Live betting, also known as in-game betting, accounts for more and more action at online sportsbooks these days — especially around Super Bowl time. In fact, the Big Game is projected to account for up to 70% of all sports bets placed in the United States by 2023. The growth of in-game betting also opens the door to new and additional markets at sportsbooks, primarily centered around what is becoming known as “micro betting” (also referred to as microbetting).
With the rapid expansion of legal online sports betting across the US, sportsbooks have expanded their live betting options alongside. That’s led to a huge boost in live betting’s popularity. Now that in-game betting has become mainstream, it’s led to even more innovations and additional offerings at sportsbooks — including micro betting.
Micro betting is essentially live betting on specific elements of a game. If in-play betting and props had a child, it would probably look something like micro betting, which combines elements of both. Below, we’ll show you everything you need to know about micro betting, including what it is, which sports offer it, what these markets look like, and how to bet on them.
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What are micro bets?
Micro betting refers to betting on individual moments in a game unrelated to the final score (similar to props). It happens in real-time as the game progresses (just like in-play betting).
The major difference for micro betting — compared to live betting in general — is that micro sports bets tend to settle quickly. Bettors don’t need to wait until the end of a game, half, or quarter to find out whether they won or lost.
Take a Major League Baseball game, for example. Rather than betting on a live moneyline, spread, total, or even a live game or player prop, micro betting goes much deeper. There are options to place bets on specific innings and half-innings in addition to at-bat results and even individual pitches.
Will the next pitch be a strike or ball? Will the batter get a hit? Will it be a single or a double? Will the next play be a double play? As you can see, the possibilities for micro betting in a single baseball game alone are virtually endless.
The success and growth of micro sports betting go hand-in-hand with the rise of online betting via sportsbook apps. Sportsbooks now have the technology to handle data in real-time and provide odds quickly, while bettors can react to the fast-changing odds and get a bet slip submitted equally quickly.
Which sportsbooks offer micro betting?
As sports betting in Maryland and across the United States continues to grow, more and more sportsbooks have micro-betting in some form or another. The exact markets can vary from site to site, but these options can be found at several big-name platforms including:
Depending on which specific sport that you wish to make your micro-bets, there are certain micro betting apps that are better than others. While all of the above have solid options to choose from, a bettor looking for a one-stop shop may want to consider DraftKings Sportsbook above all else.
DraftKings has one of the largest collections of live betting markets in the industry, and that extends to micro betting lines, which are often found under the live props section of an ongoing game. Whether it’s MLB, NFL, NBA, golf, or soccer, any bettor can find micro-betting lines to take advantage of at DraftKings.
And once Jake Paul’s micro betting brand betr begins operating in the state, bettors will have yet another option for live betting.
Which sports are best for micro betting?
One great thing about micro betting is that it can be done on a wide range of sports. Any sport or league with live lines could also have micro betting odds; it just depends on whether the specific sportsbook you’re using offers it. The list of sports odds for micro wagering includes:
- Football odds (NFL)
- Basketball odds (NBA)
- Baseball odds (MLB)
- Hockey odds (NHL)
- Soccer odds (various leagues)
- Golf odds / tennis odds (most tour stops)
In our view, baseball is one of the best micro-betting sports for a few reasons. Whether betting on an inning, an at-bat, or a specific pitch, these wagers are settled very quickly. There are also about 30 seconds between each pitch, which gives the bettor more time to adjust to the updated betting lines than we see in other sports.
Golf is another great sport for micro betting, since events take more time to unfold. There can be several minutes between shots for each player, which allows you to take your time to consider betting on the score of a specific hole coming up soon. Live odds also change much more slowly in golf betting than in other sports.
What are the most popular micro sports bets?
In recent years, betting on props and live lines has opened up the door to an endless stream of new markets at online sportsbooks in the United States. The development of micro betting has now led to even more markets, with the options going far deeper than many previously thought possible.
Going sport by sport, below are some of the most popular micro bets you’ll see at betting sites in Maryland.
MLB micro betting
Baseball is another sport with many micro betting opportunities throughout each game. Consider the following baseball betting options that you will find at Maryland sportsbooks:
- Inning Moneyline & Total
- Team To Score In Listed Inning
- Result Of At-Bat
- Result Of Pitch
As we can tell, some are more specific than others. Bettors can focus on a specific inning and whether a team will score along with the moneyline and total, but it also goes even deeper than that. If you’re looking for something even more granular and quickly completed, specific pitches and at-bats are also available.
These markets are even more in-depth than player props such as total runs, hits, or RBIs for a game, or even how many strikeouts a pitcher will rack up in an outing.
NFL micro betting
The next time you find yourself doing some Super Bowl betting, betting on the Washington Commanders or searching for Baltimore Ravens betting options, try your hand at micro betting.
The National Football League is the most popular professional sports entity in the United States from a viewership and betting perspective. It’s no surprise that NFL oddsmakers provide several micro betting options for each game including:
- Next Play Result
- Next Drive Result
- Field Goal Make/Miss
Betting on a specific play could mean wagering on the result or on the type of play that is run. The drive result will allow NFL bettors to wager on whether there will be a scoring play, a turnover, or a punt. As teams line up for field goals, bettors also may be able to wager on whether or not the kick winds up through the uprights.
NBA micro betting
Basketball is a game that moves pretty quickly, so placing micro wagers is a bit tougher during NBA games than it is for other sports. With that said, it’s still not impossible by any means; we’d just recommend that you’re watching the game as you bet to make sure you’re up-to-the-minute.
Among the micro betting lines for NBA games is the ‘Next Field Goal’ market, with the options being for a two-pointer or a three-pointer. The three-point option pays a bit better, and in today’s NBA, you can never discount the long ball.
NHL micro betting
Hockey is another fast-paced game that has plenty of live betting options, but micro betting opportunities can be hard to find because of how quick things are. Still, there are some options including ‘Goal Scored – Listed Time’. Bettors have presented a range of 10 minutes inside the game and must pick ‘yes’ or ‘no’ when deciding whether a goal will be scored during that frame of time.
Golf micro betting
The pace of golf makes PGA Tour events one of the most popular and practical micro betting options at mobile sportsbooks. The fact that there’s some time between every shot means that gamblers have time to place their micro bets, which could include an option for ‘Hole Winner’ between two playing partners.
Bettors are offered a three-way moneyline for the winner of a specific hole featuring both players and a tie as options. The tie is generally the favorite on most holes, with picking an individual player to win a hole coming with a larger payout. These bets can’t be placed while the hole is in action, but lines will be available just before the group reaches the hole being offered.
Soccer micro betting
There are so many soccer leagues around the world, and that means tons of micro betting opportunities exist for online sportsbook users. Whether you prefer betting on the English Premier League, La Liga, Major League Soccer, or betting on the World Cup, there will be options for you including:
- Next Goal (3-way moneyline)
- Next Goal (2-way moneyline)
- Total Corners – Listed Time
There could be more options depending on the match, the league, and the sportsbook, but these are some basic ones. The three-way moneyline for the next goal includes both teams and the option for a tie if you want to predict that no more goals will be scored. The two-way moneyline removes the tie and refunds all bettors if no more goals are scored.
Betting on corner kicks in a listed time is much like what we discussed in the NHL section. Bettors are given a span of five or 10 game minutes and must predict whether or not a corner kick will be awarded in yes or no fashion.
How is micro betting different from props & live betting?
Because the game is ongoing and the markets don’t have anything to do with the final score of the game, we can see that micro-betting odds are very similar in many ways to props and live betting. With that said, there are some aspects of micro betting that make it unique to both props and in-game odds.
Traditional props tend to break down into three categories: player props, game props, and team props. And many of these options involve a specific game, half, or quarter needing to be completed for the bet to settle. That isn’t the case with micro betting.
It can be a specific pitch or at-bat in baseball, the next basket in an NBA game, or just a specific range of time in an NHL or soccer game. To put it simply, micro bets go even deeper into individual in-game events than normal props do.
Because the bets are so granular to an in-game event, many of them are over within a matter of moments. Others can take a bit more time, but in general, bettors can find out whether they won or lost much more quickly than other props or live lines.
Where to find micro betting options at online sportsbooks?
Before you can place any wagers on micro betting lines at online sportsbooks in Maryland, you first need to know exactly where to find these options on your application. Thankfully, it’s an easy process.
Using DraftKings Sportsbook as an example, here are the steps one can take to locate micro betting lines:
- Log into your online sportsbook account.
- Click the section of the site that says ‘Live’, which will redirect you to all the contents currently taking place.
- Find the sport you are interested in, and then locate the specific game you want. Click into the game to reveal more betting options.
- Look for a section labeled as Live Props. Options may also be found in the Popular section of a specific game.
- After deciding on your micro bet, add the market to your bet slip and enter the wager before the odds change!
How to download & install sportsbook apps for micro betting
If you’re one of the many people developing an interest in micro betting, the first step is to sign up for a Maryland online sportsbook account. This can be done in several ways, starting with clicking one of the many sportsbook links we have on the site. They will redirect you to the registration page, and once the signup process is complete, bettors can download the application and sign in to their new account.
Bettors can also download the app and register through the sportsbook, or visit the betting site via a web browser. If you decide to go either of these routes, take one of our Maryland sportsbook bonus codes with you to ensure you receive the best welcome bonus possible. Once you’ve reaches the registration page, take these steps:
- Fill out and provide all required information (name, address, upload photo ID, etc.).
- If using a promo/bonus code, enter it during registration to activate your bonus.
- Agree to any terms and conditions and submit your registration. You should receive an email to confirm your new account.
- Select a payment method and make the first deposit into your new account. If receiving a deposit match bonus, it will be reflected in your account balance.
- Begin placing bets!
Are there risks to micro betting?
The risks associated with micro betting aren’t all that different from those that bettors need to look out for any time they’re putting their money on the line.
The main thing to focus on is the bankroll and setting a limit for how much you’re willing to spend on micro bets. Because these bets are so quick to end, it can be easy to chase losses right away and ultimately work yourself into a financial hole in a short time.
With a bit of self-discipline and a plan in place for how much you want to spend, bettors can take advantage of all that micro betting has to offer without worrying about the negatives that come from it.