Christine Tannous / The Commercial Appeal / USA TODAY NETWORK

Sports Betting 101: Online sports betting guide for beginners

Last updated Oct 9, 2022 9:43 AM ET

Betting on sports is a great way to make watching games more exciting and engaging, it can also be a great intellectual challenge as you try to weigh up all the factors that go into influencing the outcome of a game.

If you've never bet on sports before, it can seem a little daunting at first. Especially since there are lots of new words and odd-sounding phrases that get batted around all the time, such as "totals" or "against the spread."

But fear not! These are all really easy to understand and to help you, and our friends at OddsChecker have created this handy guide to sports betting that will give you everything you needed to get started.

If you're a sports betting novice, you'll also want to check out Yardbarker 's free bets section to find all the bonuses currently offered by sportsbooks.

Click here for an easy to understand betting guide to help you understand sports betting, suitable for beginners through to experts.

Meanwhile, if you're new to sports betting, here are some handy tips that can help you stay on the right track.

Be disciplined - Don't get carried away, set a budget and stick to it. Don't chase losses and just make small bets to start with until you're more familiar with how it all works.
Track your bets - Make a note of all the bets you place and their outcomes. You may want to do this with a spreadsheet, a piece of paper or an app. Once you have enough data, it'll help you understand where your strengths and weaknesses lie.
Find picks - While you're getting to grips with how sports betting works, you may want to take advantage of the experience, knowledge, and insight of professional handicappers who offer picks and predictions that you can use when making your bets.
Find free bets - Free bets can help you get more for your money by taking away some of the risk. Most sportsbooks offer free bets to new customers, so check out our list of the latest free bets to find the ones that are right for you.
Compare odds - While most sportsbooks offer odds on most sports, they won't all be equal. Placing a bet with the best odds means you'll receive more if you're successful. We make this easy by comparing the odds of all the leading bookies in the US, helping you to always get the best value from every wager you place.