Goal scorers, side selection at kick-off & others: Why it makes no sense to try to win those special bets!

3 Feb 2023

Updated: 24 Apr 2023

Sports betting is more popular than ever before. In the recent past, the industry has grown steadily. Football betting in particular has always enjoyed great popularity. Here, both a large number of sporting events and a huge variety of different bets attract people.

Major sporting events cause great enthusiasm worldwide, also in the world of sports betting. Last year, of course, the focus was on the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. Such a tournament is not only a real highlight for all sports fans, but also for all friends of sports betting. Bookmakers offer special World Cup betting offers and lucrative odds. In addition, an extremely broad spectrum of betting markets opens up a great variety of different types of bets. The Women's World Cup in 2023 will likely be no different.

Those who think that betting on victories are too boring will find their luck in so-called special bets. Although such bets offer a high entertainment factor, special bets are not financially promising in the long run.

Definition Of So-called Special Bets

When we talk about a special bet, we usually mean bets that are not presented at the first sight. Among other things, classic result bets are considered to be the standard offer. In contrast, special bets include the quite popular goal bets, half-time bets or also half-time and final score bets.

In addition, special bets on first events in the match are becoming increasingly popular. These include bets on the first goal scorer or simple events such as the first free kick. With regard to special bets, there are no limits to the inventiveness of the numerous betting providers. Compared to a classic standard bet, the possible winnings of a special bet are particularly high, but at the same time such types of bets are considered to be significantly riskier.

Special bets on cards and corner kicks are among the most lucrative and riskiest types of bets. Bets on corner kicks are placed on the exact number of corner kicks taken during a match. It is also possible to bet on an even or odd number of corners per match. And there is also the possibility to place a bet on the number of goals scored in a head-to-head comparison between the two teams.

With regard to special bets on cards, over and under bets are usually offered by the betting providers. Thus, a bet is placed on the number of yellow and red cards distributed within a match. For this purpose, bets can be placed on the first card or the total number of caution points. In this case, all cards of both teams are added up.

The Problem With Special Bets

The great advantage of special bets is the immense fun and entertainment factor. In many cases, people are already laughing when they place the bet. Some such bets promise almost impossible chances of success. If a bet is still won in the end, the joy is naturally all the greater. All in all, the attraction of a Special bet lies above all in the variety of bets on offer and the sometimes crazy betting markets, which never make sports betting boring.

However, the entertainment value is almost the only benefit of such special bets. Because purely on an objective level, this type of betting makes for a financially secure negative business in the long run. It is almost impossible to make specific forecasts and to predict the sometimes absurd events exactly. Rather, special bets are completely a matter of luck. With a player bet, one is completely dependent on the form of a single player. In contrast, with a team bet, the entire team can compensate for individual weaknesses in form.

Of course, due to the arbitrary nature of special bets, it is not necessary to make a detailed betting analysis. Accordingly, a special bet can be placed at any time and at one's own whim. However, this supposed advantage immediately turns into a disadvantage, as such bets are associated with a considerable risk. On the one hand, the available betting markets are difficult to research, on the other hand, the chances of winning are usually very low and particularly dependent on the luck factor.

Strategy and expertise play no role in special bets. Whereas with classic bets the chance of winning can be maximised through one's own preparation, in the case of special bets only the luck factor helps. For all those who want to achieve long-term success with sports betting, special bets are not recommended in the long run. Here, bets are placed on completely random events, the occurrence of which is purely a matter of luck. Special bets are useful as a pure entertainment tool. For lucrative sports betting, however, this type of betting is not particularly helpful.

The Lucrative Alternative: With Strategy And Value Bets To Success!

It can be observed, especially among inexperienced sports betting beginners, that in addition to special bets, bets are usually placed exclusively on one's own favourite teams. However, this quickly leads to financial losses. Sports betting in connection with one's own emotions is rarely crowned with success. Rather, it is important to place one's own bets exclusively rationally and against the background of profit maximisation. Reason and logic should dominate here. Bets tend to be most promising when they are part of a larger strategy.

In this sense, so-called value bets have in some instances proven to be lucrative in the past. This type of bet promises an attractive opportunity to those deeply interested in sports and sports betting.

Value bets benefit from the fact that the bookmakers' subjective probability of occurrence is lower than the actual probability of occurrence in reality. Potentially a profit can be made from the discrepancy between estimated and real probability. Basically, value bets represent a kind of odds outlier for bookmakers. All in all, therefore, a promising type of bet.

Conclusion

In the final analysis, it must be said that special bets are purely for entertainment and personal enjoyment. The risk of completely random events is too high. Such special bets are purely a matter of luck and promise only your own losses in the long run. Anyways, people enjoy sports betting more than ever before. Value bets, on the other hand, are much more promising. As part of a well-planned strategy, it is possible that profits could be achieved with this type of sports betting.

Matched Betting Comparison

Matched Betting doesn't rely on special bets or value bets, but rather on mathematical strategy and an ability to cover all outcomes of a bet.

Useful reading: What Is Matched Betting

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