opportunity to bet on the statistical aspects of a game. One can try and guess the number of yellow cards, or corner kicks, or the possession percentage, or penalties, or whatever else the bookmaker provides. This can be an exhilarating way to watch a match as one pays most attention to how will the judge decide whether there has been a violation or not, instead of watching the teams score.

There is a considerable variety of different kind of bets on goals. The most ubiquitous are: a team’s total, whether the team will be able to score, the time of goals, which team will score the first or the last, and individual players’ totals. The advantage is to achieve some degree of certainty in unclear events, such as “Real” – “Barcelona”. It may be hard to tell which team will prevail, but if one bets on the Catalans’ scoring more than one goal, then one will get the winnings even if Barcelona loses 2:5. One could also bet on, say, Messi’s total, which is usually higher than average, given the man’s talent.

This bet allows betting on a separate half of the match with no consideration of the final result whatsoever. In case of other sports the bet is on the result of a quarter-time, of a period, and so on. For instance, if Manchester City is known for steadily winning in second halves of its matches against Newcastle, one can make an intelligent bet on the second time win.

If one comes across a bet which looks like P1P2, P2X, P2P1, one should pay careful attention. This kind of system allows the player to guess both a half and the match’s outcome simultaneously. In case of P1P2, for instance, one bets on that team one will win in the chosen period, but team two will make a comeback and win in the match. One has to note that the second part of the bet (P2) refers to the whole match, not to the second half.

The process of registration takes less than a minute. One has to fill in their full name, date of birth, citizenship, and national ID data. Be sure to not make mistakes – oftentimes changing one’s registration data after account confirmation is forbidden.

Yes. The identification process which involves identifying the account holder has been used by practically all bookmakers for a while now. Most of them wouldn’t allow withdrawal unless a complete verification process has been followed through. One shouldn’t be worried about his personal data as all bookmakers are obliged to guarantee the safety of such data.

One should open an account in the type of currency which is planned to be used. Pay careful attention to withdrawal and deposit methods available for the chosen currency. If the chosen currency lacks the desired withdrawal/deposit means, one should choose a different currency with consideration of the exchange rate.

Prior to the registration one is highly advised to take a close look at the bookie’s rules and guidelines, which bookmakers tenaciously follow in case of any issues. If one doesn’t familiarize oneself with these, it may lead to undesirable consequences.

No. Having multiple accounts is somewhat easily revealed and typically leads to nullification of all accounts which belong to a single player.

Per se, no; however, in case of inactivity, bookmakers typically have rules which allow them to disable inactive accounts, with the period of inactivity being 12 months (may depend on a bookmaker). If an inactive account still has funds, the procedure is far more complicated and takes longer. However, if inactivity persists, one may lose their account even with a positive balance on it.

A live bet is a kind of bet which allows one to bet while the event is lasting. The odds may change very often during an event.

The more prominent a bookmaker is, the faster a bet will be accepted: typically a bet is accepted within 3-5 seconds. It is impossible to deceit a bookmaker in order to make a bet which is known to be true – for instance, right after a goal is scored – as a bookmaker simply wouldn’t accept it. Many bookies provide additional options for making instant bets – for example if one agrees to accept a lower or higher odd in advance.

One of the main advantages is to “safeguard” one’s pre-match bets – which is what professional players do. In case there is one event left in a combination bet which is not winning, one has to bet on the opposite of the initial bet to secure one’s total winnings. If one considers the disadvantages, among them is generally less favourable odds compared to pre-match odds – and one risks being late with placing a bet.

Top bookmakers typically settle bets right after the outcome of it. Some overly cautious bookies still settle all bets after the match is over.

Since live bets always happen in the real time, bookies are late sometimes with their information regarding the current state of the game, and, as such, their odds could be inaccurate. The more prominent a bookmaker is, the more likely it is to amend the past odds and to admit a mistake, not in its favour. As such, one should double-check the current state of a match in a different source.

The time here depends on the chosen means of deposit. In the case of electronic systems and debit or credit cards, this is instantaneous. In the case of wire transfer, this could take up to five days.

First of all, each bookmaker has a minimal amount, which has to be satisfied in order to withdraw the funds: typically around $5-$10. Second, many bookmakers set up a threshold number of withdrawal without commission per week. Finally, most of the bookmakers allow for withdrawal to be used via same means as the prior deposit.

In case of a deposit, most of bookmakers will not charge for such a deposit. However, when it comes to withdrawals, it depends on the chosen means. Some of bookmakers have elected to not take any commission for any transaction, but that is not a universal approach as some bookies still take a commission (1-2%) for withdrawal, especially for credit and debit cards.

Depending on a bookmaker, the means of deposit and withdrawal varies. There are some two-way methods of payment when the same means can be used for both withdrawal and deposit. Consequently, one-way methods are being used for only depositing. Before making a deposit one should consider the possibility of withdrawal using the same means.

Bookmakers take using an account as a means of transferring funds quite negatively. For instance, if you deposit $1000, make two $50 bets, and try to withdraw the initial $1000 back, the bookmaker may conduct an inspection of the transactions and even freeze the account until such inspection is over.

Practically every bookmaker has a FAQ section, dedicated to this question. As has been mentioned, any decent bookmaker won’t take a fee from depositing transactions. The most convenient way to deposit is through a credit or debit card such as VISA or MasterCard. Many bookies provide an option of electronic payments, such as Skrill, WebMoney, and etc.

There are two types of bonuses in general: the ubiquitous welcome bonus for the first deposit and bonuses for patrons. Please note that bookmakers have started to diversify bonus amounts based on the player’s citizenship lately.

The welcome bonus is the instrument to attract new players in order to make a bookmaker appealing among other peers. Furthermore, it suggests that a player makes a larger initial deposit to get a bigger bonus. This offer typically is available only for the first deposit, which usually doubles the initial deposit (with some degree of restriction on the amount). In order to make the bonus real, one has to play a couple of times. One has to note that this bonus is tied to the player details, such as name, address, IP, e-mail, or bank card details.

As it usually happens, nothing is free. Bookmakers may be advertising insane bonuses for the newcomers, but they hide the peculiarities of claiming such back behind think legalese. For instance, in order for a lucky novice to claim the bonus, they would have to make 25 bets with a total amount of triple the bonus, with odds of no less than 1.60. Clearly, complying with such requirements is very challenging. One has to carefully study the chosen bookmaker’s rules before registering.

Bookies have never been miserly regarding their promotions. Some would return an average bet amount after each hundredth bet, others would implement complex formulas to provide their clients with some bonus amount from each bet. Some would simply award a client an amount, if, for instance, in an express with no less than five events all of which have odds of 1.6 or more only one even wouldn’t be won.

In this context, a catch-up is a series of bets, where each subsequent bet amount is determined by the previous bet outcome. Therefore, a player has to increase the amount of the subsequent bet when losing. For instance, if team X loses twice in a row, one can catch-up in order to make up the loss. However, the effectiveness of this strategy varies on the odds provided.

The most straightforward one is traditional catch-up. Each losing bet is multiplied by two. Once a player manages to catch-up, one has to reset the betting amount to a minimum. The main consideration here is to not get too involved in the lose-strike or to have enough funds in case the unfortunate row gets too long. There is also a “soft” catch-up, which implies that the player multiplies the amount by less than two. The subsequent bets are determined according to S=(E+Sd)/(k-1) formula, where E is the desirable winning amount, Sd is the already lost amount, and k is the provided odd.

Typically this strategy is being used in regards to totals and handicaps. For one to use it, one would need to have at least two accounts in two different bookmakers. Let’s consider an example of a basketball game between UNICS and CSKA. After the first half the result is 47:45 in favour of UNICS. Bookmakers would sometimes reevaluate the odds after a half of the match is gone differently. For instance, Bookmaker A provides the total of 182.5 with same odds, while Bookmaker B provides the total of 190.5 with same odds as well. By betting on the total of more than 182.5 with Bookmaker A and the total of less than 190.5 with Bookmaker B, one has a decent chance of winning both if the match ends with the total of 183 to 190. Furthermore, there is a chance that only one bet will fail, which still provides the player with some winnings.

This strategy is considered to be the safest, and, as such, is recommended for novice players. “Flat” implies that one bets on the 1%-5% of one’s total bank amount. For instance, if one’s account has $1000, one bets on odds of no less than 1.9-2.0 using 1% of the total sum, which translates to $10. In case one loses, one bets on 1% of the remaining $990; if one wins, one bets using 1% of $1010. This strategy will prove successful as long as one manages to guess more than 50% of the bets. As such, “flat” is easy and safe to use.

This strategy implies separating the initial bank into five parts: 1%, 3,5%, 9,5%, 24,5% and 61,5%. Of one bets on events with the odds provided among 1.70-1.85 range, the player is likely to get more than they loses no matter on which stage the winning comes. The whole bank may be lost only if one experiences five loses in a row. For instance, if one’s bank is worth $1000, a player might lose the first three bets (1%, 3,5%, 9,5%), but if the fourth bet (which is worth $245) with an 1.75 odd wins, the bank will increase from $1000 to $1043,75. It is important to get back to the 1% bet after winning any bet, and it is equally important to wait until the bet is over.

Most of players occasionally need to contact customer support, which is usually readily available via online chat, or via e-mail and phone. However, regardless of the chosen means of communication, the customer support operator will need a player to be identified. For such identification, a player needs to be ready to state their account number, registration details, and the answer to the recovery question.

It is quite important to keep in mind that the operator doesn’t read your mind, so in order to communicate effectively, one would have to present their problem concisely and provide all the requested information. It does without saying that one needs to be patient and polite. The operator is a human being and will be more eager to help a respectful customer.

The unbeaten boxer is an avid gambler when it comes to sports. Floyd has tried to bet $400 000 on his own victory before the 10th round in the world’s most exorbitant box match against Conor McGregor. After the bookmaker has refused to accept this bet, Floyd has sent his trustee, who was able to bet $87 000. Notably, Floyd succeeded in fulfilling the bet’s requirements.

This Czech’s affiliation to gambling has become well-known after the mass media has claimed that he has an outstanding debt of about $1000000 to various online bookmakers. Furthermore, it is known that Jaromír is not quite lucky when it comes to bet. Amusingly, when Jaromír’s losing streak has ended, the bookmaker has started a celebration as the bookie’s management was afraid that the Czech will stop pumping money into it.

This Manchester United’s ex-captain’s gambling addiction has led to a scandalous media outburst as the information that Rooney has lost 700 000 Sterling Pounds in horse and dog racing. The bookmaker has filed a lawsuit against Wayne, which Rooney’s representatives tried to deflect by referring to invalidity of the bookmaker’s license.

Charley Barkley, the NBA star, has allegedly lost more than $10000000 on gambling. "I bet a lot and I lose a lot. When you win, you don’t realize how much you’ve won – it only comes to you once you lose." Barkley said. "And now with my gambling, 'cause I love it. I love the action, I love the juice. I will keep on doing it – I just need to understand that I can’t win it all”.

Michael Jordan, one of the greatest basketball players in history, has been known to be addicted to gambling. Many stories about his life have been related to gambling. Allegedly, his father has been killed due to an incomprehensible gambling debt Michael once used to have. Furthermore, there have been talks that he was forced to leave the competitive arena due to the same reason.

The history of gambling goes back to the Roman empire. The Romans used to gamble on two main types of entertainment: chariot races and gladiatorial fights. The betting method was quite straightforward back then: the sum of all bets on a certain horse or gladiator was equally divided among all respective bettors.

Richard Tattersall was the first man to open up the first kind of modern bookmaking house back in 1766. As he was the owner of an auction of pedigree horses, the duke has started to organize horse races for those who were wealthy members of the auction club.

Due to the increasing popularity of bookmaking, a number of European countries and the USA have legalized bookmaking back in the XIX century. The first owners of an official bookmaker have been two infamous English gentlemen, Fred Swindell and Leviathan Davies.

Bookmaking has started to shape in its current state in the first half of the XX century. As the Internet has become widespread and the subsequent appearance of live bets, bookmakers have become analytical centres to rapidly process changes in the gambling world.

At this point, legal bookmakers have practically moved away from the other, “grey” bookies from the market due to convenient service and official rules of conducting business. Players have the option to either gamble through mobile devices in practically any part of the world, or to either gamble in comfortable gambling lounges of said bookmakers.

Despite the legal regulations throughout the world, some bookmakers still try to employ dishonest mechanisms towards their customers. Usually, the target is successful customers – which is natural, since unsuccessful customers are bookmakers bread and butter. What can a bookie do in case someone is inconveniently fortunate? Usually, this boils down to two options. First: to accuse one of breaking a bookmaker’s rules of conduct. Second: to come up with an accusation of unfair gambling. In either option, a bookmaker freezes one’s account in order to conduct an overly long, extensive account check.

Like in all kinds of activities which require one to enter into a contractual relationship, one has to carefully, scrupulously study the rules of the chosen bookmaker. If this bookmaker seems shady or outright illegal, one shouldn’t bother to register. The red flag here is the absence of the identification process – in that case, one is seriously risking never getting any substantial money back. Furthermore, one would have to take all precautions to not break the rules of the chosen bookmaker. Most of the issues can be prevented by entering into a relationship with the world’s most prominent bookies, who take their reputation most seriously.