Sports Betting Definitions

What is Betting Futures in Sports Betting?

Betting Futures Are you a person who likes to look forward? Then maybe you should look toward future bets. Find out more about them, how they work, and how you can make the most out of them.

✍️ Written by :

Uno July

🗓 Updated :

Apr 3rd 2023

Table of content

What Does Betting Futures Mean In Sports Betting?

Betting futures entails betting on the outcomes of events that are far out from happening in the future. This is an interesting way to throw extra suspense into your wagers; rather than resolving something as quickly as one game, your wager could wind up hinging on multiple games, as one is all it takes to sway the ramifications of future championships.

These wagers can start as early as the start of the season, and extend right up to the final league championship game. Point spreads are notorious for drastically fluctuating and moving around with time, but unlike most wagers, the odds remain static at the time the bettor placed them, regardless of whatever serious changes the season presents.

But how can you read these odds, how can you find final payouts on these odds, and where can you place bets on these odds? Read on to understand the lowdown on betting futures.

How Does Futures Betting Work?

Most sportsbooks present futures odds in a top-to-bottom fashion, sequencing these odds from best to worst. Typically you’ll see shorter odds up top like +400 (meaning that you could win $400 from wagering $100), and the lower end, you’ll see progressively longer odds like +1500 (meaning that you could win $1500 from wagering $100).

As you’ve probably gathered, the likelihood of these longer odds pulling through is considerably more of a longshot, but they have the potential to deliver a considerably greater payout than safer bets. Likewise, higher implied probability wagers are safer, but lack the high payouts of those longer odds.

That’s part of the appeal, allure, and suspense of these wagers; a lot can change over the course of a few months, so playing the long game can be even more suspenseful than standard single-game wagers. To gather the implied probability of these wagers, it’s helpful to use calculator tools like this one.

How To Bet Futures

Pretty much most (if not all) major online casinos, sportsbooks, and betting exchanges offer futures as a betting option to wager on. Currently, over 14 states and the District of Columbia offer legal online sports betting markets in the United States, and now that the Supreme Court has effectively legalized sports betting nationwide, it’s only a matter of time before online sportsbooks come to a betting market near you.

If (or more accurately, when) a legal online sportsbook is available in your area, you can sign up online, and take further precautions by taking advantage of these platforms’ no deposit bonuses. Most sports betting sites offer these promotions as a generous incentive for first-time players and a generous way to mitigate the financial risk of their wagers.

If you live in an area with legal online sports betting markets, here are some of the trusted, renowned online sportsbook operators you may be able to sign up for:

DraftKings Sportsbook

888 Sport

Sugarhouse Casino

Fox Bet Sportsbook

BetAmerica Sportsbook

Futures Betting Strategy

We’ve already elaborated on how bonuses can mitigate risks, but what are some other ways you can mitigate risks? Here are futures betting strategies you may want to consider, especially if you’re just a novice player:

Sourcing from multiple books: Odds can vary widely across a multitude of sportsbooks. If you have the option to view or wager across multiple sportsbooks, we highly recommend you do so to gain the best grasp of the odds.

Hedging your bets: Rather than putting all your chips into one championship league contender, consider spreading them across multiple. Playing multiple odds can give you a better shot than just playing one line, provided you’re confident in the lines you’re wagering on. That said, it may not be wise to parlay future bets, as one leg failing is all it takes to cost the entire wager.

Buying low: Sometimes, great players may be underperforming early, but really shine later in the season. Invest accordingly, but do not wager more than you’d be comfortable losing.

Futures Betting: Pros And Cons

Like any wager or gambling game you can play, futures bets have their own unique set of advantages and disadvantages. Here’s the lowdown on both.

Futures Betting Pros

Future bets have plenty of flexibility to be placed around the season by most sportsbook operators, provided their post-season league championship events are still a ways away.

Future bets offer plenty of flexibility to shop around sportsbooks, provided the rules and TOS of your sportsbooks condone that. Review each sportsbook providers’ terms and conditions carefully.

Future bets have the potential to offer a greater plus-money return than other wagers.

Futures Betting Cons

A lot can change between the time you wager on betting futures and the actual game you’re wagering on, so you have to be really careful and confident in the wager you’re betting on, and reasonably confident that it will likely endure the duration of the season.

Beyond more time, a lot more risk factors are open to cause changes that could jeopardize the outcome of your futures betting, risk factors like injuries, players being traded, or crushing upsets that sink once-promising contenders. Again, make sure you’re comfortable taking these risks before placing your futures bet, or for that matter, any bet.

All of the above could consequently sway the market dramatically. We cannot stress enough that you shouldn’t risk more than you’re comfortable losing.

If you play your cards right, futures betting can be an exciting, slow-burn fuse that leads to an exciting, explosive, and satisfying payoff. And much like successful futures betting, the iGaming industry is set to undergo some fruitful, flourishing, and promising long-term growth. Consider getting on the ground floor of that growth alongside us.

About the author

Uno July

SPORTS & IGAMING JOURNALIST

Uno July is an OddsSeeker.com contributor focusing on NBA, NFL, and Soccer picks & predictions based in Cape Town, South Africa. Read his latest stories on sports betting, iGaming, and political betting here at OddsSeeker.com