What Is a ‘Futures’ Bet?

what-is-a-futures-bet

A futures betting is a wager on an event that will be decided in the future, but not linked to just one game. Unlike a standard bet where the outcome is known in a few hours, a futures ticket might sit in your wallet for an entire season.

The most popular futures bets consider:

  • Championship winners
  • Individual awards
  • Season totals

The best examples are March Madness winner, Super Bowl champion, Stanely Cup winner, NBA champion, etc.

Value – Main Reason for Futures Betting

Some might say that freezing the cash for a few months isn’t a good choice. Well, that depends on the bettor and his preferences. But here’s a good reason why futures might be beneficial – VALUE.

Check this out.

Early in the preseason, oddsmakers are working with projections. They are not into results, nor do they have reliable parameters in terms of form for both teams and players.

This situation opens a window for the bettors to spot something the bookies didn’t. That just might be a dark horse with a favorable schedule or a star player returning from injury, it doesn’t matter, what’s important is that sportsbook futures odds are massive at that point. If the bettor turns out to be right, he won’t have a second chance to snatch those odds, because the bookies will react and adjust them as the season goes by.

Hedging – Additional Reason for Futures Betting

Let’s say you have a bet on Mexico to reach the WC semis at +2100. They face Uruguay in the quarterfinals, and you pick the Gauls to advance at +100. Whatever happens, you are the winner; you only need to pick the right stake amount when betting on France to maximize the profits.

Example of Vegas Odds Futures Betting

Every sportsbook will offer its own futures markets and if you look hard enough, it’s easy to find hundreds of futures options every season on every sport.

Here are some of the most popular:

  • Super Bowl Winner
  • Winner of March Madness
  • The Winner of the Stanley Cup
  • Who will win be the MVP of the league
  • World Series Winner

Are Futures Markets Only Available in Sports?

Using offshore sportsbooks, bettors aren’t limited to betting on sports, with options for betting on futures in cryptocurrency, celebrities, presidential elections, and more.

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