Always read the fine print to know the rules. One of the most important elements that sports bettors often overlook when they sign up to bet is the set of rules that accompany those sportsbooks. Novice sports bettors want to get in to the action right away and oftentimes in their haste, can overlook how important it is to read the guidelines before they actually start to play.
It’s important to understand all of the rules and regulations. The last thing you want is a bet to be surprisingly settled as a loss. Before questions come up, know the rules differences at the best betting sites.
What Is An Official Game?
Nearly every sportsbook will follow the same rules for what constitutes an official game when it comes to the NBA, NFL, MLB and NHL. In football and basketball, that usually means within five minutes of a full game. It might not seem to matter on the surface but it’s important to understand a potential loophole when it comes to how the sportsbooks operate.
Anything from a severe power outage at a basketball game to bad weather conditions at a baseball game could for a contest to go final before the full time. Obviously a game is more likely to be called in baseball than in any other sport but it’s important to know what the rules are at each of the individual best sportsbooks.
Baseball Is Tricky
Each sportsbook will have different individual rules and as was the case in the example above this is particularly true about baseball more than any other sport. Most sportsbooks allow you to specify the starting pitchers for a wager and if that pitcher doesn’t start the wager will be void. However, that is not the case for every single sports betting website so it’s important to know if that is the case at your book or not. Some sportsbooks won’t even give the option of noting the starting pitcher so if that is something that you want you will need to shop around an find the perfect sportsbook.
Here's an example of what some sportsbook rules might look like:
| Examples | Pitcher Props (Action) | Batter Props (Action) |
| Sportsbook A | Must Start | Must Start |
| Sportsbook B | Not Specified | Not Specified |
| Sportsbook C | Starter/Reliever | Start + Plate Appearance |
| Sportsbook D | Must Throw At Least One Pitch | Start + Plate Appearance |
| Sportsbook E | Must Start | One Plate Appearance |
Know The Rules
The various sports betting websites will also have their own rules for how to handle ties in parlays and teasers. Most sportsbooks will simply drop the number of wagers in your parlay if there is a push in it but there are still some older sportsbooks that follow the “tie loses” guideline so it would make sense to avoid those sites. The best part about exploring the rules ahead of time is the fact that they are set in stone. There are plenty of horror stories about sports bettors whose bookies changed the rules on them. It's much worse when in the midst of a disputed outcome. That won’t happen when you use sports betting websites. The key is to make sure you are aware of all of the rules before you make a wager. If you feel uncomfortable with any of them, you can simply change the sportsbook you play with ahead of time. It's better to do that than being stuck in a situation you don’t want to be in.
